Knight of Pentacles

The Knight of Pentacles is known for his meticulousness, his willingness to work hard and for his reliability. He is solid and dependable through and through.

When the Knight of Pentacles makes an appearance in a Tarot reading, he indicates a hard worker, someone who is extremely dedicated to their cause and goals, whatever they may be. He possesses a particular brand of slow-moving tenacity that enables him to achieve just about anything he sets his sights on. In today’s fast-moving world, he is the tortoise beating the hare.

At the same time, his energy may seem a little slow and heavy to some. What the Knight of Pentacles possesses in dependability and trustworthiness, he may lack in spontaneity, open-mindedness and creativity.

What the Pentacles mean in Tarot

The Tarot’s Minor Arcana suit of Pentacles is linked to the element of the earth and deals with all of its symbolic connotations – our money, the health of our bodies and our physical surroundings are all expressions of earth energy.

The earth element is vital as it provides us with what we need to sustain ourselves as we make the journey through life. If we have health and wealth, chances are we will also have happiness.

What the Knights mean in Tarot

Each of the four suits of the Minor Arcana has four court cards, also sometimes referred to as personality cards; a King, a Queen, a Page and a Knight.

The King and Queen represent mature, well-established people. Their energies are powerful, but also imbued with a sense of calmness, as they have already proven themselves in life. They have earned their thrones and built their kingdoms.

The Pages and Knights are a different story, often representing younger people who are still searching for themselves and their place in the world. The Page and the Knight both have so much they still need to prove, explore and conquer.

The Knight, in particular, is a very outgoing energy, focused on accomplishment, conquest and acquisition. In the case of the Knight of Pentacles, he directs his focus and desire for growth and expansion towards the physical realm, the realm of his ruling element.

Knight of Pentacles Tarot card description

The Knight of Pentacles Tarot card is rendered slightly differently from deck to deck. However, most depictions are based on the traditional Rider-Waite Tarot and include its symbols and details. These are the ones we will be taking a closer look at.

The Knight

The Knight, dressed in armour, is the main feature of the card. He is depicted as a young man, but his expression is serious and determined, hinting at his mature and hard-working approach to life.

The pentacle

The Knight is holding a golden pentacle in his right hand – clearly, this is his most prized possession. The pentacle is a seed of potential for future material wealth and accomplishment. He knows that if he plants and tends well to his potential, it will eventually grow and flourish.

The horse

The Knight is riding a strong black draught horse – a noble steed built for perseverance, not for speed. The horse is a symbol of patience and enduring strength.

The landscape

The landscape behind the Knight is a plain, open field. Plough furrows have been carved meticulously into the earth, which is now ready to receive the Knight’s pentacle, his seed of potential.

Ploughing the land, planting something in it then waiting for it to begin to grow requires both patience and dedication – luckily, the Knight of Pentacles has oodles of both.

Knight of Pentacles Tarot card meanings

The Knight of Pentacles encompasses many layers of meaning – here are some of the most prominent ones.

Hard work

The Knight of Pentacles is not afraid of hard work. In fact, he relies on his dogged perseverance to take him to where he wants to be in life. Always first to arrive in the morning and the last one to leave at night, he can be a bit of a workaholic.

Meticulousness

Meticulousness is the name of the game when this Tarot card shows up. Everything gets planned down to the smallest detail, and then meticulously, scrupulously carried out.

Reliability

This Tarot card is as solid and reliable as they come. When it appears in readings, it is a sign of trustworthiness. The person signified by the card is true to their word – if they say they are going to do something, trust them to deliver what has been promised.

Self-discipline

Another meaning of this Tarot card is self-discipline and the ability to carry through on promises we make to ourselves, day in, day out.

Routine

The Knight of Pentacles can be a sign of routine. Routine can be seen as either positive or negative, depending on context and point of view. On one hand, routine can be the vital structure underpinning a large-scale project, but it can also be stifling to creativity and playful spontaneity.

Conservatism

The person signified by the card is of a decidedly conservative bend. They may be risk-averse and approach anything new with a sense of suspicion. Their values are traditional, as are their outlook on life. They like to do things in ways that have been tried and trusted.

Reversed Knight of Pentacles Tarot card meanings

Like the upright Knight of Pentacles, the Knight of Pentacles reversed encompasses a range of meaning. Here are some of the most prominent meanings of the Knight of Pentacles reversed.

Boredom and predictability

When routine becomes too rigid, it becomes stifling to your spirit.

You may begin to feel like you are nothing more than a work mule, repeating the same tasks over and over again, without celebrating or recognising your accomplishments along the way and without switching up your workflow.

Stuckness

You may have painted yourself into a corner by taking on too many commitments and by allowing yourself to become too tired down. You may be stretched yourself beyond your limits – life has become an endless to-do lists without any wiggle room.

It is time to reclaim more of your time, more of your freedom, and to rediscover a sense of playfulness and enjoyment.

Knight of Pentacles Tarot card interpretations

When the Knight of Pentacles appears in Tarot readings he always brings a particular. However, which exact shade or layer of his significance stands out is always going to depend on the individual Tarot reader’s interpretation as well as on the context provided by any surrounding cards. Here are some examples of how the Knight of Pentacles Tarot card might be interpreted.

What the upright Knight of Pentacles means in a love Tarot reading

The person signified by the Knight of Pentacles Tarot card is trustworthy and reliable, and they know what they want in a relationship. There is a sense of dedication and commitment, and often, of rather traditional and conservative expectations of what a relationship should be.

Whether this is positive or negative, of course, comes down to the other partner in the relationship and what they want.

What the reversed Knight of Pentacles means in a love Tarot reading

An existing relationship may have fallen into a state of predictable routine, loosing the magic of spontaneity, playfulness and mystery that are so vital to keeping the twin flames of lust and romance alive.

It is time to switch things up, break out of the routine, and introduce some new energy, fun and adventure into this romantic liaison.

What the upright Knight of Pentacles means in a career Tarot reading

When it comes to your career, you know what you want and where you want to be going. What’s more, you seem to be headed in the right direction.

You may still be relatively inexperienced in your field, but you are beginning to find your foothold and are discovering that you have a natural affinity for the tasks that are involved. Sensing the seed of potential within yourself, you are dedicated to growing, learning and refining your skills.

What the reversed Knight of Pentacles means in a career Tarot reading

Somehow, you have gotten yourself caught up in a mind-numbing job or routine. Much as you might favour predictability and like knowing where your next pay check is coming from, things have become too rigid and lacklustre. You miss using your creative brain and are starting to worry whether it has atrophied.

It is time for you to reconsider your options. Is this job or this client really worth it? Or would a bit of initial discomfort and volatility see you landing in a better position with more options for growth and expansion?