Get That Garden

Like all Aces, the Ace of Pentacles represents an opportunity. The suit of Pentacles is about corporeal things, the real stuff that results from all the thinking, feeling, and dreaming that we do in the other suits. This suit is grounded in reality; thus the opportunity that the Ace of Pentacles represents is a tangible one.

This is a card for new jobs, new homes, money coming your way, or a new relationship with your body. It is not a promise that any of these things will work out perfectly for you, but it is an open door. Beneath the godlike hand is a verdant gate. A beautiful garden lies beyond, lush with fruit. Will you go inside? What seeds will you plant there?

In readings, the Ace of Pentacles encourages you to nourish whatever opportunity is being presented to you. If none seem to be coming your way, seek them out. Apply for that job, plant a garden, get a gym membership, or start selling your handmade jewelry on the Internet. Sometimes we have to make our own opportunities.

The Juggler

You’re juggling a lot right now, aren’t you? You’ve got multiple balls in the air, but you haven’t dropped them yet. The Two of Pentacles suggests that there’s more than enough going on in your life, but you are keeping it together, and maybe even enjoying the multitasking rush of it all.

The key here is balance. I drew myself into this card because I feel like I’m always juggling about a million projects in addition to my social life, relationships, errands, chores, and keeping my cat fat and happy. You absolutely need to balance these disparate elements or else the pentacles will fall to the ground and your juggling act will fall apart.

Even if you are struggling to keep it all together, the Two of Pentacles suggests that you’ve got this. This is a time to be adaptable, and handle your many challenges with grace and efficiency. If you don’t feel able to enjoy your current work/life balance, perhaps it’s time to reorganize. What metaphorical pentacles do you need to drop? Which ones could be thrown differently? Whatever it takes to restore balance to your life, do it.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Threes are about how we relate to others, and in the suit of Pentacles, this generally means in the context of work or some other kind of group project. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, an apprentice shows his work on a cathedral to a couple of monks or architects. In this deck, three craftswomen work together to complete a sculpture. They are all on the same team, working together to make the best piece of art they can.

The Three of Pentacles beseeches you to welcome teamwork, collaboration, and cooperation. Combining forces with others whose skills complement yours will result in a creation that is greater than its parts. If you work on a team, embrace it. If you work alone, reach out for feedback.

Feelings aren’t a priority in the suit of Pentacles, but this card does suggest that you are (or could be) happy and content with your work and the people you are working with. If your work doesn’t currently inspire those feelings right now, this card could be reminding you that a positive, collaborative environment is something you can build.

The Miser

This is a card about your relationships with your possessions, time, and money. This man has his pentacles and no one’s taking them from him, no way, no how. A beautiful town beckons him from the background, but he is too dedicated to his earthly things to move.

It's good to be prudent with resources, but is your impulse to hoard what you have actually costing you something else in the long run? Does your attachment to your earthly goods prevent you from engaging in the experiences that make life great? It’s time to ask yourself why you are being so tightfisted. Maybe you’ve always been privileged, or maybe you know what scarcity feels like and you are terrified to go back. The only people who say money doesn’t matter are those who’ve always had it, right?

Regardless of the reason, this dynamic is holding you back. Your money and your possessions are meant to serve you, not hold you down. The Four of Pentacles may be a suggestion to loosen your hold and enjoy your life. If you are capable, use your resources to help others enjoy their lives as well.

The Dying Alone in the Cold Card

I think of this card as a choice. Two figures, down on their luck, struggle through harsh weather. If they continue in this state, their condition will probably worsen; they might even die of exposure. Behind them, a church window glows with warmth and light. They could take advantage of this sanctuary: stop, seek out relief, and make it through the night. Will they notice this place of respite or are they too stuck in their pain to see it? If they do open the door, will they be willing to accept the hospitality?

The Five of Pentacles asks you to acknowledge that you have fallen upon hard times. It strongly suggests that help is available to you. There are no trophies for misery. Are you depressed? Find a therapist. Are you injured or sick? Seek medical attention. Do you need someone to talk to? You probably have friends—call them. Are you in denial about a relationship, or afraid to leave a toxic partner? It’s time to make a change.

There are people around you who love you and will offer support. You are not alone in this. Whatever has brought about this cold, dark night, there is warmth and assistance nearby. Accept help when it is freely given.

The Charity Card

The Six of Pentacles is a card of haves and have-nots, but it is also a card about generosity. A bougie woman rains coins down on outstretched hands. Are you in a stable enough place to extend help to others? Be generous! Do you identify with the outstretched hands? Accept help without self-judgment.

We live in an unfair world. Wealth is not equitably distributed, and much of our self-worth is tied up in what we have and our ability to earn. Look at the scales. The Six of Pentacles urges you to consider how you can bring balance. If you are financially fortunate, how can you give back? If you require assistance, is stubbornness stopping you from accepting it? Often, we can conceptually accept that our economic standing is mostly a product of systematic circumstance, yet we are still selfish with good fortune, or embarassed to accept aid.

It is worth noting that the pentacles here stand for any gift of value, not just money. They could represent a job referral, hand-me-downs, hospitality, or donated time. The Six of Pentacles urges you to give and receive freely, without judgment or shame.

Take a Contemplative Break

Sevens are about reflecting upon your situation. The person in this card has paused working to consider his garden’s progress. Your garden is a thought-out investment that is intended to sustain you in the long term. It’s time to observe what you have built so far and ask yourself if you are still on the right path.

And maybe you are! The Seven of Pentacles isn’t here to pat you on the back OR tell you that you need to start over. It’s simply asking you to take a moment and think about your project (or your job/house/relationship to your body/whatever else you’ve been working on), and how it is affecting you. Is the situation you’re in sapping your energy and not giving enough back? Perhaps something can be done to improve your position. Maybe this project, job, exercise routine, or idea just isn’t worth your time. Or maybe everything is going great⁠—in which case, good job, you! Take a moment to bask in your imminent success.

Regardless of how prolific your efforts have been, the Seven of Pentacles asks you to intentionally reflect on their result. If your garden is flourishing, admire it. If it’s not growing how you want it to, figure out why.

The Apprentice

A man labors over the creation of eight coins. The task takes up all of his attention, and he is absorbed in his work. I call the Eight of Pentacles the ‘apprentice card’ because an apprentice, whether actual or metaphorical, is learning skills with diligent determination to become a master of his craft.

In some cases, the Eight of Pentacles simply speaks to the satisfaction of creating something with your hands and encourages you toward tactile creative pursuits. I based the figure in this card on a friend of mine who was an apprentice machinist at a shipyard and taught classes at his local Makerspace Cooperative. He worked hard and took great satisfaction from making things with his hands. Even if he hadn’t seen a friend in years, he’d greet them with a handmade gift.

If this card comes up in a reading, you need to put in the work to hone your skills. While the day-to-day labor or education may get boring, it will all be worth it. If you are not currently engaged in any apprentice-like activities such as education, work, or learning a craft, the Eight of Pentacles is probably suggesting that you should be.

Chilln’ in My Bitchin Garden With All My Accomplishments

Nice! This cool-ass lady has her garden, her sweet clothes, her house, and her sick bird friend. She’s really living her best life. The lush landscape represents her accomplishments. The calm falcon symbolizes intellectual power and self-control.

Here, you finally get the bounty you have worked for. You have attained the glories of stability, material comfort, leisure time, and a big ol’ garden. You have made this happen through your choices, self-discipline, and risks that were ultimately successful. Worries about finances no longer take up valuable space in your brain. You can make choices more freely, not driven entirely by material needs.

The Nine of Pentacles suggests that you’re self-confident and self-sufficient. Let this card reassure you that you are doing well. Perhaps you are already in this state of luxury, in which case, congratulations! If the glory of the Nine of Pentacles feels out of reach to you, this card is here to tell you that it is not. You are still doing okay. You are moving in the right direction, closer to your garden. Think of the Nine of Pentacles as a goal, and continue working towards it.

Prosperity You Can Pass On

An elder looks upon his home from a position of pride and comfort. He is surrounded by his multi-generational family. He is financially capable of sharing with his family and ensuring they will be supported in the future, which leaves him feeling happy and content.

This is a card about finishing on a high note. When the Ten of Pentacles appears for you, it affirms that your choices and actions have culminated in material stability. If you are in a Ten of Pentacles position, use your excess wealth for good. If you have a family, consider their future and set them up for success. Be charitable to good causes. How can you help the next generation?

If this card comes to you at a crossroads, or when the comforts of the Ten of Pentacles feel impossibly far away, it is time to start thinking long-term. The Ten of Pentacles suggests that your time of scrappy living should come to an end. This is a great time to plan for the future, invest in something secure, or allow your personal life to develop into a family. Picture the life you want to have when you are an elder, and make decisions that will get you closer to it.

Student of Ambition

Like all the Pages, the Page of Pentacles is a dreamer. She stares, transfixed, at the golden pentacle as she wanders through blooming fruit trees and freshly sown fields. She may have little to no experience, but she has aspirations to manifest her goals in the material world. The Page of Pentacles is the sort of person who will take the opportunity presented in the Ace of Pentacles and use it.

If you are the Page of Pentacles, it is time to gather your motivation and channel that energy towards action. Take those crucial first steps. Stay realistic and create a plan. Sign up for a class, reach out to a mentor, or just start doing what you’ve been thinking of doing for a long time.

If the Page of Pentacles is someone in your life, they are likely an optimistic and ambitious person in need of your mentorship or support. I based the Page of Pentacles off my friend and former intern, who I think is incredibly talented, bright, and willing to learn new skills. I have no doubt that she’s going to wow us all. If you are willing to give time and guidance to the Page of Pentacles, this relationship will be rewarding for you both.

The One Who Rides All the Way Through

The Knight of Pentacles is grounded. He has duties and responsibilities, and he is going to live up to them with diligence. With a work ethic like his, he will be successful and find joy in that success. He is reliable and often a perfectionist.

If you are the Knight of Pentacles, it’s time to knuckle down and take satisfaction in your work. You have the opportunity to build something stable. Don’t slack, cut corners, or run off and mess it up. If the Knight of Pentacles comes to you, it’s a clear sign that you are going to have to see a situation through. Sometimes, the Knight of Pentacles comes up when your vision has become too limited. You know you have what it takes to put in the work. Can you dream bigger?

If the Knight of Pentacles is someone in your life, they are a reliable person. I chose to draw my dad as the Knight of Pentacles because he is hard-working and diligent. He is always there for me. He works hard all day, cooks delicious meals every night, and fixes the garage door on the weekends. My dad is my rock, and therefore, my Knight of Pentacles.

Our Lady Who Has It All

“Can women have it all?” To this infuriating question, the Queen of Pentacles answers a resounding “YES”. This Queen is one capable bitch. She earns a decent income, keeps a beautiful home, and takes loving care of her family. She enjoys the material spoils of her labor and uses them to enrich her own life as well as the lives of her loved ones.

If you are the Queen of Pentacles, it is time to channel all of her positive traits. How does she do it? The answer is stability. The Queen may seem capable of doing just about everything, but the truth is she has made calculated choices to build a life that is sustainable and within her means. She’s not about to run off after an outrageous idea or a risky love interest. She is efficient, capable, and does not take irrational risks. Sometimes, building this kind of fruitful stability requires sacrifice and a narrowed focus.

If the Queen of Pentacles is someone in your life, she is incredibly nurturing. She is practical and reliable. She is a good friend and dedicated family member. If she has come into your life, then you are very lucky indeed.

Leadership Through Abundance

The King of Pentacles reigns over leadership, ambition, and generosity. He is rich in material goods, which he accepts without hesitation because he has no doubt that he has earned them. The King of Pentacles fully enjoys the fruits of his labor and delights in the physical aspects of life. Most importantly, the King of Pentacles uses his wealth to enrich the lives of others. He comes by his abundance honestly and gives generously.

If you are the King of Pentacles, it is time to use what you have to help others. Consider giving some of your wealth to a charitable cause or using it to build something that will do good in the world. What you give or build depends on your interests, position, and skills. It could be money, material goods, expertise, or your time. The King of Pentacles says: if you have it, give it.

If the King of Pentacles is a person in your life, they are likely a leader in some way. You may be put off by their materialism, but try not to hold their authoritative position, popularity, or wealth against them. This is a generous person who will enrich your life and your community.