Tarot symbolism: Pentacles and abundance

Earth - Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo - Sensing Type

The suit of Pentacles symbolises the material level of consciousness: finances, work, physical health, manifesting. It relates to your outer world, the process of cultivating ideas and achieving goals. When Pentacles appear in a tarot reading, you are focusing on material matters and the Pentacles are inviting you to take action.

My favourite Pentacles card is the Five of Pentacles. It symbolises poverty and financial struggle. As the two beggars are outside in the snow, the warm church light behind them invites them to come in. These beggars are so used to a poverty mindset that they can’t see the opportunities right there. The Five of Pentacles invites a change in perspective: see the abundance and opportunity around you, even amidst struggle.

The element of the Pentacles is Earth, as the stable, supportive and nurturing element. Pentacles reminds me of the Root Chakra, and the importance of having a secure foundation.

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The Root Chakra

The Root Chakra (Muladhara in Sanskrit) is the first of the seven primary chakras and is considered the foundation of our entire energy system. It connects us to the Earth and its energies, providing a sense of stability, security, and roots in our physical reality. When balanced, we feel grounded, confident, and present in our bodies and the world. The Root Chakra is crucial for our sense of security, both physically and emotionally. It influences our ability to trust in life and feel safe in our environment. It also represents our physical body and our connection to the physical world. As the first chakra, Muladhara provides the base upon which all the other chakras rest. A stable and balanced Root Chakra is essential for the healthy functioning and awakening of the higher chakras.

As an anchor and the Chakra which all the others rest upon, if something in your basic needs is out of alignment – insecure housing, financial insecurity, job instability, or injury or illness – it is very difficult to focus beyond that. Resources are scarce, and we may not be the fully embodied and relaxed version of ourselves we aspire to be until we find balance and security.

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The ego - our inner Gollum

The negative traits of the Pentacles are warnings of being overly materialistic, greedy, or obsessed with status. I’ve been rereading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and immersing myself in identifying the ego. The best way to describe our ego is our inner Gollum. The ring symbolises power, but in this specific metaphor it symbolises more. Gollum’s obsession with the ring is the ego's obsession with more. If left unchecked, the ego will do anything, even at the detriment of oneself, to achieve more-ness. More power, more influence, more money, more material possessions, more attention, more validation, more sympathy.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)

The ego enhances itself through comparison. The ego envies others for their perceived moreness. Perhaps the word ego evokes an image of something like a man in a suit with a lamborghini. But the ego manifests in many forms, and no one is free of it. Ego around being more spiritual or knowledgeable than others. Ego about being ecofriendly and living minimally (thereby living “better” than others). The ego loves to be right, and make others wrong.

The Ego enjoys knowing more and having more. We all have an ego, an inner Gollum, and the only thing we can really do about it is be aware when Gollum is speaking, instead of our true self (the awareness behind the ego). One way to explain the madness in our world right now is an ego epidemic.

“A beggar had been sitting by the side of a road for over thirty years. One day a stranger walked by. “Spare some change?” mumbled the beggar, mechanically holding out his old baseball cap. “I have nothing to give you,” said the stranger. Then he asked: “What’s that you are sitting on?” “Nothing,” replied the beggar. “Just an old box. I have been sitting on it for as long as I can remember.” “Ever looked inside?” asked the stranger. “No,” said the beggar. “What’s the point? There’s nothing in there.” “Have a look inside,” insisted the stranger. The beggar managed to pry open the lid. With astonishment, disbelief, and elation, he saw that the box was filled with gold.”

― Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

Donkey Skin (1970)

When the Root Chakra is balanced, you feel secure, stable, confident, grounded, and connected to life. You have a strong sense of self and feel you belong. The positive side of Pentacles brings stability, security, and tangible results. It signifies financial well-being, material abundance, and successful manifestation of your efforts. Learning from the Five of Pentacles, perhaps all that is needed is a new perspective. I met a man last year who spoke about the importance of an abundance mindset. Shifting our mindset from a place of lack, talking about what we don’t have, envying others for what they do have or what they have done, to realising that spiritual wealth and good luck is available to all of us. When we are on the right path, the path of our most authentic self, we see doors open for us synchronistically.

Admittedly, I have been going through it with my anxiety recently. I’ve been frustrated with myself for feeling this way amid so many good things happening in my life. I feel I am disrespecting my fortunate circumstances with feeling anxious. My perspective shift has come from letting go of what I should be feeling, where I should be, who I should be. I have chosen to see this time in my life as a death. It’s winter, I’m out in the cold, the churchlight is just behind me. I am letting go of my attachment to struggle, and accepting help when I need it.