

When you view the Four of Pentacles from the Rider Waite Tarot alongside its corresponding card from the Crowley Thoth Tarot, the Four of Disks, you could be forgiven for initially thinking there is a difference of meaning between the two cards.
The Waite card shows a King clutching a pentacle to his heart. A second pentacle rests in his crown while the remaining two are beneath his feet. By contrast, the Thoth card shows the disks as the turrets of a foursquare castle, viewed from above. A turret forms each corner whilst the castle is surrounded by a moat that can only be crossed via a single bridge. The keyword at the foot of this card is ‘power’ and the castle itself is an image of foursquare stability with each turret representing one of the four elements. Such is the balance of the elements and the stability of the square that the disks themselves, as symbolised by the turrets have become square rather than round.
The theme in both cards is power but in their own unique ways, they show the constriction caused by the misuse of power. The Thoth image does this through the simple geometrical conflict of disks being portrayed as square, not round. Furthermore, the symbolism of a fortress shows a defensive stance and siege mentality where power is concerned.
This is very much an image of consolidating your position by building walls and barriers around yourself. It’s a fine line to tread; there are definitely times where we need a fortress to shelter in but the key to successful living is knowing when it’s appropriate to let the walls down once again. If we protect ourselves too much then we also isolate ourselves from good as well as evil.
In the Waite card, the King clutches desperately to his wealth. He makes it the foundation of his existence by having pentacles beneath his feet. He also makes it the priority of his rational outlook by allowing another to sit in a higher position than his crown. The remaining pentacle is a shield, clutched to his heart, indicating that trust in physical prosperity denies anyone access to his heart.
We all need material empowerment to make our lives comfortable but the question is where do we draw the line? When does money or material comfort cease to be our servant and we become its slave?
Chris.
Chris Butler. Illustrator for the Quantum Tarot 2.0. Published by Lo Scarabeo. 2010.
www.butlerart.co.uk
www.quantumtarot.co.uk





