Symbolism & Imagery:
The Two of Pentacles depicts a young man juggling two pentacles. This symbolizes a larger message in the card: the constant balance and focus necessary to keep two separate items in the air at all times. The pentacles are furthermore encased in rope or string that takes on the form of the infinity symbol (appearing like a sideways number eight). The significance of the infinity symbol is to show that this action could go on forever. The pentacles are trapped.
The boy has one foot off the ground as he works to maintain his juggling act: a further act of balance. He is wearing three colors: red, orange, and green. His shoes and the rope are green, aligning him with the earth, but he only has one foot on the ground, meaning he is not fully grounded.
Some of his outfit is red, signifying energy, momentum, and fiery potential; but some of his outfit is orange, which is rare in the Tarot deck. Orange signifies a challenge, which is what this young man faces alone on this beach.
The predominant color in this card is blue, tying him to the subconscious and water element. But the boy is not connected to the blue as he stands on a gray beach. This indicates a block in his connection with his own subconscious. His focus is on the literal pentacles: the juggling act, the material world, and because he cannot let one drop, he cannot focus on anything else.
Behind the boy is a wavy ocean with two boats on their own journey. While the boy does his juggling act, the world passes him by. Boats are vehicles to escape, they also remind us of the need to navigate the seas of our lives. While this boy plays on the beach, he lacks the ability to set sail. The goal is to be on a boat, to get to a different beach. This boy isn’t quite there yet.