The Nine of Pentacles & Marie Kondo

*not an actual representation of my rainbow organization skills*

I wasn’t planning on writing about the KonMari method - the tidying phenomenon created by Marie Kondo that’s sweeping the nation for a second time via her new Netflix show . In fact, I intentionally avoided it, thinking it would be too topical and click-bait-y.

But yesterday I was inspired to venture into my overstuffed closet and do some purging. After using Kondo’s technique, holding (or in my case, trying on) each item and determining whether it “sparks joy,” I came to some interesting realizations that synced up with the tarot and I just had to share it here.

One of my cards of the year is the Nine of Pentacles which I selected because I’m feeling called to take my finances seriously and dive deep into how and where I cheat myself out of feeling abundance. I, too, want to stand in a lush garden of glowing coins in a fantastic robe!

And as I started trying on my existing collection of “robes,” I was surprised to discover some unlikely candidates for “most authentic & joyful Gina uniforms.” What made me feel lush and competent like the Nine of Pentacles?

In a practical sense, it’s fun & punchy day dresses. But there’s one item that truly makes me feel decadent and powerful: insanely puffy 1950s cupcake ball gowns.

Over the years I’ve collected several, but usually with intense guilt. Where on earth was I going to wear these? In all my closet cleansings I go through the tortured motions of deciding to sell them. “It would be the fiscally responsible thing to do,” I tell myself, nevermind the fact that this is probably the only time I ever use the bloodcurdling (to me) phrase “fiscally responsible.”

And this time as I tried on the dresses I thought, “Wow, this makes me feel so incredibly amazing, it costs less than a pair of new shoes, and just looking at it makes me euphoric.” In other words, they sparks some serious, next-level joy.

Here’s where the Nine of Pentacles comes in, lest you think I’m running away on a passionate affair with tiered chiffon. In this card we see a figure clearly in touch with their ability to provide for themselves. They can see all their pentacles/coins and relish in their presence. They have enough and dress the part. There’s no guilt or shame or intense constriction (point of comparison: the Four of Pentacles).

In this card, we can see that being aware of your resources, celebrating them responsibly, and using them to express yourself leads to increased abundance. Our money should work for us, lift us up, and allow us to access meaningful experiences.

This brings us to my favorite symbol in the card: the hooded falcon perched on the main figure’s hand. It symbolizes our animal nature, the part of us that can get unruly, rebellious, and likes to follow its instincts unchecked, wherever they may lead.

In this card, however, the falcon has been trained. It sits calmly, ready to fly off at its owners bidding. Getting to this point takes patience, understanding, and a desire to look deep into ourselves. In my free-flying falcon days I may have spent a little too much on outlandish vintage dresses. Now, however, I know my weaknesses and have worked hard to tame them. I’ve directed my energy towards growing a garden and it’s providing enough to feel cozy an secure.

This is the time to send the falcon off on the mission or, in other words, let yourself enjoy some of the fruits of your labor, but do so in the service of your growth and abundance. So, in my case, allowing myself something that sparks joy in small doses - a cupcake dress every once in a blue moon - feathers my nest and gives me so much: inspiration, self-expression, and my own personal love of outlandish fantasy. All without running myself into debt or detracting from my larger goals.

It’s good to have a little wildness, especially when we can harness it to do our bidding.