Eight of Pentacles: Modern RWS Tarot Card Meanings
‘The Eight of Pentacles’, Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
Upright Eight of Pentacles Meanings
Keywords
Craftsmanship, Skill, Diligence, Mastery, Apprenticeship, Hard Work
Generally
The Eight of Pentacles is the card of the dedicated apprentice or master craftsperson. It signifies a period of intense focus on honing a skill, working diligently, and paying close attention to detail. The figure on the card is absorbed in his work, hammering out each pentacle with precision. This card represents the satisfaction that comes from hard work, the pursuit of mastery, and the dedication required to become an expert in a particular field. It's about being fully engaged in your work and finding meaning in the process of creation and improvement.
In a Love Context
In a love reading, this card signifies putting in the effort to make a relationship work. It's about the daily, sometimes repetitive, tasks of building a strong and lasting connection. You and your partner are dedicated to learning about each other and mastering the art of being together. For single people, it can mean you are focused on self-improvement, honing yourself into the kind of person you want to be before entering a new relationship.
In a Money/Career Context
This is the quintessential card for career development. It can signify starting a new job, undertaking a course of study, or entering an apprenticeship to learn a new trade. You are committed to your work and focused on producing high-quality results. This card is a very positive sign for anyone wanting to master a skill, change careers, or simply become better at what they do. It promises that your diligence and hard work will be noticed and will lead to success.
In a Spiritual Context
Spiritually, the Eight of Pentacles represents a commitment to a daily practice. Whether it's meditation, prayer, study, or another discipline, you are diligently working on your spiritual development. It's not about grand, mystical experiences but about the quiet, consistent effort that leads to profound inner growth and mastery over the self.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Focus on your craft. Pay attention to the details. Commit to the learning process. Hard work will pay off.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
You will achieve mastery through diligent work. A period of focused learning and skill development.
As Obstacles
Perfectionism is causing you to get bogged down in details. An obsessive focus on work is creating imbalance in your life.
As Hidden Energy
A deep, unacknowledged desire to master a new skill or trade.
As Resources/Alliances
Your own dedication and work ethic. A mentor or teacher who can guide you. The opportunity to learn and train.
‘The Eight of Pentacles’ Reversed
Keywords
Sloppy Work, Lack of Skill, No Passion, Repetitive Grind, Laziness, Perfectionism
Generally
Reversed, the Eight of Pentacles points to a lack of effort, poor quality work, and a general feeling of drudgery. You may be cutting corners, producing sloppy results, or feeling completely disengaged from your work. The passion is gone, and what was once a craft has become a repetitive, meaningless grind. It can also swing to the other extreme, representing a debilitating perfectionism that prevents you from ever completing anything.
In a Love Context
In a love reading, this card reversed can indicate that one or both partners are no longer putting in the effort. The relationship has become a chore, and the daily work of maintaining the connection is being neglected. It can signify laziness in love or a feeling that the relationship is stagnant and going nowhere.
In a Money/Career Context
This can mean you are unhappy in your job, feeling like a cog in a machine with no room for creativity or mastery. It can point to producing subpar work, a lack of ambition, or feeling stuck in a dead-end position. It warns against laziness and a lack of focus that could jeopardize your career.
In a Spiritual Context
Spiritually, this card reversed suggests that you are just going through the motions of your practice without any real presence or commitment. Your spiritual routine has become empty and repetitive, yielding no real growth or insight. It is a call to reconnect with the passion and purpose behind your spiritual path.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Re-evaluate your work. Find a way to bring passion back into it, or consider if it's time for a change. Stop cutting corners.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
Poor quality results and a feeling of dissatisfaction. A project will fail due to a lack of effort and focus.
As Obstacles
A lack of commitment and a poor work ethic are the primary hindrances. Boredom and a feeling of drudgery are preventing progress.
As Hidden Energy
A secret laziness or a deep-seated fear of failure is causing you to produce sloppy work.
As Resources/Alliances
The clarity that comes from admitting you have no passion for your current work, freeing you to find something new.
Additional Notes on The RWS ‘Eight of Pentacles’
Waite’s Divinatory Meanings of The Eight of Pentacles
"Work, employment, commission, craftsmanship, skill in craft and business, perhaps in the preparatory stage. Reversed: Voided ambition, vanity, cupidity, exaction, usury. It may also signify the possession of skill, in the sense of the ingenious mind turned to cunning and intrigue." (The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 1911)
RWS Eight of Pentacles Symbolism
A.E. Waite’s Eight of Pentacles depicts a young apprentice sitting on a workbench, carefully hammering a pentacle. Seven other pentacles are displayed, suggesting the progress he has made. He is completely absorbed in his task, symbolizing diligence, concentration, and the development of skill. In the background, a path leads to a distant town, implying that his hard work will eventually allow him to integrate his skills into the wider community and achieve success.
Meditations On The Eight of Pentacles
What skill or craft am I currently trying to master?
Am I paying enough attention to the details in my work and in my life?
Is my daily work fulfilling, or does it feel like a repetitive grind?
Continue Reading About The Minor Arcana
Next Card: The Nine of Pentacles
Previous Card: The Seven of Pentacles
