Can the 4 of pentacles be ''laying down a solid foundation''?

tarot_quest

think said:
I always, well not always always, but usually always, see the 4 of pentacles as a guaranteed no card.

Like an emphatic, nope, not happening.

I'm so fickle, I saw this somewhere and it's stuck.

Aside from that, it means hanging on to what you have, taking care to keep your security, not doing anything to rock the boat.

So with that I'd see this as a no to your question about moving.

But... I think much of tarot is the individual reader's own initiative. So you maybe have similar feelings about the 4 of pentacles as I might about the 3 or 6 of pentacles (e.g. outlined here in your post), so that's fine.

Thanks for your honesty think

Yep, I can see something quite conservative in this card. On rare occasions, 4 of cups (which is often negative to me) means emotional stability, hence I was wondering if the 4 of pentacles could mean laying down foundations.

tarot_quest

830 said:
I have also read that Four of Pentacles can be about laying down a solid foundation, and I always want it to mean that in my readings. It never seems to be positive, though! Usually, Four of Pentacles represents clinging to something of value or being a commitment-phobe in some respect.

I can relate too! I wonder if it means that I will stick to my commitments if I move (and perhaps regret it)? As I wrote above, I also tried to see a positive spin to the 4 of cups as well in previous readings, and I agree that the 4 of pentacles is a very ''tight card''. I appreciate your input, thanks.

tarot_quest

Thirteen said:
Yes. The #4 is stability. But the Pents are ALSO stability. That makes 4/Pents Stable-Stable...which is too much and works against it. Best example: if you live in a earthquake area, building with give and sway will stay up. Those that don't, that are uber-ultra-stable will come crashing down.

So this is why the card is not about laying down stable foundations, but rather about being immovable, often to a damaging degree. What's been built here has much concrete and stone and glue that you're stuck with it exactly as it is. There's no way to adjust it if you change your mind, or need to expand, or need to build up that "empire" to a different height, etc. It also suggests that the person is saying, "we're done." No *more* building. No more expansion. Empires require solid foundations, yes, but they also need the ambition and energy and desire to keep building. That's not in this card. Pents are very slow moving, and 4/Pents indicates no movement at all. It's frozen in place.

This is also why--seemingly counter-intuitively--the 4/Wands is usually the card about the completion of a stable foundation and the promise of expansion (empire building) upon it. With Wands you're stabilizing energy. So it's like you put in the fireplace--you have all the heat, warmth and such you need to keep building. Go onto the 4/Cups, however, and you've a problem because standing water can go stale. You want water to flow. So stability for cups isn't so good. 4/Swords is good, however, because it stabilizes the turmoil, gives it a resting place. Air is quiet and still here rather than blowing all around.

Which is all to say, you're right about the meaning of 4's, but you have to take the suit into consideration. 4 = Stable. Pents = Stable. And Super-duper-not-going anywhere stable is not the foundation for an empire. It's a finished bunker locked up tight

Hi Thirteen!

Thanks for your input and explanation. So if I understand correctly, there would be no expansion if I move abroad for my career with 4 of pentacles. I was thinking about moving only if I find a job that could help me to start of my career. So could it be that if I move, I would gain some experience and come back here, without further expansion?

Last thing, you were talking about a bunker with the 4 of pentacles. I wonder if it could mean that I will feel a bit ''stuck'' abroad, kinda like in my bunker, considering that I will not know anyone and feel like a complete stranger. Oh well. This is food for thought, thanks!

think

tarot_quest said:
Thanks for your honesty think Yep, I can see something quite conservative in this card. On rare occasions, 4 of cups (which is often negative to me) means emotional stability, hence I was wondering if the 4 of pentacles could mean laying down foundations.

Oh yes, I agree. I almost always (see a trend here) saw the 4 of cups as a negative "he's just not that into you" card. Now I accept its alternative (of many, perhaps) meaning of a therapeutic, healing connection. Not hearts and flowers, not even equal, not wholly 'nice', but still more than nothing. Emotional stability is a nice take also.

I find it so odd when I talk about a card and then pull it! That happened here after posting earlier and again now with 4 of cups. Like my cards are mocking me.

Thirteen

Gains maintained by remaining on the throne and in control

tarot_quest said:
there would be no expansion if I move abroad for my career with 4 of pentacles.

4/Pents is usually the person deciding to stay put because expansion seems unwise. And the Emperor (4/Fire) is a matter of someone sitting on a very stable throne that they won't leave because, again, that would mean surrendering/losing their power. Strength (8 = 4+4) is about, again, keeping control.

Note also that all these cards indicate that you will gain something substantial from the move (4/Pents is surrounded by coins, Emperor has his throne). Nothing is free, however. You will have to remain in place, doing what you're doing to hold onto all these gains. So, if you go ahead and move, you will gain your "empire," but you will also have to stay in place, holding tight to it in order to keep it and maintain control of it.

That will limit your freedom to do something else, change you mind, etc. But that doesn't mean you'll feel "stuck"--not if you want that sort of position. Many people are very happy being well-paid and in control of things, even if it means they can't leave or do anything else. The question is, would being in that position make you feel stuck? Only you can say if this sort of outcome is your dream or nightmare.

tarot_quest

think said:
Oh yes, I agree. I almost always (see a trend here) saw the 4 of cups as a negative "he's just not that into you" card. Now I accept its alternative (of many, perhaps) meaning of a therapeutic, healing connection. Not hearts and flowers, not even equal, not wholly 'nice', but still more than nothing. Emotional stability is a nice take also.

I find it so odd when I talk about a card and then pull it! That happened here after posting earlier and again now with 4 of cups. Like my cards are mocking me.

Hi think,

I never saw the 4 of cups as an emotional connection per se. This is more the 2 of cups for me, but your take is interesting. It's funny that you started pulling those cards since we just discussed them!

tarot_quest

Thirteen said:
4/Pents is usually the person deciding to stay put because expansion seems unwise. And the Emperor (4/Fire) is a matter of someone sitting on a very stable throne that they won't leave because, again, that would mean surrendering/losing their power. Strength (8 = 4+4) is about, again, keeping control.

Note also that all these cards indicate that you will gain something substantial from the move (4/Pents is surrounded by coins, Emperor has his throne). Nothing is free, however. You will have to remain in place, doing what you're doing to hold onto all these gains. So, if you go ahead and move, you will gain your "empire," but you will also have to stay in place, holding tight to it in order to keep it and maintain control of it.

That will limit your freedom to do something else, change you mind, etc. But that doesn't mean you'll feel "stuck"--not if you want that sort of position. Many people are very happy being well-paid and in control of things, even if it means they can't leave or do anything else. The question is, would being in that position make you feel stuck? Only you can say if this sort of outcome is your dream or nightmare.

Wow, what you wrote is exactly how I felt/what I interpreted at first when I saw those 3 cards!! I feel that my career would be ''the'' most important thing -my main focus- if I move abroad. The Emperor makes me think of a business man, or someone who wants power and who is driven by ambition. Throw Strength into the mix, and it suggests that I would need a lot of self control to achieve this. To be perfectly honest, I see the 4 of pentacles as much as a ''constrictive'' environment than laying down some foundations.

I asked this question to Tarot just to see if it would be a good option for me. Let's see what happens. I have no stings here (and no romantic relationship) that prevents me from moving, but work is NOT my only priority. To sum up, I am ready to make some concessions to kick off my career, but this would be temporary.

Edward Tarot Hands

Responding to your original post, the four represents your idea of movement in time and space, the first step, but being as it's coins and their connection to the material, it's telling you to keep your emotional and physical ties close to your heart and let you intellect rule the day for a change.

tarot_quest

Edward Tarot Hands said:
Responding to your original post, the four represents your idea of movement in time and space, the first step, but being as it's coins and their connection to the material, it's telling you to keep your emotional and physical ties close to your heart and let you intellect rule the day for a change.

Hi Edward

I have never thought of any of the 4 as movement. But I think that I am understanding your message here! I see it as a spiritual advice. To keep my background and everything that makes who I am close to me (my essence), and to use my intellect to do the rest. I am just not sure if you have an opinion about moving or not, but I am taking the advice here!

Barleywine

tarot_quest said:
Hi Edward

I have never thought of any of the 4 as movement. But I think that I am understanding your message here! I see it as a spiritual advice. To keep my background and everything that makes who I am close to me (my essence), and to use my intellect to do the rest. I am just not sure if you have an opinion about moving or not, but I am taking the advice here!

I've always found the Thoth 4 of Disks instructive in this regard. It shows what looks like a fortress in "defensive lock-down," but both the inner and outer gates appear to be open and there is a road leading away from it (although Crowley insists on making us think it is a "channel of elimination," not of ingress and egress). On the other hand, maybe leaving behind a "constipated" situation is what is being suggested, another kind of "movement."

Can the 4 of pentacles be ''laying down a solid foundation''?

tarot_quest

tarot_quest

tarot_quest

think

Thirteen

tarot_quest

tarot_quest

Edward Tarot Hands

tarot_quest

Barleywine