Bohemian Gothic Tarot

KNIGHT OF PENTACLES

Lighter or more conventional meanings

Following a routine dutifully * Doggedly hardworking * Reliable and trustworthy, though lacking imagination * Tremendous practical ability to get things done - as long as creativity is not required * Always doing the right thing, though it does get dull to never ever rebel * Getting stuck in a rut.

Darker, shadow or more hidden meanings

Going around in circles * Obsessive compulsive disorder * Feeling stuck, unable to move on * Never "losing your head" always being predictable and rather dull * Hemmed in by your riches, though you also find them comforting * A longing to break out of the endless routine.

The headless horseman is a cliche of older ghost stories, so much so that it's gently parodied by J.K. Rowling whose character Nearly Headless Nick is a resident ghost of Hogwarts School.

In our depiction the Knight is inside a great hall and looks as though he is either stock still or riding (or floating in ghostly manner) very slowly. All around him, hung on the walls, are more suits of armour and numerous trophy animal heads. Firelight glows over all. The whole scene is claustrophobic, the Knight completely sealed in his armour and carrying, not his naked head, but his helmet, which is also sealed so that we can't see what, if anything, is inside. Presumably he is tied to the place and appears at regular intervals, and there is a strong sense in this image, of a lack of vitality and change.

The Bohemian Gothic Knight of Pentacles refers to a person who is not merely a little pedantic but stuck in a cycle of behaviour that they can't break out of. At times, their sense of routine and reliability can be useful and functional but when it continues over a long period it can become debilitating and depressing, or even nightmarishly claustrophobic. We can admire the Knight for his ability to stick to a task, but we may also be frustrated by his tendency to do things exactly the same way time after time, and his aversion to risk and innovation.

Some further ways to consider this card

Compare this image with some the others that show animal skulls and bones; The Emperor and the Nine of Pentacles. What associations do these images have for you? What attitudes and personality traits might this "animal remains" aspect of the three cards symbolise?