We enter the Court of Pentacles through the gate of the Page of Pentacles.  Here we see a young man, dressed in the green of the fields and the ruddy browns of freshly turned earth.  He is dressed well, showing his station, and in his hands is balanced a pentacle, the symbol of this suit and his House.  Looking beyond him, we see a field in its natural state as well as a small section of newly plowed land.

Like the Pages in the other suits, he exemplifies an immature level of skill in the element of his Court. Whereas the Pages in the masculine suits (Air and Fire) are active in nature (being emissaries or spies, the energy of the suit put to outward use), the Pages in the feminine suits of Water and Earth are passive.  The Page of Pentacles is studying the element of his Court.  He has just “taken up” the pursuit and application of the energy of the Pentacles.

He stands in the unplowed field.  This field is fertile, adorned with flowers.  The natural earth energy is strong here, but the relationship between human and earth has only just begun (as evidenced by the small turned field.  There are no crops yet… either the field is ripe for sowing or it has just been sown.  There is a sense of beginnings in the card, of potential, of expectation.

The Page is deep in contemplation of what he holds in his hand.  He holds it lightly on his fingertips, as though it lacked density, as though it were fragile and without heavy substance.  The Page is only beginning his journey learning the element.  His knowledge hasn’t gained “weight”.  It looks as though it might float away.

When we begin to learn how to work with the earth plane, we are very similar to the Page.  We are mostly surrounded by a larger area of land than we can work, and nature is the supreme ruler of where we stand.  We have just turned over a new leaf, perhaps… just plowed the field of our reality to accept the seeds of a new form of learning.  For a while, we handle our new habits as a fragile thing, lightly, never taking our eyes of f it.  And until we grow in experience, our abilities and knowledge of managing the earth sphere will not grow more substantial.

We must “dress ourselves” in the colors of our envisioned success.  The predominant color here is green — a color more connected to the wild spaces in the card than the man-touched areas (the brownish-reds).  The green clothes of the Page overlay the browns just as Nature is more of a master of Her realm than the Page is.  There is no castle here, and the mountains are far off if shelter is needed.  The Page must be watchful and studious in order to grow in his own grounding in the earth element.  Likewise, until we are more comfortable handling our own earth sphere issues, Nature is still dominant over our abilities.  This is not a bad thing — Nature knows best and can help us learn and grow in Her ways.

Lessons From The Page: The first step in gaining mastery of an element is to become a good observer, study brings density of knowledge and growth, work sympathetically with your element as much as possible as you are learning (“dress for success”, or “be it to achieve it”).

Read about the Knight of Pentacles…

Photo of Page of Pentacles card, art by Pamela Colman Smith under direction of A.E. Waite, originally published by the Rider Company, 1909.