Sunday September 1st, 2024 Tarot Reading: Material Growth, Ambition and Leaning into Learning

Sunday’s tarot spread presents us with an interesting and engaging puzzle. As our world spins and churns, the cards have spoken, and today’s spread tells a tale of growth, leadership, and the desire for knowledge.

For our first card, the Four of Pentacles, we are asked to contemplate the nature of our material accomplishments. The figure in the Four of Pentacles traditionally presents a wealthy man holding onto his coins tightly, a representation of both financial stability and a resistance to change. As Seneca once stated -

“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, who is poor.”

This card asks us to grapple with these notions, and consider where we might be holding on too tightly to established routines. What might we risk if we release our grip, if we allow room for fluidity and growth instead of rigid protection of what we already have?

Next, our attention shifts to the King of Wands. In classical tarot imagery, the King of Wands is a fiery leader, a visionary and charismatic individual. Remember Marcus Aurelius reminding us that -

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”

As the King of Wands, we are invited to explore the quality and trajectory of our own thoughts, our visionary potential. How are we leading ourselves, our community, our environment? Where are we allowing our ambitions to drive us? The King asks us to examine our motives and infuse our actions with purposeful direction.

Lastly, we have the Page of Pentacles, the dynamic representation of an eager student. His epitome in Tarot embodies the role of a learner—one open to gather new experiences, skills, and wisdom. As Epictetus philosophizes,

“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.”

Aligning this quote with our card, we are encouraged to venture into the journey of life, embracing the role of a learner through interactions that inspire and nurture our growth.

To fully engage with these cards and their messages, I invite you to contemplate, journal, or meditate on this question: Where in your life are you acting as the Four of Pentacles, the King of Wands, and the Page of Pentacles? How can the wisdom of these cards guide you to reflect, learn, and lead with inspirited thoughtfulness?