General Book of the Tarot: Pentacles: Four of Pentacles

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Four of Pentacles

TRADITION: A present, gratification, gift, inheritance, legacy; liberality, generosity, offerings, etc. "The surety of possessions, cleaving to that which one has." (W.) Reversed it is said to represent: A circle, circuit, and in general that which limits, encircles, holds, walls, encloses.. So it may be a convent, monastery. Further obstacles, delay, suspense.

THEORY: The Fire of the heart on the house of Scorpio, the Eighth, which is the house of secrets, of the money and possessions of other people, of death and sex, of inheritance and debt, loans and delay in all material matters, psychic activity, but much hampering in all physical activities--all this makes clear much of what tradition has handed down. Everything falling in this house is connected with some secret, which cannot be divulged to the outer world, and consequently in relation to this world these things cannot appear in their full light or significance, are more or less handicapped, meet with obstacles and are wrongly judged. It is related to monastic life indeed. On the other hand it is the psychic and sexual expression of the love born in the heart, and it means, on this account, certainly "cleaving to that which one has" in a very personal way. It is the card of desire, attachment, secret longing for possession, which, when not being satisfied, may lead to retreat and retirement. The fire of the heart is here suffering from dissatisfaction or impossibility of realisation. It is probably the least favourable card of the pentacles suit, at least in a material sense. It may hold much good for the