Excerpt from Dark Days Tarot Guidebook by Emily Mundy:
Four of Pentacles
The Four of Pentacle’s meaning is simple: humans have the urge to hold on to what they’ve got. And it’s wise to remain wound closely with what you’ve acquired in this world. In a tangible sense, this can mean your personal possessions—money, materials, etc. It can also indicate a pause to take the intangible stock of oneself. Does this card reflect the comfort of security you’ve earned, externally or internally? Or does it stir reflection in regards to material conflict?
Suggested prompts:
upright: stability; comfort in security of assets and the self
right: rightful defending of possession or values
left: mix of material and internal conflict
reversed: fear of facing material or internal upheaval
The Four of Pentacles speaks of money-grubbing and self-preservation, so much so that the Querent may feel alienated from their community in doing so. This angel floats safely away from the Earth while also staying safely tethered to it, her limbs capped in the clutching of her money. How could she spend her money were she not still a part of the Earth, where her money has value? How could she stay safe, were she to possess resources amongst her dangerous Earth-mates, all seemingly feverishly clamoring for her money.
This card offers the chance to release grips on money's spell. Let money flow with intention in and out of your life. It is always possible to create new intentions around money, and now is as perfectly good a time as any.
Money Box Spell: Look at all of your accounts and balance them or speak to your financial advisor. Line a small altar-appropriate box with coins. Write down resource-based goals and intentions, divide the intentions into small pieces of paper, fold them three times towards you, and place them in the box. Light a small candle atop or to the north of the box and meditate on the flame of the candle as it burns. Let your love of life, money, and the people in your world who give your money meaning grow and grow. Allow the candle to burn for a while, and meditate. The intention of this spell is to create a vessel for your money goals to be nurtured, so that your physical body doesn't have to carry that energy at all times. It's important to maintain focus in your relationships, keeping money at a healthy arm's length from your psyche. This spell removes any obsessive compulsive qualities.