Deviant Moon - Five of Pentacles

RunningWild

I love this card and it's been on my mind for a couple of months. Since I didn't see any other posts on it, I thought I'd fill in a blank spot.

In the regular RWS we see two figures, huddled together, outside a church from which a warm light glows from a stained-glass window but which has no doors. And we try to make the card seem 'nice' by thinking that at least those two people have one another.

Deviant Moon, to me at least, resonates the feeling better. The LWB describes the lone female figure as a "woman of ill-repute". That's a judgment call. And we see the eye over the doors to a church.

To my way of thinking, organized religion isn't just about handing down traditions and traditional values but also about deciding who gets to be a member of the club. That requires passing judgment. They guard against entry of such men and women (like the woman of ill-repute) to their organizations, against those who have to spend more time looking for help than giving it, whether it's time or money... though I think most such organizations prefer both in large amounts.

Ok, that probably seems cynical but that's what I glean from this card in the Deviant Moon.

The woman is naked and possibly looking for shelter. The church doors are closed and the Eye watches carefully to make certain only those that pass muster are permitted to enter.
It's a sanctuary of the select few.
 

KajsaMaria

Deviant Moon five of pentacle - my take on the symbolism

"A woman of ill repute makes her way through the narrow streets of the city. Having none of the city's amenities, she searches for a place of refuge amidst the industrial buildings. She soon discovers hope in the form of five pentacles glowing in a church window". - Patrick Valenza.

In this card I found that the details were few, "the card must be simple" - I thought. However I decided, that simply could not be true after all the symbolism I found in the Ace of Wands earlier this week, something inside me told me to look farther and deeper. So I went on a hunt to find substance that could look like a story behind the all the ease. First I took a look at the many "2's" / pairs there are to be seen here; two chimneys with their two trails of smoke rising into the early daybreak. Then we can see the woman with her two arms and two breasts, we see two open eyes, and we see the two pairs of windows in the background, then there are two sets of two moons on the window on the building next to the church. We also see two red flowers on the church window among the five pentacles and two steps to enter the church, and two steps to enter the church. That is a lot of pairs!!

In Alchemy the number two; means opposites meet. In Cabala it can mean; conflicts and doubts and difference or psychic attraction, relationship and sympathy. Other fields mention two can also represent wisdom and self-consciousness. The planet associated with number two is the moon.

Then a thought came to me "what is the second sign of the Zodiac?" The Taurus rules the neck and throat and is ruled by Venus. This earthly sign likes stability and solidity and all things practicable. They like possessions and security and money matters. They will work hard to stay on top, and in control of their finances. They tend to have people skills but will usually have carefully selected friends. A short list of common problems a Taurus may run into; having feelings of being used and manipulated, led down the garden path and made a sucker of. Unexplained fear of loss, jealousy and envy and a paranoia that others are out to get them. Their star stone is the green Emerald.

There is a specific reason to why I mention the Emerald - let us start at the beginning: On discovering the usefulness of using astrology and mystic teachings to translate the Deviant Moon deck, it seemed that Patrick Valenzas five of Pentacles suddenly opened to me. As I wrote earlier in this article; all details and/or "hidden" symbols must be carrying a heavier meaning. I looked the card over again and this time my eyes stopped on the eye skulking from church door and realized "hey the eye colour is green, like the Emerald!". It was a great moment for me!!
And so the Emerald and the Taurus suddenly had a connection in the card!! Many tales and legends have been told about the enchanting Emerald. One story says that the stone was a poison antidote and an effective cure for fever. Written many centuries ago by the Vedas, the holy scriptures of the Indians, it is said of the green gem it's healing properties: "The Emerald promise good luck" and "the Emerald enhances the wellbeing". There have been many beliefs that the emerald brings goodness into one’s life.



On the church door I found a three doorknobs and a "thirty" in guise of three X'ses each representing the roman number for ten. The number ten symbolizes perfection and the meaning one in the Cabala; denotes individuality, possible egoism and self-reliance and affirmation and distinction. When looking up zero in the Cabala we can come across meanings like; it is limitless light; the Ain. Others have said that; "zero is a powerful number which brings great transformational change, sometimes occurring in a profound manner. It has much intensity, so caution is needed wherever it appears to ensure that extremes are not encountered". Jupiter is associated with number three and in the Cabala we can find these meanings; expansion and increase, intellectual capacity, riches and success. If I add the three X'ses to the five pentacles in the window above we get a new number; thirty five. Mercury is tied in with the number five and in the Cabala find these meaning; Ethics and commerce, traveling and reason logic and utility. When the three X'ses come together with five we get thirty five. J. Boehme meant that this number is "the eternal residence of the soul". The woman roaming the streets only has six fingers that really look more like claws. Six can mean; co-operation and reciprocity, sympathy and creativity and marriage. The two red flowers in the window could represent the power to transform an otherwise unassuming into the essence of desire and strength, and even passionate love. The Poppie flower has been used to symbolize; death sleep and peace. residence of the soul. The woman roaming the streets has only six fingers that really look more like claws. Six can mean; co-operation and reciprocity, sympathy and creativity and marriage. The two red flowers in the window could represent the power to transform an otherwise unassuming into the essence of desire and strength, and even passionate love. The Poppie flower has been used to symbolize; death sleep and peace.