A falcon on her wrist, flowers on her robe, grapevines all around and a castle in the distance: this must be a scene of accomplishment and aristocracy. There is no sign of labour here; even a bit of carelessness is indicated in the detail of a snail on the ground, to which the woman apparently pays no attention, but in the end even that is just a small distraction on this card. This card indicates that the good decisions of the Seven of Pentacles and the fruits of dedication and effort from the Eight of Pentacles result in material abundance. Years of good planning and work have now established solid material ground, but also stable and positive emotions with a solid spiritual base. There is a need for balance between material accomplishment and spiritual development. Five pentacles are on her right side, symbolising the five material senses through which we can experience abundance, while three pentacles are on her left side, forming a triangle, the most stable geometric form, symbolising the permanence of the spiritual realm on which we must base our success.
On the card
A woman stands alone in a lush garden, surrounded by grapevines heavy with ripe fruit. She wears a long golden robe decorated with flowers, and on her gloved left hand perches a hooded falcon. Her right hand rests lightly on the pentacles beside her.
Nine pentacles are set among the vines around her, some on one side and some on the other. In the distance, beyond the garden, stands a large house or castle, her home and estate. On the ground at her feet, in the lower part of the card, a small snail moves slowly along.
The ripe grapes are a sign of harvest and of the pleasures that come when long work has been completed. The falcon, a bird used in the noble sport of falconry, has been trained and is now at rest and under control, a symbol of discipline and refinement. The woman herself is calm, elegant and self-possessed.
The card speaks of independence, comfort and well-earned success. She enjoys her abundance on her own terms and needs no one else to complete it. The garden she stands in has been cultivated over a long time, which suggests that this ease is the fruit of patience and wise choices.
Upright
Abundance, accomplishment, refinement, material success, luxury.
Reversed
Solitude, financial instability, bad character, financial problems, emptiness despite success, temporary success.