In the system I follow, the Four of Coins
is linked astrologically to the Sun in Capricorn. Although Margarete Petersen hasn’t incorporated
astrology into her deck (as far as I know), the colours she uses in this card
conjure up the Sun, for me.
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| Four of Coins (trimmed):© Margarete Petersen Tarot |
There’s a
sense of creative energy being “coloured” by discipline and tradition – a
single-mindedness, perhaps, working towards a well-defined target. Whatever
that target or goal is, it’s going to be about being able to express ourselves
and our creativity, but in a responsible way. On the downside, pessimism and
cynicism can stand in the way of progress.
We might also find ourselves overly concerned with ‘how things look’, or
wanting to hold on to what we have – something that’s often traditionally associated
with the Four of Coins. Either way, the
Sun in Capricorn can represent a strong commitment to the material things in
life – be they possessions and/or resources.
So many of Margarete Petersen’s Coins cards
remind me of the Thoth’s suit of the same name.
Here the square-bounded enclosure is reminiscent of the Crowley
version. Squares are solid, stable, powerful
structures; it’s hard to move them, so there’s a sense of protection here, but
also of rigidity. . The serpent is back, too, forming a complete enclosed area
too – an ouroboros, constantly re-creating itself.. The solidity of the
structure and the strength of the ouroboros reflect our own integrity, but we
have to remember the danger of inflexibility and the inability to compromise. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Treasure held safely
within strong walls but is it
still accessible?
Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA, 2004
