4 of Pentacles

I have great influence and power

Life is dynamic, constantly in flux. No matter how desperately we want things to remain stable we must accept we are powerless over the force of time. All the things we have worked so hard to acquire are in effect only borrowed – we cannot take anything with us when we die, except the essence of love.

In the art of the Four of Pentacles, a character is lavishly adorned, gold sits around him. His face is covered but the dualistic head represents the different faces he wears: his identities. There is another thing behind him. As time goes by we often take on more identities, more roles through jobs, family, friendships and other responsibilities.

Most spiritual practices offer methods to let go of the identities we take to be so real. To see clearly that what we think of as “ME” is simply a collection of ideas, beliefs – patterns of behavior – essentially not real.

In the Four of Pentacles the heads appear to be pitted and breaking apart illustrating that our personas are ephemeral, without the durability to last. The ability to let go of beliefs and patterns of action that do not serve is a blessing. The capacity to reinvent yourself, take on new beliefs, become a more functional and valuable human being is also a blessing. Through everything the eye – the eye of life – simply observes all the dynamic movement and exchange of energy.

The dram playing out in the card is ambiguous. We cannot be sure if he reaches out to collect the golden pentacle just above his hand, or if he is letting it go, just like a floating lantern, back into the expanse of the sky. So we are left with two meanings. One that things come to him and all he has to do is reach out  and take them. Conversely, we can imagine he has reached the point where he must let go of accumulating. Both options carry positive and negative possibilities.

There is something wonderful about abundance effortlessly coming our way. However, as time goes by we can become laden with possessions and wealth. Life can lose its edge when we never have to strive for things, or we can become addicted to the feeling of constantly needing more and more to fill something that feels missing.

The Four of Pentacles therefore suggests there is huge confidence and ability to leverage all that you want out of life. But when it comes too easily, something is lost, we lose touch with reality. We only touch the sides of life, missing out on the expansive range of emotion and feeling that connects us to the hard won successes and strife of others. However, there is much to be gained when you have the command of ideas and resources which go beyond the personal and extend to a noble cause that can impact the wellbeing of many.