The Suit of Pentacles focuses heavily on wealth and all material things you can hold in your hands. When the Six of Pentacles Reversed appears in a tarot reading, it calls attention to the imbalances in your relationships, finances, and overall approach to generosity. Are you sensing an imbalance in your life?
The Six of Pentacles is the 6th tarot card in the Minor Arcana suit of Pentacles and depicts a wealthy merchant giving alms to the beggars at his feet. This card raises questions about the power dynamics inherent in relationships where money is exchanged, and it invites you to consider if the energy, time, and money you give to and receive from others feel balanced and fair.
The Six of Pentacles Reversed signals a need to re-evaluate how you distribute your emotional, financial, or spiritual resources. This card often highlights situations where generosity may be misplaced, leading to dependency or resentment, or where a lack of giving creates distance and disconnection. The Six of Pentacles Reversed encourages you to find a healthy equilibrium, ensuring your acts of kindness are empowering and sustainable.
This card invites you to reflect on where you may be giving too much or too little, urging you to restore balance in sharing your resources, time, and energy. The Six of Pentacles Reversed suggests it’s time to reflect on how you manage the give-and-take in your life. This card often appears when there is an imbalance, whether you are giving too much of yourself or holding back, which creates a void. When this card appears, it calls you to create harmony in your exchanges with others.
Whether it’s money, time, or emotional support, the Six of Pentacles Reversed asks you to ensure that your generosity is sustainable and doesn’t come at the expense of your well-being. When this card appears Reversed in your Reading and you are thinking about sponsoring, investing or donating then you better do some further homework on where your money will be going or how your resources will be used.
Read also: The 5 of Pentacles in Tarot Readings
This card is a multi-layered and depends on whom you identify with in the imagery. Are you the one giving or receiving? The one standing or on bended knee? It is a card of extremes. A card of having/not having, domination/submission, superiority/inferiority, generosity/meanness, supporting/not being supported, being appreciated/being used, teaching/learning, hiring/firing.
The Six of Pentacles reminds us that there is a constant give and take in relationships. Sometimes, you are on the giving end, and sometimes, you are on the receiving end. This card is also a reminder for us to be fair in our interactions with others. In Numerology, 6's are quite balanced and problem-solving as an association.
The Six of Pentacles is associated with the element of earth and the second decan of the astrological zodiac sign Taurus (10-19 degrees), which is ruled by the Moon. The Moon represents our sense of security and is, therefore, intimately tied to money. The Moon's continual shape-shifting relates to the way that we constantly balance the inflow and outflow of our money in hopes of feeling balanced, stable, and supported.
If you are in a difficult situation, perhaps you are too proud to ask for charity or help and so you or others may suffer as a result. Bad debts accumulate as you dig a deeper hole for yourself. The Six of Pentacles can suggest that you have only yourself to blame for the state you find yourself in. If you have been recklessly spending or abusing the generosity of others then you cannot expect for the hand-outs to continue.
The Six of Pentacles reversed can suggest that charity can be one-way. If you have loaned someone money, you should not be expecting your money to be paid back, or your favor to be returned in the future. The Six of Pentacles reversed can also warn you about the debts that you have. This could mean that you are in over your head and it is going to come back and be a major problem in the future.
Read also: Understanding the Two of Pentacles
The last Six of Pentacles reversal meaning is that there is selfishness related to giving and charity. This may mean that you are willing to give others in a way that is not to benefit them, but to benefit yourself. You should be cautious that you are not just being charitable to prove you are giving or generous to others.
The Six of Pentacles card is also a card of harmony. Your person is looking for a peaceful relationship. They tend to avoid conflict and drama. In the 6 of Pentacles, the standing figure often has a weighing scale balanced in one hand (for example in RWS pictures). There is a balance to the upright, someone with money (or maybe emotional experience or someone with advice or anything like that, any kind of help) gives to the person who needs it. But this is reversed and it becomes unbalanced and one sided.
It might mean someone is too dependent on charity and support, it might mean someone is too greedy and won't give or help others. The other side of this though is financial fraud and dodgy schemes, losing money because of criminality or being conned. Finally this card reversed reflects getting into debt financially as a situation.
When the Six of Pentacles appears Reversed in your Reading and you are thinking about sponsoring, investing or donating then you better do some further homework on where your money will be going or how your resources will be used. Scams and cons may be involved or you may discover that very little of it goes to those in need. Someone may also be out to fleece you so keep your head when listening to sob stories and watch your wallet or bag.
Love and Relationships
The Six of Pentacles Reversed in love and relationships signals that the balance of give-and-take may be off. You may give more than you receive, leaving you feeling unappreciated or taken for granted. Conversely, you might be on the receiving end of excessive generosity, which could create a sense of obligation or dependency.
Read also: Queen of Pentacles Interpretation
In a Relationship Reading, the Six of Pentacles could indicate that one is dominated by the other. One may feel they have to grovel in order to receive or money is used as a weapon within the relationship. They may have no direct access to money and have to ask for every cent they need. An unhappy relationship but one believes they have no option but to stay as in looking back to the Five, they would be penniless and homeless should they decide to leave.
The reversed Six of Pentacles in a love tarot reading may indicate that the balance of energy or money within a relationship is off-kilter, with one person contributing more than the other. This imbalance may be due to one person’s desire to exert control over the situation by creating a condition of dependency that may work against each person’s best interest.
There may be an imbalance between yourself and your partner when it comes to attachment style, with one person tending toward neediness and the other towards avoidance. It can also reflect an overly-enmeshed or codependent dynamic, where you’re solely dependent on each other for a feeling of internal safety.
In the presence of the reversed Six of Pentacles, it suggests a sense of imbalance and perhaps even resentment. This person may feel that the relationship lacks reciprocity; they might perceive an unfair give-and-take dynamic where their needs are not being met. They could be feeling unappreciated or taken for granted, leading to frustration and emotional withdrawal.
With regard to your own feelings, this card reflects a struggle with generosity and self-worth. You may find yourself questioning whether you’re giving too much without receiving enough in return. There’s a nagging sense that something is off, prompting you to reassess what truly fulfills you emotionally. It encourages introspection on how your actions align with your values and desires for mutual support in relationships.
This card may also appear when you are lacking confidence in your own abilities. You might find yourself excessively placing others on a pedestal, at the expense of yourself. Belittling yourself to gain another’s favor is also a form of devaluing who you are. Enter your relationships as an equal.
Here we see the controller and the controlled. The controller is happy with the situation but the controlled feels stifled and resentful and also powerless. They may have no direct access to money and have to ask for every cent they need. An unhappy relationship but one believes they have no option but to stay as in looking back to the Five, they would be penniless and homeless should they decide to leave. Maybe you are giving more than you are receiving or vice versa.
If you are separated by distance, one of you may feel as though you’re putting in all the work, you’re making most of the effort. For example, one person might do all the traveling and is expected to relocate, while the other person comfortably stays in their city. Make sure that you have full transparency on what you are able or willing to sacrifice, to prevent the other from harboring resentment.
Actions to Consider
- Reevaluate Contributions: Assess how much you are giving versus how much you are receiving in the relationship.
- Empower Each Other: True love supports growth and independence.
- Set Healthy Boundaries: Recognize when to give and hold back.
- Cultivate Self-Worth: Understand that you deserve to receive as much as you give.
Career and Finance
The Six of Pentacles Reversed regarding career and finance warns against imbalances that could hinder your success. You might be giving away your time, energy, or resources without getting fair compensation or holding back, leading to missed opportunities.
In the reverse position, the Six of Pentacles can indicate that you feel underpaid or unfairly compensated for your time, skills, and energy in your workplace. This card encourages you to advocate for yourself and to cultivate feelings of deservingness in relation to your work. When you ask for what you need from a place of empowered self-worth, you can receive the support you need.
In Business, banks and investors may not be willing to back you. A business loan might go unpaid. Your staff may act disloyal if you have not been looking after them. There is a danger of not seeking professional advice when you need it or not wanting to spend money on professional help. You may also be hiring underqualified staff to keep costs down which will be counterproductive to your business.
This card asks if you feel worthy of receiving the support you need and if you are willing to take risks to ask for it. You may be considering if the compensation you receive is commensurate with your experience, time, and skills or if you are settling for less than what you deserve.
Do you feel you are not getting enough rewards for all the hard work you put in? You may feel underpaid and that you are just working to make your boss get richer and richer while you have to settle for the crumbs off the table. When did you last have a pay increase?
Then again, with this Card in Reverse we see the ‘boot licker’, ‘ass kisser’ and the ‘kowtowing’, ‘grovelling’ and ‘fawning’ that goes with the territory. If you’ve been looking for financial help, it may look bleak right now. It doesn’t seem like there are others that can offer you what you need. If you do find someone willing to help you, be cautious. Check that your loan terms are fair, or that gifts don’t come with strings attached. Otherwise, you may find yourself in bigger trouble than you are now.
If you’re someone who is in the position to give, avoid feelings of resentment, or taking advantage of your financial comfort. Alternatively, you may be the one being taken advantage of; ensure that your financial assistance goes to who you want it to go to by giving it directly. Beware of scams that prey on kind hearts.
Actions to Consider
- Value Your Contributions: Ensure your work and effort are recognized and compensated fairly.
- Avoid Unnecessary Risks: Be cautious about lending money or resources without a clear plan for repayment or return.
- Invest Wisely: Focus on investments and projects that offer balanced and sustainable growth.
Personal Growth
The Six of Pentacles Reversed is a powerful card for personal growth. It highlights the need to balance how you give and receive energy. It encourages you to examine your motivations for generosity-are you giving out of genuine kindness, or is there an underlying expectation?
The Six of Pentacles reversed asks if you are truly valuing your skills, your creativity and your value. If you feel you aren’t succeeding, it probably isn’t because you don’t know the right people or have the right connections. You may have forgotten to take a good long look in the mirror and see the light of worthiness within your own eyes.
The Six of Pentacles is always a card of assistance. When it appears reversed, it asks if you are honoring the light assisting you from within. This card reminds you that you are qualified, competent and deserving. All the elements for your eventual success are already found within you. You may just need to accept it. What we admire most in others, we already possess, and are developing in ourselves (see Page of Wands).
The reversed Six of Pentacles also suggests that you may feel depleted from giving to others and that it’s time to focus on self-care and giving back to yourself. If the Six of Pentacles appears reversed, it can represent a lack of confidence in your abilities, as a result of placing others on a pedestal.
Thinking that you can’t achieve your goals without the “blessing” of someone you are placing on a pedestal is a form of devaluing yourself. When you look to others to take control, and hand them the power over your dreams, you surrender control over your own destiny. Sometimes this card appears when we think we need someone that we perceive to be better than we are, because they hold a higher social position, or are further along with something we wish we could excel at. Although you may not realize it, this is an unconscious form of de-valuing yourself, and can lead to an erosion of self-confidence.
Upright or reversed, the Six of Pentacles represents assistance offered from others, however when it is reversed, it warns of excessively looking to others for help, before looking within yourself. Are you giving to feel good about yourself or to truly help others? Are you giving from a place of compassion or from a desire to control or manipulate a situation?
Remember, the energy you put out into the world will come back to you in some form or another. When you give from a place of love and compassion, you create a positive cycle of abundance and generosity in your life and in the lives of those around you.
As you can tell from the imagery in the card, the Six of Pentacles can be about charity. If the card is showing that you are the giver, you have built up wealth, and you are now able to help others with financial assistance. You are thinking about giving to charities or helping someone who could need your support and was in the same position you were before.
The Six of Pentacles does not have to be about material gifts or money, it can also mean your time and presence. If the card is showing you are one of the beggars, you could be receiving someone else’s charity. This could help you recover, so take the help - you will be able to repay the kindness in the future. You may also be able to find ways of becoming self-sufficient in the future.
This card challenges you to let go of the need to control outcomes and to trust that a balanced approach will lead to greater fulfillment. This is a moment for balance. Learn to use the cards as an everyday companion. Find the guidance you need for self-improvement and development.
Actions to Consider
- Set Healthy Boundaries: Recognize when to give and hold back.
- Cultivate Self-Worth: Understand that you deserve to receive as much as you give.
Six of Pentacles reversed tarot card meaning
Seeking Guidance
Are you struggling with an imbalance in your life? The Six of Pentacles Reversed may signify that it’s time to seek guidance. A professional tarot reading can provide personalized insights into how this card’s message applies to your situation, helping you navigate the challenges ahead.
The reversed Six of Pentacles suggests that you should reassess your approach. It may be time to shift your focus inward, prioritizing self-care over external obligations. Consider whether you are overextending yourself or neglecting your own needs in favor of others. Take action by setting boundaries; say no when necessary and invest in activities that nurture your well-being. Reflect on what truly brings you joy and fulfillment, allowing yourself to receive support from those around you without guilt.
The willingness to give may be motivated by a desire to exert control over a situation, establish a hierarchy of power within the relationship, or virtue signal through fund-raising in order to bolster one’s own self-image. The Six of Pentacles reversed may also suggest that your willingness to give to others is being taken for granted. You may be giving your time, money, or energy to those who do not appreciate it or who cannot reciprocate, leading to bad debts. While this card encourages generosity, in the reverse, it may signal that your generosity is misplaced.
It is always important to maintain a level of independence and self-sufficiency in the relationship. The dynamics here must be corrected again in order for this relationship to become healthy. If you’re someone with power, remember to give your help without asking anything in return; you must have memories of what it was like when you were younger. If you’re someone that is receiving help, be sure not to abuse that help. Are you sucking up to someone whose position or status can aid you? This may be more obvious to others than you think. Avoid that temptation and remain honest with yourself and others.
This card invites you to examine your relationship to giving and receiving and consider if these exchanges feel balanced within your relationships. Make sure that you give for the right reasons and that there are no strings attached. Also be sure, that if you are helping people, then give them something they really need. Look around you and see what it is that you can do to help others less fortunate than yourself.
There’s an invitation here to embrace generosity and balance in your life. This card encourages you to share your resources, whether they be time, money, or skills, with those in need around you. Consider volunteering at a local charity or offering support to a friend facing challenges. Additionally, reflect on how you can create equitable exchanges in your relationships; ensure that giving and receiving are balanced.