Ten of Pentacles
A man and woman beneath an archway which gives entrance to a house and domain. They are accompanied by a child, who looks curiously at two dogs accosting an ancient personage seated in the foreground. The child's hand is on one of them. Divinatory Meanings: Gain, riches; family matters, archives, extraction, the abode of a family. Reversed: Chance, fatality, loss, robbery, games of hazard; sometimes gift, dowry, pension.
A. E. Waite, Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911)
Wealth - inside and outside and the ability to pass it on. This may be a material inheritance of wealth or property or it may be an artistic achievement. On the other side the world is upside-down with inhibition and one has to take all consequences of life, there is futility of material gain, unless put to good use. See yourself, show yourself and use what's there, give it, spent it for the potential to sense the reality. Family, inheritance, economic welfare and having fun together means a period of ongoing contentment and security, a sense of something permanent having been established. This is a worldly ambition of deeper value, the immortality lies in the imagination, in the experience of love, in the divine power of the mind and in the experience of growth.
10 of Rainbows: We Are the World
Humanity is depicted here as a rainbow of beings, dancing around the mandala of the earth with their hands joined together in joy and gratitude for the gift of life. This card represents a time of communication, of sharing the riches that each of us brings to the whole. There is no clinging here, no grasping. It is a circle without fear of feelings of inferiority and superiority.
When we recognize the common source of our humanity, the common origins of our dreams and longings, our hopes and fears, we are able to see that we are all joined together in the great miracle of existence. When we can combine our tremendous inner wealth to create a treasure of love and wisdom that is available to all, we are linked together in the exquisite pattern of eternal creation.
Tarot of the Ages - Mario Garizio ©1988 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
One of the great problems with having wealth is what exactly to do with it, and this is the central concept of the Ten of Pentacles. All of the positive traits of the Pentacles suit are embodied here; security, happiness, and the spiritual wisdom that comes with experience in the real world. Like the rest of the Tens, the Ten of Pentacles reminds us that we have learned important lessons through the other suit cards, and now we are challenged to apply them to the problem at hand. So now that you have all the wealth you need and all the happiness you want... what do you do?
Trying to amass more wealth, one of the choices shown on the Seven, is a bad idea at this point. Obviously you cannot simply hold onto it, for the lesson on the Four was that such attempts at security always fail. Trying to hold onto wealth in case you need it later is often like trying to capture love in a bottle. By trying to hold onto these things you often end up crushing them in your fingers, rather than preserving them for the future. So holding on tightly is not an option. The Six of Pentacles, however, showed that you cannot simply give it all away, because you must benefit from wealth too.
The solution given by the Ten of Pentacles is to pass on your wealth - both spiritual and material - to the next generation, so they might gain as much success as you have. Even if your physical riches are limited, the advice that can be given by a father to his son, or a grandparent to grandchildren, is no less valuable. This is the purpose of inheritance and legacy; to pass on something to your successors so they will remember you. This can be in the form of money, and it often is, though the best form of inheritance is often the intangible. A monument or a spoken word has much more effect on the world than a pile of cash.
The Ten of Pentacles urges you to consider the many uses of wealth, the most important of which is assuring the future success and well-being of those we care for. The truly rich man is he who is wealthy in both body and spirit, and the gifts offered in the Ten of Pentacles are one of the best ways to attain this level of wealth. During your material endeavors, never forget your goal of spiritual richness. If you wish to be remembered, pass on your wisdom and experience to those who need it. If you are in need, look for someone (usually a family member) willing to share their wealth with you.
Tarot of the Dream Enchantress ©2009 Lo Scarabeo