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This blog post goes along with Healing Thru Tarot Podcast Ep. 58: Psychological Profiles for the Pentacles Court Cards w/ Archetype Examples + Work-Life Balance Spread. In this blog, I’ve constructed psychological profiles for each of the court cards in the pentacles suit including positive and negative personality traits and a list of psychological conditions I think would be most prominent with this suit. These profiles will help us understand these court cards at a deeper level. And I'll share a 9-card spread I created that was inspired by the traits and characteristics of the pentacles suit.

This is the second in a series of episodes where I’m constructing psychological profiles for each of the court cards in all of the 4 tarot suits. The first was ep. 56 where I covered the swords court cards so check that one out if you missed it. 

Today, we will be focusing on the suit of pentacles since this is the suit associated with the winter months which start next month. The suit of pentacles represents not only winter but also the element of earth, which is related to the zodiac signs of Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo. So, if your sun is in one of these signs you may feel that one of these cards is your signifier. We all have so many aspects of our personality that we may feel that several tarot court cards represent our multifaceted personalities in all the areas we work within like home, work, and our social lives. 

We are more than just our sun sign. Of course, I resonate with the element of Earth the most since I’m not only a Capricorn but I have a Capricorn stellium in my 11^th house with my mars and mercury also in Capricorn next to my sun, and I have other prominent placements in Taurus and a Virgo midheaven. So I’m very earth oriented.

Best Tarot Court Resource

I’ll be drawing some information and examples from my favorite book on the court cards – Your Tarot Court by Ethony Dawn. And I’ll add my own examples of these personalities given my experience as a clinical psychologist who assesses, diagnoses, and treats psychological disorders. Let’s dive in and start with the Page of Pentacles and work our way up to the King of Pentacles.

Page of Pentacles Psych Profile & Traits

The Page of Pentacles could be any of the 3 earth signs for ages 11 and under. They embody traits from all of those signs. The Page of Pentacles is the Naturalist according to Ethony Dawn. So they prefer to be outdoors and communicate better with animals than with humans, having an almost empathic connection with them. 

This page is quiet, kind, careful, thorough, slow-moving, and so instinctive that they understand much without it being said. They’re predictable and grounded and crave safety and security so you won’t find them taking many risks. 

They operate on their own time and can’t be rushed, but their work is so meticulous that they rarely make mistakes. You can really depend on them to get the job done but it will be in their own way. They take a slow and steady approach and are very dedicated to their work and excel at long-term commitments. In fact, they model for us how to slow down and experience life in the moment. They focus mainly on the next step needed and tend to offer simple solutions to problems they’re committed to fixing. They learn by doing and love to work with their hands. You will often find them barefoot in nature, climbing a tree, sloshing around in the mud, or playing with animals. Ethony gives the examples of Dr. Doolittle and Hagrid – the grounds keeper at Hogwarts for the page of pentacles.

In the shadow, they can disappear within themselves and become isolated. They may find it hard to communicate and friendships can be hard to maintain. They can be worriers, especially if they see animals or loved ones in pain or if they are focused on natural or environmental disasters since they are such nature lovers. I went through that, I worried about landfills and nuclear war by age 8. We take on the burdens of the world. Having been a Capricorn child I can tell you, we are very serious. We’re like adults straight out of the womb. I mean my favorite gift at Christmas when I was eight was a cash register if that doesn’t scream a Cap child I don’t know what does. Plus, I opened my own baby-sitting club business around the same age, babysitting kids who weren’t much younger than me. I’ve just always been mature and responsible for my age and ready to run my own business from the start.

Knight of Pentacles Psych Profile & Traits

The Knight of Pentacles is the Soldier and represents ages 12-21. Ethony associates this knight with the zodiac sign of Virgo. This knight is responsible, dependable, protective, well trained, and disciplined. They’re health conscious, analytical and love to fix things and solve problems, especially when that helps others out. The soldier is focused on service for others and for a higher good because they want to be dedicated to something larger than themselves. And they will lay down their lives in that service because they feel a strong call to protect and defend others as their duty. 

They’re loyal friends, partners, and employees and will be there long after everyone else has given up and left. Once committed, there’s no doubt they will follow through. They may even find that they are attracted to people who they can romantically rescue since protecting those they love is a huge drive for them. And they don’t tolerate bullies. They’ll jump in and defend anyone they see as needing protection. They’re strong-willed but are patient, calm, and steady. They’re more hesitant to charge into battle than the other knights. But this caution keeps them from making mistakes or taking risks that could bring harm to self or others. So, their discernment is a strength and pays off in the end. I mentioned Damon Salvador from the Vampire Diaries as an example of the Knight of Swords. His more responsible and duty-bound brother Stefan Salvador is a great example for the Knight of Pentacles.

Ideal Professions for the Knight of Pentacles

As far as careers go, they’d be great in the military, or an activist for a humanitarian cause. They’re great planners, organizers, and task maskers so they’d make great event organizers, travel agents, planners of any kind, especially budget planners, project planners, or office schedulers, or someone who manages or tackles large projects with several moving parts. Routine and structure are their forte. They’re known for tackling things others wouldn’t dream of. They have tons of stamina, especially where work is concerned. They’re confident in their ability to reach that goal no matter how long it takes. They just focus on the next step in the process. Earth signs are the work horses of the zodiac. They can work well alone, but they also work well on teams where there’s a common goal that everyone’s focused on. 

In the shadow, the Knight of Pentacles maybe unable to see fault in people in power and can often fall into the trap of following others without question and can be vulnerable to indoctrination. They can be so rigid with their views that they become an extremist, which could further isolate them from others in their family and community. They can also fall into perfectionism and struggle with their work life balance and may not have much of an identity outside of their work. They're usually critical of themselves and always pushing to be better and can be critical of partners and others. Perfectionism is something they struggle with just like all the court cards in the pentacles suit. That is a common trait for all earth signs. 

Examples of the knight of pentacles would be: Forrest Gump, Captain America, Jamie Frasier from Outlander and Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games.

Queen of Pentacles Psych Profile & Traits

The Queen of Pentacles – is the healer and is the most nurturing of the archetypes in the court cards in the tarot. She represents ages 22 and above. Ethony associates this queen with the zodiac sign of Capricorn. So this is my archetype! This queen is nurturing and loving, compassionate, open, and is the queen who will bring you homemade soup or a calming tea when you’re feeling sick. So much of their purpose is centered around caring for those they love and offering love, healing, and comfort to anyone in pain or need. They radiate such a bright light that their energy is often enough to create a healing effect for those in their presence. 

They often host parties and open their homes to those in the neighborhood or for family to gather. They love to feed their loved ones and nurture through food and other comforts. This queen is considered to be very refined, can be concerned with social status, and is well connected in her community, so she knows all the business of the neighborhood. They can be really social, but once it’s time to work, they’re all business. They take their work seriously and want their work to heal others and change lives. And they’re cool headed in a crisis. 

Ideal Professions for the Queen of Pentacles

For careers, they make great counselors, therapists, and psychologists due to their listening skills, comforting natures, and wise counsel. They always know the right things to say to provide comfort to those in pain or distress. They also make great doctors, nurses, and caretakers. And they’ve done a substantial amount of healing in their own lives. They want to pay that forward to others by giving them what they didn't have themselves. Since they're connected to the element of earth, they love to garden so lawncare is right up their alley, and they know their way around the kitchen because they love cooking. So, they could become chefs or work in a restaurant in any position. They often mother those around them, even if they don’t have children so they’d make great nannies. They're always looking for what is needed to heal and nurture to treat the situation, so anything in healthcare, mental health, or any healing modality would be a perfect match.

Considering how resourceful they are and how money conscious they tend to be, they could even work in finance, especially when it comes to fundraising for charities or healing based causes. They have a deep desire to make the world a better place and make a lasting difference with their time, energy, and skills. 

Where they need to be careful is their tendency to work around the clock. They’re so focused on helping others that they often give too much of themselves, neglecting their own needs, including sleep and self-care. Their families can feel neglected too since they care for everyone in their orbit. 

They have a tremendous amount of energy and stamina, but they will work till they drop, and burnout is something they consistently battle because they always put others first and push past their breaking point. They never say no or turn away anyone in need due to their huge hearts. 

In the shadow side, they can become drunk on their abilities and arrogant. Think doctor Gregory House here with the God complex in the show House. This also applies to Dr. Strange as well before he had his spiritual awakening. They can also become smothering and manipulative, can be unwilling to admit their faults or have blind spots when it comes to their own healing needed. They can easily use people's weaknesses against them or exploit them in a time of need. If they’re working as a healer, they could start to get big headed about their abilities. And they have a deep need to be needed by others and can become overprotective. 

Examples of the Queen of Pentacles healer archetype would be Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy and Claire from Outlander

King of Pentacles Psych Profile & Traits

And lastly, we arrive at the King of Pentacles, which is the Manager. He represents ages 22 and above. Ethony associates this king with the zodiac sign of Taurus. This king is confident, wealthy, practical, generous, materialistic, and disciplined. They know where to invest their time, money, and energy to become successful. Time is money so they never waste it. Their advice is often sought out as they know what it takes to achieve goals, manage money, and get results. They’re natural networkers because of this. 

They use their words wisely. So, listen to any advice they have to give. But beware, they won’t sugarcoat things. And while it takes a lot to provoke them, once they are triggered, they have quite a temper. They’re the provider of the family usually. They show love by making sure their loved ones are taken care of, have shelter and food, have all their needs met, and often shower them with gifts. And they’re very protective over those in their family or tribe. They’re generous and giving and share their wealth with those who they deem worthy. 

Ideal Professions for the King of Pentacles

For work, they make great managers because they listen well, consult others when needed, never shy away from taking on responsibility, and they’re very organized and disciplined. So managing large projects or businesses is where they excel. They also excel in finance and banking, financial planning, and managing resources and money. They’re extremely successful in their career because they plan things out for the long run very early on and stick closely to those goals. They follow the rules, are overachievers, surpass expectations, and make very informed decisions in all areas of their life instead of jumping into situations without being prepared. In business they want to lead, play to win, go after their dreams and are highly dedicated to their work but very risk averse.

In their shadow side, they’re greedy, critical of self and others, impatient with people they deem unworthy, unable to change easily, withhold emotions of love and neglect their partners, and feel there is never enough. They’re workaholics, causing problems in their romantic and social lives. Scrooge always comes to mind here as he’s extremely money conscious, obsessed with work and finances, and is materialistic, greedy, and miserly. 

But one of the best examples of this archetype I’ve seen is Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. He’s responsible for keeping his entire family and neighborhood afloat, always on top of things even when everyone is overwhelmed, thinking about work around the clock, sacrifices health and relationships for his duty, and he provides for his family single handedly to the point that when he’s given a fatal diagnosis he says to his brother Arthur that he’s arranging for enough money to be left to them to live off of and says, “And that will be my legacy. Instead of me there will be money because for most of the people who are close to me that is what I am – money. That is my agency.” 

And when he’s given his prognosis, he asks how long he has to live because he needs to know if he has enough time to complete his mission and wrap up his unfinished business and his affairs. He tells his brother he needs nothing from anyone. He’ll take himself off away from family and die alone so no one has to see him wither away. Earth signs can’t stand to be burdens to others. Such a powerful example of the King of Pentacles and any earth sign really.

Psychological Conditions Prominent With the Pentacles Court Cards

So now, let’s look at the psychological conditions or disorders that could be associated with the pentacles suit. Of course, any personality type could be diagnosed with any of these suits BUT given their personality traits and their approaches to life, work, and relationships, I think there are certain conditions that are very prominent among the suits given the themes we’ve talked about. 

To be considered a disorder it must cause significant distress and in some cases must exist across many areas of life – including work, home, school, and social environments. Our discussion here is just to help give you a clear picture of these distinct personalities to help you keep the court cards separated in your mind. 

I’ve assigned these disorders to these suits based on how I view them using my experience in clinical psychology for the past twenty years. Others may see it differently. And even if you identify with a few of these symptoms, please don’t think that means you have those disorders. We all have some degree of some of these traits. It’s tempting to diagnose yourself, but that’s for a mental health professional to determine after extensive testing and clinical interviews. 

When looking at the pentacles in reverse, I see them as very stressed, experiencing physical distress, bodily complaints, and struggling with balance, burnout, and worries over health, money, and home and work stressors. 

We’ve already talked about their propensity for being workaholics. These personalities are so driven by their goals and work life that they tend to work 24/7, finding it hard to strike a balance in life. Stress is a huge problem for them, and this can manifest in physical symptoms in the body such as aches and pains, stomach issues, impaired sleep, headaches, fatigue, etc. And insomnia and other sleep disorders are extremely common. 

Given the amount of physical symptoms that stress can cause them, they may experience Somatic Symptom Disorder characterized by excessive thoughts, feelings or behaviors related to physical symptoms or associated health concerns. They have high levels of anxiety about health or their bodily symptoms and spend excessive time and energy focused on those health concerns to the point that it disrupts their daily life. If they have worries about health but have no proven somatic symptoms or very minimal ones, then a diagnosis of illness anxiety disorder may be more appropriate. This is what we previously referred to as hypochondriasis or a hypochondriac. Here, the anxiety about health or the perception of illness can even become part of their identity even when doctors have reassured them they’re healthy with negative tests as evidence. 

And then there are those disorders where psychological distress follows a stressful event. Given the high stress lives this group experiences with the extra burdens they carry and their work life imbalance, they can suffer from acute stress disorder and adjustment disorder in certain circumstances. In adjustment disorder, emotional and behavioral symptoms can develop in response to a stressor within 3 months and cause significant distress that is out of proportion to the severity of intensity of the stressor. Once the stressor is removed, the symptoms should improve within 6 months.

And given that the Knight of Pentacles is the Soldier card and often does military work something like Post Traumatic Stress might be a possibility if they witnessed or experienced a traumatic event where they feared death or serious injury during their military service or during a deployment to a war zone where symptoms such as flashbacks, intrusive memories of the event, nightmares and psychological and physical symptoms occur in response to triggers or similar cues related to that event.

Since pentacles can represent material possessions, hoarding can be an issue that can quickly overtake someone’s life. This could be especially noticeable for Taurus’ – they like their possessions and are resistant to letting go of the items they’ve collected and stored for years. With hoarding disorder, they have extreme difficulty parting with possessions and experience distress if forced to discard them regardless of the value of the items. The 4 of Pentacles is my hoarding card due to the tendency to cling to your resources like shown before in this version of the Dark Mansion Tarot.

I talked about obsessive compulsive disorder with the swords suit, but there’s a case to make for it here as well since virgo is an earth sign and they are very health conscious. So, it isn’t a stretch to include it here, especially the kind of OCD that centers around contagion, contamination, and germaphobia. Obsessive hand washing and preoccupation with contagion is definitely a virgo thing. But there’s another disorder with a similar name that fits as well. Although they are easy to tell apart. Obsessive compulsive personality disorder is a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with order, perfectionism, and control at the expense of flexibility. They’re preoccupied with details, rules, lists, organization, and schedules to the point that the major point of the activity is lost. Essentially, perfectionism interferes with task completion. This differs from obsessive compulsive disorder where there is a presence of obsessive thoughts and compulsions. Obsessive compulsive personality disorder is more about organization and having things a certain way. This fits with Virgo well because they tend to be obsessive about order. I can usually pick out Youtubers that are Virgo or have Virgo placements because their bookshelves are organized based on colors. They’re very tidy and keep things organized, alphabetized, and have an assigned place for everything and get annoyed when things disrupt that order or their schedules. And they color code everything! 

With the pentacles representing our bodies, I think of disorders like body dysmorphia and eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. With body dysmorphic disorder there’s a preoccupation with one or more perceived defects or flaws in their physical appearance that are not observable or appear slight to others and they engage in repetitive behaviors such a mirror checking, excessive grooming, skin picking reassurance checking, or comparing their appearance to others. And I know a lot of earth signs with eating disorders. What a lot of people don’t realize is that eating disorders, especially anorexia, are largely about control. When overwhelmed, stressed, or feeling powerless, one of the only things we actually have control over in this world is what we consume, so treatment of anorexia has to address the issue of control and perfectionism to be successful – both of which are major issues for earth signs. Finding ways to feel more in control and empowered helps to reduce the need to control the consumption of food or the deprivation of it.

And the pentacles represent our home, so agoraphobia comes to mind because in its most severe forms, agoraphobia can cause individuals to become completely homebound, unable to leave and dependent on others for services or assistance to provide basic needs. The individual could become home bound due to avoidance of public spaces, enclosed places, fear of using public transportation or being outside of the home alone and often have anxiety, fear or even panic attacks when faced with those situations. As they avoid more and more public spaces, their home becomes one of the few places they feel safe in if not the only one. The version of the 4 of Pentacles in the Bonestone and Earthflesh Tarot always gives me agoraphobia vibes. This figure has wasted their life watching the world go by on the outside without joining in on the events going on in the external world. 

So, in summary, I’d say that we’d often see these diagnosable conditions with the pentacles suit, especially in the reverse, insomnia and other sleep disorders, acute stress disorder, adjustment disorders, somatic disorders, hoarding, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, obsessive compulsive disorder or obsessive compulsive personality disorder, and agoraphobia. 

I’m sure there may be others, but these were the ones that I associate most with these court cards in the pentacles suit. If you’ve enjoyed this discussion of the personality profiles, I highly recommend Ethony Dawn’s book - Your Tarot Court. It helps to make readings clearer when the court cards appear. 

Work-Life Balance Spread

Here's, the 9-card spread I created that was inspired by the struggles and strengths of the court cards in the pentacles suit. Since the pentacles struggle with health and a work-life balance, I created a spread to address these issues. If you throw this spread for yourself, I’d love to see the photo of your spreads. Please tag me on Instagram @healingthrutarot and please use the hashtag #HTTworklifebalancespread 

2024 Stocking Stuffers and Holiday Gift  Guide for tarot lovers and enthusiasts 

My yearly Holiday Gift Guide is posted including ideas for adults, kids, & teens who love divination. TONS of ideas this year, so I’ve got you covered! See what tarot goodies made it onto my 2024 Tarot Holiday Gift Guide – I include tarot decks, oracle decks, mini/pocket decks, journals/planners, divinatory accessories, desk calendars, and other great gift ideas for the new year, too. There’s something for everyone. Check it out here.

Books and Decks shown in this blog or recommended:

Your Tarot Court, The Light Seers Tarot, The Game of Thrones Tarot, The Bonestone and Earthflesh Tarot (out of print), The Dark Mansion Tarot, The Divining Sisters, The Call of the Cards, We Divine Three, The Threads of Fate, The Unbinding

Healing Thru Tarot Podcast

Link to Ep. 58: Psychological Profiles for the Pentacles Court Cards w/ Archetype Examples + Work-Life Balance Spread click here

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