Lessons learnt from the Page of Pentacles

Whilst learning the traditional meanings for tarot, and understanding the imagery is essential- how you feel about cards is another very valuable tool.

I have noticed over the years my feelings about certain cards have really changed.

As a professional tarot reader acknowledging which are my emotional responses to a reading – being able to note them, them push them to one side, allows me to ensure I am a clear reader for my client. The last thing a client wants is for me to start ranting about my stuff, or getting my emotional responses mixed up with their reading.

So I believe understanding how you “feel” about specific cards is an essential part of the journey.

The card that sparked this blog was the page of pentacles.

Not a card I have really put that much thought into. The key meanings are fairly obvious, and the imagery quite clear. Yet. Just recently it has cropped up a lot (both for clients and myself) as a key or very important card in a reading.

For myself recently it has almost always been paired with either the 5 or 6 of pentacles.

5 of pentacles- feeling out of control, feeling lack, poverty, left out (potential for growth fair enough- but the actual emotion for me is lack)

6 of pentacles- Control! I always see this card as being about control. And in this case this is me feeling that others have control. (I have a 6 of pentacles blog here)

And then that tiny, fairly pointless page of pentacles. Time after time these cards came up for me. I see the page of pentacles as being about small details, getting the small things right (as well as study, learning and grounding. ) As a very knight of wands -and lets GO!- kind of a person, used to thinking about the bigger picture and letting small details sort themselves out- I found this infuriating.

So I just sat with it, understanding there is a message there, but not wanting to see it.

Until I am reading a book about the importance of habit, of noting habits, and changing them to improve life.

I start to see how I have a habit of overlooking details- how I am great at the bigger picture stuff but chronically dis-organised about small things. (no need to be polite- I am well aware of this failing).

I start to gaze at the card page of pentacles and realise that if I create a habit to start to take better care of the smaller details it would help me feel more in control. That mistakes over small details often leave me feeling out of control, un-grounded, and over dependent on my right brain.

It’s a gentle ongoing meditative process, but as I do this the readings change (I do a daily 3 card reading for myself- and that page of pentacles was there every single day with either the 5 or 6)

Then the reading changes- that bloody page is still there (oh how I miss my knight of wands) but now it is paired with the 4 of pentacles.

This is a card that gets a bad reputation in my opinion- it is far more than miser. It is about taking control, firm boundaries, practical manifestation. (I have a blog on the card right here)

The Tarot is literally saying that if I start to take control of the smaller details then I will start to feel more in control. As this starts to sink in I realise just how out of control I have felt about my work- no clear structure, no clear plan, just growing haphazardly as the inspiration strikes (I’m sure it looks quite slick from the outside.)

In fact I am overwhelmed by the cacophony of small details in my life- for household, children, husband, me & work....

As I am start to reflect more on my business, run through figures, take time out to consider what I want to do in the business, and how I can achieve this I am growing to love seeing the page of pentacles.

I am associating that calm focus on his pentacle with feeling centred, empowered and in control. Not in a manipulative brittle way- but in taking control of my own destiny instead of reacting to problems as and when they arise.

I am getting on top of the small details, and yes, is feeling good.