Little Baron
Ten's relate to Malkuth on the Tree of Life.
Malkuth is the tenth sphere and represents earthy roots. When combined with the earth of Pentacles, we have a stronger dosage of that physical element.
In the Navigators of the Mystic SEA Tarot, we begin at card 'ten'. This seems reasonable, as it is the same as how we progress upwards from the bottom of the Tree of Life in Kabbalah.
In the picture of the 'Ten of Pentacles', we see two figures. Both are shaded in a pinky red and they look towards a road infront of them. I say 'road', but this could easily be a waterfall. Whatever it is, pentacles slide along it or are laiden on it's path.
The figures look at it. One holds the other close by putting his arm around her. I suspect that the smaller is a woman, but one nice thing in this deck is that in a lot of cards, the characters appear genderless. As a gay man, I quite like this.
I very much like this card. It has great spiritual awareness. Many commentators begin at the 'ace' and conclude at the 'ten'. In that kind of comentary, the 'Ten of Pentacles' is a conclusion. Whatever struggles happened previously, there is a happy ending. Often, there is a marriage and within a luxurious setting, the characters that inhabit a lot of modern tarots, are surrounded by an abundance of things that aim to satisfy - be that money, food or a grand home.
But when you have everything, what is left to achieve?
In this card, the figures look further. They ask themselves that very question. In Turk's book, she says 'It is in Malkuth that we finally realise that, even with all the riches in the world, our lives are not complete, and so we begin to search for something else more satisfying'.
I like this idea because this is how many people begin their spiritual journey. They look for more than what they have. They realise that new dresses, sports cars and the like do not continue to satisfy. Or at least, they do not satisfy our soul in the same way as they satisfy our ego. Possessions can make us happy in the short term, but sooner or later, we will leave them behind; as we will, our bodies.
I have always had a problem with money. In the sense, that I like to spend it. And on my spiritual journey, I often tried to buy my way in. I have seen others that try to do the same, probably without even realising they are doing it. In search of a spiritual goal, they use their credit cards as a way to pass through the gates of initiation. Buying expensive decks does not make you a good reader; as props do not make you a bonafide Wiccan. I have bought into many areas of spirituality and then realised that a there was more required than a financial transaction.
And I think that this is the essence of the card. In Kabbalah, people believe [I think] that they should not disconnect from the light of Kether. If they give in to shallow material urges or quick fixes, they see this as a disconnection to 'the light'. Resistance helps the light to shine brighter .. and for longer. And when I look at this card, I can see how that road, laiden with temptation, might be the path between Malkuth and Kether.
In terms of a reading, the card might have a base meaning of success in financial or business means. But as a Navigator of the Mystic landscapes that we begin our travels on, I think it is asking us and our querants to look a little further than those base needs. It may represent comfort in the physical world, but what other parts of our being are not being nurtured or are being ignored. Part of these needs could be in distributing some of your wealth to others that might need it more.
I find this card truely enlightening. I think that many of us see the gathering of riches to be success in today's society. But this card questions how much of 'anything' we really, truely need.
LB
Malkuth is the tenth sphere and represents earthy roots. When combined with the earth of Pentacles, we have a stronger dosage of that physical element.
In the Navigators of the Mystic SEA Tarot, we begin at card 'ten'. This seems reasonable, as it is the same as how we progress upwards from the bottom of the Tree of Life in Kabbalah.
In the picture of the 'Ten of Pentacles', we see two figures. Both are shaded in a pinky red and they look towards a road infront of them. I say 'road', but this could easily be a waterfall. Whatever it is, pentacles slide along it or are laiden on it's path.
The figures look at it. One holds the other close by putting his arm around her. I suspect that the smaller is a woman, but one nice thing in this deck is that in a lot of cards, the characters appear genderless. As a gay man, I quite like this.
I very much like this card. It has great spiritual awareness. Many commentators begin at the 'ace' and conclude at the 'ten'. In that kind of comentary, the 'Ten of Pentacles' is a conclusion. Whatever struggles happened previously, there is a happy ending. Often, there is a marriage and within a luxurious setting, the characters that inhabit a lot of modern tarots, are surrounded by an abundance of things that aim to satisfy - be that money, food or a grand home.
But when you have everything, what is left to achieve?
In this card, the figures look further. They ask themselves that very question. In Turk's book, she says 'It is in Malkuth that we finally realise that, even with all the riches in the world, our lives are not complete, and so we begin to search for something else more satisfying'.
I like this idea because this is how many people begin their spiritual journey. They look for more than what they have. They realise that new dresses, sports cars and the like do not continue to satisfy. Or at least, they do not satisfy our soul in the same way as they satisfy our ego. Possessions can make us happy in the short term, but sooner or later, we will leave them behind; as we will, our bodies.
I have always had a problem with money. In the sense, that I like to spend it. And on my spiritual journey, I often tried to buy my way in. I have seen others that try to do the same, probably without even realising they are doing it. In search of a spiritual goal, they use their credit cards as a way to pass through the gates of initiation. Buying expensive decks does not make you a good reader; as props do not make you a bonafide Wiccan. I have bought into many areas of spirituality and then realised that a there was more required than a financial transaction.
And I think that this is the essence of the card. In Kabbalah, people believe [I think] that they should not disconnect from the light of Kether. If they give in to shallow material urges or quick fixes, they see this as a disconnection to 'the light'. Resistance helps the light to shine brighter .. and for longer. And when I look at this card, I can see how that road, laiden with temptation, might be the path between Malkuth and Kether.
In terms of a reading, the card might have a base meaning of success in financial or business means. But as a Navigator of the Mystic landscapes that we begin our travels on, I think it is asking us and our querants to look a little further than those base needs. It may represent comfort in the physical world, but what other parts of our being are not being nurtured or are being ignored. Part of these needs could be in distributing some of your wealth to others that might need it more.
I find this card truely enlightening. I think that many of us see the gathering of riches to be success in today's society. But this card questions how much of 'anything' we really, truely need.
LB
