Eight of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings

Eight of Pentacles Upright

The Eight of Pentacles is a card of apprenticeship and mastery. When this card appears in a Tarot reading, you are working hard to improve your skills and become a master at what you do. You may have recently changed your work, education or financial circumstances, and now you are applying your sheer determination and concentration to master the new skill that you are learning. You are diligent and hard-working and you are applying yourself fully to whatever is at the centre of your attention. As you do the same task over and over, you work your way towards mastery of your craft, and through your perseverance and unwavering attention, you create success.

The Eight of Pentacles may indicate further education or study in order to hone your skills. You may already be proficient in a particular skill set, but you are now seeking to master those skills. For example, you may be a great home cook, but now you are starting to focus your attention on fine French cuisine. Or perhaps you have learnt the basics of Tarot reading, but now you want to become a Tarot expert! You know that it will require a lot of focus and dedication in your studies, but you are willing to work hard and to pay attention to the details. You know that you will not learn these advanced skills overnight, but you are prepared for the journey towards becoming a master at your chosen expertise.

More broadly, the Eight of Pentacles suggests you are working away at the finer details of the various aspects of your life, in an effort to continuously improve your situation. You may be unhappy with your current state, and you know you need to make some important changes in your life to increase your overall satisfaction. This card is a positive sign that you are committed to making those changes and to ensuring that you give yourself the best possible chance. Overall, this is a very hard-working and conscientious energy that is present in your life.

The Eight of Pentacles is encouragement to keep doing what you are doing as it will eventually lead to success. Yes, it requires a lot of dedication, focus and patience but as each day passes and as you stay true to your values and beliefs, you get a little closer to your goal. It may not be as apparent as you may like but events are unfolding that will lead you to the right path. Continue working on yourself, too, and making ongoing improvements and adjustments to ensure that you are the best person you can be.

If you encounter this card in a reading and are not currently engaged in the active pursuit of your goals, ask yourself what you could learn or create to better yourself or your circumstances. If you are already engaged in the pursuit of new learning, the Eight of Pentacles may be a card of encouragement and reassurance that the energy you invest in your development will be worth your while.

Eight of Pentacles Reversed

The reversed Eight of Pentacles can appear in a Tarot reading when you are focused on self-improvement and personal development. You are highly disciplined and focused when it comes to understanding your inner beliefs and behaviours, and you are dedicated to becoming the best version of yourself. You may have certain ‘rules’ such as only allowing yourself to think a negative thought for 17 seconds (knowing that after this amount of time it begins to have an increasingly negative impact on your well-being), or recalling three things you’re most grateful for before you go to sleep at night. You are ready and willing to do these things over and over until you see results with your well-being and general happiness.

Alternatively, the Eight of Pentacles reversed may indicate that you are focused on creating perfection, but to your detriment. When you focus on every tiny detail, you lose sight of the bigger picture and why you're doing the task in the first place. Similarly, your need for perfection may be getting in the way of your ability to adapt and change. You may like to have things done in a certain way, but what if the circumstances change? Can you adapt, or does it throw you into a tailspin? Know that perfection is a myth and surrender to the art of imperfection.

The reversed Eight of Pentacles suggests that you are working very hard on a project, but it is not leading to the desired outcome. Instead, you’re feeling frustrated and disappointed by the lack of success and progress. You may be lacking the skills and talent that is necessary to be successful and it simply isn’t for you. Or you might be keeping yourself busy with small tasks, but struggling to make progress towards your bigger goals. It is time to take a step back and assess whether you are indeed focused on the right things, or if you need to shift your focus to bring your activities back in alignment with your broader goals.