FOUR OF PENTACLES
The Four of Pentacles as interpreted by @kirstin_yzw and @clubofechoes.
On a day you hate being yourself, on a day you want to disappear forever,
Let’s build a door in your mind
Once you open the door and enter, this place will wait for you
It’s okay to believe Magic Shop that will comfort you
Credit: HYBE Labels
The 4 of Pentacles (or sometimes Coins) invites us to consider how we create a sense of safety and stability for ourselves in the material world. With the Pentacles being the suit of Earth, we’re thinking about embodiment, resources, what sustains us, how we connect to the physical world and the environment around us.
Traditional depictions of the Four of Pentacles (based on the Rider-Waite-Smith deck) often show a crowned man sitting on a throne keeping his coins close, his arms wrapped tightly around a disc. He looks like a miser - someone who hoards wealth, or at least is invested in keeping it close. If we dig deeper beneath the surface of that imagery, why would someone who seems relatively powerful be clinging so closely to his Pentacles? We might find that this is someone who’s only sense of security comes through material wealth, and so the preservation of that status feels paramount to his survival.
Fours in the tarot speak to the ways in which we create stability, sustainability and structured space (sometimes quite literally) in our lives. After the collaborative effort of the Threes, we find ourselves in new situations where we need to think about the longevity of our actions, our projects and what we’re building. The Four of Pentacles asks us to consider what we need to create a tangible sense of security for ourselves. What resources do we need? What kind of physical spaces and boundaries? What practices and tools to support our bodies? What creates a sense of home for us?
Credit: HYBE Labels
Of course, safety, security and stability aren’t things we can completely create for ourselves as individuals (*insert we live in a society meme*). We’re inherently connected to the world around us and so many factors contribute to how much we can touch into those states at any given time. But the Four of Pentacles is an invitation to think about what it really is that we need to feel grounded and secure in ourselves, and sometimes to unlearn what society teaches us abundance and security are supposed to look like. It asks us to work out the balance between our very real material requirements, and where we might be isolating or shutting down some of our desires and needs in the name of security. Often, I find this requires alone time that’s just for you - time where you can take refuge in connecting to yourself, your body and to parts of the larger world around you that you love.
The Four of Pentacles reminds us that we have agency in creating pockets of comfort and stability for ourselves, whatever that looks like. It could be making your room a cozy space that’s just for you, setting aside a wellbeing savings pot for regular mental/physical/spiritual health desires, or starting a mini vegetable garden on your balcony. It might be making time for your favourite sensory soothing activities - lying on the grass, soft blankets, a scented bath, your relaxation playlist, watching In The Soop…
Credit: HYBE Labels
When I was thinking about the Four of Pentacles, the first thing that came to mind was the sense of grounding and comfort that so many of us find in BTS. They give us a space to escape to and rest from the turmoils of life, for a little while. I’m so in love with the card that Anaïs has drawn. To me, it captures perfectly the kind of comfort space ARMY might have in a room - a warm hug of a place to come home to, where you can recharge and feel resourced.
Drinking a cup of hot tea,
Looking up to the galaxy,
You’ll be alright oh here it is Magic Shop
- Magic Shop
[‘Magic Shop’ lyric translation from https://doolsetbangtan.wordpress.com]
Artist’s Interpretation of the Two of Cups by @clubofechoes
Note: This interpretation has been written in English and French.
ENGLISH
Kirstin is amazing and their explanations were crystal clear, but I was afraid the Four of Pentacles would be one of the most difficult cards to draw. I knew while listening to them I had to picture that strong link between BTS and ARMY, but I didn’t know back then how to represent that invisible feeling - except drawing hearts everywhere lol -. So we (Kirstin, Natasha and I), in the first place, talked about the idea of picturing something physical and comforting we might purchase or just get for emotional support. Then, we talked about something more personal but very common that we hear a lot among the fandom - “We find Bangtan when we need them the most”. To me, it shows how helpful they can be by simply being beside us during a difficult moment. In a sense, knowing they exist can provide the missing strength and courage to overcome difficulties appearing during hardship or overwhelming feelings. Because, “Remember there is a person here in Korea, in the city of Seoul, who understands you.”
The Four of Pentacles slowly became in my head a small room, a place created by armys dedicated to this incredible bond we experienced through words and music, with two main aspects to illustrate: the tangible and the invisible. This space is a warm nest for our own stability where our mental health comes first.
I got inspired by two heartwarming songs: We are Bulletproof : the Eternal and Magic Shop, which Kirstin used as an example. They say “We were only seven, but we have you all now”: individual souls having each other's back, even beyond seas and language barriers. The room on the card shows small pieces you might recognize like BT21 character plushies, older and newer albums, and small references to the Bangtan Universe.
And while Jin and Jimin sing:
“Let's make a door in your heart
Open the door and this place will await
It's okay to believe, the Magic Shop will comfort you”
The room is lit by the window unveiling our shared and cherished universe. A purple shining sky with bright My Universe planets and Bulletproof the Eternal (cf mv) clouds. The allegory of our special tie.
FRENCH
Kirstin est une personne incroyable et ses explications pour toutes les cartes ont été très claires. Malgré ça, j’avais peur que le Quatre de Pentacles soit l’une des cartes les plus compliquées à produire. Après les avoir écoutés, j’ai su que je devais représenter ce lien plutôt fort et indescriptible que l’on peut ressentir en tant qu’army, mais je ne savais pas comment. Alors, nous (Kirstin, Natasha et moi) avons évoqué la possibilité d’illustrer quelque chose de physique, que l’on peut se procurer comme support émotionnel. Nous avons ensuite tenté de mettre des mots sur quelque chose étant plutôt de l’ordre du ressenti personnel, mais qui est paradoxalement un sentiment très partagé au sein du fandom. Il y a cette idée que l’on découvre/trouve bangtan lorsque l’on en a le plus besoin. Pour moi, cela signifie qu’ils peuvent nous aider à dépasser une situation difficile dans laquelle nous nous trouvons à un moment donné. En un sens, savoir qu’ils existent apporte une force nous étant parfois manquante pour surmonter une épreuve. Parce que, “souviens-toi, il y a une personne là-bas, en Corée dans la ville de Séoul, qui te comprend.”
J’ai alors doucement imaginé le Quatre de Pentacles comme une pièce, un lieu refuge créé par les army et dédié à ce lien fort, créé par la musique et ses mots. Il y avait deux aspects à illustrer: ce qui est de l’ordre du tangible et ce qui est invisible ou qui tout simplement n’a pas de forme propre. Cette chambre devient alors un nid sanctuaire pour notre propre stabilité et santé mentale.
J’ai été inspiré par deux chansons: We are Bulletproof : the Eternal et Magic Shop que Kirstin a utilisé comme exemple. Ils disent “Nous étions seulement sept, mais maintenant nous vous avons vous.” : des âmes séparées et lointaines qui se comprennent et se correspondent malgré tout. La pièce montre de nombreuses références comme des peluches BT21, des albums neufs comme plus anciens, mais aussi des références clin d’oeil à l’univers fictif Bangtan Universe.
Et lorsque Jin et Jimin chante:
“ Construisons une porte dans ton coeur
Si tu ouvres cette porte et entre à l'intérieur, cet endroit sera là pour toi
Tu as le droit d'y croire, le Magic Shop te réconfortera”
La pièce est éclairée par une fenêtre dévoilant notre univers commun et chérit. Un ciel violet, brillant d’étoiles, de planètes (cf My Universe) et de nuages (cf Bulletproof the Eternal mv). L’allégorie de ce lien si spécial.
