The Four of Pentacles - I'm Not Stubborn, You Are!

Why This Card?

When I was thinking about which card I should do as my first Card of the Week, I considered The Fool or starting with one of the Aces.

But then I thought, you know what? Why don't I just do it like I would normally do it for a card of the week reading, and pick? So I did. And I ended up with the Four of Pentacles.

Traditional Meanings

Let's start by looking at the "traditional" interpretations of the Four of Pentacles.

Traditionally, the Four of Pentacles is about possessiveness, control and fear of loss. On a slightly more positive note, it can be about financial stability, but on the whole, everything I've heard and read about the traditional interpretation of the card seems to be slanted in a certain (less than neutral) direction.

Even considering more contemporary meanings, it is often classified as "learning to let go", "holding on too tightly", "resistance to personal growth or change" and a "need for financial stability". And while I agree with most of this, I don't think it tells the whole picture.

Okay, So What Is This Card About?

To me, the Four of Pentacles is about stubbornness. "Ah, but," I hear you say, "you said all Tarot cards are inherently neutral and stubbornness is negative, so what gives?" I would argue stubbornness is not necessarily negative. It can be. And is often portrayed in that way. But it can also be a good quality ... in the right circumstances.

So, let's break it down.

If we're thinking in terms of stubbornness, the Four of Pentacles can be about holding on too tightly, yes. About needing to let go or at least loosen your grip. It can be about how holding on without changing your mind or listening to others can lead to isolation (though it's important to note the city is right there, so it doesn't seem like the isolation is in any way permanent).

However, the Four of Pentacles can also be about knowing the value of yourself or something else and sticking to it.

It can be about saying I'm sticking to my guns on this because I know it's the right choice. And yes, drawing a line in the sand like that might sometimes lead to a bit of isolation but again, the city is right there, so you're not truly alone. Not really.

But, how do you know?

How do you know which side you fall on when reading this card? Well, there's no way to know for sure because, like we said, it's not magic. The only "truth" here is what we perceive to be true. What I mean by that is, if I'm doing a reading for someone else, it doesn't really matter what I think, what matters is what the person I'm reading for thinks. And let's be honest - if I said to you right now, "There's something in your life that you're either being a bit stubborn about and could do with loosening up. Or, there's something in your life that you need to put your foot down about." You would know what I was talking about, right?

When The Spread Adds Layers

But, we also don't need to read the cards in isolation. Other cards can also help us and positions in spreads can help us too. So, let's take the Celtic Cross. I'm going to go into this spread a little deeper in another post, but if we imagine the positions in the spread to be 1-10, plus an eleventh position as the overall vibe (what I like to call the Umbrella Card), and pick some random numbers with two additional pulled cards, we end up with:

Position 9 - Hope / Fear - Four of Pentacles

Position 6 - Immediate Future - Two of Swords

Position 7 - Personal Power - The Hanged Man

If we place the Four of Pentacles in the Hope / Fear position, we get exactly what we were talking about above; either we hope something we've been holding onto pays off or we fear something we've been holding onto will roll away if we loosen our grip.

When we pull the Two of Swords in the Immediate Future position, the picture gets a bit clearer; a time of overprotectiveness - closing ourselves off even if there's no real danger around - prompting us to hold on tighter than we need to.

And then, adding The Hanged Man, pulled in the Personal Power position, we can start to see that letting go or loosening our grip, especially when we don't know the outcome for certain, can be uncomfortable. But discomfort doesn't necessarily mean the choice is wrong or unsafe. Living in the discomfort of release is within our control and our power, in this case.

Pentacles ≠ Always Finances

It's also important to note that while traditionally the Pentacles in general and the Four of Pentacles specifically is often about money or finances, it doesn't have to be. The stubbornness of this card can be about money, possessions, projects, beliefs (personal, religious, political etc.) and even people themselves.

A Final Note

One final thought on the Four of Pentacles. I don't know much about numerology but I do have a very (very) basic understanding, and fours are about stability, structure and safety. Tie that into the Four of Pentacles and it could be saying things are stable enough right now for you to safely take a stand and hold on tight for the ride. Or, as in the example above, things are more stable than you think, and it's safe to start to let go - at least a little.

All in all, the Four of Pentacles isn't here to shame your coping mechanisms. But it might suggest you check if that death grip is helping or hurting.

That's it.

Go give your inner stability a pat on the back and drink some water.

See you next week.