Princess of Pentacles

I value all of life

A powerful synthesis of both the imaginative and practical, this discerning and hugely resourceful Princess of Pentacles is acutely aware  of the responsibilities we share as custodians of this remarkable planet. Deeply committed to the principles of ecology and evolutionary biology, she wants to live as consciously as possible, innovating solutions to sustain and restore the Earth’s living ecosystems.

The bare trees represent the devastating ways we are still poisoning the earth. The Princess stands inside and old nuclear cooling tower, alluding to the controversies surrounding nuclear power. A beanstalk offers a way out. The sun at the summit reminds us that change is afoot – solar energy and wind power have superseded nuclear sources in three of the four largest world economies, led by China.

The Princess of Pentacles is an imposing figure, stunningly pregnant, fecund with the possibilities of bringing the Earth back to life. A strong carnivalesque and shamanic presence, she carries the didgeridoo, the world’s oldest instrument whose haunting, primal sound heals the land and its people with the power of breath. She is dressed like a magician with her cape. Her red shoes lay discarded at her feet. They pay homage to Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” she doesn’t wear them because she doesn’t want to draw attention to her high economic status and power, preferring to go barefoot, earthbound.

She is deeply in tune with the principle of Gaia, which regards the Earth as a self-regulating organism. Its elements of air, oceans and land surface form a complex, inter-related system that supports life. She values all of life in its rich diversity and believes her patient work, ingeniously planned and executed will lead to sustainable change in the future carrying forth the wisdom of her ancestors and rebirthing it within the complex Information Age.

Many in the previous generation  sadly lost their way, bewitched by media and a consumerist lifestyle. She painfully sees the fruitlessness of that path: barren, polluting, devoid of the nourishment so many yearned to fill themselves up with. Practical and ambitious, she is drawn to those who share her vision and industrious nature, often collaborating brilliantly to achieve long term aims.

The Princess of Pentacles invites us to consider how we are making solid, grounded foundations and preparations for what we ultimately value and hope to achieve in life. It suggests that we have much in abundance already and to not squander precious resources frivolously. She reminds us to seed, plant and grow our vision, one step at a time.