Sabbats, Seasons, and Tarot Spreads

Family. That’s the focus this week — with the reminder that family is more than just the people sitting around our breakfast or dinner table.

But how are we to act on these ideas? What can we really do? Let’s take a look at today’s tarot card. It’s the 7 of Pentacles. What one thought jumps to mind here as we go through this Weekly Reading?

Did you notice that this is the third card we’ve drawn from the suit of Pentacles? We began with the 10, looked at the 5 yesterday, and today we’ll consider the 7 and its many possible meanings.

The suit of Pentacles, of course, is all about the “material world”. It relates to money matters, to security, to our personal possessions. Whenever we do a reading, it’s always good to note any emphasis on a particular suit. In this Weekly Reading so far, we’re being asked to see the holiday season from a very practical point of view. The cards aren’t asking us to feel emotional, or to ponder deep questions. We’re not here to be “inspired” by the cards. They are quite simply telling us to look at reality, to take a practical approach here, and to recognize the materialistic aspect of this holiday season.

There’s a lot to unpack here! We have to view the message of this particular card in the light of the preceding two cards. It applies to us; it applies to others.

First, are we being practical about our own expenditures? Or will January find us struggling to pay off holiday bills? Are we being sensible about the things we buy? Of course, most likely your holiday shopping is done, so it might be a bit late for this message!

Second, what are we doing for others? What can we do? Again the message — the emphasis on Pentacles — focuses our attention on the financial needs and the practical needs of others. How can we help?

Let’s consider what is really needed in our neighborhoods and communities. People need food. People need warmth and shelter. While gifts such as groceries may seem a bit… well, what is the right word here? Silly? Unexpected? Lacking in holiday spirit? Maybe so, but think of how much a bag of groceries might mean to a hungry family.

And what about light and heat? Check with your utility companies. Can you pay someone’s bill for them, or at least make a partial payment? While there are often regulations that utility companies can’t shut off heat during cold weather, those bills are still there. Your utility company might even offer a year-round “donation” program by which you can add a few dollars each month onto YOUR bill to help someone else who is struggling.

What of the children? They want toys, of course. So, let’s be sure they get toys. But let’s not stop there. Let’s be sure they have food, clothing, and shelter, too.

Now, you may be asking what any of this has to do with the 7 of Pentacles. Isn’t it a card of growth and hard work? Those are familiar keywords for the card, but they have additional meanings. The concept of the 7 of Pentacles involves the relationship between effort and result. The card teaches us that we won’t get a harvest unless we’ve planted the seeds, and even more, we won’t get the results we want unless we nurture those seeds. It’s a card of investment. What we get is a reflection of what we’ve given.

Maybe we can sum up today’s message with the reminder that giving to others is the best way of giving to ourselves. Investing in our community will bring benefits to us. We will be rewarded conmeasurate with what we’ve done for others.

To answer our question — What can we do? — Whatever we can. Yes, we have to give thought to our own financial health and ensure that our practical needs are met. And then we can give to others, knowing that we really are all one family.