The meaning of gold present in many cards of the tarot deck

The most basic meaning of gold is that it’s a metal typically associated with the Sun, masculinity, and consciousness. In the tarot deck, it’s already present in the suit of Pentacles, in its 13 cards, but it also appears in many other cards, both in the Major and Minor Arcana of other suits, which we will describe later.
But the meaning of gold goes far beyond its mere and obvious material value or its association with money, wealth, and prosperity. Gold is the color of the Solar Plexus Chakra, and it represents the life force that emanates from this chakra, located just above the navel in the human body. At a mental and emotional level, gold—associated with the solar plexus—represents issues of “power”, struggles for control over oneself and others, achievements (or lack thereof), our self-image, and our ego. On a psychic level, the solar plexus governs our sensitivity to the vibrations of other people and places. When the solar plexus is not functioning properly, you may find yourself taking on more than you can handle in life, engaging in power struggles with others, competing for expertise, or feeling anger, fear, or hatred. A very typical physical side effect of an imbalanced solar plexus is experiencing digestive problems and disorders.

Gold represents “spiritual gifts”, and depending on the card that appears in your reading, these gifts can be beneficial or not. You may have them or not, and you may need to take advantage of them, share them, or reinforce them, just as much as you may need to acquire, strengthen, or seek them out. The card in question will give you a clue about what’s happening with “your gold”, not only on a material level but more importantly on an emotional and spiritual level.

For example, in the card of “The Chariot”, we see its driver wearing a large golden armor, symbolizing their mental and physical strength. They are someone with great determination and drive, filled with strong spiritual gifts, with great confidence and self-esteem in particular. If the card appears reversed, it would let you know that you need to work on these aspects of your emotions, among other things and meanings. Temperance presents two cups that could very well be made of gold, along with a floating golden crown, a symbol of the great virtue of having a tempered spirit and attitude, calmness, patience, and balance. The Ace of Swords features an important golden crown, emphasizing the value of having a rational, objective, and practical mindset. It represents the strength of your intellect, ideas, and reasoning. In nearly all the kings and queens of all the suits, we find golden elements, from crowns to cups, thrones, and other objects that undoubtedly speak of the great spiritual world they possess and the power with which they wield it. The Hierophant presents numerous elements that explain the meaning of gold, as we have analyzed it here. The triple scepter is a symbol of their dominion over the three worlds. The crossed keys represent a balance between the conscious and subconscious mind and the ability to unlock the mysteries of the unconscious. The terrifying card of The Tower shows a massive crown-shaped dome falling, which can foretell not only great financial problems but also an internal emotional disaster, shaking your confidence and self-esteem. A whole set of values that you’ve relied on throughout your life has been blown apart by a brutal impact. Death points to the fallen crown on the ground, symbolizing the death of old dogmas and principles that have not served you well, and the urgent need for a radical change, to see everything differently, with new ideas and concepts. It’s the death of the ego, which is always harmful, to make way for better ways of being in the world. In the fantastic card of The Magician, we find the meaning of gold in two elements: a large coin and a chalice, symbols of not only material but also emotional power that you have within you or that is being offered to you. All of these cards, of course, vary in their meaning depending on whether they appear upright or reversed. Sometimes the message is better when the card appears reversed, as is the case with all the number 5s in the deck.

Therefore, the meaning of gold doesn’t always refer to material wealth or money. Its message goes beyond that to highlight things that are just as, or even more, important than your prosperity, and it’s a very present element in tarot that should be properly understood and interpreted.