Taurus season has begun! Let’s continue on our Decan Walk journey with the 5 of Pentacles. Associated with the first Decan of Taurus, here we meet Mercury in Taurus.

Taurus season begins on or around the 21st of April, and the first 10 days from the 21st of April to the 30th of April are linked to the first Decan of Taurus. This Decan is connected with the 5 of Pentacles, and the Astrological association is Mercury in Taurus.

5 of Pentacles: Mercury in Taurus: 21 Apr – 30 Apr

Most Tarot Card Readers & Tarot Students balk at the sight of the 5 of Pentacles card, mainly because it denotes difficult circumstances, poverty, and hardships. However, understanding the Astrological aspects of this card just might uncover some interesting layers within our understanding, helping us find better ways to deal with this card’s energy. Without any further ado, let’s discover how Mercury’s influence manifests within the context of Taurus.

The Decan: Taurus I

The 5 of Pentacles is associated with the first decan of Taurus, spanning from the 1st to the 10th degree of Taurus, which corresponds to the timeframe from April 21st to April 30th.

There are various interpretations of this Decan. A popular depiction is of a woman with curly hair, adorned in fiery clothes. We can see the card image, which shows a woman wearing clothes surrounded by flames. Her son wears clothes that resemble “smothering embers“. In the card from the Telos Tarot, the lady is wearing red clothes that look like flames, and her hair is the color of fire. Different artistic interpretations bring the Decan description to life.

The interpretation of this Decan timeframe is linked to planting and cultivation, building and development, ethics and wisdom, dividing of land, and engineering. In the image of the Telos Tarot, we can observe planting and cultivation in action. We also witness the land being divided and sectioned for agricultural purposes, indicating growth and development. This interpretation makes a lot of sense, considering we are right in the middle of Spring. This is the ideal time to start plowing the land and planting seeds, so that they grow and mature in time for harvest later in the year.

Astrology: Mercury ☿

Let’s begin by examining the planet that governs the 5 of Pentacles: Mercury. In Roman mythology, Mercury is known as Hermes. Mercury rules two signs: Gemini (an Air Sign) and Virgo (an Earth Sign).

Mercury represents the mind, the intellect, and the processes of thought. Often associated with communication and knowledge, this connection underscores Mercury’s role in shaping our mental landscapes. Mercury is an air planet and is all about the mind. It encompasses how our minds work, our intellectual processes, and our capacity for stimulating our minds. It governs common sense, reason, and our modes of thinking. Mercury also extends to how we express those thoughts. This involves our choice of words, writing style, and communication skills. It influences our habits and our learning abilities.

Mercury’s influence extends to commerce and business, as success in these areas requires a sharp mind capable of making connections, communicating effectively, and articulating ideas. We need adaptability and versatility, as these are essential for communicating effectively with various groups of people at different stages.

Another facet of Mercury is travel, change, and transitions. In Greek and Roman mythology, Hermes and Mercury possessed the unique ability to traverse all realms, including the underworld, the mortal world, and the heavens. This role as a messenger god granted him the power to communicate across different realms, making travel and transitions part of Mercury’s domain. In Egyptian mythology, this function was linked to Thoth. In Hindu mythology, the role of the Trickster-Messenger who could travel to all realms was performed by Narad Muni.

The Dark Side of Mercury

Like all energies, Mercury has a shadow side. The trickster aspect can lead to fickle thoughts, superficial thinking, scattered thoughts, prejudice, dishonesty, and errors due to haste.

Mercury Retrograde: A Time for Reflection

Mercury retrograde is a phenomenon often discussed in Astrology. This occurs when Mercury appears to move backward in its orbit relative to Earth. This happens because the orbits of planets are somewhat concentric and because planets move at different speeds. Mercury, being the closest planet to the Sun, experiences this effect more frequently. Retrograde periods can create communication challenges, leading to potential glitches and misunderstandings. That’s why we thoroughly review contracts and documentation before signing anything. This is also why we ensure our words are clear and cannot be misinterpreted.

Tarot: The Magician

Now, let’s turn our attention to how Mercury manifests in the Tarot imagery. Linked to the Major Arcana card, The Magician, this card symbolizes someone who can manifest ideas into reality using the power of his Will.

The Rider-Waite-Smith deck depicts the Magician channeling energy from above and then directing it downward to manifest his will. We see symbols of the four elements —a Wand, a Cup, a Sword, and a Pentacle —laid out on the table in front of him. In essence, the Magician harnesses the energies of all the elements, drawing upon his knowledge and skills to create. The Magician loves to make things happen. He is also a creator, the one in charge, and the one who can manifest. He is also flirtatious, manipulative, and egotistical.

In the Tarot de Marseilles, we see the lemniscate subtly drawn in his hat. He, too, has many things laid out on his table. He looks in one direction while he conceals a coin in his other hand, demonstrating how he utilizes his power of misdirection to “magically” make things happen. This is a trickster, a hustler. He also represents a new initiative, acquiring new skills, and training. We can see how thoughts create reality.

In the Thoth Tarot, we see the Magician as Hermes with flying sandals, going from realm to realm. He is making things happen. We see the inspired mental agility, perceptiveness, and mastery over elements. We see a similar energy in the image of the Telos Tarot, where the Magician’s shadow looks very different from the Magician himself. We also see an Ape, an animal associated with Thoth. We have the will manifesting reality through elemental mastery, knowledge, skills, and transmission.

Mercury is someone who utilizes their intellectual powers to achieve their goals. The ability to manifest through will, coupled with the talent for communication (mixed in with some flirting and manipulation, as required), is a very Mercurial talent that is quite obvious in the imagery of The Magician. All the cards embody different shades of Mercury’s Trickster energy.

Astrology: Taurus ♉︎

Let’s now explore the Sign of Taurus. This is the second Sign of the Zodiac, coming right after Aries.

While Aries was ready to rush right into things, fueled by fiery passions, Taurus wants to slow down and make sure of every step that they take. Where Aries charges ahead, Taurus wants to be deliberate about every action.

Taurus is grounded in nature and associated with the Earth element. After the energetic burst of Aries, Taurus encourages us to slow down, find stability, and connect with the physical world. Taurus is represented by the bull, embodying qualities such as steadiness, persistence, and a strong connection to the earth. People with strong Taurus placements often exhibit patience, endurance, and a tenacious spirit. They are also known for their reliability, deliberate actions, and practicality.

Venus rules Taurus. Venus is all about beautiful things and seeks pleasure. Taurus searches for sensual, artistic things because they bring them joy. They have a strong sensual side. Taurus prioritizes material security and sensual love.

Plowing, planting, nurturing, fertilizing, protecting, and growing roots are all part of Taurus’s energy.

The Shadow Side of Taurus

On the shadow side, Taurus can manifest as stubbornness, possessiveness, self-indulgence, and resistance to change. They may struggle with finding spiritual and emotional answers in a materialistic world.

Tarot: The Hierophant

The Hierophant Card is associated with Taurus. The Hierophant is a religious leader, a figure of authority, who guides others on their spiritual paths. The card also represents systems, processes, and organizations.

The Hierophant represents religious leaders. We have symbols of knowledge and wisdom. The Hierophant represents belief, faith, and conviction. It’s about rules, following rules, teaching, teachers, learning, students, and old-fashioned formality. Faith, knowledge, and structure form the core of the Hierophant’s energy.

The Hierophant in the Rider-Waite-Smith and Tarot de Marseilles decks depicts the Pope blessing his two students. We see the roses and lilies from the Magician once again in the dress of the two students in the Rider-Waite-Smith card. Now, they aren’t tangled up with each other like in the Magician card. Instead, each gets to be on the dress of a single student. Red roses symbolize the Rose of Sharon or the Occult Way, while White Lilies symbolize the Lily of the Valley, or the Mystic Way. Thus, we now have an Occult initiate and a Mystic initiate – each representing two different approaches to attaining Divine Wisdom.

In the Rider-Waite-Smith, Thoth, and the Telos Tarot images, the Hierophant has two, one, and two Keys, respectively. This is the Key to Wisdom, a symbolic representation of having the power to initiate or teach students. This tells us how the students, through following the path laid down by their teacher, can gain access to the knowledge they desire. However, they must follow the rules and traditions of their Teacher to attain this wisdom.

We see the Hierophant in the Telos Tarot card surrounded by an Angel, a Bull, a Lion, and an Eagle. These images are typically found on the Wheel of Fortune card and the World card. These are the representations of Aquarius (the Angel), Taurus (the Bull), Leo (the Lion), and Scorpio (the Eagle). Each Sign represents a single element: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. The Hierophant in the center thus represents the element of Spirit.

The Hierophant’s connection to Taurus stems from the need to be deliberate, systematic, and committed to one’s goals. The Hierophant, through the systems and processes it represents, symbolizes the need to follow the rules in order to commit to the work. The slow process of learning, teaching, and building a framework connects with Taurus’s steadfastness and earthy nature.

Astrology: Mercury in Taurus: ☿ in ♉︎

The card from the Oracle of the Radiant Sun provides a visual representation of Mercury in Taurus. Mercury represents Change, while Taurus represents Material Values. Together, Mercury in Taurus symbolizes Changes in Material Values.

The keyword on this card is “Resistance.” Mercury is all about transitions, and Taurus is all about remaining steadfast in material values. It’s a combination that embodies tension. While Mercury wants flexibility that rises from their intellect, Taurus wants to be cautious and plant their feet firmly on the ground. Taurus doesn’t rush into anything, while Mercury changes their mind with each new piece of information that it gathers. This push-pull creates a very intense energy.

Mercury in Taurus can be very practical, methodical, and decisive. They have the power of concentration. However, on the flip side, they can be rigid, immovable, defensive, suspicious, cautious, slow to change, and obstinate.

The Number: 5

5 is an interesting number. Often associated with the Sephirot of Geburah, this number embodies challenges, restrictions, and limitations. This is also why we see that the energies of all 5 cards in the Minor Arcana of the Tarot are so challenging to deal with. The 5 of Wands is about strife, the 5 of Cups is about heartache, the 5 of Swords is about discord, and the 5 of Pentacles is about hardships. Each of these cards represents a period of struggle that requires one to face the limitations of that suit and move past those restrictions.

When this challenging energy creates discord and strife, the 5 energy also facilitates interaction and communication. This number encourages learning and communication, often involving the senses to accumulate knowledge on several levels.

Tarot + Astrology: 5 of Pentacles: Mercury in Taurus: ☿ in ♉︎

The combination of Mercury in Taurus is linked with the 5 of Pentacles card. Let’s see how it shows up in the card imagery across our Tarot Decks.

As we’ve seen earlier, Mercury in Taurus is a tense push and pull between the quick-thinking, adaptable nature of Mercury and the grounded, material focus of Taurus.

In the Tarot de Marseille, a single Pentacle coin takes up space between the 4 Pentacle coins. This fifth Pentacle coin disrupts the previous stability of the four Pentacle coins. Leaves surround the central Pentacle coin, creating a boundary. The change is resisted. The change has taken effect, and things are no longer the same. This change can manifest as something new or as something outdated being pushed aside.

Mercury appears here in the form of change and transition, while the energy of Taurus shows up in the stability of the status quo, which is now disrupted.

In the Thoth deck, we see five gear wheels with different symbols. The red triangle is Fire, the crescent moon is Water, the blue circle is Air, and the yellow square is Air, and the black egg represents Spirit. Together, they form an inverted pentacle. This is the Triumph of Matter over Spirit. Instead of Spiritual, we are now focused very much on material matters.

In the Telos deck, you can see that the process of plowing and planting the seeds has started. Farmers are always worrying about how things will play out. Even if they plow and plant their seeds properly and on time— even if they do everything correctly—there are still many things that could go wrong. They worry about fertilizing the soil and about the rains, whether the rain comes on time and is sufficient for their crops. They fear whether the rains will be less or more. They worry about insects and diseases. Every little thing from planting to harvesting brings its special worry. Even after harvesting, the worrying won’t stop. The keyword is pretty apt here!

Mercury in Taurus shows up as worrying about material issues. It is the Taurean resistance to the changes that Mercury brings forth. Where Taurus wants to proceed with caution, Mercury wants to speed through the tasks at the speed of thought. Mercury wishes for things to manifest as soon as they are Willed. But Taurus manifests everything slowly and carefully, at the speed of the cycles of Earth.

The Rider-Waite-Smith card shows hardship, poverty, and struggle. We see two people out in the cold. One person walks on crutches and is lame. The other is old and poor. This card image conveys the feeling of rejection, of being left out in the cold. We see them walking past a building where the stained glass window appears to offer warmth and sanctuary within its walls. However, these two are still outside the building. Many textbooks claim that this building is a church. Did they ask for sanctuary in the Church, and were rejected? Or did they avoid asking for help because they feared being rejected? Did their hard times make them doubt themselves?

The energy of Mercury shows up here as doubt and fear, which emerge from overthinking. Of course, the worries are about material matters: their physical body, the availability of money and resources.

The Chosen: A Modern Connection

I have a fascinating story to share about the imagery on this card and a scene from the popular television series “The Chosen“. In Season 3 Episode 6 of this series, we see Jesus healing Shula and Barnaby. Shula is blind, and Barnaby is lame, walking with the help of crutches. Shula and Barnaby are friends, always together. He helps her navigate the road, and she gives him support and friendship.

In this scene, Barnaby comes to Jesus and asks him to heal Shula of her blindness. Initially, Jesus thinks Barnaby wants to be healed, too, but he says that he only wants Shula to be healed so she can see. When Jesus asks Shula if she is afraid to ask for healing, she replies that she is. Jesus then asks her if she has faith that He can heal her. She asserts that she does have faith, but she hasn’t asked him to heal her because she didn’t want to bother Jesus since he had other important things to do. She says that she is used to her lot in life. He tells her that they have been kind and lovely to him, and have been with him right from the start. Jesus appreciates that they have believed in Him even though they haven’t experienced a miracle firsthand. To Jesus, this was a testament of their pure faith. Then Jesus heals her. The first person she sees when she looks up is Jesus!

Barnaby, grateful for Jesus’ healing of his friend, is overjoyed. Shula asks about Barnaby, who again hesitates. He suggests that he be healed some other time. Jesus heals him, too!

To be fair, I Googled this and found that while this specific incident is not mentioned in the Bible, it is based on different accounts and stories of a similar nature.

This story reminded me so powerfully of the couple in the Rider-Waite-Smith 5 of Pentacles! While they had faith in Jesus’ healing powers, they hesitated to ask for healing for themselves. I felt as if they doubted their worthiness, their eligibility to receive the healing that they knew Jesus could provide. This resonates deeply with the feeling of exclusion or unworthiness that is evident in the imagery of the 5 of Pentacles.

Thanks to this story, the Rider-Waite-Smith 5 of Pentacles opened up another layer of interpretation for me!

Supporting Cards: The Ace of Pentacles + The Page of Pentacles + The Knight of Pentacles

These are the supporting cards for our 5 of Pentacles. The Ace of Pentacles is the seed energy of the Earth, while the Page of Pentacles is the beginning of sincere, practical action.

The Knight of Pentacles steps right in and starts to take action. We see him in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, surveying the freshly plowed land, in the Tarot de Marseilles image riding into the field to survey the progress, in the Thoth deck holding all the seeds, and in the Telos deck, planting those seeds.

All these material blessings, now planted, will start growing roots. Soon, little saplings will sprout from the Earth. And while all this takes place, you will worry about every step along the way. Such is the Mercury in Taurus energy of the 5 of Pentacles!

5 of Pentacles: Mercury in Taurus: ☿ in ♉︎: Resisting Material Changes

The tense combination of changeable and adaptable Mercury in the very tenacious and unyielding Sign of Taurus fosters worry and overthinking. It also brings about something new, which disrupts the existing status quo. It opens up the path to questioning one’s long-held beliefs about oneself. It asks one to eliminate self-doubt and to overcome the hesitancy to ask for help. It pushes you into a challenging space, where seeking comfort in the familiar feels distressing.

The 5 of Pentacles, the combination of Mercury in Taurus, is a card that invites us to explore themes of worry, material changes, and resistance to those changes.

🎞️ The Video

Here is my video of the 5 of Pentacles – Mercury in Taurus – the first Decan of Taurus.

–

📸 The Infographic + ⬇️ Download

Click on the buttons below to download the infographic for the 5 of Pentacles: Mercury in Taurus. You can also download the PDF version of the slides for this card, and the other handouts for making your notes.

Click here to Download the Infographics

Click here to download the Presentation Slides PDF

Click here to copy the Decan Walk Worksheets to your Google Drive

📚 Homework

📓 Things to Think (or Journal) about the 5 of Pentacles – Mercury in Taurus

Here are some things to think about or Journal, as you ponder the imagery of the 5 of Pentacles and its connection with the combination of Mercury in Taurus.

• What feelings does the image of the 5 of Pentacles evoke in you?
  • Does it remind you of a difficult period in your life?
  • How did you navigate through that difficult time?
  • Did you ask for help or seek out support to get past that tough period?
  • Did you hesitate to ask for help? Why?
  • What were the doubts and fears that emerged in your mind when you went through this time?
  • How did you overcome these doubts and fears?
• What are the spaces in your life where you tend to worry and overthink?
  • Looking at the insights that were gained from this card’s imagery and the astrological connections, what are your takeaways to address the worry and overthinking you end up doing?
• Students of Astrology: Do you have this placement in your chart? How does this energy show up in that area of your life?
• In your birth chart, in which House & Sign do you find Mercury? In which House do you find Taurus?
  • How do their energies show up in those areas of your life?

This energy of the 5 of Pentacles embodies the tense standoff between the quick-thinking Mercury and the slow-to-act Taurus. In this first Decan of Taurus, this is the energy we encounter upon our entry into this Sign. We plant the seeds, and then we are beset with worry about the resources we need and generate. While Mercury may give us many ideas and lead us to mentally walk through several “what if” scenarios, it is the steady, unflinching reliability of Taurus that will ground and carry us forward towards manifesting those ideas into reality.

In our story so far, we have seen the Emperor embark on his adventure in the 2 of Wands, fight his battles and survey his victory in the 3 of Wands, and ultimately celebrate his wins with his loved ones in the 4 of Wands. Now, he plows the field and plants the seeds, while worrying about every step that lies ahead in the future. After his conquest of the realm in Aries, he now focuses on tending to his lands in Taurus.

♥️ I Want to Hear From You ✨

Thank you for joining me on this journey through the image of the 5 of Pentacles and connecting it with Mercury in Taurus. Please share your thoughts, feelings, and any connections you’ve made with this card in the comments section below. I would love to hear your insights and interpretations.