Keywords for the Four of Pentacles

CONTROL	MATERIALISTIC
MANIPULATION	GREEDY
BLOCKED ENERGY	GRASPING
FEELING STUCK	UNWILLING TO LET GO
STAGNATION	MISERLY

In the image on the card, we see a man covered in what seems to be a heavy, black fur coat and many layers of dark clothing. 

This man grasps a pentacle tightly over his chest with both hands. In doing so, he blocks off his chest area, or heart chakra, from the outside world, likely symbolizing how he may have become distanced from his emotions and capacity to feel empathy with others beyond himself. 

There are three other pentacles which are visible in this image. One rests atop the crown of the man’s head, suggesting the crown chakra, responsible for our capacity to receive higher wisdom and guidance. 

The remaining two pentacles are held tightly to the earth under the man’s feet. As we saw with the previous two pentacles, these also cover sensitive energetic areas of the man’s body. In this case these pentacles are blocking his ability to feel grounded to the earth, along with his capacity to be responsive to our environment.

4 of Pentacles Interpretation

When the 4 of Pentacles comes up in a reading, it can indicate that we (or alternatively, someone we know) is acting in a way that may be controlling or manipulative. 

This card points to a person who feels the need to grasp onto things, to tightly hold on to what they believe is a scarce resource which must belong to them. 

This behavior, often rooted in fear, can at times lead to negative or destructive outcomes, especially if it involves attempting to control or limit the free will of another person.

Furthermore, this card speaks to what happens when we allow an attachment to material possessions, as well as an obsession with receiving a particular outcome, to take over our lives. This overemphasis often leads to spiritual, mental and emotional blockages. 

When this occurs, we may become closed (as the man is in this card) to all other opportunities for fulfillment. We may be so set on having one specific thing that we fail to recognize how our needs and desires could potentially be satisfied by another option we have yet to consider. 

These rigid behavioral patterns and attempts at control often leave the person in question feeling isolated and alone. When we are unable to let go of our hold on what we think we must have, we tend to cut ourselves off from the flow of life, losing vitality and diminishing our capacity for connection to others.