Three of Pentacles

Traditionally, the Three of Pentacles refers to a spectrum of kinds of work that we do in the world, but always on a level above drudgery and tedium, and preferably higher still, on the level of journeyman or master. This is to be inspirational or meaningful work, work that goes beyond itself, that isn’t done when the day is done. As such, common interpretations speak to skill in work or trade, craftsmanship, material endeavors, gainful employ, beneficial arrangement, collaboration, cooperation, commission, working with others, sponsorship, patronage, contribution, growth, building, expansion, development, material increase, prestige in a vocation, mastery, dignity, and renown. A combination of key words for the Three and the Pentacles suggests “understanding the material,” which might be taken in the sense of knowing the possibilities of the medium in which we work, and also understanding what it means to be living embodied in this material existence. For the secular and apophatic mystics, this material world is our home, and its nature is our nature. Alan Watts wrote, “You did not come into this world. You came out of it, like a wave comes out of the ocean. You are not a stranger here.” Similarly, the highest that one can rise in Zen is everyday suchness, and the highest circle of attainment in Zen’s Oxherding Pictures brings us back into the world, with gift-giving hands. Nobody here is getting free from the chains of matter and flying off to join ascended masters in all-white spirit realms. This is the secular sort of mysticism that even real scientists like to explore. And it’s the grounded and earthy understanding of this card. There is a sacredness in the ordinary that’s worthy of a reverent respect. This is what we put into our higher work, a dedication and consecration to higher states and purposes, to the best that’s within us. This is dignity and humility both. Mohammed explained why: “Because Allah has no other hands than yours.” We pay our rent in this world, out of reverential respect and gratitude. We elevate and redeem the lowly material. The Kabbalists call this Tikkun, mending the world. The Hindus call the work Karma Yoga. This is service by which we heal the false or illusory divisions between matter and spirit, and in this service there is at least enough selflessness to broaden our sense of who and what we are, confirm our character, expand our time horizons, and share our influence in the grander scheme of things. Alchemists declared the The Great Work to be the Transformation of Mankind, perhaps one seeker at a time, changing from lead into gold. As such, the work is cultural as well as material, and the culture in turn will reshape our material world. We get here by coming home, by finding and knowing our place and settling right in. This is Wendell Berry’s home world, and we belong here as well. We own ourselves and possess what little domain we might have. This is our sacred trust, our own dominion and our responsibility, and we are its stewards. It’s ours to accept and approve. If we practice good nichemanship, if we manage to fit in here, then we have the fitness that Herbert Spencer and Charles Darwin praised as a key to evolution. It’s to be noted that to accept our place in the grander scheme of things is not an end to our more ambitious behaviors, but only a place to begin. Acceptance is not the same as approval, it’s merely to start out with the facts. We can still make things better by our dedicated service and consecrated works and contributions. The Work is meant to inspire. This card is about participating in the world as though we belonged here, about getting involved, partaking in wholeness, working at creation and coevolution, expanding and extending ourselves in the process. The common ground is the work we need to do to belong here, to participate more fully in this world. We not only accept our place in the grander scheme, we own it in ways that give us a sense of duty to leave the world a better place. We chop wood and carry water and find our nobility in this. Worth has more value here than gain. Honest labor and labors of love confirm our place in this world. From this place we make our art and other contributions. We realize and materialize our spirit; we don’t help it to escape. The Yijing counterpart is Gua 02, Accepting or the Receptive. There is a bit of stoicism to the chapter as the endurance and perseverance of the mare is celebrated. It speaks of tolerance, contentment, patience, accommodation, and affirmation as free assistance to our sense of belonging. But this is also the place that we begin from, the capacity or power of possibility. Existence gives us a lot of givens, and a lot of raw material. To the extent we can accept this as a great gift, with gratitude, it’s ours to work with, our raw material.