There are no weekends off in the occult sciences; magic happens whether you want it to or not.

Today I was awoken by a trio of crows yelling at each other just on the roof overhang just outside my window. I went out on the balcony to see what the fuss was about, and it appeared as though they were trying to repair my bent eavestrough, or gutter. One would hold the base and the other would try to twist the bent part back into shape. The third crow seemed like a manager, standing by and barking all the orders.

Is that magic? I think so. You may not, but you can't deny that crows fixing my roof is a practical use of perplexing things, something I try to do every day finding applied uses for divinatory tools.

I made the crows some popcorn, then got started bending my own material things. I'm carving and painting garden stones into a set of Runes, which I'll use as I write the next book in the Applied Divination series.

​The Pentacles are about earthly, physical, material things. It is money and careers, belongings and luxury, babies and nature, and everything we can touch with our physical senses.

Therefore, pulling the Ace of Pentacles in a reading is an extremely positive message about an upcoming productive or rewarding period in your life.
Because Pentacles represent so many visible aspects of our physical world, it is awfully hard to simplify the Pentacle cards down to one or two tangible items - because they represent all the tangible items in the world!

Questions answered by Ace of Pentacles:
Who? A baby 
What? A gift; A dollar
Where? In the garden
When? Now; Spring (Northern Hemisphere) or Autumn (Southern Hemisphere)
Why? It is time to strengthen your roots
Yes or No? Yes
 
Before any card: A gift involving (card)
After any card: Shopping, investing, new acquisitions

The Ace of Pentacles as:
...an action?

• Ground yourself
• Give or receive a gift
• Do some shopping
• Sell your wares

 
...a place in your house?

• A piggy bank
• A plant
• The baby's room

 
...a place in your city?

• The ATM
• The supermarket
• A department store

...a place in the world?

• Ethiopia
• The Amazon or Nile river
• Norway
• The Congo
• A safari

...something to eat?

• Corn or Maize
• Roots, seeds, berries

...something to clean?

• Water the plants
• Bathe the baby

 
...where to find the missing item?

• Near your money

...a color? Earth tones
 
...a movie theme? Opportunity, investing

• The Big Short
• The Producers
• The Social Network

 
...a new career?

• Property owner or real estate worker
• Landscaper or gardener
• Retail cashier, restaurant busboy
• business startup

Ace of Pentacles combinations
With Moon: Prosperity comes at the end of a long and arduous journey. Trust your intuition.
With Two of Wands: A new adult leaves the home to venture out on their own.
With Knight of Cups: A romantic fool dives in - a new relationship is born.
With Page of Swords: A curious mind finds treasure.
With Seven of Pentacles: Keep persevering - rewards are coming soon; tangible results may be apparent at the end of May.

Find out more about the Ace of Pentacles and other divinatory things

The High Priestess is intuitive and looks inside for the truth, rather than seeking answers from outside. The High Priestess is replete with knowledge of the world and can sense the direction that a certain path will take.
The Priestess is a teacher, guide, or wise source of psychic information. 
 
Questions answered by the High Priestess:
Who? Your own subconscious; a wise woman
What? You already know something, but you do not realize you know it; follow your dreams
Where? Delphi; Fatima or Lourdes; Macedonia; In your own head 
When? At night; During the new moon; June and July
Why? You know why
Yes or No? You know the answer
 
What should I clean?

• The tub or shower
• The blinds

     
Where are my keys?

• In a chair
• Near a window

 
The High Priestess as:
An action?

• Do some introspection
• Meditate
• Practice yoga
• Take a nap and record your dreams

 
Place in your house?

• The living room
• The bedroom

 
Place in your city?

• A yoga studio
• A University
• A therapist's office

Place in the world?

• Tibet
• Costa Rica
• Indonesia
• Kenya

Something to eat?

• Whatever you are craving
• Eggs
• Green tea

 
A color? turquoise, blue, Indigo
 
A movie theme? Intuitive wisdom, mystery

• Arrival
• Willow
• Hidden Figures

 
A new career?

• Psychologist
• Conflict resolution
• Psychic or intuitive healer
• Detective

High Priestess combinations
With Moon: Try meditation or hypnosis
With Ace of Wands: Intense meditation leads to a new start or new career. The drive comes from within.
With Three of Cups: Your friends know what is best for you - ask them.
With Queen of Swords: An intelligent person trusts herself and creates clear boundaries.
With Six of Pentacles: Spiritual insight is bestowed upon someone in need.
 
Before any card: Trust your intuition about (card)
After any card: Wisdom, intuition
 
The Major Arcana represent significant, unchangeable life events.
The High Priestess could indicate:

• A message from a psychic
• A gut feeling you cannot shake
• A fleeting thought you should not ignore
• Robes

The Magician is the all-knowing, all powerful person. The Magician has every tool they need readily at their fingertips. The Magician can conjure and create worlds.
The magic here is not mysterious, extraordinary, or fantastical, it is a practical application of reality. The Magician tells us to use the tools we already have to accomplish our task.
Our tools might be something we know, something we have, or something we are.
 
Questions answered by the Magician:
Who? Someone who knows a remarkable amount for her or his age or position; someone with a surprising talent; an actual magician
What? The use of an old skill in a new way
Where? An interesting shop you have never visited
When? Very soon; May and June; August and September
Why? Because you already have the skills you need
Yes or No? Yes
 
What should I clean?

• Organize your tools
• Your home office

     
Where are my keys?

• The tool box
• On your desk

The Magician as:
An action?

• Learn a magic trick
• Fix something broken
• Start a project

 
Place in your house?

• The office
• The kitchen
• A crafts area
• The workshop

Place in your city?

• A magic shop
• The library
• A craft store
• The office

Place in the world?

• Egypt
• Ireland
• India
• Haiti

Something to eat?

• Blueberries
• Garlic
• Chocolate
• Superfoods

A color? Aquamarine, blue, yellow
 
A movie theme? Magic, or already possessing the skills needed to win

• The Prestige
• The Martian
• Now you See Me
• Slumdog Millionaire

 
A new career?

• Magician
• Construction
• Network architecture
• Communications

Magician combinations
With Sun: Hard work and willpower leads to immense joy.
With Four of Wands: A dream is manifested at home; a home renovation project.
With Two of Cups: A partnership leads to successful business; creating strong bonds through hard work.
With Knight of Swords: A skilled person jumps into a career and finds instant success.
With Seven of Pentacles: You already possess the tools you need to reap great success this year; diligence will pay off.
 
The Magician before any card: You have all the tools you need to obtain  (card)
The Magician after any card: Mastery of a subject, resourcefulness
 
The Major Arcana represent significant, unchangeable life events.
The Magician could indicate:

• A skilled person, such as a professor or specialist coming into your life
• A life event requiring significant resources or knowledge
• A first glimpse of your future destiny
• A magic trick

The fool dances through the hilltops without direction, his faithful pup by his side. Blissfully unaware of the danger, the fool is poised to fall with the very next step.
However, that is just what we see when we look at the card. What we do not know is what is on the other side of that leap. The fool card asks us to take a risk and make the jump. Trust yourself.
If you were truly about to make a terrible mistake, your dog (or another trusty companion) might notice and warn you.
 
Questions answered by the Fool:
Who? A young person with his or her head frequently in the clouds
What? A new venture
Where? Somewhere new and unfamiliar
When? Immediately; January and February
Why? Because without risks and challenges, there is no growth
Yes or No? Yes
 
What should I clean?

• The baby's room
• The litter box or pet's area

 
Where are my keys?

• On a ledge somewhere

The Fool as:
An action

• Try something new
• Take your dog for a walk
• Adopt a pet!

 
Place in your house?

• A high location, such as a shelf or balcony
• Upstairs

 
Place in your city?

• Somewhere you have never been
• A dojo
• A children’s museum

 
Place in the world?

• The Himalayas
• The Alps
• The Rocky Mountains

 
Something to eat?

• Bananas
• Avocados

 
A color? White, Yellow
 
A movie theme? Taking a chance or a fresh start

• Sleepless in Seattle
• Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore

 
A new career?

• A startup or seed company
• Something in the tech industry
• Working with pets

Some Fool combinations
With Judgment: A person has an overwhelming urge to follow their heart.
With Seven of Wands: A person defends their outrageous new idea - it is good! 
With Ace of Cups: A free spirit falls in love.
With King of Swords: An otherwise disciplined worker starts a completely new career.
With Eight of Pentacles: A graduating student takes their first leap into a new career.
 
The Fool before any card: A new beginning regarding (card)
The Fool after any card: A fresh start, a bold risk
 
The Major Arcana represent significant, unchangeable life events.
The Fool could indicate:

• A new baby
• Changing careers
• Moving houses
• An engagement or wedding
• A precarious hike up a mountain