Six of Pentacles
Generosity in action—giving, receiving, or both. Resources shared fairly. But notice the power dynamic: giving can be generous or controlling, receiving can be grateful or degrading. The balance matters.
Correspondences
- Number
- 6
- Suit
- Pentacles
Practice
- Life Areas
- LoveUprightGenerous in love. Giving and receiving balanced in relationship. Fair partnership.ReversedLove with strings. Relationship power imbalance. One gives more than receives.CareerUprightProfessional generosity. Fair work compensation. Giving or receiving career help.ReversedWork debt. Professional strings attached. Unfair work distribution.FinancesUprightFinancial generosity. Fair monetary exchange. Charity or receiving help.ReversedFinancial debt. Money with strings. Unfair economic distribution.HealthUprightGenerous with self-care. Receiving health support. Fair energy exchange.ReversedHealth debt. Energy imbalance. Giving more than body receives.
- Advice
- UprightGive generously without strings. Receive graciously without shame. Check that exchange is fair. Generosity should liberate, not obligate.ReversedCheck the power dynamics. Are strings attached? Is debt creating obligation? Make the exchange fair or acknowledge the imbalance.
- Magical Uses
- Generosity magicFair exchangeCharity blessingMoon workBalance ritualsDebt clearing
Nature and meaning
- Psychological
- ArchetypeThe Giver, The Receiver, The DistributorRepresentsGenerosity, the power dynamics of giving and receiving, fair distributionShadowUsing generosity to control, receiving as degradation, unfair distributionGrowth edgeGiving without strings, receiving without shame, fair exchangeQuestion it asksAre you giving or receiving—and how does that feel? Is this exchange fair? What strings are attached?
- Pairs with
- JusticeTemperanceThe Empress
Details
- Numeral
- VI
- Arcana
- Minor
- Correspondences
- Visual Symbolism
- Key symbolsMerchant figureScalesKneeling figuresSix pentaclesGiving coinsMeasuringFigureWell-dressed merchant holds scales while giving coins to kneeling figures, six pentacles balanced aboveScales meaningFair distribution, measuring generosity, balanced giving and receivingMerchant meaningOne who has, in position to give or withholdKneeling figures meaningThose who receive, dependent position, needImagery noteWho's really in charge here? The giver holds power. The scales suggest fairness—but also judgment about who deserves what.
- Keywords
- UprightGenerosityCharityGiving receivingFairnessSharingBalance of resourcesReversedDebtStrings attachedPower imbalanceSelfishnessUnfair distribution
- Meanings
- UprightCore
Generosity in action—giving, receiving, or both. Resources shared fairly. But notice the power dynamic: giving can be generous or controlling, receiving can be grateful or degrading. The balance matters.
SpiritualSpiritual generosity. Grace given and received. Fair karmic balance.PracticalFinancial generosity. Charity. Fair deals. Giving or receiving help.ReversedCoreGenerosity with strings attached, unfair distribution, or debt creating power imbalance. The scales tip unfairly. Giving becomes control, receiving becomes obligation.
SpiritualSpiritual debt. Grace withheld or used for control. Karmic imbalance.PracticalDebt. Strings attached. Unfair distribution. Selfish giving or receiving. - Shadow Work
Six of Pentacles asks: Do I use giving to feel powerful? Can I receive without feeling diminished? What strings do I attach to my generosity? Is my sense of fairness actually fair?
- Affirmation
- I give without strings. I receive without shame. My exchanges are fair.
- Contrasts with
- Five of PentaclesFour of PentaclesThe Devil
One of 3,120 entries in the Grimoire — the whole library, every cross-reference, is free to take. Take the whole thing Is it wrong somewhere?
Referenced by 11
Every entry that names Six of Pentacles, grouped by the system it comes from.
✦ Tarot 4
- The Empress Pairs with
- Justice Pairs with
- Temperance Pairs with
- Four of Pentacles Contrasts with
☥ Deities 4
- Asclepius Tarot
- Caishen Tarot
- Ratnasambhava Tarot
- Cinteotl Tarot
♈ Zodiac 1
- Taurus Tarot Minor
🜁 Sephiroth 1
- Tiphareth Minor Arcana
✶ Decans 1
- Taurus 2 Tarot
More in Tarot
The entries either side of this one in the same catalogue.
- Five of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
New entries, when they land
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