The Ace of Pentacles represents intention on the bodily level of human expression. Ace of Pentacles upright: implementation. Ace of Pentacles reversed: imposing.
The Ace of Pentacles stands for the sphere of intention on the bodily-practical level of human expression.
As such, it represents the will to survive. This force can beat the odds. Aron Ralston used his will to survive to cut off his arm and free himself. The same power can manifest as hysterical strength — what an ugly name for this wonderful power. A famous example of hysterical strength is Angela Cavallo, who lifted a Chevrolet Impala after her son became trapped beneath it, holding it long enough for others to pull her son out.
The Ace of Pentacles can indicate a worldly, material, and practical disposition. This is where the secondary meaning of materiality comes from. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being material. In fact, we complete all spiritual, creative, and intellectual activities on the bodily-practical level. Even enlightenment needs to culminate in a bodily transformation to become effective.
The Ten of Swords transmits action items to the Ace of Pentacles, which motivates the bodily-practical level to spring into action. This is where the secondary meanings of opportunity, new venture, new job opportunity, new business, and new investment come from.
Most tarotists consider the Ace of Pentacles an auspicious card. Indeed, the will to produce results is one of the most important success factors. Accordingly, its opposite, sloth, is one of the greatest weaknesses. This is where the secondary meanings of the commencement of good fortune and the seed of success come from. You may have also heard that the Ace of Pentacles indicates wealth, prosperity, gain, gold, money, fortune, riches, and treasure. These meanings are off because they pertain to results. The Ace of Pentacles signifies the promise of a positive experience, not the experience itself. The latter is a matter of the Ten of Pentacles.
If the querent’s question pertains to an undertaking, the Ace of Pentacles calls for collecting one’s resolve to overcome resistance, in particular, when the odds are stacked against us.
If the querent’s question pertains to adversity, an auspicious Ace of Pentacles calls for collecting one’s resolve to overcome it. Usually, resolve accumulates over time, like one fills a glass of water. Eventually, the glass flows over and the querent reaches an enough-is-enough determination. Hence, an inauspicious Ace of Pentacles may signify that the querent is nearing a breaking point that will blow her fuse.
An inauspicious Ace of Pentacles may also indicate that the querent is prone to eliminating her problems instead of solving them. Example: breaking up a relationship instead of trying to fix a relationship problem.
An inauspicious Ace of Pentacles may also signify inner demons like over-ambition, the craze to win, a competitive compulsive disorder, the tendency to bend or even break rules, and to get one’s say, no matter what.
Ace of Pentacles Symbolism
The picture shows an open hand holding a pentacle. In Tarot, pentacles symbolize bodily actions and practicality.
The hand is the creative hand of the higher self, hidden behind the cloud of material perception.
The Hebrew letter Yod means open hand. This letter belongs to the Hermit/Attainment card. The letter Yod has the form of a flame and is the root letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which you may also know as the flame alphabet.
In enlightenment, fire symbolizes spirit. Think of bodily intention or will-power as a mental fire that fuels the will to act.
The Five Psychological Core Meanings of the Ace of Pentacles
We derive the psychological meanings of Tarot cards from their position on the Tree of Life. In the Enlightenment Tarot framework, the Ace of Pentacles represents Kether of Malkuth, i.e., intention on the bodily level of human expression.
Every Tarot card represents a faculty or power of consciousness. We can use faculties of consciousness constructively and destructively, which produces either a fortunate or an adverse state of mind. Hence, every Tarot card has five core meanings.
These are the five core meanings of the Ace of Pentacles:
- Power of consciousness: Execution
- Constructive use: Implementation
- Unconstructive use: Imposing
- Auspicious state of mind: Determination, tenacity
- Inauspicious state of mind: Lack of determination, obstinacy
Reflective Questions
If the Ace of Pentacles appears in your spread, it may be beneficial to ask yourself the following questions:
- Where in my life do I need to summon the will to initiate action?
- What resistance keeps me from carrying out what I already know I need to do?
- How can I distinguish between healthy determination and forceful imposition?
- Do I treat material life as sacred — or as something less spiritual?
- Where did my drive to succeed or prove myself turn into over-ambition?
- Am I trying to eliminate discomfort instead of resolving the issue that causes it?
- What would success look like that is aligned with my values and vitality?
Ace of Pentacles Summary
The Ace of Pentacles invites you to cultivate your will to act, to execute your plans to achieve tangible success, and extend the light of humanity into the material world.
Where Do Tarot Card Meanings Actually Come From?
The meanings of Tarot cards come from various sources. The most common are:
- The position of the Tarot cards on the Tree of Life
- Astrological correspondences (signs, planets, & houses)
- The symbolism of Tarot cards
- Intuition
- Meanings that pertain to fortune-telling
Most of the Tarot card meanings you can google are astrological correspondences and go back to the Golden Dawn and Arthur Edward Waite. Astrological meanings have dominated because Astrology favors fortune-telling. But Astrological meanings are unsuitable for (psychological) Tarot readings.
If you are interested in an overview of the astrological correspondences, you can download a high-resolution chart by subscribing to the Enlightenment Tarot.
Tarot card meanings are a bit of a mess since the meanings that pertain to their position on the Tree of Life mingle with astrological correspondences, symbolic interpretations, and fortune-telling connotations. That’s tedious to memorize. Further, tarotists’ opinions, knowledge, and linguistic backgrounds shaped some of these interpretations. Last but not least, many meanings are fuzzy, contradictory, and overlapping. If you want to understand why they overlap, read the article How to Deal With the Overlapping Meanings of Tarot Cards.
The meanings of the Enlightenment Tarot are based on an objective and holistic framework: the Tree of Life and the four levels of human expression. The resulting meanings are transparent and logical and, hence, easier to memorize.
What Various Tarotists Say about the Meanings of the Ace of Pentacles
Let’s explore what various tarotists wrote about the Ace of Pentacles.
Tarotists emphasize the astrological significances of Tarot cards since these lend themselves to divination and fortune-telling.
The Ace of Pentacles corresponds to the last three zodiac signs: Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
This merges the practical characteristics of Capricorn with the meditative-revelatory talents of Aquarius and the sensitivity of Pisces.
Accordingly, the Ace of Pentacles rules the 10th house of material affairs, business, and social status, the 11th house of social networking and friends, and the 12th house of subconsciousness, privacy, and endings.
These sun signs connect to the Adversity/Devil, Revelation/Star, and the Evolution/Moon cards:
Winter is indeed the most adverse season. It is also a time of retreat and contemplation (Revelation) and inner growth (Evolution)
What Paul Foster Case Said About the Meanings of the Ace of Pentacles
For the Ace of Pentacles, Paul Foster Case proposed the keyword materiality, the things that are Caesar’s. The Ace of Pentacles shall signify materiality in all its phases – good or evil. This agrees with the 10th house of material affairs.
Paul defined the respective faculty of consciousness as the power of will expressed on the physical plane, which is spot-on. It is also the power of the world’s illusion since the respective cosmic faculty brings forth the physical universe, which, in the context of enlightenment, is an illusion.
In the affairs of men, this card may signify material gain, contentment, wealth, and the things, conditions, and actions that contribute to such gain. These meanings are somewhat inaccurate, since this card signifies the beginnings of gain, not gain itself.
What Arthur Edward Waite Said About the Meanings of the Ace of Pentacles
Arthur Edward Waite considered the Ace of Pentacles the most favourable of all cards, since it shall signify great riches, prosperity, and comfortable material conditions, gold, and a share in the finding of treasure.
This appears somewhat materialistic, downplaying the other three levels of human expression – the spiritual, creative, and intellectual levels.
Like Paul, Arthur associated perfect contentment, joy, and ecstasy with the Ace of Pentacles. This appears a bit off, since these are emotional reactions to fortune, which fit the Nine of Pentacles.
An inauspicious Ace of Pentacles shall signify the evil side of wealth, bad intelligence, and disadvantages from riches, prosperity, and wealth.
You may wonder what such disadvantages may be. One of the greatest disadvantages is that rich people can’t trust anyone. They can never be sure if their friends are true friends or just friends of their wealth. This is an inauspicious 11th house matter.
What Etteilla Said About the Meanings of the Ace of Pentacles
Etteilla, a French occultist, wrote that the Ace of Pentacles may signify incoming money and profound happiness.
Incoming money is a good interpretation since it denotes the beginning of wealth.
Profound happiness is off. First, happiness is a feeling and belongs to the Cup cards. If we replaced happiness with joy (an emotion), we still face the issue that emotions are reactions to external situations. Profound happiness fits better with the Nine of Pentacles, which is the sphere of reactions to external circumstances (Ten of Pentacles).
What Papus Said About the Meanings of the Ace of Pentacles
Papus, another French occultist and the founder of the Martinist Order, wrote that an auspicious Ace of Pentacles may indicate the commencement of good fortune and wealth, but also an inheritance and gifts.
These are good interpretations, including inheritance and gifts, since they honor the spontaneous activities of the first sphere, which, as the picture suggests, fall out of the clouds.
What Gregor Mather Said About the Meanings of the Ace of Pentacles
Gregor Mather, the founder of the Golden Dawn, believed that an inauspicious Ace of Pentacles signifies a purse of gold, money, gain, profit, prosperity, and riches, and the respective emotional reactions to those: perfect contentment and joy.
He also offered the meanings of triumph and help. Triumph is a bit off, since it denotes results, which fit the Seven of Pentacles (victory and success). But it could be seen as a triumph of one’s willpower over that of another person.
Help is an astrological interpretation since it pertains to the 11th house of friends.
What Mme. Le Marchand Said About the Meanings of the Ace of Pentacles
Mme. Le Marchand, a celebrated 19th-century Parisian fortune teller, suggested that an auspicious Ace of Pentacles foretells a happy fortune and a bright and prosperous career.
She added that if the querent trusts in God, he won’t forsake her. This relates to the hand of the higher self in the picture, which induces good intention in the querent.
The Psychological Framework of the Enlightenment Tarot
Every Tarot card represents a faculty of consciousness. We can use faculties of consciousness constructively and destructively. This produces favorable and adverse experiences.
We can express faculties of consciousness on four levels:
- The spiritual level (wands/fire/intention)
- The creative-feely level (cups/water/imagination)
- The intellectual level (swords/air/intelligence)
- The bodily level (pentacles/earth/bodily action)
The four tools on the magician’s table symbolize these four levels:
- The wand (spiritual)
- The cup (creative-feely)
- The sword (intellectual)
- The pentagram (bodily)
These tools correspond to the four so-called elements: fire, water, air, and earth.
For this reason, the Enlightenment Tarot wands are made of fire, the cups consist of water, and the pents are composed of earth. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to illustrate something made of air, since air is invisible. For that reason, all swords are made of crystal to show at least transparency.
The Enlightenment Tarot derives its meaning from the Tree of Life and the four levels of human expression. This is an objective, holistic framework that reveals the psychological imports of Tarot cards and their faculties of consciousness. Read more about this framework in the article The Psychological Framework of the Enlightenment Tarot.
The Enlightenment Tarot project attempts to rediscover the original meanings of the Tarot cards that pertain to their position on the Tree of Life. These meanings are simple, clear, and easy to memorize.
*This framework is compatible with Paul Foster Case’s qabalistic system.
Do you want to learn more About The Enlightenment Tarot?
If you want to delve deep into the psychological meanings of Tarot cards, read the book Tarot of Life.
If you are curious about how the Enlightenment Tarot came about, read this article.
If you are interested in learning how to perform psychological Tarot readings, subscribe to receive a free copy of a guide on how to perform psychological Tarot readings.
If you are looking for a psychological Tarot deck, you have come to the right place. The Enlightenment Tarot derives the cards’ meanings from a holistic and transparent framework that is easy to learn and memorize. All major and minor arcana carry psychological titles, and the court cards display psychological profiles. Have a look at the Enlightenment Tarot deck here.
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Delve into the psychological mysteries of the Tarot with the Enlightenment Tarot deck — a contemporary Tarot deck with authentic Tarot symbolism yet immersive illustrations designed for psychological Tarot readings.
Trace your querent’s challenges back to her weaknesses or inner demons. Shadow work made easy.
This exceptional Tarot deck is based on an objective and holistic, psychological framework: the Tree of Life. All minor and major cards feature psychological titles. For example, the Magician has the title ‘Attention’, and the Six of Cups has the title ‘Decision’. The court cards exhibit psychological profiles. For instance, the Queen of Wands stands for a willful woman: generous or stubborn, resolute or revengeful, intense or tyrannical, magnetic or dangerous.