LexTalk

What if success isn’t just about what you have…

but what remains because you were here?

Okay.

That’s a MUCH deeper question than I expected from a card covered in little gold coins.

Welcome back to LexTalk Tarot: One Card at a Time, where I’m slowly learning all 78 tarot cards without attempting to shove an entire tarot guidebook into my brain at once.

Today, we’ve officially reached Card #16 of our journey!

And today’s card is…

THE TEN OF PENTACLES

At first glance, I think this would be an easy card to look at and think:

PENTACLES = MONEY.

Ten of them?!

COOL.

WE’RE RICH!

And yes, money and financial security can absolutely be part of the Ten of Pentacles.

But once I started studying the card, I realized it’s about something much bigger.

It’s about legacy.

Family.

Home.

Traditions.

Long-term security.

Things we build over time.

Things we inherit from the people who came before us.

And things we might eventually leave behind for someone else.

Suddenly those ten little pentacles have a LOT more to say.

So grab your deck, your coffee, and maybe your tarot journal…

because apparently today we’re contemplating our entire legacy.

No big deal.

Meet the Ten of Pentacles

Card: Ten of Pentacles

Suit: Pentacles

Arcana: Minor Arcana

Element: Earth

Core Themes: Legacy, family, stability, long-term success, security, tradition, wealth, inheritance, and lasting foundations

Pentacles are traditionally associated with the practical and material parts of our lives.

Things like:

Money • Work • Career • Home • Resources • Health • Security • The physical world

And we’ve reached the TEN.

Ten represents the culmination of the suit.

We’re not planting the seed anymore.

We’re looking at what happened after years of planting, tending, working, learning, building, and growing.

This isn’t:

“I made $20 today!”

It’s:

“What have I built over time?”

And that’s how I’m going to start remembering this card.

Ten of Pentacles = What am I building that will last?

Let’s Study the Ten of Pentacles

Okay…

This card is BUSY.

There is a LOT happening in the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith artwork.

We have an older man.

A younger couple.

A child.

Dogs.

Buildings.

An archway.

And ten giant pentacles scattered across the entire scene.

At first, it almost looks like someone dumped ten gold stickers on top of a family portrait.

But once we start breaking the imagery down, the meaning becomes SO much easier to understand.

The Older Figure

One of the first people we see is an elderly man wearing an elaborate robe.

His age can symbolize:

Experience • Wisdom • Ancestry • Generations • A life already lived

And this immediately introduces the idea of legacy.

This isn’t only about what exists today.

It’s about what has been built over time.

What came before us?

What did previous generations create?

What did they teach us?

What did they pass down?

And that doesn’t have to mean money.

We inherit all kinds of things.

Recipes.

Stories.

Traditions.

Beliefs.

Habits.

Values.

Ways of communicating.

Ideas about relationships.

Ideas about money.

Even little sayings we suddenly hear ourselves repeating and think:

Oh my God. I’ve become my mother.

Legacy is SO much bigger than an inheritance check.

Older figure = Ancestry, experience, and generations.

The Family

Nearby, we see younger family members and a child.

This strengthens the theme of generations and continuity.

Something existed before the child arrived.

Something will continue after the older generation is gone.

And suddenly I’m looking at this card thinking:

This isn’t really a snapshot.

It’s almost a timeline.

Past.

Present.

Future.

All existing together.

Family = Continuity, connection, and what gets passed forward.

And again, that doesn’t have to mean biological family.

Family can look very different from person to person.

It can include the people we choose, the communities we build, and the relationships that create stability in our lives.

The Dogs

DOGS!

Of course I noticed the animals.

Dogs appear near the older figure.

Dogs are often associated with:

Loyalty • Companionship • Protection • Trust

And honestly?

They make the scene feel lived-in.

This isn’t just a pile of money.

It’s a LIFE.

People.

Animals.

Home.

Relationships.

Security.

There’s a huge difference between having wealth and having a rich life.

And I think that’s worth remembering with this card.

Dogs = Loyalty, companionship, and connection.

The Buildings and Archway

The family appears within an established architectural setting.

We’re not standing in an empty field wondering what might happen someday.

Things have already been built.

There are walls.

Buildings.

An archway.

A community.

That imagery reinforces:

Foundation • Stability • Home • Security • Establishment

Something here has lasted.

And that’s another major clue.

Buildings = A foundation that has been built over time.

The Ten Pentacles

Obviously…

we need to talk about all those PENTACLES.

There are ten of them arranged across the scene.

Pentacles traditionally connect with material resources, work, finances, security, and the physical world.

With ten present, we’re seeing abundance and culmination.

But what I find especially interesting is their arrangement.

The ten pentacles are often noted as forming a pattern resembling the Tree of Life.

That adds another layer involving interconnectedness, structure, and the relationship between different parts of life.

So instead of:

Ten Pentacles = LOTS OF MONEY!

I’m going to remember:

Ten Pentacles = Resources + Stability + Something Established.

Much better.

Ten of Pentacles Upright Meaning

When the Ten of Pentacles appears upright, common themes include:

Long-term success • Stability • Financial security • Family • Legacy • Tradition • Abundance • Accomplishment • Strong foundations

And the key phrase for me is:

LONG-TERM.

This isn’t necessarily instant gratification.

It’s not:

“I posted something yesterday. Why am I not successful yet?!”

It’s the work we keep doing.

The money we slowly save.

The skills we develop.

The relationships we nurture.

The traditions we create.

The business we build.

The home we make.

The little choices that don’t look impressive individually…

but eventually add up to something much bigger.

Upright Message:

Don’t underestimate what small, consistent effort can eventually become.

Ten of Pentacles Reversed Meaning

You know our rule!

Reversed does NOT automatically mean BAD.

The reversed Ten of Pentacles can be associated with:

Financial instability • Family conflict • Unstable foundations • Short-term thinking • Disagreements about money • Conflicting values • Breaking tradition

And THIS is where the card gets really interesting to me.

Because breaking tradition isn’t automatically negative.

Some traditions deserve to continue.

Others…

maybe not.

Sometimes growth means looking at what has been passed down to us and deciding:

I want to keep this.

Or:

This ends with me.

WOW.

Okay, Ten of Pentacles.

We got serious FAST.

But think about it.

Families pass down beautiful things.

Recipes.

Traditions.

Stories.

Humor.

Values.

Culture.

Knowledge.

But families can also pass down unhealthy patterns.

And becoming an adult sometimes means deciding which pieces of our history deserve a place in our future.

Reversed Message:

You don’t have to carry every tradition, belief, or pattern forward simply because it existed before you.

What Did We Inherit That Isn’t Money?

When we hear the word inheritance, we usually think about money or property.

But we inherit SO much more.

Think about how your childhood shaped your ideas about:

Money.

Marriage.

Parenting.

Success.

Work.

Conflict.

Food.

Celebrations.

Holidays.

Affection.

Communication.

Even something as simple as:

What makes a house feel like home?

A lot of those beliefs didn’t appear out of nowhere.

We learned them.

And then eventually we get to decide:

Does this still make sense for me?

That’s such an interesting layer of the Ten of Pentacles.

Legacy isn’t only about what we’re given.

It’s about what we decide to do with it.

Ten of Pentacles in Love & Relationships

Okay…

Let’s talk LOVE.

The Ten of Pentacles can be a beautiful card to explore within relationships because it deals with:

Long-term stability • Shared goals • Family • Commitment • Building a life together

But let’s make something VERY clear.

Pulling the Ten of Pentacles does not automatically mean:

YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED!!!

We’re not doing guaranteed predictions here.

Instead, this card can encourage us to think about the bigger picture.

What are we building together?

Do we have similar long-term goals?

What does stability mean to each of us?

What traditions do we want?

What does family look like to us?

What kind of home environment are we creating?

Those are very Ten of Pentacles questions.

Upright in Love

Themes can include:

Long-term commitment • Stability • Shared values • Family connections • Creating traditions • Building toward a future

Reversed in Love

Reversed themes might include:

Family conflict • Different long-term goals • Financial disagreements • Pressure from traditions • Conflicting values

And that last one is especially interesting.

Sometimes two people love each other but grew up with completely different ideas of what relationships, money, family, or traditions should look like.

Those differences don’t automatically mean something is doomed.

But they may require communication.

Relationship Reflection:

What are we building together—and does that future feel right for both of us?

Ten of Pentacles in Career

Okay.

THIS is where the Ten of Pentacles gets exciting.

Because this card isn’t necessarily about quick success.

It’s about building something sustainable.

Career themes can include:

Long-term success • Professional stability • Established businesses • Career achievement • Sustainable growth • Building something valuable

And I think this is such an important reminder in a world where we’re constantly seeing overnight success stories.

Someone goes viral.

Someone launches a business.

Someone suddenly has a million followers.

And we’re sitting there thinking:

HELLO?! I’VE BEEN WORKING! WHERE’S MINE?!

But we rarely see everything that happened before that moment.

The learning.

The mistakes.

The posts nobody saw.

The work that didn’t pay immediately.

The hours spent figuring things out.

The tiny improvements.

The Ten of Pentacles reminds me that sometimes success isn’t explosive.

Sometimes it’s stacked.

One thing.

Then another.

Then another.

Until eventually?

You have something real.

Career Reflection:

Am I only looking for today’s reward—or am I building something future me could benefit from?

Ten of Pentacles & Money

Obviously, we can’t discuss this card without talking about money.

Financially, the Ten of Pentacles can connect with:

Long-term security • Saving • Wealth building • Property • Investments • Family resources • Financial planning • Stability

But I think the important word is still:

LONG-TERM.

This isn’t necessarily:

SURPRISE! MONEY IS FALLING FROM THE SKY!

It’s more about creating financial stability over time.

Saving.

Planning.

Paying things down.

Making intentional decisions.

Building resources.

Thinking beyond today’s wants.

And that’s honestly much less exciting than money raining from the ceiling…

but probably much more useful.

Money Reflection:

What financial decision could I make today that future me would be grateful for?

Legacy Isn’t Just About Money

THIS is probably my favorite part of today’s card.

When people hear legacy, they often think:

Money.

Property.

Businesses.

Assets.

But what if your legacy is also:

The way you made people feel.

The traditions you created.

The recipes everyone asks for.

The photos you took.

The stories you told.

The knowledge you shared.

The things you wrote.

The places you took your family.

The holiday traditions everyone remembers.

The encouragement you gave someone when they needed it.

The creative work you left behind.

The little things people associate with YOU.

That’s legacy too.

And honestly?

Those might be the things people treasure most.

The Traditions We’re Creating Right Now

This card connects beautifully with something I’ve been thinking about a LOT lately.

Traditions.

Especially around this time of year.

Decorating.

Halloween movies.

Pumpkin carving.

Family costumes.

Seasonal foods.

Little things we do every year.

Sometimes they don’t feel important while we’re doing them.

They’re just:

“This is what we always do.”

But that’s literally how traditions are created.

Someone does something.

Then does it again.

And again.

And eventually another person says:

“We always used to do this.”

And suddenly?

You’ve created a piece of someone’s childhood.

A memory.

A tradition.

A little piece of family history.

THAT feels like Ten of Pentacles energy.

What Ends With Me?

But then we have the other side.

Because legacy isn’t only about deciding what to continue.

Sometimes it’s deciding what NOT to continue.

Maybe there was a way people communicated in your family that you don’t want to repeat.

Maybe there were beliefs about money you want to change.

Maybe certain traditions don’t feel right anymore.

Maybe there were patterns you recognized as you got older.

And you decide:

This ends with me.

That can be legacy too.

Sometimes what we leave behind isn’t something we created.

Sometimes it’s something we were brave enough to stop.

Today’s LexTalk Tarot Journal Prompt

Grab your tarot journal because today’s card gives us TWO questions I really love.

First:

What am I building today that I hope will still matter years from now?

Think beyond money.

Maybe it’s:

A career.

A business.

A blog.

A creative project.

A relationship.

A home.

A tradition.

Knowledge.

Financial stability.

Memories.

A healthier version of yourself.

Then ask:

What traditions, beliefs, or patterns do I want to carry forward—and which ones do I want to leave behind?

And if you want to go deeper:

What does success actually mean to me?

What makes me feel secure?

What traditions do I want people to remember?

What did my family teach me about money?

What do I hope people remember about me?

What am I currently building that feels frustratingly slow—but might be worth continuing?

That last one?

Sit with it.

The Tarot Deck I’m Learning With

One thing I continue to love about learning tarot this way is realizing how much easier everything becomes when I actually study the artwork.

The Ten of Pentacles is PERFECT for this.

Instead of memorizing:

Ten of Pentacles = legacy, wealth, family, stability…

I can look at the card and remember:

Older figure = Generations

Family = Continuity

Dogs = Loyalty

Buildings = Stability

Pentacles = Resources

And suddenly…

Legacy.

The entire card makes sense.

Throughout LexTalk Tarot, I’m using a physical Rider-Waite-Smith style tarot deck so I can study the traditional symbolism while learning each card.

If you’d like to learn alongside me using the same style of deck, you can [check out the tarot deck I’m using here — paid link].

You absolutely don’t need my exact deck to follow along. I’m simply sharing what I’m personally using throughout this journey.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Learning Tarot With a Journal

I’m also keeping notes while I work through the deck because writing down these little symbolism tricks makes everything SO much easier for me to remember.

Today’s might be one of the easiest:

Older generation + family + home + pentacles = LEGACY.

Done.

If you’re learning alongside me, any notebook works perfectly.

But if you’d like a dedicated place for card meanings, symbolism notes, personal interpretations, and reflection prompts, you can [check out the tarot journal I recommend here — paid link].

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How I’m Remembering the Ten of Pentacles

Okay, beginner tarot friends.

Do NOT try to memorize this entire blog.

Here’s what we’re actually remembering:

TEN OF PENTACLES

Core Meaning: Legacy and long-term stability

Upright: Family, security, abundance, traditions, long-term success

Reversed: Unstable foundations, family conflict, short-term thinking, breaking traditions

Older Figure: Generations and ancestry

Family: Continuity

Dogs: Loyalty

Buildings: Established foundations

Pentacles: Resources and material security

And our main memory trick:

Ten of Pentacles = What am I building that will last?

That’s enough.

One card.

One idea.

And tomorrow we’ll add another.

Sixteen Cards Into LexTalk Tarot!

WE MADE IT TO CARD #16!

And this is exactly why I wanted to learn tarot this way.

We’re not memorizing 78 cards overnight.

We’re building our tarot knowledge…

one little piece at a time.

Which, now that I think about it, is VERY Ten of Pentacles.

We’re literally building something slowly that we hope will stick around.

Perfect.

One Last LexTalk Thought

I think the Ten of Pentacles asks a question that goes far beyond tarot:

What are you building?

Not:

What did you accomplish today?

Not:

How many people noticed?

Not:

Did you get instant results?

What are you BUILDING?

Because some of the most meaningful things in our lives take time.

A career takes time.

Financial security takes time.

Relationships take time.

A home takes time.

A creative project takes time.

Growing an audience takes time.

Building traditions takes time.

Learning takes time.

And sometimes we’re standing in the middle of the process wondering:

Is any of this actually working?!

Maybe it is.

Maybe you’re simply looking at something that’s still under construction.

And I think that’s what I’m taking from today’s card.

Not everything meaningful gives us immediate proof that it’s working.

Sometimes we have to keep placing one brick.

Then another.

Then another.

Until one day we look around and realize:

Oh.

I built something.

And legacy doesn’t have to mean leaving behind millions of dollars.

Maybe you leave behind traditions.

Stories.

Photos.

Knowledge.

Creative work.

A family that feels loved.

A business you built.

A home people remember feeling safe inside.

Maybe you break a pattern that needed to end.

Maybe someone has an easier life because of something you worked hard to change.

Maybe someone remembers that you believed in them.

Maybe something you create today helps someone you’ve never even met.

That’s legacy too.

So today’s little LexTalk assignment is simple:

Ask yourself what you’re building.

And if it matters to you?

Keep going.

Even if it’s growing slowly.

Even if nobody else sees the vision yet.

Even if the reward isn’t immediate.

Because sometimes the things that take the longest to build…

are the things that last.

Ten of Pentacles = What am I building that will last?

One card. One lesson. One little bit of magic at a time.

— Lex

Tarot interpretations are subjective and are shared here for personal reflection, education, and entertainment. Tarot should not replace professional medical, legal, mental health, or financial advice.