There is a wealth of information and insight in every tarot reading…

 For me the King of Pentacles and Queen of Swords are easily misunderstood.

 There are some cards in the tarot deck that I don’t have an affinity to, and one of them is the King of Pentacles.

The King of Pentacles represents material wealth, wealth that he has accumulated through hard work, responsibility and leadership.

The King of Pentacles is surrounded by symbols of prosperity

If you look at the illustration of the King of Pentacles, he basks in the fruit of his labours, his robe is quite literally embroidered with symbols of wealth and the good things of life that he has accumulated with hard work and drive.

Whenever I see him I think ooh money banker institutions, someone who likes the good things of life and works for them, someone who’s focus is making money.

Which might be a bit unfair as all businesses want to make money whether they are an opera house or art gallery, although the object of an opera house is to make beautiful opera, whereas a bank is to make money or look after money for others, so you could say it does have a caring side?

A father for instance who gets up crack of dawn to commute to the city to provide his family with education, a comfortable home, holidays, the good life, is making money for a good cause.

And I can imagine as his wife to be protected from worry about not enough money would be a very wonderful thing.  Me being someone who’s always been afraid of not enough money, coming from a Dad who was in the army and not very well paid.  So very happy and appreciative his family should be as it takes drive and hard work as well as intelligence, not to mention all those mornings getting up in the dark at 5 am to catch the commuter to the city!

It takes being prepared to work within the system, be part of the establishment, tow the line, be at your desk by 8 and leave 6 on the dot to rush to catch the train.  There’s not a lot of freedom being a king of pentacles because a lot relies on you.  The price for financial success requires a certain amount of accountability and perhaps kow towing to the powers that be.

Ive always had more affinity to the Queen of Swords but it has taken me a while to understand the power of her clarity.  She is often thought of someone who’s been hurt in the past and learned to approach life with her intellect and logic in order to protect her heart.  And perhaps be a bit distant, a bit critical and over analytical living in her head rather than her heart. However recently I realised she also has a rare ability to see and understand things very quickly and very clearly, a ‘knowing’ of a situation with all its complexities in an instance.  The Queen of Swords benefits from operating with a bit distance bringing her intellect and logic to a situation. She delivers wisdom.

The Queen of Swords does look rather severe, she doesn’t even face us.

 I’ve always understood her ability to make difficult decisions, I hadn’t appreciated CLARITY as one of her attributes

Recently a girl had the king of pentacles as her root card and the card came up again….when I discussed the card in the terms above she didn’t seem to relate and I have been pondering this and the king of pentacles since.  And am none the wiser.  So I have more to learn.

I’m always interested to hear how my clients interpret a card, quite often they come up with an insight that is spot on. Do come and have a tarot reading in person in Battersea or online via WhatsApp video. A reading always brings insight and encouragement.