Up: [[Tarot]] Created: 2025-05-19 Updated: 2025-05-22 > [!leaf] In Brief > holding too tightly to whatever offers you security in the external world, such as money, control, or validation by others ![[4 of Pentacles RWS.webp|250]] > [!leaf] Symbols Different interpretations of this card seem to come from how the Tarot author has interpreted the position of the four pentacles on the Rider-Waite-Smith card. The most common interpretation is that this is the miser card. Think Ebenezer Scrooge. In that case, according to *Holistic Tarot*: - coin on head = thoughts weighed down by material concerns - coin over heart = hoarding possessions because of feeling insecure - coins under feet = person walks the path of greed, or they’re afraid of theft A related interpretation is that the pentacles represent blocks or obstacles that are a result of searching for security in the outer world instead of relying on one’s inner self. This is the perspective offered by *Fearless Tarot*, who sees the four pentacles as representing status, money, power, and achievement. - coin on head = forgetting connection to spirit - coin over heart = blocked from receiving love and feeling emotions - coins under feet = cut out from being grounded in his nature *Tarot for Change* is similar to *Fearless Tarot* but describes the blocks from the perspective of what parts of us are blocked. - coin on head = blocks awareness - coin over heart = blocks connection and understanding - coin under feet = blocks action For all of these tarot authors, the 4 of Pentacles is a shadow card. The towers in the background are linked to the major arcana [[16 - Tower]] and symbolize being disconnected from your inner truth, seeking security in someone or something outside of yourself. In contrast, *Spiritual Tarot* suggests that the coins under the character’s feet and holding the coin between his hands symbolizes having laid a foundation of material security that holds him in good stead for spiritual development as symbolized by the pentacles at heart and crown. From this viewpoint, the buildings in the background are houses, not towers, and they represent the material success the person has already achieved. They grey in the foreground says the task now is to balance and organize the material with the divine. > [!leaf] Actions to Take 1. Try to be present enough to recognize any blocks that exist, rather than avoiding them or trying to use willpower to muscle through. As *Tarot for Change* suggests, this is the first step, followed by engaging those blocks with gentleness, curiosity, humour, and patience. 2. Check to see what you’re holding on to that you need to let go of so that you’re not constantly stressed and overextended. When you find it, consider doing a different kind of holding — holding back your energy so that you are not over giving or overdoing. 3. Imagine what your life would be like if you were free of whatever is blocking you. Record what you’ve imagined in word or image. 4. Journal or freewrite responses to any of these questions: - Who or what am I desperately trying to hold on to? Why? What are the benefits and the costs of doing so? *Journaling the Tarot: Evolutions* - What gives me a sense of security? - Where in my life do I feel overburdened? > [!Orbit] Brené Brown > Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others. > [!leaf] A Tarot Spread From *Tarot for Creativity* To help you see when you’ve hit your limits or how to lighten your load. Take a deep breath while shuffling. On the exhale lay down as follows: 1. Top centre — Where am I struggling in my creative life right now? 2. Left middle — What obligations are contributing to my struggle? 3. Right middle — How are these obligations holding me back from creative satisfaction? 4. Bottom centre — How can I be better at respecting my own limits and protecting my freedom?