Four of Pentacles: Modern RWS tarot Card Meanings
‘The Four of Pentacles’, Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
Upright Four of Pentacles: RWS Meanings
Keywords
Control, Stability, Security, Possession, Conservation, Scarcity Mindset
Generally
The Four of Pentacles means stability, security, and control, but often in a rigid and possessive way. The figure in the card clings tightly to his four pentacles, representing a deep need to hold onto his material wealth and maintain control over his environment. This can signify financial stability and saving for the future, but it also carries a strong warning about becoming too attached to material possessions, being overly conservative, and operating from a place of fear and scarcity.
In a Love Context
In a love reading, this card can point to a possessive or controlling dynamic in a relationship. One or both partners may be insecure, leading to jealousy and a lack of trust. It can also signify a relationship that has become stagnant, where both people are holding on tightly out of a fear of change rather than genuine affection. There is a resistance to emotional vulnerability and a need to control the situation.
In a Money/Career Context
This card directly relates to your attitude towards money and security. It can mean you are being financially prudent, saving money, and building a solid foundation. However, it often points to a negative extreme: being a miser, hoarding resources, and having a scarcity mindset that prevents you from investing in yourself or taking calculated risks. In a career, it can mean staying in a stable but unfulfilling job out of fear.
In a Spiritual Context
Spiritually, the Four of Pentacles represents a blocked flow of energy. You are holding on too tightly to old beliefs, rigid structures, or a specific outcome, which is preventing spiritual growth. It is a call to release your need for control and trust in the flow of the universe. True security cannot be found by hoarding, but by allowing energy to move freely.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Save your resources, but be mindful of becoming too stingy. Establish clear structures and boundaries. Assess what you are holding onto and why.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
A period of stability and control will be achieved, but it may come at the cost of joy and flexibility.
As Obstacles
A fear of loss and a desperate need for control are blocking progress. A scarcity mindset is the primary hindrance.
As Hidden Energy
A deep-seated fear of poverty or instability is the unspoken driver of the situation. A secret need to control everything.
As Resources/Alliances
Your own financial discipline and ability to create stable structures. A conservative and secure foundation.
‘The Four of Pentacles’ Reversed
Keywords
Greed, Materialism, Recklessness, Letting Go, Generosity, Instability
Generally
Reversed, the Four of Pentacles can swing to one of two extremes. On one hand, it can represent finally letting go of what you have been clinging to, releasing control, and becoming more generous. This is a positive manifestation. On the other hand, it can represent the negative aspects of the upright card taken to an extreme: intense greed and materialism. It can also signify recklessness, particularly with finances, gambling, or making foolish investments due to a complete loss of control.
In a Love Context
In its positive sense, this card reversed can mean releasing possessiveness and control in a relationship, leading to greater intimacy and trust. Negatively, it can point to a relationship ending due to issues of greed or financial instability. It may also signify a situation where one partner is being financially reckless, creating insecurity for both.
In a Money/Career Context
Reversed, this card can indicate a major financial loss, a failed investment, or reckless spending. You may have lost control of your finances. However, it can also have a positive meaning, suggesting that you are loosening your grip on a soul-crushing job for the sake of your well-being, or that you are starting to invest in yourself and your future in a more open, less fearful way.
In a Spiritual Context
Spiritually, this card reversed signifies a breakthrough. You are releasing the rigid beliefs and fears that have been holding you back. This is a time of letting go and letting God/the universe, trusting that you will be supported. You are opening yourself up to the flow of spiritual energy after a period of being blocked.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Let go of your need to control the outcome. Be more generous with your time, energy, or money. It is time to release what no longer serves you.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
A necessary release. You will either let go of your fears or lose what you are clinging to.
As Obstacles
Greed or extreme recklessness is sabotaging the situation. A complete lack of self-control is the main issue.
As Hidden Energy
A secret, deep-seated desire to let go of all responsibility. An unacknowledged recklessness.
As Resources/Alliances
The liberating feeling that comes from finally letting go. The clarity that a financial loss can bring.
Additional Notes on The RWS ‘Four of Pentacles’
Waite’s Divinatory Meanings of The Four of Pentacles
"The surety of possessions, cleaving to that which one has, gift, legacy, inheritance. Reversed: Suspense, delay, opposition." (The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 1911)
RWS Four of Pentacles Symbolism
A.E. Waite’s Four of Pentacles depicts a crowned figure sitting on a stool, firmly holding onto a pentacle. He balances another on his head, and two more are secure beneath his feet. His posture is rigid and defensive. Behind him is a city, representing the civilization and material success he has built and is now protecting. The card is a powerful allegory for possession and the control of material assets, but his tight grip suggests that this control comes from a place of fear—the fear of losing what he has.
Meditations On The Four of Pentacles
What am I holding onto so tightly in my life (money, beliefs, relationships)?
Is my need for security helping me or hindering my growth?
Where could I benefit from loosening my grip and trusting in the flow of life?
Continue Reading About The Minor Arcana
Next Card: The Five of Pentacles
Previous Card: The Three of Pentacles
