Pentacles and Earth

 

The symbol for Earth is a downward pointing triangle with a line through it.

 

Earth is the physical element. It is stable, slow moving and materialistic in focus.  It is the most solid of the four elements.  It represents the solid ground of our Earth.  Earth’s focus is on security and producing something substantial and visible in the world.  Earth wants to be able to see and touch what it has made. To the Earth signs, what they can see, hear, touch, taste and feel is what is real to them.  Earth signs live mostly in their physical bodies and place their trust in the things of the material world.  They are practical, peaceful, industrious, and benefit from being in nature and in touch with the healing energies which the earth generates 

The Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.  These are the symbols and characteristics of the signs in the Earth Triplicity.

Taurus The Bull
Fixed Earth Sign
Ruler: Venus
Months:  April 21 to May 20
Archetype: The Farmer  
Keywords: stable, dependable, determined, industrious, enduring, placid, patient, slow moving, possessive, financial savvy, slow to anger, stubborn

Virgo The Virgin
Mutable Earth Sign
Ruler: Mercury
Months:  August 23 to September 22
Archetype: The Craftsman, The Harvest 
Keywords: highly discerning, precise, thorough, detailed, reliable, perfectionist, critical, nervous, fussy, over attention to detail

Capricorn The Goat
Cardinal Earth Sign
Ruler:  Saturn
Months:  December 22 to January 20
Archetype: The Patriarch
Keywords:  ambitious, self-disciplined, conservative, responsible, persistent, rigid, security conscious, dutiful, serious, stingy

In Tarot the first thing that comes to mind regarding the Pentacles is  money.  And they do represent money, but they also represent many other things, all having to do with the physical plane, including the health of the body.  They represent anything which is tangible and which is manifest in the material world.

It seems to me that what pentacles really represent is what we share with others.  Money, after all, is simply another means of trading something we have for something someone else has.  Anytime we share, trade or barter with others, we are operating in the world of Pentacles.  Our thoughts and ideas, represented by Swords  remain intangible until we write them down or communicate them orally.  Our visions and aspirations, represented by Wands remain visions and aspirations until we act on them in some way to bring them "down to earth" to produce something in the physical world.

We are at our best when we are working with others and sharing talents, abilities and resources. The earth element is a cooperative and peaceful element and humanity’s greatest achievements have all been accomplished by these means.

Look for the three earth sign symbols in the following Golden Dawn Ritual Tarot cards:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice the symbol of earth, the downward pointing triangle with a line through it, at the bottom of the cards on each side of the title.

Micki