A Closer Look: Ace of Pentacles

Key words and concepts

• Reward
• Security
• Physicality
• Planting seeds for future success
• Earth element

I love aces; they  communicate their meanings so clearly when I pull them in a spread. As the essence of the suit, the ace of pentacles represents themes of tangible security and success. Historically, pentacles are related to work and money, but more and more I see them read as physical manifestations in general, especially body-related. You can decide which theme you prefer, or combine them!

If you've read my post on suit meanings, you know that pentacles are associated with the classical element earth. Personally, when I pull the ace of pentacles, it's a sign that I need to get back to gardening!  Beyond the classical elements, though, each suit has an associated season and cardinal direction. I read aces as the cards that carry those meanings most prominently.

Season and cardinal direction association is another chance for you to bring your own idiosyncratic flavor to your readings; for example, I know that the "official" season for pentacles is spring (at least, that's what I learned). In the Waite-Smith deck, you can see white lilies blooming in a newly-lush garden, a clear indicator of springtime. However, the interpretation never worked in my readings. Cups always declared themselves the springtime suit for me, with pentacles settling nicely into the role of summer. For cardinal directions, pentacles mean south to me.

When I pull the ace of pentacles in a spread, I might read issues of basic needs; are you getting enough sleep, food, and water? Have you spent the right amount of time outside for you?

I might also read it as some essential issues around work, but "work" means a lot of things to me, not necessarily just money-earning in a capitalist framework. The ace of pentacles could mean that the effort you are putting into a technical or creative endeavor right now is laying the groundwork for success later on.

Aces provide a lot of clarity around how you read a suit. Do these meanings make sense for your version of pentacles? What would you change about directions or seasons? What does it mean to be the "seed" of a suit?  Let us know in comments!