The number 5 represents the need for adjustment, some kind of change, or that added something that brings the situation out of balance again.  It represents the struggle and challenge of inner and outer growth; adapting to feedback about your action; working out the kinks.  Coins are associated with the material world, acquisitions of wealth and possessions, our connection to Earth and Nature, sensation, matters pertaining to the physical plane, the body, health and physical or sexual activities.  Coins can also be connected with practicality, groundedness and being realistic. 

On the Holy Grail 5 of Pentacles we see a group of people walking towards a church.  Some seemed to be lame or otherwise impaired but most seem healthy.  The church is an impressive structure with a large central window decorated with equal-armed crosses in circles.  The same type of crosses the Knight Templar wore emblazoned on their surcoats and shields.  Are they seeking spiritual guidance and comfort from a familiar ritual?  Do they truly believe in the ritual or is it merely comfortable?  I have often found it interesting that such a spiritual building should appear in a suit that is focused on the material world.  Maybe attending church helps them deal with the lack of balance in their lives. 

In The Tarot of the Holy Grail the Pentacles deal with the Order of the Templars.  This is a religious order that was originally formed to protect pilgrims heading to the Holy Land but they eventually moved into money lending and became very wealthy and powerful.  This also earned them a lot of enmity among the various rulers of Europe, especially the King of France.  This enmity eventually led to their downfall.  Maybe that is what is happening in this card.  People are seeking advice and guidance from the Templars rather than from their rulers and the Christian Church.  Perhaps this card is a reminder that it is difficult to combine our inner growth and outer growth.  It can be done but I think humans tend to focus on one or the other.  When the Knights Templar lost their focus on their spiritual calling and began focusing their energies on material concerns, they created a situation that destroyed them.

The image on the Fantasy Showcase card is very non-traditional.  It shows a lion wearing a pentacle as a crown holding a frame with a pentacle on each corner.  Inside the frame is a nude couple engaged in a passionate kiss.  When I consider the message perhaps its showing that if we focus too much on the sensual, the physical (as symbolized by the nude couple), we risk losing our connection with the spiritual, the lion.  The lion reminds me of Aslan in the Narnia chronicles - the physical embodiment of the spiritual.  However the couple are so focused on each other they never look around to see what surrounds them.

I think both cards are telling me something.  They are reminding me that I need to start reconnecting with my spirituality.  I have been very lapse about that lately.  My main reason has often been time but the reality is that I wasn't making it a priority.  And I think the other reminder is that I don't become so lost in my own world that I lose sight of what help is available outside it.  I don't need to do it all myself but if I want assistance from others I have to let them know that I need help. 

Very simple in concept but often more challenging to actually do.  I've never been good at asking for help.  It's always made me feel weak and helpless.  All my life this has been a major challenge for me.  It probably made me an extremely challenging child to parent because I not only wouldn't ask for help, I often refused it when it was offered.  Just saying the words "I don't get it" took a huge leap of faith for me.  The Japanese have a concept called "face", I was often afraid that if I asked for help from others I would lose "face" with them.  They wouldn't respect me anymore.  I did eventually get a bit better about the whole thing, especially when it came to school work but it's still not easy.  I know that is going to be one of my major lessons in this lifetime - learning to ask for help and allowing others to help me.  I need to realize that if I enjoy being able to help others it's possible that others enjoy being able to help me.  It's not fair to deny them the opportunity.