A Closer Look: Queen of Pentacles

Key words and concepts

• Comfort
• Security
• Abundance
• Family
• Compassion
• Stewardship
• Sensitivity to surroundings

I grew up in a small town, and like most teenagers, struggled a lot with friendship and identity.  In middle school and high school, I hung out pretty exclusively with a small group of guys.  In typical teenage fashion, I often struggled to relate to my own mother (she is an awesome lady, but we are both similar to the Queen of Swords and didn't always mesh), so having the mother of one of my guy friends sort of take me under her wing was really valuable.

She was a passionate gardener, and her name was Rose, of course.  She had the quiet patience and compassion that goes with being a kindergarten teacher (her profession), as well as the sense of humor and quick wit that comes from growing up as a dorky, not-traditionally-beautiful girl (something I desperately needed to relate to as a teenager).  Whenever I pull the Queen of Pentacles, I smile and say, "Oh hey, Rose, nice to see you!" This Queen--and my childhood role model--both serve to remind me that compassion for yourself and others is never a bad move, and that there is comfort to be had in cultivating your home.

The Queen of Pentacles offers warmth, comfort, and security--but she worked for it.  This queen doesn't hire a gardner or groundskeeper; she is in the dirt, caring for her flowers and vegetables.  She's up at dawn to milk the cows herself, and the result is a cultivated and healthy domain of her own doing.  And look at the results!  Her throne is richly carved with animals and fruits, and vines of roses wind their way around the border.  She's even attracted a happy little bunny at her feet (when she was younger, she was probably that Disney princess who had birds help her get dressed in the morning). I think of her very much as a steward of not only her land, but of its plants and creatures, as well as the human subjects of her kingdom.  

When I read court cards, I often think of them as attitudes we can take (as opposed to reading them as literal people in our lives).  The Queen of Pentacles' motto is, “Hard work is most noble when it serves not only your own house, but your community and the earth.”  She values abundance and hard work, but in the context of service to the greater good.  She is a reminder to prioritize our values, even if we are in the midst of the rat race of capitalism, and to use our gains in a way that encourages healthy, equitable growth. 

Is there somebody in your life who provides this queen's energy?  When have you embodied it yourself?  How else does the Queen of Pentacles show up in your life?