Through the Mother and Three of Pentacles, this week we’re being called to work together to bring about nourishment. Can we team up and share the load? Welcome everyone! For an overview of what I’m doing here, please check out this post all about it.
I’m so glad you’ve brought the nourishment back in here Jenna, I feel like at the minute I’m just not winning on that one, it feels like I’m soaking it up like a sponge, but still feeling depleted. There is a inner conflict of the desire to reach out and connect with people and another part of me that wants to rest some more. I will see how that plays out and work with your wisdom. Love and light x
I have been reflecting on this Archetype and Tarot for days and in this reflecting, transfixed by the image of Three of Pentacles card in a way never before. I had just read in Tomberg, Letter V on The Pope, a few reflections on the pentagram, echoing some reflections in Letter II on The Priestess. So, already my wheels were turning, and then comes this draw.
Here is what I began to see from, admittedly, Gebserian and Gurdjieffian and Tomberg perspectives on the human (as I understand them). I shared with you recently that I have been annotating intertwinings for my manuscript. So, I'm going far afield here, but here goes in fragmented thought.
If we look at the human through the Gurdjieffian view as a 'three-brained (centered) being', and if we parallel this with Gebser's Magic, Mythic, and Mental structures moving toward Integral, could it be that the Three of Pentacles represents integration of three-centered being, ie, integration of Gebser's three structures of consciousness and that the Mother, maternal archetype, is here to support the movement toward???
Going way out there. . .
Mason as body (clay of the Earth)
Monk as heart (intervening [inter- between; vening - coming] between Heaven and Earth as a unifying field)
Architect as human intellect of God (in Antiquity, God as 'designer' with master plan.)
More here. . .
Carpenter: in Gurdjieffian perspective, this character might represent the vitalist and movement functions of the human; in Gebserian, the Magical; in Tomberg, that of the act
Monk as the 'soul servant' of God is the heart/emotional center in Gurdjieff; the Mythic structure in Gebser, in Tomberg, that of the rhythmic and mystical immersion in the Divine
Architect: in Gurdijeff, that of the intellect; in Gebser, that of the Mental structure, in Tomberg, that of Gnosis. (In this intertwining, the light and shadow are more immediately obvious)
For Gurdjieff, for the human to become fully human, the three centers must harmonize as one. You and I have talked about Gebser's Integral; In Tomberg, too, is the integration/harmonization of the act, the rhythmic, and the revelatory.
All seem represented here.
Inside the arch on the image of the Tarot Card are three Pentacles; inside each Pentacle is Elohim (God)--the God within each of the Archetypal figures: mason, monk, architect?
Within the totality of the three pentacles, the figure of the cross: the divine incarnation of God? i.e. Life . . . here, expressed through the human as an integral whole in the divine cathedral always being formed. . . .
And 'lo and behold' the Mother card is drawn through the hands of you on behalf of us all--to enwomb, protect, nurture, and love what is coming into being.
I will stop here. . . .
. . . except that the timing of the draw could not be more prescient.
Renee, I bow at your feet for your brilliance. I have read your comment at least a dozen times and, when that wasn't enough, I printed it out to read in paper form. You have touched something both timeless and revolutionary here. I'm sure you see the 'meta' nature, too, of your bringing together Gurdjieff, Gebser, and Tomberg--the three held together in the womb of your hands/heart/mind (you as Mother in this case). I also keep thinking about my model of the Container of Presence (which I really will get around to writing a post about someday), that convergence of Space, Time, and Being/Meaning. The Carpenter as Space, the Monk as Being/Meaning and the Architect as Time, all held together in the womb of Presence. I'm amazed that you came to all this through the 3 of Pentacles. I truly am in wonder of you, and with you. ❤️ We really do need to spend A LOT of time talking about all of this! And, also, as an aside, I would love to spend about 6 weeks in a hermitage, alone with Tomberg, absorbing and integrating his every word until I, at last, 'get it'. I want so much to consume his wisdom, but so far I've only been able to manage it in tiny bites, which I then forget by the time I return to it. In any case, thank you so much for sharing all that you did above! I cannot wait to discuss it all further!
Deep post Jenna! I find this combo intriguing. The mother as part of the triple goddess, maiden, mother, crone. (Three). In the not to forgone past families lived generationally. The elder/grandmother would help. The kids would learn my helping through chores. In the 3ofP it is not just three arbitrary people coming together. It is the three necessary components that make the project possible. For me this is deep message of the shadow showing up in our current times of how segregated/individualized we have become as a culture. This need to do it all ourselves, even the nurturing. These reading also provides the solution, a bringing it together in collaboration, which you stated. ❤️
I completely agree, Julie! I mentioned on a comment below that I think elephants are a good model for the way we're meant to mother...with all the aunts and grandmothers being heavily involved. It is the way our ancestors lived for millennia. I remember watching a documentary (and now I can't remember what it was) that was showing how the archeological evidence from paleolithic times strongly suggests the grandmothers stayed "home" with the children while the younger women went out for food. Really, that makes a lot more sense to me than the way we currently do things. And thank you so much for bringing up the triple goddess! I hadn't even thought of that, but of course, the Mother and the Three of Pentacles is so much about that.
Thanks Jenna! Just a few so far, I think it will pick up once we really get under way, and I'm also targeting some specific folks for collaborations... xo
Once again, these themes line up perfectly with my own life. I am so grateful to be able to sit in the quiet on this Monday morning and reflect and write around what the nourishing mother and creating more collaboration looks like in my life right now. It’s leading me deep down into my soul, my roots, and my thoughts about who I am. ❤️
Thank you so much, Liz! I love imagining you spending a quiet Monday morning reflecting on this. When I reflect on it, it leads me deep down too, to my very beginnings. And how, for me personally, I haven't found collaboration to be nourishing very often. But I know that the message this week is guiding me towards looking at all that in a different light and opening to the nourishment that's actually all around. In fact, I feel quite nourished collaborating with you on this comment. 🤗❤️
Fascinating Jenna ✨ my sister and I are working on revisions of our novel right now and this feels like a call to lean into the co-authorship and not try to take on too much of the project myself.
Ooooh, I'm intrigued on so many levels, Kerani! Can't wait to hear more about this project. What genre will it be? I'm imagining you coming up with a whole novel about your Star Catcher character.
So I just felt compelled to go to your Substack before I hit 'post' on this comment and I'm so glad I did (not sure how I got so far behind), because CONGRATULATIONS!!! 🥳🥳🥳 OMG, Kerani! I'm doing a big huge happy dance for both you and your sister. WOW! WOW! WOW! Such exciting news!
Aww thank you so much Jenna! 🥰 we're really really excited!
It's going really well! We've always had a good system for going back and forth with the writing. She's taking the first pass at revisions and then I'm going through and adding my own additions and edits, then we'll review together at the end of the month. It's moving fast but going well so far!
When I think of the Three of Pentacles and motherhood, I think of the term “it takes a village” .. what do you think? Because moms need cooperation and collaboration with others to be the best they can to their kids.
Yes, this exactly, Miriam! I completely agree. It does take a village. I think we're designed to share the joys and the work of motherhood, but our mainstream society isn't exactly set up that way. I like to think about the way elephants raise their young...with all the aunts and grandmothers taking active roles in the child rearing. Asking one woman to do it all just feels a bit unnatural to me.
Oh wow, Trudi! That card was certainly trying to get your attention, wasn't it?! Three of Pentacles in three different readings. That seems really significant.
I was intrigued by the Law of Threes you mentioned in the previous post:
“Every phenomenon, at whatever scale (from the subatomic to the cosmic)…arises from the interaction of three independent forces. These are variously known as ‘affirming’ ‘denying’ and ‘reconciling’, or sometimes simply ‘first’ ‘second’ and ‘third.’” Cynthia Bourgeault
I wonder how the three pentacles relate to the Law of Threes...
The three figures in the Tarot card: architect, builder, monk ~ is one of them ‘affirming’, another ‘denying’ and a third ‘reconciling’? Or are all three taking turns playing those roles?
It’s been many years since I looked at a tarot card in some depth, so here’s my wild guess:
It could be some kind of fluid role-changing interaction between the three characters, with the three pentacles moving around the little inner circle, shifting position.
'Affirm' means to state positively, strengthen, confirm
'Deny' means to reject, refuse, or declare untrue
'Reconcile' means to restore to union and friendship after estrangement, literally to ‘call together again’
All three elements contribute to continuous development along the evolutionary spiral, just like the three parts of the metaphorical peach – Mother – Father – Child.
Translating this into how I move through everyday life, e.g. in my work, I can see (1) myself (usually) in the affirming role ~ (2) external circumstances and primary feedback I receive (not always but very often, esp. initially) in the denial role ~ And. (3) the Space In Between, the zone where I’m learning something new, figuring out how to move forward in the reconciling role.
This is incredible, Veronika! Once again I'm astonished and humbled by how much I learn from the brilliant community here on Substack. For some reason, I'd failed to see the link between the Three of Pentacles and the Law of Three from my last post. But yes! That's no coincidence. I agree wholeheartedly with your interpretation of the three roles fluidly changing and interacting. And I LOVE your statement: "All three elements contribute to continuous development along the evolutionary spiral, just like the three parts of the metaphorical peach – Mother – Father – Child." This all-important three acting as a whole together while all three individual parts are constantly unfolding into and dynamically interacting with one another.
Because it might be of interest to you, the next statement in the Cynthia Bourgeault book goes on to explain her take on 'Affirming' 'Denying' and 'Reconciling' in a bit more detail. She says, "Affirming is the pushing force, the energy driving the process forward. Denying is the push-back, which can present either as active resistance or simply as the medium through which an action flows [I particularly liked the image this evoked]. Reconciling breaks the impasse between these two forces and allows them to come into a creative interweaving: a new synthesis, with its own integrity and creative potential." I really like her take on the Denying force especially. It's not necessarily outright opposition (though it certainly can be), but it's the thing that causes enough friction to notice; it's what creates the tension that moves us all. Your take on how you move through everyday life in this model has inspired me to think about my own life in these terms. I'm not sure I have much clarity on it yet. I wonder how often I am the thing that causes the tension (and not simply tension in a negative light like a tension headache, but also tension as longing). Thank you, thank you, thank you for all these wonderful insights! ❤️
Yes, so many different potential forms of expression in each of the three. "It's what creates the tension what moves us all" ~ absolutely.
Sometimes it's the pushing itself that triggers the resistance (denying). I look at it as a birthing process. And about clarity ~ in my experience life is about moving through clouds of confusion with glimpses of clarity (because every time I think 'I've got it' there is a new lesson to learn.
I know the feeling of perhaps 'I am the thing that causes the tension', and I would say to that 'yes and no' because it's never just us. There are always many factors. And at every passage we have to start all over again with 'beginner's mind' ~ meeting a new 'Goblin at the Gate'
I also feel it's definitely helpful to exchange tools (precisely for these reasons) which help us see the challenges and solutions in a new way. Thank you for your work! 💕🙏
I’m so glad you’ve brought the nourishment back in here Jenna, I feel like at the minute I’m just not winning on that one, it feels like I’m soaking it up like a sponge, but still feeling depleted. There is a inner conflict of the desire to reach out and connect with people and another part of me that wants to rest some more. I will see how that plays out and work with your wisdom. Love and light x
Thank you so much!!! I can't get enough of all of this!
Jenna,
I have been reflecting on this Archetype and Tarot for days and in this reflecting, transfixed by the image of Three of Pentacles card in a way never before. I had just read in Tomberg, Letter V on The Pope, a few reflections on the pentagram, echoing some reflections in Letter II on The Priestess. So, already my wheels were turning, and then comes this draw.
Here is what I began to see from, admittedly, Gebserian and Gurdjieffian and Tomberg perspectives on the human (as I understand them). I shared with you recently that I have been annotating intertwinings for my manuscript. So, I'm going far afield here, but here goes in fragmented thought.
If we look at the human through the Gurdjieffian view as a 'three-brained (centered) being', and if we parallel this with Gebser's Magic, Mythic, and Mental structures moving toward Integral, could it be that the Three of Pentacles represents integration of three-centered being, ie, integration of Gebser's three structures of consciousness and that the Mother, maternal archetype, is here to support the movement toward???
Going way out there. . .
Mason as body (clay of the Earth)
Monk as heart (intervening [inter- between; vening - coming] between Heaven and Earth as a unifying field)
Architect as human intellect of God (in Antiquity, God as 'designer' with master plan.)
More here. . .
Carpenter: in Gurdjieffian perspective, this character might represent the vitalist and movement functions of the human; in Gebserian, the Magical; in Tomberg, that of the act
Monk as the 'soul servant' of God is the heart/emotional center in Gurdjieff; the Mythic structure in Gebser, in Tomberg, that of the rhythmic and mystical immersion in the Divine
Architect: in Gurdijeff, that of the intellect; in Gebser, that of the Mental structure, in Tomberg, that of Gnosis. (In this intertwining, the light and shadow are more immediately obvious)
For Gurdjieff, for the human to become fully human, the three centers must harmonize as one. You and I have talked about Gebser's Integral; In Tomberg, too, is the integration/harmonization of the act, the rhythmic, and the revelatory.
All seem represented here.
Inside the arch on the image of the Tarot Card are three Pentacles; inside each Pentacle is Elohim (God)--the God within each of the Archetypal figures: mason, monk, architect?
Within the totality of the three pentacles, the figure of the cross: the divine incarnation of God? i.e. Life . . . here, expressed through the human as an integral whole in the divine cathedral always being formed. . . .
And 'lo and behold' the Mother card is drawn through the hands of you on behalf of us all--to enwomb, protect, nurture, and love what is coming into being.
I will stop here. . . .
. . . except that the timing of the draw could not be more prescient.
With all manner of gratitude and love,
Renée
Renee, I bow at your feet for your brilliance. I have read your comment at least a dozen times and, when that wasn't enough, I printed it out to read in paper form. You have touched something both timeless and revolutionary here. I'm sure you see the 'meta' nature, too, of your bringing together Gurdjieff, Gebser, and Tomberg--the three held together in the womb of your hands/heart/mind (you as Mother in this case). I also keep thinking about my model of the Container of Presence (which I really will get around to writing a post about someday), that convergence of Space, Time, and Being/Meaning. The Carpenter as Space, the Monk as Being/Meaning and the Architect as Time, all held together in the womb of Presence. I'm amazed that you came to all this through the 3 of Pentacles. I truly am in wonder of you, and with you. ❤️ We really do need to spend A LOT of time talking about all of this! And, also, as an aside, I would love to spend about 6 weeks in a hermitage, alone with Tomberg, absorbing and integrating his every word until I, at last, 'get it'. I want so much to consume his wisdom, but so far I've only been able to manage it in tiny bites, which I then forget by the time I return to it. In any case, thank you so much for sharing all that you did above! I cannot wait to discuss it all further!
PS. PLEASE do not feel any need to respond in comment to all of this!
Deep post Jenna! I find this combo intriguing. The mother as part of the triple goddess, maiden, mother, crone. (Three). In the not to forgone past families lived generationally. The elder/grandmother would help. The kids would learn my helping through chores. In the 3ofP it is not just three arbitrary people coming together. It is the three necessary components that make the project possible. For me this is deep message of the shadow showing up in our current times of how segregated/individualized we have become as a culture. This need to do it all ourselves, even the nurturing. These reading also provides the solution, a bringing it together in collaboration, which you stated. ❤️
I completely agree, Julie! I mentioned on a comment below that I think elephants are a good model for the way we're meant to mother...with all the aunts and grandmothers being heavily involved. It is the way our ancestors lived for millennia. I remember watching a documentary (and now I can't remember what it was) that was showing how the archeological evidence from paleolithic times strongly suggests the grandmothers stayed "home" with the children while the younger women went out for food. Really, that makes a lot more sense to me than the way we currently do things. And thank you so much for bringing up the triple goddess! I hadn't even thought of that, but of course, the Mother and the Three of Pentacles is so much about that.
Collaboration! Gosh, I'm really hoping more people will submit for guest posts to Qstack... ;)
Me too! I'm so excited about what you're doing with it! Are you having a good response with submissions?
Thanks Jenna! Just a few so far, I think it will pick up once we really get under way, and I'm also targeting some specific folks for collaborations... xo
Once again, these themes line up perfectly with my own life. I am so grateful to be able to sit in the quiet on this Monday morning and reflect and write around what the nourishing mother and creating more collaboration looks like in my life right now. It’s leading me deep down into my soul, my roots, and my thoughts about who I am. ❤️
Thank you so much, Liz! I love imagining you spending a quiet Monday morning reflecting on this. When I reflect on it, it leads me deep down too, to my very beginnings. And how, for me personally, I haven't found collaboration to be nourishing very often. But I know that the message this week is guiding me towards looking at all that in a different light and opening to the nourishment that's actually all around. In fact, I feel quite nourished collaborating with you on this comment. 🤗❤️
Fascinating Jenna ✨ my sister and I are working on revisions of our novel right now and this feels like a call to lean into the co-authorship and not try to take on too much of the project myself.
Ooooh, I'm intrigued on so many levels, Kerani! Can't wait to hear more about this project. What genre will it be? I'm imagining you coming up with a whole novel about your Star Catcher character.
So I just felt compelled to go to your Substack before I hit 'post' on this comment and I'm so glad I did (not sure how I got so far behind), because CONGRATULATIONS!!! 🥳🥳🥳 OMG, Kerani! I'm doing a big huge happy dance for both you and your sister. WOW! WOW! WOW! Such exciting news!
How is the collaboration part of it going?
Aww thank you so much Jenna! 🥰 we're really really excited!
It's going really well! We've always had a good system for going back and forth with the writing. She's taking the first pass at revisions and then I'm going through and adding my own additions and edits, then we'll review together at the end of the month. It's moving fast but going well so far!
When I think of the Three of Pentacles and motherhood, I think of the term “it takes a village” .. what do you think? Because moms need cooperation and collaboration with others to be the best they can to their kids.
Yes, this exactly, Miriam! I completely agree. It does take a village. I think we're designed to share the joys and the work of motherhood, but our mainstream society isn't exactly set up that way. I like to think about the way elephants raise their young...with all the aunts and grandmothers taking active roles in the child rearing. Asking one woman to do it all just feels a bit unnatural to me.
Having just had the three of pentacles appear in three different readings I did today, this has helped make sense of that. Thank you.
Oh wow, Trudi! That card was certainly trying to get your attention, wasn't it?! Three of Pentacles in three different readings. That seems really significant.
I think so, too. I guess I need to accept help from others and work in collaboration.
I was intrigued by the Law of Threes you mentioned in the previous post:
“Every phenomenon, at whatever scale (from the subatomic to the cosmic)…arises from the interaction of three independent forces. These are variously known as ‘affirming’ ‘denying’ and ‘reconciling’, or sometimes simply ‘first’ ‘second’ and ‘third.’” Cynthia Bourgeault
I wonder how the three pentacles relate to the Law of Threes...
The three figures in the Tarot card: architect, builder, monk ~ is one of them ‘affirming’, another ‘denying’ and a third ‘reconciling’? Or are all three taking turns playing those roles?
It’s been many years since I looked at a tarot card in some depth, so here’s my wild guess:
It could be some kind of fluid role-changing interaction between the three characters, with the three pentacles moving around the little inner circle, shifting position.
'Affirm' means to state positively, strengthen, confirm
'Deny' means to reject, refuse, or declare untrue
'Reconcile' means to restore to union and friendship after estrangement, literally to ‘call together again’
All three elements contribute to continuous development along the evolutionary spiral, just like the three parts of the metaphorical peach – Mother – Father – Child.
Translating this into how I move through everyday life, e.g. in my work, I can see (1) myself (usually) in the affirming role ~ (2) external circumstances and primary feedback I receive (not always but very often, esp. initially) in the denial role ~ And. (3) the Space In Between, the zone where I’m learning something new, figuring out how to move forward in the reconciling role.
This is incredible, Veronika! Once again I'm astonished and humbled by how much I learn from the brilliant community here on Substack. For some reason, I'd failed to see the link between the Three of Pentacles and the Law of Three from my last post. But yes! That's no coincidence. I agree wholeheartedly with your interpretation of the three roles fluidly changing and interacting. And I LOVE your statement: "All three elements contribute to continuous development along the evolutionary spiral, just like the three parts of the metaphorical peach – Mother – Father – Child." This all-important three acting as a whole together while all three individual parts are constantly unfolding into and dynamically interacting with one another.
Because it might be of interest to you, the next statement in the Cynthia Bourgeault book goes on to explain her take on 'Affirming' 'Denying' and 'Reconciling' in a bit more detail. She says, "Affirming is the pushing force, the energy driving the process forward. Denying is the push-back, which can present either as active resistance or simply as the medium through which an action flows [I particularly liked the image this evoked]. Reconciling breaks the impasse between these two forces and allows them to come into a creative interweaving: a new synthesis, with its own integrity and creative potential." I really like her take on the Denying force especially. It's not necessarily outright opposition (though it certainly can be), but it's the thing that causes enough friction to notice; it's what creates the tension that moves us all. Your take on how you move through everyday life in this model has inspired me to think about my own life in these terms. I'm not sure I have much clarity on it yet. I wonder how often I am the thing that causes the tension (and not simply tension in a negative light like a tension headache, but also tension as longing). Thank you, thank you, thank you for all these wonderful insights! ❤️
Yes, so many different potential forms of expression in each of the three. "It's what creates the tension what moves us all" ~ absolutely.
Sometimes it's the pushing itself that triggers the resistance (denying). I look at it as a birthing process. And about clarity ~ in my experience life is about moving through clouds of confusion with glimpses of clarity (because every time I think 'I've got it' there is a new lesson to learn.
I know the feeling of perhaps 'I am the thing that causes the tension', and I would say to that 'yes and no' because it's never just us. There are always many factors. And at every passage we have to start all over again with 'beginner's mind' ~ meeting a new 'Goblin at the Gate'
I also feel it's definitely helpful to exchange tools (precisely for these reasons) which help us see the challenges and solutions in a new way. Thank you for your work! 💕🙏