Tarot cards allow us to identify positives and negatives about our lives. This guide acts as a prompt, not a prescription, to apply the meanings of cards to our own situation. Our guides go through each card in the deck to understand its illustrations and hidden messages.
One such Minor Arcana card that stands out is the Four of Pentacles. It’s a card that represents material security and the dangers of self-protection.
Four of Pentacles Keywords
Upright card (keywords)
Possessiveness, insecurity, hoarding, stinginess, stability, security, savings, materialism, wealth, frugality, boundaries, guardedness
Reversed card (keywords)
Generosity, giving, spending, openness, financial insecurity, reckless spending
The Four of Pentacles Tarot Card Description
The Four of Pentacles tarot card is a striking image of solitude. A man sits alone on a stone bench as he clutches on tightly to a pentacle. He’s balancing another on the top of his head, which can represent an impending connection to the spirit. Two more pentacles are below his feet, as he appears determined to hoard material wealth for his own security. But has he rendered himself immobile?
Behind him is a cityscape, highlighting his distance from the rest of the world. His posture represents possessiveness and an unwillingness to share. The crowned pentacle shows he has financial stability, but it may be dominating his thoughts and identity.
The imagery therefore conveys both stability and stagnation. It’s complicated, as his success may have come at a cost. So, was it all worth it?
The Four of Pentacles Upright Meaning
The Suit of Pentacles Five meaning is a focus that you have on stability in the material world. It reflects the need to safeguard resources and retain a strong foundation, as this can help create a comfort zone. Equally, this comfort zone may become all-consuming, and the fear of loss can lead to an unwillingness to take any risks in life. You could be stagnating because of this, and the ultimate message of this card is to evaluate whether your desire for security is helping you or hurting you.
Love Meaning
In a love tarot reading, the Four of Pentacles in an upright position can indicate that one or both partners are beginning to hold on too tightly—either to each other or possibly to past grievances. This possessiveness can come from attachment or abandonment issues.
However, the card can also reflect your desire to maintain the relationship, but highlights the tendency to smother your partner. Remember, a desire to hold on can manifest as controlling behavior.
For singles, this card is more about being guarded with your emotions, possibly because of fear of being vulnerable, but it could also be out of fear of material exploitation.
Career Meaning
Since this card is about a sense of security, you may be cautious in your approach to work. For example, being focused on building a secure foundation by maintaining a steady job that has a reliable income.
This is commendable and you shouldn’t throw this away, but the card does warn against becoming resistant to change. Clinging on too tightly to the status quo can mean missing out on entrepreneurial endeavors or even internal opportunities.
Finances Meaning
In a financial tarot spread, you likely care about material things or at least have a tendency to be prudent and frugal. You may be holding back on your spending and saving diligently. This card doesn’t mock financial responsibility, but it does caution you about being overly frugal. It questions whether you’re sacrificing short-term enjoyment for long-term financial security, and the importance of striking this balance.
The Four of Pentacles Reversed Card Meaning
In a reversed position, the Four of Pentacles meaning is all about the release of control. When reversed, the message is more assertive in warning about possessiveness. It can indicate a newfound desire to embrace change, but with risks of financial insecurity lying ahead or an unhealthy habit of big purchases.
The reversed meaning asks if you’re loosening your control in a healthy way or if you’re exhibiting reckless behavior or jeopardizing your own business. The positive aspect of this reversed position is the potential for a different perspective, but with warnings over neglecting the security of family members and your own needs.
Love Meaning
In a reversed love tarot reading, the Four of Pentacles points to the release of emotional barriers and obsessiveness. This can be a symbol of personal growth, meaning one or both partners are beginning to trust one another and provide them with more space.
However, getting rid of this old negative energy with an open mind can sometimes swing too far the other way, resulting in a lack of romantic interest or neglect.
For singles, this card warns against being too careless with your heart. This card of retention in its reversed position reflects not having a tight grip on things, but is concerned with being too flippant with our own lives and feelings.
Career Meaning
You may be beginning to step out of your comfort zone and pursue new opportunities. These risks can lead to growth and even grow your net worth in the long run. But, the reversal in this career spread is concerned with not being focused enough on the job at hand. It’s a warning against being too impulsive and encourages you to strike a balance.
Finances Meaning
As has been the theme of this reversed position, there are two messages here. It indicates that you have either released fears of financial losses in a healthy way, meaning you’ve become more generous and sentimental, or you have developed a total disregard for your financial resources and are failing to consider your future. Ultimately, material success is a balance between both a spiritual path and a pragmatic one.
Other Cards With The Four of Pentacles
The Four of Pentacles has a form of energy that’s pointed towards honest hard work—sometimes too much so. The meaning of whether it’s an encouragement or a warning will depend on you. But to help, you can benefit from combining this card with others to help steer you in the right direction and reveal deeper messages.
The Four of Pentacles and The Ace of Pentacles
This combination acknowledges the virtues of stability but introduces elements of abundance and opportunity from the Ace of Pentacles. Together, they represent taking on new ventures, but in a carefully managed way that keeps you grounded. This is the ultimate balancing act between a conservative mindset and an ambitious one.
The Four of Pentacles and The High Priestess
The intuitive wisdom of the High Priestess is an important attribute of this pairing. Its hidden knowledge and intuition encourage you to trust yourself when making decisions. There is an inner gut feeling that can help guide you, but it requires a connection to it. Its concern is that you have a lack of openness to spiritual truths due to your grip on the material world, so let your hidden knowledge discover the root cause of your desire for security.
The Four of Pentacles and The Tower
Pairing this card with the Tower points to a potential loss in either our professional lives, a personal connection, or finances. An unwillingness to let go of fear surrounding our net worth mixed with the Tower’s transformative meanings results in a potential upheaval. This can be avoided through lifestyle changes that make peace with your social position and temper your value of money. However, after this change, you can let go of anxiety and harness significant improvements spiritually.
The Four of Pentacles and The Empress
The Empress has themes of abundance and a nurturing nature. This brings a generosity to offset the conservatism of the Four of Pentacles. It suggests you can have a great time in life by being open and helping others, all while retaining a sense of security. In the end, true prosperity comes from both giving and receiving—not just the latter.
The Four of Pentacles and The Hermit
The Hermit introduces an introspective twist to this pairing. The Hermit’s focus on solitude and wisdom helps guide the Four’s obsession with stability. You may be feeling more reflective and aware of your relationship to your material possessions, as the Hermit encourages the wisdom discovered during solitude. This is a call to dig deep within yourself and begin assessing what truly matters, but it warns against allowing your possessiveness to lead to withdrawal and loneliness.
The Four of Pentacles Card and Its Astrological Sign
Not all, but various Suit of Pentacles cards are associated with the Zodiac sign of Capricorn. In particular, the Four, because Capricorn revolves around practicality and security throughout all aspects of life. This alignment connects us to the hard work and responsibility that’s required for long-term prosperity.
Capricorn also brings attention to the Four’s dark side—possessiveness. This astrological link further convinces us to find a balance, and you can do this by embracing Capricorn’s wisdom. Capricorn’s resourcefulness shows that stability is possible without sacrificing emotional fulfillment.
Conclusion
The Four of Pentacles tarot can reveal to us the reality surrounding our relationship with the material world. Whether it’s an uncomfortable reality or a message of reassurance will depend on you—you must look at whether you’re being helped or hindered by a desire for security.
Like all tarot card readings, the onus is on you to introspect and ask the right questions. However, now that you know the meanings of the Four of Pentacles, you’re more prepared to take on board its hidden messages.
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