March 21, 2021: 6 of Pentacles and 4 of Swords

My Inner Focus card for today is the 6 of Pentacles.  The Decameron 6 of Pentacles image shows a naked man and naked woman sitting on a rumpled bed, with a red curtain pulled back into the corner behind them.  She is leaning back against the pillows and he is sitting by her hip with one knee bent on the bed, with her legs behind him and one of his hands resting on her knee, as if he were calming and protecting her but also indicating a bit of possessiveness.  In the foreground of the card image is a man wearing a robe the same color as the curtain behind the couple, who has just stepped around a screen at the foot of the bed and is gesturing with one hand as if he was speaking to them.  We are viewing him from the back, so we have no idea of his emotions.  The key phrases for this card are: an unpleasant arrival could cause jealousy or possessiveness, and stability is needed.

My Outer Focus card is the 4 of Swords.  The image on this one is of a naked woman sitting straight and tall with her fists on her waist, her jaw strong and uncompromising, and her gaze slightly to the left of the viewer.  Her hips and legs are completely covered with what looks like bedding, a sheet and a blanket.  The rest of the background is an unremarkable grayish-green color.  The key phrases for this card are: pause for reflection while awaiting judgment, and some regrets.

These two cards have a similar meaning: being judged by another, or judging either another or ourselves.  In the image on the 6 of Pentacles, the intruder seems to be judging the couple, but the naked man also appears to be judging the situation and deciding whether he needs to protect the woman or tell the red-robed man to mind his own business.  The naked woman is in a situation where she needs to make a choice as to who to listen to, and that choice requires that she judge the present situation and the future she would create for herself by her choice.  Since the suit of Pentacles is about the element of Earth, the body, and material goods, it appears that she might need to choose wealth and ease (the man in the red robe) or love and passion (the naked man at her side).  At some point, someone in this image will feel hurt and jealous; who will it be?

The woman in the 4 of Swords looks kind of angry.  She has her fists on her waist, not her open hands.  Her back is straight and strong and her face is calm but firm, as if she were getting reading to make a stand.  Her eyes are looking slightly to the left of the viewer, as if she was pondering some situation.  Her legs and feet are covered by a blanket and sheet, adding further grounding to her position.  She is preparing for a challenge through her stillness.  Since this is a Swords card, both her preparation and the challenge to come will be connected to the element of Air and to her mind and thought process.  

Inner and outer versions of the sane issue, methinks.