Questioning the 3 of Pentacles

I was looking at old threads on the 3 of pentacles and found myself wondering 2 things.

1. Given you wanted reciprocated positive feelings, what would be the most negative interpretation you could put on this 3 of Pents? I was thinking maybe they want to grow but only for a specific purpose which may not align with my own interests or desires. Do you sense a selfishness here?

2. I've seen the love triangle idea several times too but that goes against the idea of teamwork and support. As for feelings would you see 3 of Pentacles as involving a lack in commitment? The weighing of options or a moment of indecision?

Leviosa said:

I was looking at old threads on the 3 of pentacles and found myself wondering 2 things.

1. Given you wanted reciprocated positive feelings, what would be the most negative interpretation you could put on this 3 of Pents? I was thinking maybe they want to grow but only for a specific purpose which may not align with my own interests or desires. Do you sense a selfishness here?

Click to expand...

They're trivial. They're just in it for fun-and-games. They're into personal popularity at the expense of real values.

2. I've seen the love triangle idea several times too but that goes against the idea of teamwork and support. As for feelings would you see 3 of Pentacles as involving a lack in commitment? The weighing of options or a moment of indecision?

Click to expand...

<grin> the one answer does for both questions.

Well, one thing it could mean is that they want to be the one who "bosses" the relationship. On the other hand it could mean that they're wanting somebody to "boss" them. I sometimes see this when the 3 of Pentacles arrives in spreads about relationships.

Or it can mean that one of the parties wants to have attention centered on them and praise given them all the time for whatever they're involved in creatively or otherwise. It can be almost as if the praise and admiration are the requirement in a partner. Kind of "You love me and think I'm wonderful? Good--I do, too!" if you know what I mean. My grandkids would term that a "high maintenance" partner. It's always all about them.

The 3 of Pentacles used to appear like crazy while I was interacting with a co-worker who'd shown interest in me but who already had a stable relationship that I didn't wish to damage. I even discovered a 3 of diamonds playing card at my feet while walking home after my shift one day; apparently, this card really had something to say...

As it turned out, the whole situation was ridiculously untenable, and it took years for me to realize it as such. I'm not fond of this card in relationship readings, overall, as it often seems to carry a "have your cake and eat it, too" component that can be very difficult to satisfy/resolve. It also tends to frequent readings in which one party desires more intimacy, etc., while the other has only casual or platonic feelings.

Hi, to me a negative side could be that one of the partners doesn't want to commit, he/she may not be ready or just doesn't want to "work together" with his/her partner to build a more stable relationship.

Do you read with reversals? If not, or if the poor pent card is badly positioned in some way the reversal meaning could be applicable.
Like they dont want to cooperate, or dont bother to put in the effort it takes. They dont want to put their bet on you and commit.
This card has meant this for me before when gotten it upright but weighted down by other cards, and a triangle too in a couple of cases (empress and 3 of cups reversed and 3 of swords kept creeping in in that case).

Leviosa said:

I was looking at old threads on the 3 of pentacles and found myself wondering 2 things.

1. Given you wanted reciprocated positive feelings, what would be the most negative interpretation you could put on this 3 of Pents? I was thinking maybe they want to grow but only for a specific purpose which may not align with my own interests or desires. Do you sense a selfishness here?

2. I've seen the love triangle idea several times too but that goes against the idea of teamwork and support. As for feelings would you see 3 of Pentacles as involving a lack in commitment? The weighing of options or a moment of indecision?

Click to expand...

Perhaps it means he puts his career first, before love.....and hence, you: for example, his ambitions preclude love. This would mean he doesn't have a lot of feelings.....could even be a narcissistic personality.

As a negative, it could be that someone wants the "safety" or "sanctuary" of an "establishment" (that /is/ a church that is being built or worked on, to play upon the 'safety' aspect- someone may want a relationship, simply to feel 'safe' and not 'out in the cold' like the 5 of Pentacles; that is, a 'something's better than nothing' kind of mind-frame). Mutual one-to-one love is not implied with this card, but something more broad, like a church that will refuse no one the safety or sanctuary they may need.

In relationship readings this card tends to have less to do with love and more to do with marriage for me; I've interpreted it as a couple working on their marriage... I've interpreted it as people erroneously assuming the love is there, by design of a marriage or 'arrangement'. It's more 'business-like' and tends to have more to do with marriage or an arrangement that 'works' rather than love (for me).

Grizabella said:

Well, one thing it could mean is that they want to be the one who "bosses" the relationship. On the other hand it could mean that they're wanting somebody to "boss" them. I sometimes see this when the 3 of Pentacles arrives in spreads about relationships.

Or it can mean that one of the parties wants to have attention centered on them and praise given them all the time for whatever they're involved in creatively or otherwise. It can be almost as if the praise and admiration are the requirement in a partner. Kind of "You love me and think I'm wonderful? Good--I do, too!" if you know what I mean. My grandkids would term that a "high maintenance" partner. It's always all about them.

Click to expand...

This sounds like a Leo I know. In fact, I drew this card not too long after creating this thread in a spread about that person. Could be applicable there. In both cases, there is an inequality shown in this card and that's what I was wondering about so this interpretation is useful.

Adriana said:

Do you read with reversals? If not, or if the poor pent card is badly positioned in some way the reversal meaning could be applicable.
Like they dont want to cooperate, or dont bother to put in the effort it takes. They dont want to put their bet on you and commit.
This card has meant this for me before when gotten it upright but weighted down by other cards, and a triangle too in a couple of cases (empress and 3 of cups reversed and 3 of swords kept creeping in in that case).

Click to expand...

I don't read with reversals but I do sense the cards telling me when an energy is being blocked. I'm very iffy about pentacles in love. I have great associations with some, such as the king and queen but others simply turn me off when they appear. For example this 3.