Knight of Pentacles
“You’re going to have to utilize a spreadsheet…. And I’m very sorry.” I told my tarot client today when they wanted advice on how to balance their passions and those that are wanting to help them bring their vision into fruition. They did not want to hear that they will have to organize their creative ideas and attachments to the people in their life in a cost/benefits sheet to avoid being overwhelmed by their new business venture. But like I told them, we are not bad people for using systems to create balance and equity when allocating resources, especially when what we are doing is creating for our community, something that everyone can benefit from!
What does this have to do with the Knight of Pentacles? Well this card represents the slow and steady that we have to maintain to reach our goals. And yes, I’m sorry it has to be that way. From the discussion in my Sociology class tonight, social media has really done a harmful number on our psyche when it comes to chasing dreams. We get major FOMO and feel like we aren’t achieving quickly enough or making a big enough mark. We are wondering, “why does that burlesque performer get booked and not me? Why does she get to the go to the beach and not me? Why did that person get to house sit for a celebrity in the mountains and not me? What am I doing so wrong in my life?” And then we scramble, make hasty decisions, quit.
The Knight of Pentacles is not creative, but they are steadfast, unwavering in their pursuit, and for us creatives, especially creatives with ADHD, this concept is brutal. Even for me, writing this blog, I don’t always want to do it, but I know I absolutely must finish it. That’s why I changed the name from “Daily Tarot for the Creative,” to “Kinda Daily Tarot for the Creative.” For one, I have a sense of humor (most of the time) about my ADHD, but also I can be realistic with my expectations of myself. (Not without a lot of shadow work.)
I DO NOT WANT TO DO THE SAME THING CONSISTENTLY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT. Okay, so, you’re not alone if you feel this way. But when we are chasing a goal, we have to work at this every single day, even if it’s just twenty minutes. When I first wanted to get into bodybuilding (ages ago) my trainer said she trains every day and has for decades. And when she doesn’t feel like it, she still does something for at least twenty minutes. Because that’s feeding your goal energy. You can think of your goal as an egregore, and you can feed that spirit the energy daily.
Sometimes when we draw the Knight of Pentacles it’s because we are being too steadfast and not injecting enough heart and soul into our project, this meaning would depend on other cards and results you are seeing in your life. But like I said, this card does not denote creativity or flair, it’s just consistency. When it is reversed, you may need to create a plan and STICK TO IT, have someone help you stay consistent if you can. Or create little treats for yourself when you complete a task. My mom would buy herself a new pen whenever she completed a task she really did not want to do. It’s a Pavlovian thing at it’s core, but it does work. Now please don’t blame me if you go into debt buying little treats for yourself, I accept no responsibility for Devil card behaviors! Which brings me to, if you draw a Devil card with the Knight of Pentacles, this is an opportunity to evaluate habits and negative self-talk, self-limiting beliefs, addictions, co-dependency and any other people, places, and things that can be impeding your progress. Take action as needed or desired. If you’re not sure what those things could be, you can do a spell to reveal those things to you. That’s my suggestion.
It can take years for us to get the courage to make life changing decisions that better our situation even when we have the skills and wisdom, we are still human. The Knight of Pentacles wants stability, and stability requires consistency. Britney Spears didn’t wake up one day and become the iconic POP princess we know and protect, she worked her ass off every day since she was a kid…. wow, bad example, don’t go that far! That leads to burn out. You see what I did there? Consistency and moderation, that’s the key. Slow and steady.
Think of some goals that you’d like to achieve this year. Write them down and then draw arrows from them and write down small, daily habits you can form to make these goals into a reality. You can take a step further and rate these goals from 1-5, 5 being the most pressing. And that may help you organize your time. I found out today that my mom and my spouse want to go on trips this summer, so my goal is to raise a few more thousand dollars this spring and early summer so that we can afford to do both trips. Speaking of money, this blog is not monetized, yet… But one day I hope to make some money from my writing. That’s a long term goal. But with writing a little bit everyday (mostly) I can get closer to my goal of being full time writer.
Here are some easy going goals you can take into your life if you choose
Become familiar with local birds and their migration patterns
Call your Grandma once a week
Support small farms near you
Start a walking group
Use tarot as a journaling prompt
Stretch your calves and glutes
Drink some tea from your local witch shop
See local drag and burlesque performers, Attend art shows, See live music once a month
Call/Email your political representatives
Learn a new recipe
Photo is from the Halloween Tarot by Kipling West