Five of Pentacles tarot card meaning

What the card shows

Two poor figures walk through the snow at night. One is on crutches, and the other clutches a shawl around herself. They pass beneath a lit stained-glass window decorated with five coins. Warmth and shelter are right there, and they have not looked up to see it.

Five of Pentacles upright

The Five of Pentacles is the card of hard times. It describes material worry, feeling left out in the cold, or a struggle that seems to have no end. It does not make light of that. Upright, it also notices the lit window: help, support or community may be closer than it seems. The card asks whether you would let yourself accept it.

Keywords: hardship, insecurity, feeling left out, worry

Five of Pentacles reversed

Reversed, things are starting to improve. It can describe recovery from a difficult patch, accepting help, or finding the support you needed. It can also describe hardship that has gone on longer than it should, kept quiet out of pride. The card favours asking.

Keywords: recovery, accepting help, improvement

In love

Feeling unsupported, or a couple facing hardship together. The card asks you to lean on each other. Reversed, it describes finding warmth and support after a hard time.

At work

Job insecurity, financial strain, feeling overlooked. The card favours asking for help or advice, from a manager, a colleague or someone outside. Reversed, it points at a recovery beginning.

When you are deciding

If you are struggling, include the help available in the list of options. The Five of Pentacles warns against choices made out of shame or isolation, when support is close by.