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78 Weeks of Tarot: 4 of Pentacles


Trogon

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For information on what these threads refer to, see this thread;

 

78 Weeks of Tarot - Informational Thread

 

The above linked thread gives suggested dates for the cards as well as links to the individual topics.

 

Some of us may be working through the study in a different order and using different decks. If you have general questions or comments regarding the 78 Weeks of Tarot study group, please post in the topic in the above link.

 

Have fun.

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Deck: Fairytale Tarot

 

Card name: Four of Coins

 

First impressions:

 

The card shows a lavishly dressed, unpleasant looking woman who is clutching pieces of jewelry as she stands in an opulent room in front of a window. Outside, a man stands on the shore of stormy sea, pleading with a fish.

 

After reading the story:

 

The story is all about the greed of the fisherman’s wife, who makes increasingly ridiculous demands of a magical fish. She goes from poverty, eventually to king, emperor, pope, before being returned to her impoverished state by the her final wish to be God.

 

This is about the negative aspects of this card – pure unadulterated greed.

 

I have to wonder at the weakness of her husband. Surely he knew where it would end, but he felt powerless to stop her. Apparently greed relies on the assistance of others.

 

From the book:

 

Keywords: greed, caring too much about material things; saving and investing; anxieties about money, justified or not; holding so tightly to possessions that you can take no pleasure from them.

 

The story is about overhwelming greed and its somewhat surprising corollary – not valuing what you have. When reading with this card, ask yourself if possessiveness is in any way useful or whether it has become an obsession. Also ask yourself just who the fisherman himself represents. Perhaps the querent is the fisherman, caught up in a partner’s materialism. It’s often the desire for power over otherss, even more than money, that motivates some people’s greed.

 

The original story

 

"The Fisherman and His Wife", Brothers Grimm, Household Tales.

 

Traditional meanings (from TarotElements.com):

 

Stability; strong foundations; protecting your lot; buildings; protecting yourself.

 

From 78 Degrees of Wisdom, by Rachel Pollack

 

The desire to close oneself off from the outside world. That can also be good – when life has broken down into chaos, the Four indicates creating a structure.

 

At a deeper level, the Four symbolizes the way in which the human mind gives structure and meaning to the chaos of the material universe.

 

My impressions of the card/story combination:

 

The card/story combo works well for this card. I like that Karen talks about how the wife’s greed prevents her from taking pleasure in what she has. The role of the fisherman as her enabler is also important.

 

My take (what I make of it/what I might see in a reading where I drew it)

 

I think I might be more inclined than I was before to think about the fisherman himself. Also the idea of not appreciating what one has – even though greed is the motivator.

4coins.jpg.22067de75da4b5c2bc08782a9c2fea31.jpg

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