The Eight of Pentacles (like this image from the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot) is a card about work. Compared to the Ten of Wands, it has less to do with drudgery and effort and more with the satisfaction of honing a skill and the positive results of applying it. This could be, but isn’t necessarily, related to your career. It could also be a hobby, homemaking skill, or volunteer effort.
This card is fairly straightforward, suggesting that as we approach the new year you might want to think about your outlets and opportunities for satisfying work. What activities do you enjoy and have experience with? Do you have enough appropriate outlets to apply those interests in a beneficial way?
Finally, I’m thinking a bit about the themes that prompted me to start this newsletter in the first place. I know I sometimes have a habit of getting stuck in my head too much and failing to apply the things I think about in the wider world. While the skillful work in question doesn’t necessarily need to be extremely physical, this is a good reminder to check in and see whether you’re putting the ideas that interest you into practice at all.
What’s going on in your life that could benefit from a little more skillful effort?