Each card within the Rider-Waite tarot deck has different imagery, and each image has different meanings. During a tarot reading, no matter the card presented, you can be prompted to self-reflect and find both guidance and things that resonate.
Today, it is the Three of Pentacles tarot card that will be examined. This Minor Arcana card is a positive one, and it’s not focused on just you. Instead, it’s about the importance of team members and their contribution to the bigger picture.
Three of Pentacles Keywords
Upright card (keywords)
Teamwork, shared goals, collaboration, apprenticeship, effort, pooling energy
Reversed card (keywords)
Lack of cohesion, lack of teamwork, apathy, poor motivation, conflict, ego, competition
The Three of Pentacles Tarot Card Description
The Suit of Pentacles Three meaning can be discovered through its illustration. A young stonemason is depicted to be working on a cathedral. He is using a bench to get higher, with tools in hand, while two figures watch over his progress.
These two figures are a priest and an architect, who appreciate the important contribution the stonemason is making. They symbolize guidance as they stand holding a blueprint, with feelings of a shared purpose. The stonemason is not beneath the other two—he is the only one who can build with his hands. The illustration tells us that we all have different skills, and all are necessary to build something of importance.
The cathedral is grand. Its gray reflects practicality, while the priest’s red robe is about passion and guidance in a shared spiritual path. Its tall ceilings convey a grandeur and long-term ambition. Such endeavors take a long time—one stone at a time. Three pentacles are represented in the archway above in a triangular pattern, symbolizing balance and harmony.
The Three of Pentacles Upright Meaning
One of the key meanings of an upright position is the importance of teamwork. You may not be building a cathedral, but you nevertheless share a common goal in your workplace and society more generally. This differs depending on the company, society, and culture, but the underlying truth remains consistent: we are all equal and contribute accordingly.
The upright position is a reminder of the importance of each person’s hard work, and therefore your best efforts too. It also highlights the importance of being guided in your hard work and sharing your responsibilities equally. We never stop learning, so a team dynamic should always be two-way communication.
Love Meaning
If you’re interested in the love tarot reading of this card, you can rest assured that it’s telling you that relationships will thrive when both partners work together as a team. Positive results will come for those in a long-term relationship, as it encourages you to appreciate each other’s strengths and cover for each other’s weaknesses.
For singles, it may signal that you may find someone during a group activity or shared interest. This may be at work or at a local charity venture, but the connections built when conquering a shared goal can be a good foundation for romance.
Career Meaning
This card is extremely relevant in a career tarot spread because of the power of collaboration. Your peer may be more of a master craftsman, but you still have something to contribute through teamwork—even if you’re just holding the ladder. We all start somewhere, and learning from others up close is the best way to gain new skills.
Whether you’re a young apprentice or mid-way through your career, mutual respect is always important, as is positive body language. You’re encouraged to continue honing your craft so that you can make unique contributions and teach others, but for now, allow yourself to be guided by your superiors.
Finances Meaning
When it comes to financial status, the Three of Pentacles meaning is all about careful planning. It signals a pooling of resources with others to create a financial synergy. For example, putting your money together in a business venture can help bootstrap a company more effectively, or it may be a marital pooling of resources to lower your financial burden.
There is also a hint to take advice from others, just as the stonemason is with the architect. Your strong work ethic will serve you well, but seek out the financial skills of others for help, as they are the experts and can offer advice free from emotion.
The Three of Pentacles Reversed Card Meaning
In a reversed position, the Three of Pentacles meaning suggests a lack of teamwork. There is a mismatched harmony or a lack of trust in your peers. You may not be allowing others to flourish, or you’re neglecting to take well-needed advice from them. It is a signal to address inefficiencies or conflicts that are arising from not being a team player—this begins by restoring trust in those around you.
Love Meaning
In love readings, the reversed position wants you to remember that you’re a part of a team. Your lack of cohesion is a concern, and if in a relationship, one or both partners feel undervalued or lack support. When feeling like that, it’s easy for it to lead to a lack of effort. This ends up resulting in drifting apart from the common goal of marriage, and it’s a sign to realign priorities through better communication. The first step is to make your partner feel valued, and this positive trust can foster trust in the opposite direction, too.
Career Meaning
You may have different skill sets from your peers, but you’re not using them wisely. You may be feeling like there is a lack of recognition for your contributions, such as the goals you’re hitting at work or the extra study you’re putting in. However, conflicts hinder productivity, and hard work alone isn’t actually enough to push through.
This reading asks you to focus on unique contributions from yourself and positive encouragement to others. Before all else, you must work in harmony, or else your hard work may become futile. It’s also important that if you’re a superior, do not micromanage those under you.
Finances Meaning
The reversed Three of Pentacles is a warning about entering partnerships without clear agreements and not seeking advice from trusted sources. This may mean a relationship in which you have differing views on the finances, or a client that has mismatched expectations about the project’s budget. You should take a step back and reassess who can be trusted, not just in terms of partnership but as a mentor. Only then can you work to rebuild a more stable financial plan that has a stronger foundation.
Other Cards With The Three of Pentacles
Just as the Three of Pentacles encourages you to collaborate, this Minor Arcana card itself collaborates with other cards in an interesting way. Below are five cards that pair very well with the Three of Pentacles.
The Three of Pentacles and The Ace of Pentacles
This pairing shows that material rewards can be sought from collaborative hard work. The Ace of Pentacles brings new opportunities, particularly within your career, and the successful completion of these will depend on your teamwork. Together, a shared vision that runs through the core of such new opportunities will lead to positive outcomes.
The Three of Pentacles and The High Priestess
The High Priestess is a positive card that brings out your inner wisdom. When paired with the Three of Pentacles, this means that you can trust yourself to guide group dynamics and lead when the time is right. You may have hidden skills or knowledge that will begin to emerge during a team project. However, this may simply be relevant to your home life, such as helping neighbors with a craft you’ve honed, or contributing to your society in creative ways.
The Three of Pentacles and The Magician
The Magician’s resourcefulness is a very complimentary card in this pairing. It means that your manifestations can actually impact those around you, raising the tide for everyone in your shared goal for the greater good. Your resourcefulness may inspire others, not just in a professional setting but in everyday life.
The Three of Pentacles and The Ten of Cups
The emotional fulfillment present in the Ten of Cups transforms this pairing into a shared happiness. This goes beyond resourcefulness or financial reward, but that your community spirit is leading to good times ahead. In relationships, this emotional touch can help guide you to harmony, and it reminds you of the meaning behind your relations and teamwork with others.
The Three of Pentacles and The Eight of Pentacles
The Eight of Pentacles reinforces the theme of skill development as well as dedication. Both of these traits are present in the periphery of Three of Pentacles, so this pairing goes deep into the fruits that can be born from skillful contributions. However, this is a reminder that sometimes, you need to help yourself before you can help others. Focus on developing skills before pleasing others, because later, you can make more significant contributions. This self-focus is a part of your spiritual path towards the common goal.
The Three of Pentacles Card and Its Astrological Sign
The Three of Pentacles resonates with the Capricorn sign, which is known for discipline and practicality. Just as the stonemason works hard with his practical craft, Capricorn’s influence is precisely aligned with the card’s themes of collaboration and hard work. Together, it’s a reminder of the importance of building a strong foundation via teamwork if you want long-term success, rather than short-term results.
The card is also associated with Mars in Capricorn, which is a planetary placement that brings together determination and drive with structured effort. In other words, Mars’ energy brings a certain focus and action to Capricorn’s meaningful and practical goals.
Conclusion
The key meanings of the Three of Pentacles are illustrated in its powerful imagery. This is a card that wants you to remember that success is seldom achieved on your own, and even if you’re a master craftsman, you need others to help in areas where you’re not an expert.
Now that you have learned about this card, you will absorb its messages in a more profound way. Ultimately, the impact that this card has on you is up to you alone. Well, not alone, but the team you work within.
Speak to a psychic or get your daily tarot reading here today—you don’t need to be an expert, as we have guides on the entire Rider-Waite tarot deck!
