Knight of Pentacles
When a court card shows up in a reading, we need to determine if it represents another person, or an aspect of ourselves, such as how you are acting in the current situation, or a good personality to emulate, to get you to where you would like to go. It can also represent situations, so in the case of a Knight, it may be a journey or a trip of some sort. The Knights are the movers and shakers of the group. It's been said that the Knights were supposed to be a part of the deck of playing cards, along with the Jacks (Pages), Queens and Kings, but they were always so busy and out on an adventure and were not there to be counted the day they lined everyone up!
Look how steadfast this Knight is! Here we see our Knight all suited up, but with nowhere to go (except maybe to work!). If our other Knight's horses are raring, charging, bucking, or even just galloping and prancing, this steed is at a standstill, much like the slow moving earth energy it represents. Now this is not a bad thing, while some action and romancing can be enjoyable in the moment, at the end of the day, it's just as wonderful to know that all of the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed, and with this Knight around, you can be sure that is the case. This Knight doesn't look like he's doing much, but that is deceptive. It takes an incredible amount of work to keep daily life rolling along and that is what this Knight is great at. There may not be a lot of flash and fire, but this guy is getting up everyday, putting in the 9-5, and getting it done. Some may say boring, but it can be quite satisfying to know that things are "taken care of". No one is going to bed hungry when you have this Knight on your side. He is practical, dependable, reliable, fastidious, and a hard worker. He gets the job done, day in, and day out. In short, you can count on him.
He represents all the best of the Earth signs, he is ever the hardworker of the Capricorn, detail oriented like our Virgo's of the zodiac, and a lover of the good things of life, like Taurus. As such, much like a Capricorn, he doesn't mind working hard to have them! He is also willing to work hard to make sure those around him that he loves are well taken care of as well. He is a bit of a perfectionist, but that is because he takes pride in knowing the job is done, and done right. He doesn't leave a project half finished, or half-arsed! The job gets done, done right, and in a timely and efficient manner. On the downside, he can be sluggish, slow moving, and like our Taureans, a bit stubborn! It can take a lot to get that horse going in a direction it does not want to take. But stable and reliable are a good trade, so when dependability and stability are lacking, seeing this Knight is a welcome relief.
At the end of the day, he IS a Knight though, so his presence in a reading will generally show movement in an area related to money or income, health, or practical matters such as physical possessions, things you value, even home and property. In the upright, he shows positive forward movement in these areas. The movement will certainly not be quick, but it WILL be consistent and steady, think of the Tortoise and the Hare. Slow and steady wins the race, and that is EXACTLY how this Knight rolls.
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Queen of Pentacles>
Knight of Pentacles Reversed
In the Reversed Knight of Pentacles, our slow moving Knight has now found himself bogged down in the quicksand. The Suit of Pentacles is a slow moving energy to begin with, but our dependable and steady Knight has now dipped into what we may consider, unmovable. The steed has firmly planted those hooves and is having difficulty moving in a productive forward direction again.
It is important to remember that this Knight could represent yourself in the situation, or it could represent someone else that has an active role in the situation at hand. This could be a person that means well and is typically quite reliable or practical, but at this point, has gotten off course and is just immovable. It could be that you, or someone, has become very fixated on your particular way of dealing with this situation, and have become downright stubborn. Be certain that the stubbornness is truly because you believe in your cause, and not just because you want to win or have your way in the situation, and have possibly lost sight of the bigger issue.
It could be that you are focusing too much on the details, and not getting the job done. While this Knight's specialty is getting the job done, and getting it done right, it's possible that you are spending so much time working on all the little fine details, making everything perfect, that at this point, the job is just not getting completed in a timely manner. It's possible, that you could even be purposely dragging your feet, because for one reason or another, you do not want to complete the job. Maybe the task is boring or menial, or maybe you are concerned as to whether or not it will be met with other's approval.
It could be that you are overworked. This card is all about hard work, and making slow and steady progress, but in the reverse, it could be that you are bordering on overwork, or worse, holding others to impossible standards, because you yourself have high standards. If you persist with others in this way, you will likely only drive them away.
While dependability and reliability are admiral traits, be sure you are not sacrificing fun and excitement completely. Everything has its place, and even when consistent hard work is needed, we must still remember to take a time out, a rest, and sometimes just relax. It's also important not to become a slave to your daily routine. As a person, it's important to add a little spice to your life, as is it can be no fun to be all work and no play. Sometimes this can represent total boredom, or one who can become very boring, or a life that has become very dull and boring. It is important to recognize this before you, or another, break and make a dash for excitement elsewhere. They say spontaneity is the spice of life!
It is also possible that this card could come up when you are very much out of balance, and do not have ENOUGH order and structure in your life, and you need to get that back. You may have fallen off of the wagon for awhile while on the path, and need to get back on your horse.
Lastly this card is a card of movement in general, which means it is very possible that with the reversed Knight of Pentacles, you will see either a stagnation, lack of forward progress, or even possibly some backsliding in the areas of work and finances, physical property or possessions, or more importantly your health. If you have approached the Tarot with questions related to health and the body, this would be a good indication that a checkup could be in order, or it could simply mean that you are having trouble sticking to a health plan, physical activity routine, or a diet!
