Gilded - Eight of Pentacles

starrystarrynight

I've been looking at this card a lot lately, as it has come up in personal readings more than a few times, and
more and more I see this as a long-term effort card.

Look at the cobwebs hanging from the columns and cornice. This (relatively) young man has been working at his
drafting table for a long time--well into the metaphorical night indicated by the need for candles to light
his project. (The spider, as well, has obviously been working hard at making all those webs.)

This fellow has a couple of friends there--the mice--but he is all but ignoring them; in fact, he doesn't
even seem to know they are there. The same with the water (his emotions) outside the area where he sits. He
is not thinking of emotions at all--he is too busy looking at that Pentacle in his hand. He seems
oblivious to what is going on around him, wrapped up in his own thoughts about that Pentacle and what it
represents to him.

Eights are karmic numbers in that they represent a sort of fruition of what the seeker may have been working
toward for the last seven cards. But they are solid and stable--made even more so by the fact that this is a
Pentacle.

So, this could be the apprentice card as indicated in many books; however, I think it goes well beyond that
interpretation to mean that this guy is almost there more than just a beginner learning a trade. When it
comes up in relationship spreads, I tend to think that it has a lot of meaning to it--that the relationship
itself would take a lot of work to maintain, and in fact, the emotional part of it is not being addressed by one
or the other party at all, possibly because all s/he can think about and work toward at this point is some sort
of personal stability or security--whether it be financial, health or other.
 

annik

In my notes, I noted that the young person seemed to be an student. The setting with the desk and the candles and how he is concentrating on the disk made me think so.
 

LixiPixi

This card has always reminded of the office setting of Bob Cratchett from the old black and white Scrouge movie. I agree there is a lot of meaning behind this card, more than just the traditional apprentice.

Just as Bob Cratchett puts in so many hours of loyalty and hard work, he's never really compensated fairly by his boss Mr. Scrouge until the drastic dream that Scrouge has changes his outlook on life. This card says to me that the young man sitting there working hard, faithfully, and diligently is still at the mercy of someone else's choices.

Of all the decks I have, the Gilded is my favorite 8 of Pents card.

LP~
 

Papageno

the 8 of pentacles is Haephestus, the blackmsith, the Magician at his forge. this is no apprentice. it could indicate an apprentice, a worker or even a new job, but for the most part in my world the 8 of pentacles is the forge of the Gods and Magic. it's about making things happen.
 

MissCW

I don't really see an apprentice either. I see someone who knows what needs doing and is getting on with it. Not in a wands full on kind of way, but slowly, methodically. Steady hard work is what I see here for a long term goal.
 

starrystarrynight

I'm seeing this card more and more often as representing the "trait" of tunnel vision. The person is tenacious at his task--stubborn, even--seeing nothing except that particular work (or issue) in front of him and hanging on for dear life until he gets the satisfaction of whatever completion he seeks.

(And then, when he gets to the Nine, he begins to look around and wonder if there is something more out there for him...he's satisfied and comfortable with what he has built and his aloneness, but a part of him also seeks to share it with another.)
 

StellarMyst

8 of Pentacles

This seems to be a card of work, study, and analysis in general to me. In light of which, I agree with all of you. There is another angle I see though:

That of the canvas-painter, or an artist in general who, is giving a piece the finishing touches. He's not just a student he's also the guy doing the fine-tuning! Perhaps this card could be taken as a representation of the querent's need to re-evaluate the details of something...?

StellarMyst
 

HoneyBea

In Ciro's 8 Pentacles we are looking at the perpetual student, one who is so focused on his goals, that he has fogotten to balance out his life. His intent on studying his pentacle has closed his awareness down to those things around him and he therefore does not noticed the mouse or spider. The message in this card is clear, that it good to be disciplined in order to reach your goals, but not to the exclusion of everything else - the old adage fits here "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
 

Aziah

My initial thought on the card was my husband :D ...a work-a-holic. Someone who works for the sake of working, self-satisfaction. High drive and personal motivation. Someone working their "way up the [corporate] ladder". He is so focused on his work that he is neglecting something or someone(s)...the spider and mice.

Then again...like I said in the beginning, he instantly reminded me of DH so I am slightly biased - lol
 

Star-Willow

I agree with some of what you think Aziah, I look at this card as a *work-aholic* card but not one who works for the sake of working, more as someone who has a lot of stuff to get through........neglecting other things in his life but not deliberatley so, more because he has alot to do and just has to get it finished...........