Four of Pentacles - Stability and Creative Energy

The first thing that comes to my mind when seeing the Four of Pentacles today is this anonymous quote.

"My life's purpose is much clearer when I just work to help, not to possess."

The representation seen in the Four of Pentacles is Daedalus tightly clutching all that he has and what he has worked so hard for and accumulated over his lifetime. He's fearful that his nephew Talos is going to usurp his worldly material position, and possessions. Daedalus is angry and jealous feeling based on his fearful attitude that causes him to take hold of his money with too tight a grasp. This only leads to very negative consequences for Talos and Daedalus both.

There's an important message in this card. The more firmly a grip we have on our material possessions the more elusive they become resulting in unhappiness, because we sure can't take it with us, and if our true self-value is bound up in things, what we make and what we have blocks our creative energy, our self-expression.

The Lovers - Trust in Action

In this Major Arcana card The Lovers, we see a potentially very stressful situation were three women are pitted against one another in a kind of competition. Love, Rejection, jealousy, self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence, guilt and even shame would all come into play in this stressful scenario, because Paris the Trojan prince, has been commanded by Zeus to judge a beauty contest between Hera, Aphrodite and Athene who had been quarreling about who was the loveliest. Paris has had a very a stressed life to begin with, because his own father King Priam had sentenced him to death, but fortunately he was rescued by a kind shepherd. The three goddesses and Paris all find themselves in a stress filled circumstance and they all have a choice as to how they are going to respond.

Many of us, myself included I've noticed, can get ourselves feeling stressed when it's really unnecessary, or can be avoided. I believe this is rooted in worry and lack of trust in the midst of chaos and trouble. It can be our default mode, particularly if we have had trauma or difficult home lives growing up. We are used to living in our bodies in state of hyper-vigilance, and are perhaps always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Most of my life and I have had to fight against this, because it robs me of my happiness. That said, I also know reality and life are stressful for everyone in one way or another, and I am no different. I also know a certain amount of stress is normal and the fight or flight instinct in very strong within us.

 I can physiologically feel when my stress level increases, and most times it never feels good. I have to make a conscious concerted effort to change my reaction to that reality, doing whatever it takes in order to remain calm and to prevent stress..


Today I read this statement for a book of daily readings, which  really stood out for me to today. "Calmness is trust in action." I think this statement speaks for itself, and it is a good reminder to try to live this way, everyday.

Page of Swords - Curiousity & Communication

The youthful and elemental nature of the Page of Swords signifies emerging new ideas, the beginnings of independent thinking, a love of learning and the innate natural curiousity of a child.

Being an ambivalent card, two states of behaviour and mind set can co-exist simultaneously. Love and hate can be apparent. Especially when it comes to the negative aspects of this card, embodying a querulous and mischievous attitude, impart due to the childlike playful nature of the the Page of Swords.

 Unfortunately, as an adult, this playful nature can translate into gossip, which often has it's roots in jealousy, pride, envy and spite. This bitter root that can poison and suffocate relationships, affecting any, and all aspects of one's life. Gossip is to be guarded against.

 How we communicate and what we communicate, especially in present day, hardly allows us to think before we speak, especially because so many of us are preoccupied with instant online communication instead of face to face, or though slow communication via the seemingly dying art of letter writing.


The creative ideas and mental powers of the Page of Swords needs to be nurtured, channeled and directed in  positive ways and encouraged in a supportive manner.