Mar 21 | 2023 — III of Pentacles
The III of Pentacles is one of my favorite cards in the Minor Arcana. Situationally, I really, really struggled to connect to the card via the illustration in the original Rider-Waite-Smith deck. I mean, looking at the card (shown below). I really had no idea what the fuck was happening. It looks churchy; it looks like the guy is holding a cup(?) and maybe the other couple is holding a wrapped-up… baby? Why is he standing on a bench? Is this a baptism? A bris (yuk)? An exorcism? Why is that person dressed up like they’re with Cirque du Soleil?
But then I learned that no, it’s not an actual religious exercise, but a stonemason working on a cathedral. They aren’t holding a baby, they’re holding blueprints or designs or something. And Cirque du Soleil didn’t even exist when this deck was created (now that’s some divination for you!), so I guess they just had their 0wn unique sense of fashion (but is it art, Eddy?).
But now I know all about this card, and it is one of my favorite cards in the deck (just not that weird illustration — other decks!). The III of Pentacles represents mentorship, guidance, collaboration, learning, teamwork, and group success. Look at the different cards for the decks above. ANTS for god’s sake. What an amazing representation of the III of Pentacles. They HAVE to work together or they’ll never be successful at ruining your summer picnic.
Message of the Day: For me and my personal journey through life, the III of Pentacles is ME in so many ways. I love teaching, helping others, and encouraging others to be the best they can be in whatever they’re doing. In a sense, that’s why I’m doing these Tarot posts: I’m trying to help you guys find your own light and route to personal betterment through the use of Tarot. Awww, feels!
But as we do, let’s take this card internally and see how we apply it for self-growth.
I mentioned that this card can represent mentorship, taking someone under your wing and teaching them a new skill. I totally get that a lot of people are not comfortable in that role, and many even think, “what can I do well enough that I could possibly teach someone else?” SO many things. Baking, cross-stitch, throwing a football in a way that keeps the other kids from laughing at you… even something as simple as sitting down with a small kid and teaching them to tie their shoes. Being a “mentor” is not something that requires an official title; it’s just an act. It’s finding a teachable moment and sticking with it until the other person gets it and can manage on their own. Then, you kick them out of the nest with a prompt, “now fly, bitch.” Haha, just kidding. That’s only for when kids turn 18.
And while some of those examples are great for establishing a connection with another person, there are other areas where mentorship can be much more valuable, particularly in a one-on-one setting. They take root because you’ve established a relationship of trust. When the other person feels you have a genuine concern for them (<cough> and you aren’t their parent <cough>), they are more likely to take what you’re teaching to heart and be serious. It’s a trade, in a sense. You teach them a skill; they feel connected to you, and they want you to be proud of them.
And once that bond is there, once that relationship of trust is in place, you can take it further by introducing life lessons that mean more than tossing a wonky football. For example: teaching someone to take pride in themselves and their work; working with someone to grow their sense of self-worth and self-esteem; teaching someone to WANT more and EXPECT more; showing someone how to promote themselves in a positive manner through their personal appearance, body language, and posture; helping people understand that they are not alone in their human experience and that they have support when needed. It’s one thing to be told “you like good.” It’s another to be able to say, “shit, I look good.” Those lessons are not things that are taught in a single afternoon.
The darker side of the III of Pentacles is when we are over-confident and decline the help of others, thinking we can do a better job by ourselves. It’s a sense of superiority and fake leadership. It’s being closed-minded and argumentative when others offer advice or tools to help. It’s… basically every 10-year-old in existence.
So what kind of things can you do in your life to share your teachable skills? Volunteer work is certainly one way. There are plenty of non-profits out there that work with foster kids or under-privileged kids that look for exactly this type of thing. Those can definitely be big commitments, but if you compare the investment with the potential impact… the rewards are incalculable.
But there are certainly other things you can do that require less investment, things you can do with your family to build relationships as a team that go outside the typical parent-child relationship. There are things you can do with your spouse, like learning a new skill together where you can support each other as you go, that is not only fun but can strengthen your relationship.
So the III of Pentacles asks: What are some things you could offer to others to help them grow? How do you feel when others offer advice/support/help? Are you open to accepting the help of others for your own personal growth? Think of two people in your life whom you feel you could mentor in your life and think about what that experience might be like for both you and them.
Working with the III of Pentacles doesn’t mean you have to be a stonemason pretending to perform baptisms for Cirque du Soleil performers’ babies. It’s not as grandiose as building a cathedral. But the impact you can have on another person can be as monumental and long-lasting as any stonework.
Decks shown above:
