The Four of Pentacles represents achievements but also the danger of greed.
In the Four of Pentacles, we find a person sitting outside their city, holding onto their possessions. The intense work has worn them down, but there’s a hidden sense of satisfaction for all they’ve achieved through their efforts.
Visual description of the card:
The Four of Pentacles shows a person sitting on a stool, away from the city they live in. They tightly hold onto their coins in a very defensive posture, almost hoarding out of fear of losing them.
One gold coin rests on top of their head, symbolizing that their thoughts are focused entirely on material things.
Another coin is clutched tightly in their hands, while two more are firmly placed beneath their feet, meaning they want to ensure no one can touch or take their money.
They can’t go anywhere because their feet are occupied with the coins. In other words, this person is so attached to their possessions that they can’t do anything else.
Their face has hardened from all the hard work, but their mouth hints at a smile, a reflection of the satisfaction they feel for what they’ve achieved.
The Four of Pentacles in the upright position:
General Meaning:
The Four of Pentacles can be read in both a positive and negative light.
On one hand, this card indicates that you’ve achieved many of your goals, and in the process, you’ve managed to create a solid foundation, perhaps even some wealth.
The downside is that this may have led you to focus solely on possessions and material things, and it may have turned you into someone who is greedy or overly possessive.
You undoubtedly have a good financial position, stable, with no worries about today or tomorrow’s needs, and your business or investments are strong and secure.
You’re not the type to overspend or be wasteful. You have a conservative approach and don’t like taking risks.
Through a rigid discipline, careful savings, and well-calculated investments, you’ve steadily increased your money and overall assets. This has given you a great sense of emotional calm because you link your spiritual well-being to financial security.
This is undoubtedly a positive thing, your hard work has paid off, and your rewards are well-deserved. However, you may have also developed a mindset of greed and self-protection, which suggests that on an emotional level, you avoid risks because they cause you a great deal of unease and confusion.
Your feelings are as cold as the coins, carefully calculated, locked away in the safe of your heart. This may bring a sense of dissatisfaction and an underlying unhappiness in your life.
A part of you is beginning to realize that this conservative attitude in everything hasn’t truly benefited you and may have isolated you.
The major message in the Four of Pentacles is that you shouldn’t place more value on money and material things than they deserve. It’s nice and important to have them, but they’re clearly not everything. Being overly attached will eventually cause more problems than it solves.
If your life is measured by a scale where possessions top the list, and you compare yourself to others, valuing yourself by the clothes you wear, the house you own, the cars you drive, then you’re focusing on a poor outlook on life, and you’ll enter a spiral where you constantly need more to maintain your sense of self-worth.
There is great resistance to change here. You don’t like changes or disruptions to your routine. You already have everything under control, you’ve established a method, a process that’s worked for you, so you wonder why you should change anything.
All change feels like a threat to your security. Similarly, you’re likely someone who respects tradition, rules, and established ways of doing things.
This can also mean that you might be rigid and controlling with those around you, whether it’s family, partners, or employees. Everything must be done your way or at least under your supervision.
Order is an oasis for you; it brings calm and stability. But if you’re too inflexible in your ways and control, those around you will have no calm or peace.
If there’s no balance, you may find yourself distanced from others, and people may drift away, leaving you more solitary and isolated, as no one feels as comfortable as you do with yourself. You’ll need to deeply examine your life and your attitudes when this card appears.
In matters of love
The Four of Pentacles speaks to fear when it comes to love. There’s a sense of attachment, whether from you to someone else, or from your partner to you, and deep down, it’s not healthy. Love is freedom, and anything that restricts or controls it puts it at risk.
If you’re alone, you need to step out of your comfort zone, away from your safety net, and take a risk on love. Until you do, love will take its time to arrive and stay.
In work matters
The Four of Pentacles indicates stability and security, but it may also suggest you’re doing something you don’t enjoy, something that doesn’t ignite your passion, simply because it brings in money or puts food on the table.
Most people find themselves in similar situations, but here you need to (because you’re capable of it) evaluate your confidence and belief in yourself. Dare to take a risk for what you believe in, because one way or another, you’ll have a profitable job. If it brings you joy, that’s a significant bonus.
If you’re job-hunting, you’ll find something very soon, but it may fall into the same category: work you don’t enjoy, but with a great salary.
In finances and money
The Four of Pentacles doesn’t forecast problems—in fact, quite the opposite when it comes to money or business. The issue here is that your anxiety around these topics might make you hold on too tightly to your money and earnings, becoming overly controlling.
Being responsible with money is good, but crossing the line into greed can become a permanent trait. Work on being generous, on giving.
In health
The Four of Pentacles suggests you need to forgive the past and old wounds, especially your own mistakes.
You’re inflexible, and it’s hard for you to let go of errors, particularly in finances or work. Watch out for stress and anxiety caused by constantly running the numbers in your head.
The card also suggests others may be relying on your financial situation, which has become a heavy burden on your health.
In spirituality
You need to look deep inside to understand and overcome the fears that block you. Security is important, but you can’t control every variable in life. You need to take some risks, open yourself to new experiences, and step out of your comfortable mental routine. Meditate, reflect, and embrace change, no matter how small.
The Four of Pentacles Reversed:
General Meaning:
When reversed, the Four of Pentacles reveals its darker side.
That control and conservative attitude, both in finances and life, has now turned into an acute fear of poverty or any situation of lack you might face.
Much of this obsession may be unfounded and unrealistic, but you live it as though from one day to the next, poverty and ruin could strip you of everything.
This drives you to extreme protection of your money, to the point where you border on greed.
This, in itself, isn’t good, but the worst part is that emotionally, the same process has occurred, and you’re finding it hard to open up, share your emotions, or attend to the emotions of others.
This has led to spending too much time focused on work and finances, neglecting important relationships like family, a partner, children, or lifelong friends.
You’ve achieved material success, but a part of you feels bittersweet about it because there are times when you realize that money can’t buy everything, nor is it enough to bring happiness in other areas of life, such as love or health.
You urgently need to adjust your mindset to reconnect with others, so those who’ve distanced themselves due to your emotional blockages can come back to you.
Surely you can let go of some things, the less important ones, to dedicate a bit more time and attention to those other areas of your life that truly fulfill your spirit and heart.
On the flip side, the Four of Pentacles can indicate that you’re spending too much money. The control has slipped, and your earnings are flying out of your pockets.
In matters of love
The reversed Four of Pentacles is more positive. You’ve been emotionally blocked for a long time, but now that you’re aware of the damage it’s caused, you’re ready to improve and open up, letting relationships flow again.
While your emotional life evolves, you’ll also need to cut back on your activities. If you spend all day at work or obsessing over your finances, you won’t have time to spend with those you love.
If you’re searching for love, you’ll need to overcome your fear of rejection, as well as the worry that people are only interested in you for your financial position, which might be higher than average.
You’re smart enough to know when that’s happening. Trust your instincts, and don’t let fear close the doors to love.
In work
The Four of Pentacles shows that your fear of poverty is driving you to overwork, even taking on two or more jobs. On the other hand, you’re reluctant to take risks, and even when better opportunities appear, you can’t let go of the security of what you already have.
Your motto is, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” You live with constant worry about your job—its stability, its earnings—and while there are things you can do to improve it, you can’t control everything. Don’t stress about things that haven’t happened yet!
If you’re looking for work, opportunities are there, but you’re passing them by because none feel secure enough or don’t pay what you want. Be careful with this—your expectations might be too high, and you could be missing out on good opportunities.
In terms of money
The Four of Pentacles is a good omen; you won’t lack money or business, and it may even exceed your expectations. The challenge is not letting your obsession with poverty make you feel like nothing is ever enough, that you always need more security.
This won’t help you at all: you’ll work too much, neglect your relationships, and never enjoy the fruits of your labor.
In health
The Four of Pentacles suggests you’ve been worrying about your health for some time, and these concerns are likely unfounded. Yet, you’re still reluctant to get the necessary check-ups to find out what’s really going on, if anything.
Your health is actually fine—it’s your thoughts that are bringing you down.
In spirituality
The Four of Pentacles teaches that your fears have a lesson to offer. You’re learning, perhaps the hard way, that you need to relax, open up a little more. You’ve already achieved material things in life… so why not enjoy them?
Slowly, you’re stepping out of your comfort zone, realizing that there’s an emotional and spiritual path you need to walk, one that will bring you a different kind of reward.
