TAROTPage of Pentacles
Upright
Following a plan towards financial stability. The beginning of making the idea real.
Learning, studying, or setting up to achieve something to do with future prosperity.
A new career or learning a profession.
The ‘discovery’ phase of putting a financial project or business idea into practice.
Addressing initial practicalities that create future financial success.
Intuition
The card shows a young man appreciating the world around him. The entire scene is the same golden yellows of the pentacle being held up, symbolizing the world around us is full of opportunities for prosperity. We just have to recognize them and create a practical plan to make it happen!
Reversed
Doubt, lack of concentration, or lack of self-belief in achieving future financial stability.
Failure to take up the challenge to make a financial plan workable
Lack of knowledge, training, planning, and belief to make a financial plan ready to start.
Impractical planning for the future, or wishful thinking.
Astrologia
A balanced and grounded personality that makes for a very dependable person. Strong work ethic and perseverance in adversity. Can be overly practical and ignore strong emotions. May be materialistic.
Page of Pentacles
The Page of Pentacles refers to setting a solid foundation for future prosperity.
The page can also denote looking at one's environment and gaining an appreciation of the potential wealth hidden in plain sight. To do only that would be the domain of the Ace of Pentacles (i.e., the seed of an idea), but the Page takes it further by having a practically minded plan that is set into practice to create that potential wealth or, in Tarot speak, manifesting.
This manifesting can take several forms. It can be learning a new career or profession. It can be seeing the beginning of an investment opportunity. It can be bringing people together and getting them ready to set to work.
The card can also represent a state of mind. This refers to the diligence and awareness of the work ahead. Unlike the creative, emotional or communicative Pages of other suites, the Page of Pentacles is very much a practical realist who will work steadily towards their goal.
The card shows a young man who is the ancestor of one of the wealthiest branches of the ancient Greek peoples.
Ion
The Ionian people were originally Greek, but migrated from Attica (the areas around Athens) eastwards toward the Anatolia (modern Turkey). They became extremely wealthy and well-educated and laid the foundations of several major branches of knowledge, including Greek philosophy and the Homeric epics, as well as many much more practical techniques such as map making. Ionic (also known as Koine Greek) became the standard language of Greek texts and many important texts were first written in it, such as the New Testament. The Old Testament was also translated into it (both books were re-translated into Latin by the Romans).
The mythological ancestor of this wealthy, rich and well-educated people is Ion, an illegitimate son of the God Apollo.
Ion was abandoned by his mother, Creusa (a princess of Athens). He was saved by the God Hermes (as seen in the Judgment card) and raised as a slave in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi (whose ruins are seen in the Justice card).
Creusa later marries a foreign king but remains childless. They visit the Temple of Apollo to speak to the oracle about this and are told the first person they see after the visit will be their son, and this turns out to be a slave working there, Ion.
Thus, the boy Io goes from slave to king, to ancestor of one of the wealthiest groups in the ancient world. His story is the basis of the play Ion by Euripides, written around 500BC.
Description and Symbology
The card shows a young man in a field, looking at a pentacle (coin) in his hand. Both the pentacle and the background are the same general color, implying both are a source of wealth.
Looking at the background, we see it would potentially make perfect farming land, or even the site of a village. The land seems to be both fertile and flat.
The man looks intently at the pentacle, almost as if he is trying to learn from it. Perhaps he is thinking about the skills he will need, and education he will have to undertake before he can create wealth and security from the surrounding land.
The young man
The man looks intently at the pentacle in his hand, as if trying to study its secrets. This symbolizes the need to practice a profession or learn and practice before serious wealth will come your way.
The pentacle
The pentacle and the background are both shades of yellow, suggesting that the potential for wealth is often in plain sight, as it comes from the earth all around us.
The land
The land looks as if it can be used for farming, or building upon, and probably both. As the man – Ion – is the mythical ancestor for the Ionians (one of the most wealthy and intellectually successful ancient groups), perhaps this is their birthplace!
Tips for Readings
The following table shows the upright and reverse meanings for general questions. The last row ('Yes/No') is useful when you are picking a single card to decide a yes or no decision.
Upright
Reversed
Although love can be at first sight, this card takes the road less traveled; slow, steady but building to great things, with a seriously sensual streak in the mix.
For existing couples, this will be a time to think about the future together, and may also involve a deepening of commitments and perhaps a rekindling of the sexual side.
For new relationships, it points to a career oriented and ambitious person who will over the years mellow into someone who is more about family. It is not all work though, there may be a lot of earthy adventure between the two stages, given that rich sensual streak!
Whatever the stage of the relationship, this card suggests loyalty and honesty.
A tendency towards safety and the future rather than the present may result in a slow, plodding relationship. Money problems may be an issue. Either too little or too much, and a descent towards money and status over love.
For new relationships, things may proceed too slowly for any spark, or an over-emphasis on career or related matters may do the same thing. Either way, the lack of speed may fizzle out any romance before it has any chance.
To avoid this, you either need to add some excitement or accept that there are too many distractions and competing priorities for it to work.
Now is a good time to consider taking up learning (either on the job or through courses and self-directed education) to further your career.
It is also a good time to consider moving job or a sideways promotion to something new.
Whatever you choose, there will be some hard work to get through, and the results may be slow to appear, but it will be worth it in the long run!
Either a lack of goals, poor planning or playing things far too safe is slowing your career down, or you are putting monetary gains and status over real growth. Either may lead to eventual failure.
There may also be a dissatisfaction in your career. You no longer find it interesting or fulfilling, and are instead just doing it for the paycheck.
The card asks you to consider your real goals and what you want from life, as this may not be in tune with your current career direction. Be prepared to lose a little in the short term, or the need to put in some work to move yourself to the right path.
You can achieve whatever you want so long as you are prepared to put in the work and learning, and this card suggests you have the self-confidence and practical mind to do both.
Applying this to your health will work wonders.
Outdoors sport where your feet hit real earth may help, as will anything involving competition that gains you prestige or recognition on winning.
Money and wealth can be great for your health, but they can also lead to bad habits, overindulgence, or either a sedentary lifestyle or the stress of overwork and micromanaging everything.
This card suggests at least one of the above is in play.
It is time to consider your future, and whether you are cashing in your health for something far less valuable in the long term…
Although aiming for wealth and security does not sound particularly spiritual, there is an inner joy in work well done, progressing towards a goal, or simply being proud of the exactness of your plans and the progress you are making.
There is also the sense of drawing on your roots to move upwards, using a lifetime of growing and learning to reach for the sky!
All of these things should lift you as you rise towards a future financial or career goal.
The search for fulfillment through career, wealth, self-improvement and hard work can take a turn for the worst if it is ultimately all about status and wealth as a means to its own end.
The card suggests this may be your goal, and if so, it is time to reconsider this
There will be an opportunity coming your way soon, but you will have to be ready for it, as it can easily pass you by unless you recognize it.
Being ‘ready’ means getting down with the numbers and practicalities and working out if this is the one to go for. This may not be easy, and the task may require a significant amount of work and learning about the investment, but the opportunity will be worth it in the long term.
There may be a number of problems on the horizon, and all of them relate to finances and investment.
Either you are not doing the research and placing trust on chance and wishful thinking rather than doing the work, or you are letting chances pass you by because you are taking the safe route and simply plodding along.
A lack of income may also be an issue, or unexpected expenses and costs to do with your education or an investment plan may come up.
It is definitely a time to be wary of your finances and watch all aspects closely!
Yes, but expect the results to be some time coming, but worth the wait!
No, through not being ready to pick up the practicalities, or going for the money rather than the growth and pleasure.
Reading the Card
Like all court cards, the Page of Swords can represent people or things other than yourself:
- Learning a profession, subject, or skill set with a view to it paying back in the future through wealth and security.
- Having the curiosity and insight to see wealth-making ideas hidden in plain sight that others will never see. This points to the beginnings of entrepreneurship and a sense for converting the fruits of the earth and environment into future security.
- A great planner who can start something moving through practical insights and organizing. This person is not a bean-counter; they don’t just plan, but also know how to make things happen such that something of value is produced, or in Tarot speak, manifesting.
- A student, young person or anyone learning a new subject, especially those doing it to secure a future through the salary it will pay in the future. This person is not necessarily greedy nor materialistic. Instead, they see responsibility through the need to provide for themselves and others through their own skills and hard work.
- A new person or love interest in your life whose aims are based on long term security and wealth. This person often has a business sensibility or is very career minded and/or a ‘family home builder’. Again, this person is not necessarily materialistic, it is because they see their role in the family as providing for others, and they believe that happiness comes through love, but also stability and security. As with all Earth based archetypes, there may also be a sensual undertone in the relationship. This is not just about family or money; there may also be a deeply sexual and emotional relationship.
When reading the ‘upright card’ and ‘reversal’ sections below, note that although the text refers to you, it could actually be any of the above. The question being asked (or your first thoughts when you see the card) will suggest who or what the card refers to.
The upright card
The upright Page of Pentacles represents the hardworking and insightful learner, person, or idea that has the ability to create long-lasting wealth and security.
It could represent:
- A deeply practical mindset. A will to get one’s hands dirty.
- Someone studying to change their future prospects.
- A project that looks to be a good financial earner for the future.
- Moving to a new environment that has more financial opportunities.
- Seeking personal connections that will be mutually beneficial for future business or professional growth.
- A deeply sensual aspect in relationships that comes from a deep trust and understanding… and lots of sex.
Whatever this card is saying, it asks you to look to the future in everything you do. Hard work performed now to create a more fruitful future later is not just getting your hands dirty. It is a noble cause that your loved ones will come to thank you for!
Although other Page cards may seem more exciting, the Page of Pentacles has the ability to transform their environment through the power of their vision of the future. The wealth of the Earth can be used for greed and self-aggrandizement, but used properly it can also be spiritually and socially transformational.
The reversal
The reversed Page of Pentacles points to a failure to build firm foundations for the future.
In a reading, it can refer to:
- Missed opportunities to further oneself financially or professionally.
- A failure to move forward, instead cocooning oneself into a womb of safety too early. The page of Pentacles looks for eventual security and prosperity, but the security can often be confused for the ‘safety of the familiar’. This can show itself by sticking with a safe job rather than moving, or plodding along slowly through fear of the unknown, letting the faster and more nimble light the darkness ahead.
- Allied with the above point is self-doubt or being unskilled for the task ahead. Hard work can take you only so far. There are times when you must admit your failings and ask for help from a teacher or guide.
- A fall towards materialism for the sake of it. Wealth hoarded rather than spent towards self-growth, education and better living will eventually fail, because you will lose sight of the meaning of enough, instead replacing it with greed.
Card Design Process
The design page for this card had on it ‘look for a young mythological founder of a rich ancient people that was not a God’, and Ion was one of the candidates. The more the subject was researched, the more he looked ideal!
Final Words
The Page of Pentacles represents learning, and growth in practical matters such as finance and career. The actions and decisions made can set (or delay!) the foundations of wealth and security for yourself and those close to you.
