Man, let me tell you something about the Six of Pentacles. For years, I totally misunderstood it. I thought it was just about being the rich guy handing out money, or maybe being the poor guy receiving it. I always aimed to be the guy with the full pockets. I chased every possible project, every dime, every side hustle I could get my hands on. My focus was 100% on accumulating. Receiving, receiving, receiving. That’s how I operated, thinking that meant I was winning the life game.
My work schedule was insane. I was clocking 70-hour weeks consistently. I had money in the bank, yeah, but I had zero time, zero energy, and honestly, zero real connection to the people around me. I was a well-paid, exhausted hermit. I convinced myself that financial stability was the ultimate goal, and everything else could wait.
The Scales Tipped Over
Then, about six months ago, my little system crashed spectacularly. It wasn’t a job loss, but it was just as disruptive. My mother got seriously sick, requiring immediate, intensive care. Suddenly, all my carefully built financial walls and work routines were meaningless. I had the money to cover things, but I realized I hadn’t built any relationships or community support outside of work. I had no one nearby I felt comfortable asking for help with simple things, like dog-sitting or running errands while I was at the hospital.
I sat there in the waiting room one night, completely worn out, and I remembered pulling the Six of Pentacles a few weeks before, asking about my financial state. Back then, I just high-fived myself for being the “giver” in theory. But I suddenly saw the card differently. The scales in that image aren’t just weighing money; they’re weighing energy, time, and attention. And mine were completely unbalanced, tipped totally toward my own selfish receiving end.
It hit me hard: I had plenty of resources (pentacles), but I wasn’t using them correctly. I was hoarding energy meant for connection, and now I was paying the price by being completely isolated when I needed support the most.
The Practice: Actively Managing the Flow
I knew I had to fundamentally change my approach. I couldn’t just throw money at the problem; I had to re-learn how to actually give and receive resources that weren’t dollar bills. I decided to start a three-week experiment, focusing on creating a genuine flow, which I dubbed the “True Charity Test.”
Here is what I implemented, step by agonizing step, because it was hard to break those old habits:
- Budgeting Time for Others: I literally blocked out two hours every Monday evening in my calendar, labeled simply: ‘Community Investment.’ No work allowed. I used this time to check in with neighbors, call distant relatives just to chat, or help a friend move boxes. Just giving time, which felt like the biggest sacrifice initially.
- Non-Financial Assistance: I looked for specific, non-monetary ways to help. My friend Mike was trying to build a website for his small business but was completely lost on the tech side. Instead of just suggesting a cheap service, I sat down with him for four hours and walked him through the setup process, start to finish. I wasn’t paid, and I didn’t expect anything. I was the one with the skill (the pentacle) to share.
- Learning to Receive Gracefully: This was the hardest part. When neighbors brought over meals for me while I was shuttling back and forth to the hospital, my gut reaction was to refuse, to say I was fine. I forced myself to accept it, to say thank you sincerely, and to let someone else be the generous one. I realized that refusing help is just as disruptive to the flow as refusing to give help. It blocks the whole circuit.
The Realization of Balance
The card’s simple meaning snapped into focus after about ten days of this. It’s not about being a saint or a martyr. It’s about circulation. You see the rich figure on the card holding those scales? That person is actively managing the distribution. They aren’t just dumping cash; they are balancing the flow. They are deciding who needs what, and crucially, they are making sure they have enough left over for themselves to keep giving in the future.
When I was only receiving, I had plenty of pentacles, but my spirit was bankrupt. When I started truly giving—my time, my knowledge, my presence—I found myself feeling less anxious about my financial security. Why? Because I had built a real network. I had invested in the community account. That investment came back not as money, but as peace of mind and genuine support when I needed it most.
The Six of Pentacles is really just a lesson in good management. You track what you have, you assess who is in need, and you ensure the resources keep moving so they don’t stagnate. And you absolutely must remember that sometimes, you are the person with the empty bowl, and that’s okay too. Just make sure when you’re on the giving side, you give generously, and when you’re on the receiving side, you accept graciously. That’s how you keep those scales steady.
I finished up my practice feeling balanced for the first time in years. It’s not about equalizing wealth globally; it’s about equalizing the distribution of what you personally hold. Keep that flow going, guys. Seriously. It makes everything easier.
