King of Pentacles - Loyalty and Devotion

The good Earth is the King of Pentacles domain, and he is wants to be the master of all he surveys. He is deeply connected to the land. He puts his hand to the plow, his eyes steadfastly on the goal ahead, and he doesn't look back.

In the Mythic Tarot he embodies King Midas, representing human ambition, success, and being in a position of having material wealth.

In spite of his love for worldly ambition, and all it's trappings, he is a good man who is very,  loyal and devoted to his friends, family, and partner.

He loves to be surrounded by his animal critters, and the friends that will help him accomplish his tasks. We see in the background he has helpers ready to assist him, and his goat is close by his side.

This King needs to balance out his life, as he can easily get caught up in working too much, loosing sight of his what is truly important. We are not human doings, but human beings. The King of Pentacles needs to remember this.

A friend to all living things, it is suggested that he works the land, involved in agriculture, embodying the true lover of all things in the natural world.

I found this great picture on Pinterest I've posted below. Someone thought the image reminded them of the King of Pentacles. I have to agree.

Eight of Pentacles - Ambition

Here we see the young apprentice Daedalus working hard at developing his skills and he will be rewarded for his effort because he is dedicated and very focused.
Being conscientious is an essential quality if you want to advance, in whatever your vocation. We will be rewarded for our efforts, and care. That's the way it's supposed to work. Unfortunately this isn't always true, in the monetary sense of reward. So, what is a person to do if you are looking to be rewarded, but you receive little or nothing in return?

Life and society are like this, we aren't always rewarded or punished for our behaviours. The truth is we can be punished for good behaviour, and rewarded for bad. If we expect to be rewarded, disappointment and disillusion can often follow, if the choices we've made are not prudent.

So, we have to find our internal reward, making sure not to set ourselves up for unrealistic expectations, or to allow others to take advantage of us. Believing in our capacities and honing our skills will help to prepare us.

Ambition is a positive thing, but can be a negative character defect, if we allow it to take over our lives, in our pursuit of material gain, leaving us feeling unfulfilled, and unhappy.

 Not only is is wise to develop the skills relative to our vocation, we must have the inner skills to acquire the balance that will allow us to persist, and dedicate ourselves to our success.

 Everyone experiences a period of time, that is called a 'mid-life crisis.' This can result in creative stagnation if we don't continue to take risks, because we are fearful, anxious about losing the security and stability already established. If we can transition through this time, it will result in an enthusiastic renewal, pursuing interests in learning new things.

Whether or not we are ambitious, we will always need to take risk, but not in a fool hearty manner.. Trusting our intuition, having a willingness to be willing, with an open heart and mind, will enable us to actualize our dreams. Last but not least, being grateful will give bring us happiness and success, leaving the world a better place. I think this is a great ambition.
 

Seven of Wands - Carpe Diem!

 The Seven of Wands is the card of the underdog. A one time or another, most of us have felt like the underdog. It is not a good feeling, especially if you are not confident enough to believe that you can take advantage of the circumstances, feeling are overwhelmed or paralyzed by self-doubt, uncertainty, or hesitate to take  control of your situation.

In contrast, having an over-inflated ego in regards to what you have already achieved is an attitude that can be just a detrimental. Comparing yourself, and being consumed with jealousy simply creates resentment and bitterness, that we cannot afford.

We cannot control any one, but ourselves, it is a waste on energy and time. Putting your ideas and creative energy into action will enable a good outcome, in spite of the brewing trouble ahead.

Enlist the help from those you have confidence in and in whom you trust. Don't be fearful of some stiff competition or envy from others. Value your own ambition, and competitive instinct. Being challenged is an opportunity for growth and to make an idea work.

 Seize the day! Carpe Diem!

 

Seven of Cups - The Creative Dreamer

The Seven of Cups augers an emotional situation that needs to be tempered and balanced with reality. , Here in this Minor Arcana card Aphrodite confronts Psyche with the tasks she must perform to win back Eros and is pointing to the seven golden cups. The number seven is the number of creativity, and represents the creative dreamer.

It is essential that we have realistic dreams. I believe they come for a divine source. Prioritizing, and learning how to fulfill dreams, is often what counts if we really want something badly enough. We can't achieve our goals having fantasies, pipe dreams or illusions. As well, too many possibilities and options can be problematic, and overwhelming. So, we must decide what it is we want, and don't want.

 I know creative visual imagery is an extremely useful tool, in order to actualize our dreams. I do however have to work hard to eventually lessen the existing gap between fantasy and reality, if I want to succeed in making many of my dreams come true. Being distracted by flights of fancy is not something most of us cannot afford.

Often through difficult and hard lessons learned, there are dreams that may never be able to be realized, and we have to accept this fact. Other dreams however can change along the way, and there is satisfaction and fulfillment that can be found in what remains. There are limitations to reality.

It's vital to believe, and have faith in ourselves, along with our ambitions, hopes and forethought, that enable us to reach our goals through commitment to hard work, and to perform the tasks at hand. Patience, faith, and perseverance are necessary to manifest the potentials and capacities, and will give us structure and direction.

Believe that all things are possible.