Four of Pentacles & Advice...Hold on or let go

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Mar 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Enchanted	26 Mar 2005
In a recent reading the four of pentacles appeared in the 'Advice' position. I got the feeling that I was being advised to either hold on or let go. My first impression was "hold on tight to your dreams" but then a lot of interpretations of this card seem to lean towards holding on too long, not knowing when to let go. I was wondering what other people thought of this card in terms of advice.

Rhiannon SW	26 Mar 2005
Hi I get the impression from this card that you should not hang on so much as to lose sight of everything else that is going on around you. You may miss something good because you were concentrating so much on that one aspect. Atleast thats what comes to mind when i get this card.

Dave's Angel	27 Mar 2005
I would broadly agree here, the four of pentacles to me suggests clinging onto something so tightly that you crush the value out of it. Sort of, when something is flexible it bends, when it's rigid it snaps.

Aoife	27 Mar 2005
If your dreams feel to be under attack, then the structure and stability of the four offers protection. Ultimately though, to hold on tight to a dream might stifle it and cause it to stagnate. Dreams need freedom of expression... and very often practical investment [time, energy, money, planning] if they're to be brought to fruition.

Enchanted	28 Mar 2005
Thanks for the responses your insights have helped me greatly. I have not had a lot of practical experince with this card. Rhiannon SW I can see what you mean from the imagery of the card, there is a city in the background, which conjures up images of 'hustle and bustle', lots of people and the guy on the card seems oblivious to what is behind him. Aoife thanks for the point about practical investment, as the majority of the other cards in the spread were Wands, so I'm thinking maybe 'energy' needs to be injected here. I'm still gonna go with my initial reaction to the card, but just try to remove the word 'tight' and revise it to be "Hold on to your dreams, but be open and flexible (thanks Dave's Angel) and give them the energy they need to develop".

Elven	28 Mar 2005
Hi Enchanted Just a thought also ... Hold on until you have good reason to release or let go. Maybe more information needs to be handed over before you feel that there is reasonable cause. You may need convincing in some way or assurance .. then release becomes giving or letting go willingly and with purpose. Just an additive to all the above Light 'n' Love Elven x

Enchanted	28 Mar 2005
Thanks Elven, you have just been able to put into words what I couldn't yet. :) Cards like this bother me as I know I have a tendency to be a bit of a "dog with a bone", so it always taps into those fears I suppose and you second guess yourself. But, no actually don't want to give up the dream yet but I think I am being advised not to crush it in my own hands or let it become so much of an obsession that it gets under my feet and prevents me from moving anywhere.

caridwen	28 Mar 2005
If a card were to come up to tell me to hold onto my dream I would choose the Star. The four of pentacles, for me, has negative connotations. It has come up for me to tell me to let go of something whether that was a relationship that was no longer working or ideas or thought patterns.

psychic sue	29 Mar 2005
I had the 4 of pentacles A LOT recently. I took it to mean not to worry too much about money. Let go and don't build up problems in my mind that haven't happened yet. I also took it to mean that I am focusing on money too much - I need to learn it is not the be all and end all - a hard lesson, because we all have to pay our bills! Just my own personal experience. Sue x

Leo62	29 Mar 2005
Quote: "I think I am being advised not to crush it in my own hands or let it become so much of an obsession" Hi Enchanted, Like others here, the 4 of P has negative associations for me. I agree with everything that's been said, but I'd add that it may not mean just holding on too tight, but also being too narrow in one's thinking, closing the mind and not being open to new possibilities. If a dream becomes too much of an "obsession", there may be a danger of not seeing the wood for the trees, not letting new things flow into your life. Of course, the other side of the equation, is that you also have to let some things flow OUT of your life. It may not mean giving up your dream, but you may need to be open to options you have not considered (and may not be very inclined to consider!!) I think your instinct is right; it may not be a case of letting go, but just relaxing that vice-like grip a bit! Hope this helps...

caridwen	29 Mar 2005
Leo62 wrote: Of course, the other side of the equation, is that you also have to let some things flow OUT of your life. ... Yes and welcome to Aeclectic Leo62:) Nothing coming in and nothing going out - whether that be emotional or physical such as money etc

Enchanted	30 Mar 2005
I don't really like this card myself with it's inference of miserliness. No one likes to think of being a scrooge! :( This is what at times frustrates me about the pentacles suit in general as it is always associated with money and I would like to think that I have endured enough of the leaner times to know the value of it and to have also realised that it is certainly not "everything" and that it does not make you happy. However, in saying that the reality is that we do need it, pay the bills etc.... and my 'dream' certainly needs it (my own home). This in essence requires me to 'tighten the belt' and be a bit 'scroogey', which is not a natural state for me. With the other cards in the spread being predominantly wands I'm thinking that perhaps the advise is to perhaps look at other ways of getting to my goal but movement and passion are definitley implied. So perhaps this is what the four implies, do not passively sit, but do something different and be open to a different avenues of getting there, not just the 'tried and true'. Does that make sense with this card?

The Four of Pentacles & Advice...Hold on or let go thread was originally posted on 26 Mar 2005 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.