Proficiency Under the Palm Tree

From the Ship of Fools Tarot, the Eight of Coins; from the Wisdom of the Four Winds, the Cabbage Tree:

          When I see an RWS version of the Eight of Pentacles, I am always interested in the fact that the fellow practicing his skill set is not in a home but outside. I wonder how far away he'd be placed if he was learning the violin or trumpet? (A few houses down from us was a teen a who would wander the neighborhood practicing his musical instrument in the late afternoon.) But perhaps the real reason is that he can't focus with other folks around; he needs as few distractions as possible when it comes to mastering his craft. The Cabbage Tree is know for yielding instead of breaking; like t'ai chi ch'uan, it changes in response to outside forces rather than attempting to meet them with opposing force. It represents the feminine characteristics of receptivity and gentleness. I can't think of two better traits to have when a person is developing proficiency in an area. I can learn the tricks of the trade from those who are much more experienced than I am. Yet at the same time, I need to have patience with myself - gentleness - when I make mistakes.