Universal Fantasy - 3 of Pentacles

Hi all,

I got my Universal Fantasy about a week ago, and one card that I'm finding really hard to understand is the 3 of pentacles. In RWS clones, this card is about working hard, being skilled, or working as a team.

In this card, although it is obvious that many of the members are working on things, I just don't get it....why are the little people seemingly in a cage? Why do they seem very rich and aristocratic, while the man on the outside appears more working class (lol, don't ask where I got that from...maybe it's his hair)? Why is he trying to cut them out of their cage/building? Why are the people inside looking on instead of doing anything? Are they glad that he is doing this? Have they been waiting around for it? They are most certainly not working as a team, however. And what of the intricate pentacles design. It almost reminds me of a heater/fan type of system, because of the lighting. But that could just be the sun shining through, but why so bright? Is that supposed to signify some type of enlightenment?

There seems to be a lot going on, but I'm not sure what to make of it all! Anyone want to post their own musings to help me make sense of things? I will think about it more myself and post more later, probably.

THanks!

Niti said:

In RWS clones, this card is about working hard, being skilled, or working as a team.

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I see all of these in this card, in fact it was one of the easiest for me to relate to The big person seems like a woman to me, not that it matters I guess. Or does it? My first impression was that of a 'doll house', only for living people. The whole thing reminds me a bit of Gulliver's travels. The little people have the designs and the big person is doing some fine, skilled work. The actual design is very close to RWS, down to the carved pentacles, the major differences being that it is very bright and that we're looking at the scene from the inside. Hmm, perhaps that's why it's bright, would it look the same from inside the RWS building? What does this reversal of perspective mean?

The openings are too big for it to be a cage for the little people. The big person seems to me an artisan, has a loving look on her face, enjoying the work. The little people are more ambivalent. I think they are the architects, mechanics, etc. Some times I think they look on approvingly, making helpful suggestions and consulting the plans. Other times they annoy me, it feels like they do f-all and only know how to criticise the person doing all the work.

I think this is her present for the little people, as they can't really make her do anything, she's much bigger than them. Or have they tricked her and chained her out of sight, forcing her to work for the cruel little masters?

Anyway, not sure if this helps. Whenever I see this card, it makes me think of concentration, attention to detail, inspiration (sun light), commitment, patience. Also, depending on the feeling of the reading, it indicates team work and coordination and whether it's successful or not. It tells me you need both 'hands on' and 'planning' working in harmony to successfully complete the project, brute force only or theory only is not going to be enough. Also, this is yet another card that plays with perspective and size differences.

It looks to me like the woman (?) is filing the column and smoothing it down. It looks like the small people are the ones in charge, while the person (she or he may be regular size to us, but may be a giant to the small people) is the hired hand. If that's the case, then I would like to know what the small people have on this woman that keeps her there, making the fancy house or cage or whatever and probably treating them nice.

Or, the small people may be her pets. She may love them to smithereens and want to get them all of those fancy things to make them happy. I'm sure you've seen people get all of those ridiculous clothes for their dogs and fancy foods and spas for dogs. Or the people that have to get their kids the latest toys and electronics and clothes and spoil their kids rotten. And I'm sure the kids (and sometimes the pets) will exploit that for all its worth.

The small people are holding scrolls and paperwork that may be the plans for this archway. But they aren't doing any of the work. The person in the corner with the unrolled scroll reminds me of someone looking over a laundry or a shopping list or a list of taxes. The small people may need or want more things and the woman will probably have to provide it. I wonder if the clothes the small people wear were made by them or if the woman made them.

Architecture Student?

The impression I get from this card is that there is something 'out there' bigger than themselves that the Little People acknowledge.

There is a partnership feel. The Little People have expectations and are working with the 'Architecture Student' to get what they planned. Still, they can't do it by themselves.

In the more traditional 3 of Pentacles, the person working of the structure is on the same side of the structure as the three people observing the work in progress. In the UF version the worker is on the outside - somewhat removed and even barred from full contact with the people observing the work. The Architecture Student/worker couldn't join them even if both sides wanted it that way. They are from two different worlds.

I've always found this card difficult. I "see" the traditional meanings easily enough, but "feeling" them is harder. Maybe some vague musings will help . . .

elvenstar said:

Also, this is yet another card that plays with perspective and size differences.

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Yes, totally. If it weren't for that one feature, it would be almost indistinguishable from a RWS 3-Pents, wouldn't it? That, and the fact that the artisan is outside the building, removed from the "little" people - but then, usually in the RWS type images, the artisan is standing on a ladder. Something to think about. Ladder, size, outside-ness . . . all demonstrate some separation of that figure from the others in the image.

elvenstar said:

The actual design is very close to RWS, down to the carved pentacles, the major differences being that it is very bright and that we're looking at the scene from the inside. Hmm, perhaps that's why it's bright, would it look the same from inside the RWS building? What does this reversal of perspective mean?

Click to expand...

That perspective, as well as the heightened sense of separateness, make me think that this card is highlighting a certain aspiration to being accomplished. Something to work towards, or even more pertinently, someone to emulate. Looking from the inside out, yet it seems so much more pleasant out there, brighter, freer, more satisfying.

I find the meaning given in the LWB very strange. "A gilded cage is what we build with our own hands. To find our way we must believe in ourselves and remain faithful to our ideals." Does this mean that the small people are not true to themselves? They are caught in a gilded cage (but being built by someone else), caught in their smallness because they don't have the wherewithall to create the vision that is inscribed on their scrolls?

Or perhaps the big person isn't remaining faithful to his/her ideals? S/he wants "in", but is creating more and more separation between him/herself and where s/he wants to be by creating what the little people want, not what s/he wants to make. The artisan's attention is turned away from the light, to the dimness that shrouds the room where the little people are, and s/he should turn toward that light and reclaim his/her own inspiration rather than creating someone else's vision. As QoD said:

Queen of Disks said:

It looks to me like the woman (?) is filing the column and smoothing it down. It looks like the small people are the ones in charge, while the person (she or he may be regular size to us, but may be a giant to the small people) is the hired hand. If that's the case, then I would like to know what the small people have on this woman that keeps her there, making the fancy house or cage or whatever and probably treating them nice.

Click to expand...

This is what they have on him/her. A lack of belief in and adherence willingness to follow his/her own inner vision. The artisan is, indeed, a hired hand with considerable skill, but almost enslaved to create something of someone else's conception.

Hmm. I like that. Thank you all for your inspiration I like musing with you all, it's helping me to understand the depth and beauty of this, my favourite deck.

\m/ Kat

I agree with one of the other members in that this is a card depicting a doll-house or a model of some sort. Here I see the 3 of Pentacles revealing itself as an indicator of someone obsessed with details, a perfectionist (the person appears to be filing the center column and making sure everything is perfect!), competancy and recognition of a particular skill.

The number three is about blending and growth and pentacles relates to the earth element.....in the card it looks like whatever the person is filing (blending) is made of wood (earth element). Balance and scheme of the 'model' is impeccable. The person also looks young to me and therefore gives me a feeling that there is still more room for growth and integration.