Three of Pentacles

Moving on from the ups and downs of life and personal goals and tribulations we see in The Two of Pentacles, we move on to more complex tasks with the Three of Pentacles.

The number three is used here to represent a crowd, or ‘more than two’, and the card focuses on group efforts.

We all have personal goals that we can take care of ourselves, but the Three of Pentacles speaks of larger things such as production of commercial products or professional advancement within a group.

This does not just concern career or artistic/design projects though. It can point to larger gatherings and events within your life such as wedding planning (which as many will tell you, are not something to do on your own!) or team sports and pastimes where there is a long term goal involved (such as the team working together to better itself by winning a major event).

The card also has an emphasis on craft; abilities and careers that involve skilled or technical creation. This can include artists, designers, builders and content designed to last. It can also point to learning the skills needed to further career.

The card shows one of the most well-known inventor and ideas person from mythology

Daedalus

Daedalus is a mythical inventor, architect and artist who is first referenced around 1400BC. As well as being the architect that created the Minotaur’s maze and wings that his son used (rather disastrously by flying too close to the sun!), he is also attributed as inventing many of the tools of carpentry, and ship masts. He is of course a mythic stand-in for many great artists and inventors, whose real names and life stories are unfortunately lost to antiquity.

He is also said to have carved statues so realistic that they appeared real and onlookers would swear they breathed. Legend had it that some occasionally walked off on their own, although this is probably not because they were so realistic, but because early statues had simplistic legs (that were always straight and held together). Tthose attributed to Daedalus had separate and anatomically realistic legs that looked as if the statue would have been able to walk.

On the card we see Daedalus in his workshop, putting the finishing touches to a statue – the Horae or Goddesses of the Seasons.

The ancients around the early Mediterranean counted three seasons (spring, summer autumn, but no winter, probably because it was so mild at this latitude), which represented the passage of time and the cycle of life (birth growth and death). The three Goddesses of the seasons were Thallo, Auxo and Carpo. The Goddess Kheimon was added later after travel further into northern Europe led to the ‘discovery’ of winter.

Although ancient Greek statues are often shown in their recovered white marble (or bronze) state, they were often painted to look much more realistic. They often even had inlaid lifelike eyes that covered the basic carved eye areas that remain. We see Daedalus painting one of the Horae, working his magic so that his sculpture looks as if it lives and breathes.

We also see a man and woman. They may possibly be a rich patron who is funding the work, and someone who is managing a larger project that the statue forms part of. On the floor in front of them we see a plan of the statue.

Thus, we see that this project is not the work of one person (irrespective of how brilliant this one person is, and even irrespective of whether or not Athena herself taught our sculptor his skills!). It is the effort of many people who bring their skills or resources to an overall team.

Description and Symbology

We see a sculptor in his workshop, creating a statue. He is not alone, as a man and woman stand nearby. They represent the rest of the sculptor’s team on the project. They provide some or all of: detailed plans, funding, and management and specialized skills that the sculptor does not have.

Without all three people, the work would not be created.

The craftsman at work

We see a sculptor working on a statue. He is adding the final touches to the statue; painting it (something that the ancients did – the ones we see no longer have the paint) and making it look real. The work clearly requires years of dedication to achieve the required skills.

The other team members

We see other people involved in the project. They could for example be funding and managing it. The sculpture could be only a small part of a much larger project. The use of a team is essential because of the complexity.

The great project

The work being undertaken is a statue of the Horae, which literally means hours but is often used to denote the passage of the seasons (there were three seasons in Ancient Mediterranean cultures). This is symbolic of work that will take time to achieve, and will work out better with a team

Tips for Readings

The following table shows the upright and reverse meanings for general questions. The last row ('Yes/No') is useful when you are picking a single card to decide a yes or no decision.

Upright

Reversed

Love

For existing relationships, this card suggests a deepening of the relationship through common goals, good communications and comfort in planning a future together.

For a new person in your life, this card suggests there will be trust in the relationship. There will be a meeting of purpose and a relationship that is far greater than the two halves.

Something is not fitting together in the relationship. This may be caused by one half of the relationship being pulled away through career.

It may be caused by differences of opinion or lack of communication within the relationship, or might be just a steady drifting apart over time.

Whatever the reason, you are no longer working as a team and need to work to remedy this.

For new couples this card points to differences in mindset or different goals. Either may cause a lack of connection after the initial attraction has worn out.

Career

This card is an excellent sign for career advancement.

It points to your becoming an important person within your team or organization.

Professional advancement may also occur through learning and experience, and it is advised you take any roles that increase your horizons as the experience will do you good in the long term.

You will see setbacks and disappointments in your progression or projects.

This is caused by issues within your team, a bad fit somewhere, or simply a lack of planning or unforeseen problems you have missed or will soon encounter.

Double check your assumptions especially if you have a feeling that something is off, because it probably is!

Health

Any shared goals will work well: training with a partner, competitive or team sports, or joining a health related group.

If you take this step the gains will be massive vs going down a solo path, so well worth considering. You might also find some kindred souls and new friends into the bargain!

You are not listening to people who are trying to help you with your health. You are instead resisting and preferring to go it alone or believe your priorities lie elsewhere.

It is time to admit who knows best when you are outside your expertise and listen to your body when it suggests something is wrong.

Spiritual

You will move forward in your spiritual journey through groups and congregations rather than going it alone.

There is also some value in self-study and learning, but don’t do this in exclusion to being open to other people as guides and fellow travelers.

A lack of being open to other experiences or learning is slowing down your progression.

You may believe your way is best because it has worked for you, but you may be closed to taking the best from other points of view.

Wealth

Your financial position will increase if you take advice or work with others.

Joint discussion with your significant other or family will be beneficial, or talking things through with a professional.

This situation is caused by your goals or current situation being somewhat complex, or you have missed problems that others know more about and can clear up for you.

You are holding too much of your finances close to your chest and this will cause you problems in the long run.

A partner who thinks you are being far too secretive, or a personal plan that you are so invested in that you don’t see the glaring mistakes and bad assumptions… or simply that your personal situation is about to change and sharing your plans with others will quickly reveal the omissions.

Perhaps you know the problems but are trying to hide a loss.

Whatever the problem or plan, it is time to be more open with the group around you that you consider your team: partners, family and trusted friends.

Yes/No

Yes through being open to sources of help, advice and collaboration.

No through failing to plan, organize or collaborate on tasks you cannot easily do on your own.

Reading the Card

The upright card

For career where you are already be working within a team or organization, this is an excellent card for advancement and professional learning. It suggests you are well placed for success within your team though good collaboration and getting things done.

It is also a good card for relationships as it points to good communication, teamwork and a meeting of minds on goals.

For personal goals outside career and relationships, this card points to getting ahead in your current goals by working together as a team rather than going it alone. Your task will suffer if you attempt it on your own as your goal:

May need more people than you envision simply because of the workload.
May work better with a source of second opinions, company or support.
Requires a high level of experience in areas that you may not be proficient in yet, or is not the sort of project you have previously undertaken. It may be better to bring in people with the practical experience that you lack.

There may also be a need to get ready for the task ahead as it requires a learning, researching and perhaps even developing a craft. The task is also non-trivial and will require work up-front such as planning, funding and management.

As long as you take care to treat the task or project for the size it really is and don’t cut corners, there is no reason it will fail.

The reversal

The reversed card suggests that working together as a team should work out but something is going wrong and this may cause failure. Even if your goals succeed, you may see overruns and lateness, unexpected costs or problems and issues you did not plan for, or arguments.

There may also be a lack of planning, lack of communication, dissent or opposing views, or a lack of morale. The problems will become more serious and may derail your goals unless they are addressed.

The card urges you to consider ways to fix the problems and get back on track. This may involve some heartfelt talks, admissions and difficult decisions if the problems relate to people not stepping up, mismanaging, lack of the required competences or simply not getting on with each other.

Card Design Process

This was one of the harder cards to visualize because the original Rider-Waite-Smith card is so specific, and although there are many re-interpretations of it in other decks, they tend to drift away from the idea of a complex task that requires an artisan skillset and a group rather than a single person. This is difficult to create when considering mythology as there are not that many graphically recognizable parallels!

The problem was solved by creating a shortlist of famous artists from mythology and trying to build up a scene around one of them.

Final Words

The Three of Pentacles represents productivity, creativity, and skillful application of one's talents. It symbolizes success in a project or profession through collaboration with others.

The Three of Pentacles represents productivity, creativity, and skillful application of one's talents. It symbolizes success in a project or profession through collaboration with others.

The end result will be something long-lasting, created through dedication to craftsmanship and teamwork.

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