The Rider-Waite tarot deck has four suits. Of these, the Pentacles, which typically represent gold coins, often have themes around resourcefulness and wealth.
Among the powerful Pentacles court cards is the Knight, a symbol of diligence and routine. Because tarot cards are such powerful prompts into our own lives, the Knight can be a useful mentor. The goal isn’t to replicate these tarot cards, but to let them tap into our own psyche and bring out traits within ourselves.
This guide will look at the Knight of Pentacles upright, reversed, when paired with other cards, and its astrological connections. By the end of the article, you should be able to grasp the messages of the Knight and apply them to your love life, professional life, and finances.
Knight of Pentacles Keywords
Upright card (keywords)
Practical, reliable, efficient, stoic, slow and steady, hard-working, committed, patient, conservative
Reversed card (keywords)
Workaholic, laziness, dull, boring, no initiative, cheap, irresponsible, gambler, risky investments
The Knight of Pentacles Tarot Card Description
The Knight sits tall on top of a stationary black horse. Wearing a full plate of armor, he is prepared to protect himself. The seriousness of the Knight is clear, not only in his expression but in his stature and the way he’s holding the gold coin (pentacle) with both hands.
The Knight is overlooking a plain of fields with mountains in the distance, which suggests a certain rhythm to nature and its challenges. This ties into the routineness of the Knights’s meanings, as he is a hard worker with a methodical approach to his career goals.
The horse is a symbol of endurance and strength, while the pentacle represents material things. But, because of the landscape, there are elements of being resourceful in nature and in spirit, not only in the material world. The gold color of the card highlights abundance and manifestation.
The Knight of Pentacles Upright Meaning
The upright Knight of Pentacles meaning can be discovered when tying in all these visual clues together. At the core of this tarot card meanings are a sense of reliability and patience. The stationary horse is methodical and strong; hard work and hilltops are on the horizon, but right now, common sense is required to think things through.
The Suit of Pentacles upright meaning can be applied to your work-life balance in many ways. The upright position of this card might be speaking to your responsibility more than anything, as these apply to all of the above. Perhaps you take your duties seriously, or you hold yourself accountable for your actions.
Love Meaning
The Knight of Pentacles love tarot reading suggests that you may be focused more on consistent support than on grand gestures. Reliability over romance can only go so far, though, before your pragmatism becomes too much. However, absolute devotion will serve you well as loyalty is a necessary quality for a healthy love life.
For singles in relationship readings, there may be hints of slow progress. You may be slow in showing your dates affection, as your love language is spending quality time with someone more than physical touch. This isn’t a bad thing, but be careful of being overly predictable and missing out on spontaneity.
Career Meaning
The upright Knight of Pentacles is positive in a career tarot spread, as it’s all about the pursuit of a goal. The qualities of the Knight may serve relationships reasonably well, but they’re unequivocally useful for capitalism. This means that you show up, day after day, as you steadily tick things off your to-do list.
A methodical approach is the best approach when it comes to your career, as reliability in the daily grind is frequently rewarded, as is being detail-orientated. However, this doesn’t mean that you should fully forgo taking chances, particularly for a young person, as you might be overly risk-averse in an entrepreneurial setting.
Finances Meaning
The upright position of the Knight is a good omen for financial security, as this discipline means that you’re more likely to save the pennies and have conservative investments. The Knight has a practical wisdom to money, meaning that he doesn’t change his mind often and his values remain steady. Big purchases, for example, you may do after sleeping on it rather than in the heat of the moment, and patience is necessary when sticking to a plan.
The Knight of Pentacles Reversed Card Meaning
The reversed Knight of Pentacles may already be quite clear, as we hinted at how there might be a flip side to the steady approach of the Knight’s approach. When reversed, the Knight becomes stagnant, potentially feeling as though he’s “in a rut”, and may suffer from analysis paralysis. Taking too long to weigh up options and being too much in a routine can mean you’re inflexible, stubborn, and unwilling to take opportunities.
Love Meaning
In the reversed position, there’s an indication that you’re too predictable and potentially too emotionally unavailable. The latter comes from being physically present, but emotionally very distant. If quality time is part of your love language, it may mean you’re operating within a friend zone, or your pragmatism leaves no room left for a spark—always knowing your partner’s next move isn’t desirable.
When asking whether you’re a good partner (or future partner), don’t answer by focusing on what you do (“I’m reliable, faithful, and spend much time with my partner”), but ask what you don’t do.
Career Meaning
A common answer to the interview question “What are your weaknesses” is to say you’re “too much of a perfectionist”. This is the case for the reversed Knight, as it becomes overly concerned with attention to detail, and sometimes the bigger picture or more important tasks can be sacrificed for such detail. Being slow-moving can mean you struggle to complete all of your daily tasks, and steady progress can be an excuse for falling behind.
Finances Meaning
The reversed position for the Knight isn’t quite as dangerous for finances, but there are still some warnings here. The primary concern is that you have an unwavering focus on spending but neglect income. Reliably turning up to work and spending little amounts is fine, but focusing on taking risks, changing jobs, and starting new ventures might be a more effective way to build wealth. You may also be suffering from burnout due to your hard work, and often this isn’t always rewarded.
Other Cards With The Knight of Pentacles
The Knight of Pentacles has a very, very clear message: If you’re facing in the right direction, keep on walking no matter how fast or slow. However, the message of individual cards can be seen in a different light when combined with other cards. Here are five of the most significant pairings.
The Knight of Pentacles and The Eight of Wands
We begin with the Eight of Wands, a seemingly obscure Minor Arcana card, as a highly significant pairing. The reason is because the Eight of Wands’ core message is about rapid progress and acting quickly. This push towards grabbing opportunities with both hands precisely compliments the Knight of Pentacles’ appetite for careful preparation and attention to detail. This acceleration of the Knight can be a force to be reckoned with, and he doesn’t ditch his principles of persistence but directs them with more urgency.
The Knight of Pentacles and The Empress
This pairing works well together because of The Empress’s nurturing creativity. This puts emphasis on harvest, not just the necessary efforts to get there, and this can lead to more fulfilling and creative ventures because the Knight is less one-track-minded. The implication on committed relationships is that your nurturing side is brought out even more, making you all the more empathetic.
The Knight of Pentacles and Death
The Death card is a symbol of transition, as something new is born out of a figurative death. This pairing encourages the Knight to let go of outdated routines that are holding it back—today, not tomorrow, is the right time.
But it doesn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater; it envisages a new path for the Knight to direct its steady persistence towards. In other words, it’s a slight change in trajectory, rather than pace, which could mean getting a new job or ending a relationship that has no future.
The Knight of Pentacles and The Eight of Swords
The Eight of Swords is about being restrained or feeling trapped. This pairing may precede the circumstances necessary for the Death card pairing. In other words, this combination is about feeling trapped in usual routines that are letting you stagnate or stopping you from expressing yourself. However, the medicine here is to be careful in your approach to set yourself free (i.e. don’t just quit your job immediately) but to plan and carry it out with conviction.
The Knight of Pentacles and The Tower
The Tower follows a similar theme, as it centers around upheaval. This combination suggests that there may be a sudden change that allows you to apply your persistent hard work to something new. However, rebuilding will be necessary and methodic thanks to the Knight, and is a lesson that even the most careful of planners cannot prevent all disruptions, like your car breaking or being made redundant.
The Knight of Pentacles Card and Its Astrological Sign
The Knight has its roots in the earth element, and therefore has the grounded personality traits that Taurus and Virgo possess. It has an earthy nature that aligns with these signs through its diligence and connection to hard work. This astrological connection only further emphasizes the card’s meanings, and it really shines a light on the need for persistence in life. Virgo-like attention to detail and the Taurus’ desire for stability creates a powerful symbol for practical knowledge that chips away at your goals and duties.
Conclusion
The Knight of Pentacles should have taught you all about the virtues—and pitfalls—of routine. The early bird catches the worm, but there is a deeper message about ensuring this is really the worm you need to catch.
By reading our guide on the symbolism of the Knight, you will be better equipped to interpret the visual messages of other tarot cards. But, for a more bespoke understanding, claim your free one card tarot reading here today!
