Sunday Tarot: Material Security

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I’m using the Morgan-Greer Tarot for Sunday’s reading. It’s somewhat of a departure from the Rider-Waite Tarot because of how each card is depicted as well as renaming the traditional suit of Wands, Rods. That said, I really like the deck.

Looking first at the composition of today’s reading, there is a run on Pentacles with the 6 and 10 of Pentacles signaling aspects of material security. The 3 of Rods connects with that idea with its description of manifesting new opportunities. So, it appears that the reading involves manifesting, sharing, and experiencing material security. The one numerology of the reading supports this theme by the idea of new beginnings, talent, leadership, and independence.

Beginning with the 3 of Rods (Wands), we see a man, possibly a merchant, wearing an orange and red cape, holding one staff while two additional staffs surround him. Green leaves grow from each staff symbolizing life and energy. We know from the Rider-Waite Tarot that the yellow area in front of him may represent a body of water from where ships arrive and leave. Mountains rise in the distance against an orange sky. The yellow and orange colors represent the creative energy experienced with Elemental Fire, while the staffs represent a doorway into new opportunities. Essentially, the 3 of Rods represents the beginning of material security gained from new opportunities.

Moving next to the 6 of Pentacles, we see a man (possibly the same man from the 3 of Rods) offering a coin to one of two outstretched hands. In this rendition of the card, the large coins behind the man, three on each side, are in balance. The Rider-Waite Tarot (RW), on the other hand, shows them in an uneven presentation. The man in this card looks directly at the reader while holding a scale in front of him, rather than out of his peripheral vision in the RW, for all to see that he’s offering help to both people. However, since there is only one coin in his fingers, we still don’t know if the balance is illusory or if he hasn’t yet placed a coin in the other person’s hand. Even with the unknown factors in the card, one can see how once the man pursues lucrative opportunities, he’s in a position to help others.

Lastly, the 10 of Pentacles illustrates a man and a woman, likely married, standing in a stone archway and reflecting a life well-lived. They’ve achieved material security and the crossed flags adorned with five coins each show the integration, balance, and security they’ve achieved. The issue I have with the card is that the cross may also indicate either privacy, or a defense of some kind which is a total departure from the passage of legacy and tradition I see in the RW version of the card. The number 1o can represent endings or completion if you see it as the last card in the suit of Rods (Wands). Or, if reduced to 1 (1+0=1), then it could indicate new beginnings. The X pattern also brings to mind the rune Gebo ᚷ from the Elder Futhark which represents the gift of reciprocity and balanced energy exchange with others. So, perhaps we’re simply witnessing a private moment between a couple who has been married for a long time and has achieved the blessings of material security and satisfaction.

Together, the three cards show the passage of time throughout one’s career and life. The 3 of Rods suggests pursuing new opportunities at the beginning of adulthood, after which the 6 of Pentacles indicates success that can be shared with others. Lastly, the 10 of Pentacles shows a time of reflection about material success and a life well-lived. Now, there may be a lesson here that involves superficiality, especially if the 6 and 10 of Pentacles are viewed in an illusory light. The 6 of Pentacles could be counseling the successful merchant from the 3 of Rods to extend charity in a manner that remains undisplayed or disclosed, or to extend it evenly to both individuals in the card. In other words, what is his motivation? It may look like he’s helping them, but is he really? Or does he want attention or accolades that he doesn’t deserve? The 10 of Pentacles could be suggesting that closing themselves off from others could reflect arrogance and entitlement. If so, then the impact they have or the legacy they leave for others isn’t as profound as one might think.

The path each one of us takes in life either defines or reinforces who we are. Regarding today’s reading, expressing integrity instead of superficiality can make all the difference in the success one achieves and the legacy that’s left for others.

Blessed Be