a spread for the six of pentacles

hello, friends. earlier this month i shared a juicy essay on compassion as instinct, caring for others, and being on reciprocal community: in other words, i wrote about the six of pentacles. and as we watch ICE raids across the country and community literally showing up to physically protect their neighbors against police and armed operatives, this feels louder than ever. safety and solidarity with the pro-immigration protestors, today and always. a lot of very smart people are sharing fantastic resources, but if you're looking for places to donate, direct action suggestions, or ways to offer support to protestors and immigrants, i'd start with reimagined (formerly anti-racism daily).

the six of pentacles, which so often gets boiled down to simply "giving and receiving," has so much to teach us. yes, this is a card of sharing resources, of reciprocity, of mutual aid. but it's also about the vulnerable work of admitting what we care most deeply about, what we're willing to show up for, and what we're brave enough to accept from other people. what we will fight for, what we will take risks for, what we will face danger for.

sometimes we're in a position to give help. sometimes we're in a moment where we need help. sometimes we're offered help we don't want. sometimes we can't find help when we do need it. this card can hold space for all of the ways that we are in relationship with our wants and needs, and with all of the perfectly imperfect ways that people in our lives try to show up for us.