ACE OF PENTACLES
The Ace of Pentacles as interpreted by Kirstin Wu & Anaïs.
As Anaïs said, a seed is the perfect symbol of the Ace of Pentacles to me. In truth, I often say that of all the Aces, but when it comes to this suit, I mean it very literally. As the first cards of the four suits, they are often described as the pure energy and potential of a suit. A divine spark; a drop of springwater spilling from underground rock; the first gust of wind clearing the sky. They carry the information, memory, blueprint and fuel needed to sustain their growth. We have the choice to do with that what we desire.
In traditional tarot depictions like the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the Aces are shown as suit symbols being held forth by a hand emerging from clouds in the sky. When we look closer, we can see that this hand is surrounded by rays of light. We’re being offered something by the hand of the Divine, whether it’s an opportunity, a form of knowledge, or something tangible. The magic that the Aces contain might not yet be fully manifest with visible components like flowers or fruits, but they are the source. The beginning, the gift of newness and possibility.
What stands out to me about the Aces is the space they occupy, since the act of generating something new requires a kind of openness. We have to be present enough to receive the gift of potential. With the Ace of Pentacles I think about the underground dormancy of a sprout in its shell, hibernation, a clearing formed by a fallen tree in the forest, raw ingredients for a hearty stew, metal before it becomes ornament.
Anaïs’ art captures that feeling in the best way. Being in nature, resting, experiencing the simple pleasures of food and play through the body – all of these make me think of the spaciousness and promise of the Ace of Pentacles. In The Soop has the components of nourishment for BTS, but they have the agency to choose what they want to do within that bubble.
The scenery that Anaïs drew really gives me a sense of grounding and calm. Watching a sunrise, I want to be present with the beauty and magic of the way light and landscape change. It truly feels like a moment that’s timeless, where we don’t need to do anything, where we could happily live. At the same time, there is the anticipation of the day ahead, and everything we can imagine doing.
In season 2 of ITS, when Yoonkook are composing in the trailer, Jungkook notes that it’s his first time writing music in nature, and Yoongi replies “It’s great. You can get so inspired here.”
That’s the feeling that this card gives me. The serenity that allows us to make things manifest from somewhere deeper, somewhere buried. The trust in our senses, in the earth being able to hold and resource us. The certainty of change, however slow. The feeling that there is no rush with the precious opportunities we’re given. We can take care of them gently, lovingly, steadily.
Artist’s Interpretation of the Ace of Pentacles by Anaïs @clubofechoes
Note: This interpretation has been written in English and French.
ENGLISH
I must say that I love this card and it was fun to design because it feels very refreshing, like the representation of something you desire, the beginning of something new.
Kirstin gave me keywords such as possibilities, opportunities, new growth and above all they emphasized the idea of seed. A seed you would plant now and that will grow to give something in the future, whether it’s about material needs or personal health or growth.
So my own thinking started with this flower idea representing the seeds, and opportunities for blooming. While I was thinking about the card, BTS In The Soop came out for season 2 and I felt it was the perfect representation of the card itself. In The Soop feels like a safe place, to us, armys, watching the show but surely to Bangtan too - even if it’s not a vacation time because it’s filmed - where they were able to use their free time as they desired. So when Namjoon took that time to absorb information, read books and exercise, Taehyung felt more comfortable with practicing the trumpet and playing video games, while Jin needed time to fully rest without giving this moment a productive or meaningful sense.
Since the Ace of Pentacles is dedicated to being physically in the world and being gifted a potential new beginning, I chose a view from Namjoon’s reading place in ITS season 2 and managed to draw it. He said he liked this view because he explained “you can see four mountains. It looks like a painting”. A re-energizing and sweet Namjooning moment, sometimes even with Yoongi by his side, that felt peaceful and all natural to me.The cards colors are mostly (or close to) pink, to emphasize this sunrise/new beginnings idea, and finally, we collectively decided, Kirstin, Natasha and I, to add some ITS past season elements such as Hobi’s airplane or the “iconic” tent where the boys used to eat together and have fun. In brief, where they lived their present moment, together, all seven of them.
FRENCH
Je dois dire que j’adore cette carte et elle était très sympa à imaginer parce que j’avais la sensation d’interpréter quelque chose de nouveau, comme quelque chose que l’on désire et qui ne peut que grandir et s’épanouir.
Kirstin m’a donné des mots-clés comme “possibilités”, “opportunités”, “développement” et iel a mis l’accent sur l’image d’une graine. Une graine que l’on pourrait planter maintenant et qui grandira et donnera quelque chose dans le futur, que ce soit un besoin matériel ou de l’ordre du développement personnel.
Ma propre réflexion a commencé avec l’envie de dessiner des fleurs, pour représenter ces graines et les opportunités à fleurir. Lorsque je réfléchissais à l’interprétation graphique de cette carte, la seconde saison de BTS In The Soop a été annoncée et j’ai tout de suite pensé que ce serait une traduction parfaite pour l’As de Pentacles. In The Soop me fait penser à un lieu sûr, pour nous, armys, spectateurs, mais certainement pour Bangtan également - quand bien même ce ne sont pas des vacances, mais une émission filmée - où ils peuvent utiliser leur temps libre comme ils le désirent. Alors que Namjoon s’est occupé en lisant ou en faisant du sport, Taehyung, lui, s’est exercé à la trompette et a joué aux jeux vidéos, par exemple, quand Jin avait besoin de se reposer sans donner à ce repos une vocation productive.
Comme l’As de Pentacles est une représentation de notre existence physique dans ce monde, j’ai choisi et dessiné une vue depuis le lieu de lecture de Namjoon dans ITS saison 2. Il y dit qu’il aime cette vue parce qu’il explique “tu peux y voir quatre montagnes. Ça ressemble à une peinture”. Un moment doux et stimulant, propice au Namjooning, parfois même avec Yoongi à ses côtés, qui me semblait paisible et naturel. Les couleurs de la carte sont (ou sont proches du) rose, pour appuyer sur cette idée de lever de soleil / de nouveau départ. Enfin, nous avons collectivement décidé, Kirstin, Natasha et moi, d’ajouter des éléments des saisons précédentes d’ITS, comme l’avion de Hobi ou bien la tente “iconique” où les garçons prenaient leurs repas et s’amusaient, en bref, où ils vivaient dans leur moment présent, ensemble, tous les sept.