Teresa, I just love it how you see the progression through the 4-5-6 and how you manage to nail it.
This progression can be a big lesson in personal growth, especially when it comes to moving from the mindset of
scarcity and
fear into that of
love and
abundance. Sorry if I'm getting a bit off-topic or theoretical here, but I've recently learned so much about the Law of Attraction and how it works, I can't help bringing the topic up because it fits the lessons learned in these cards!
In the Four, the person is clinging tightly to his Disks, whatever that represents to him. He is not giving any away, fearful, perhaps, of not having enough. Or perhaps thinking that having an excess of money will insulate him from life's vagaries and disasters.
Here, we have a person who's having abundance in his life, but instead of enjoying that abundance, he's clinging on to the mindset of
scarcity which is the result of
fear: that resources are very limited, that you gotta compete for getting your share of these resources, that you gotta cling to whatever you've got because you might lose it anytime. Basically, while clinging on to his possessions, this person is sending out the message that he doesn't really appreciate what he's got.
Now, the Universe is a funny thing: it gives us exactly what we're asking for. Your inner reality tends to manifest in the outward reality, if you persistently keep believing in your inner reality. In the 4 of Pents, the guy's inner reality is that of scarcity, so you can bet it'll soon begin to manifest in his outer reality as well.
In the Five, we see that changes have occurred in this person's circumstances - he has been forced to give up his pentacles, and is now living with the "lack of" - health, money, security, etc. - the opposite of the situation in the Fours.
Here, the Universe has finally given the guy what he was asking for - scarcity. Now, his outer reality is well aligned with his inner reality.
The upside to this card is that he learns that he can survive whatever the Universe throws at him - he does not need to cling to his worldly goods so tightly. It may be that he learns that other things, such as relationships, charity, trust, hope, spirituality, are at least as helpful in getting through hard times as the money would have been.
Here's the lesson. In this situation, the person has nothing to cling to. Hopefully, someone helps him, and he can't help but realize that his basic needs are still being met, even though he's not clinging to anything. Perhaps he's finally gaining some
trust.
Slowly, he'll be able to focus on the things that are valuable in his life. He learns to appreciate the things he still has or the help he's getting. He's learning to feel
love and
gratitude for what he's got. The moment he shifts his focus from what he doesn't have to what he actually has, he's shifting his mindset from that of scarcity towards that of
abundance.
The Universe complies again, so his inner abundance is beginning to manifest as outer abundance. He gets on his feet, but this time, he's (hopefully) learned his lesson and he actually appreciates what he's got and isn't afraid of losing it anymore. He knows he will be cared for.
Having been through these experiences, he reaches the harmonious and balanced Six. In this place, there is self-confidence and balance, but it is a flowing balance rather than a static one - money comes in, money goes out, without fear or concern or extremes in either direction. In relationships, there is an equal sharing of energy, without grasping or dependency. The person knows it is safe to give as well as receive, and allows this energy to flow effortlessly in and out of his life.
The lesson was learned. Now, this person can trust that no matter what, his needs will be met. This time, he appreciates and enjoys the abundance and wealth he's experiencing, without the need to cling to it. This time, there's no fear, so he can cultivate its polar opposite:
love.
He knows that expressing his love by sharing his abundance won't reduce it, it'll double it, because when he gives, he's focusing on his abundance. Because he's focusing on his abundance, he'll manifest this abundance in his life as well. Perhaps he's able to help someone else get on their feet after experiencing the Five of Pents. He also feels worthy of receiving, so whenever he's on the receiving end, he'll be able to do it with love and gratitude.
So yes, we have a dynamic balance in the 6 of Pents here, the balance of giving and receiving. Interestingly, I've had the 6 of Pents come up in a reading combined with the Hermit (which also has this give-take, teach-learn dynamic) when the querent had recently went back to school as an adult and was learning a lot by acting as a mentor to the younger students.
At least that's one way to look at it
Numerologically and qabalistically, Sixes are the cards of balance and beauty, so that can always add to the interpretation.
And I totally love your way of looking at it.
Qabalistically, I love the Sixes, because for me, they stand for "Earthly perfection". They stand for a dynamic balance, which is - paradoxically - much more stable than the rigid balance of the Fours. A blow won't tear the Sixes apart, because unlike the rigid Fours that resist until they snap, the Sixes will adapt. They'll bend and survive. A Four, however, with all its unbending rigidity... well, it's just begging for the Five to come.
