III. The Fountain
Element: Earth
Nurturing / Neglect
Propsperity / Poverty
Natural Beauty / Crudity
Satisfaction / Debilitation
Upright
- Things which may seem like luxuries to some, but which are essential foundations for emotional fulfillment to others.
- Unconditional love and nurturing.
- Good physical health.
- Living in comfortable and beautiful surroundings, or a well-kept dwelling.
- Foundations for fulfillment, success, and creativity.
- Having all the necessary elements to nurture happy and healthy individuals.
- Literal or metaphorical fertile ground.
- Access to luxuries which improve and enrich life on many levels.
The Fountain is a card of abundance, earthly fecundity, physical health, and nurturing.
It is a symbol of actions which are in harmony with the benevolent and beautiful side of nature. Being aware of the world's beauty, finding ways to share that beauty with others, and providing a home and nourishment to others are all ways to evoke the energy of The Fountain.
The addition of a fountain to one's place of dwelling could display their wealth, as well as their love for natural beauty, like that of flowing water. Hence, The Fountain is also a symbol of wealth which actualizes beauty and nurturing. It provides a foundation for future generations to be their best. A clean and beautiful dwelling, with abundant food and some luxuries, where children are lovingly nurtured and grow in appreciation could be said to be the paragon of what The Fountain represents.
Abundance, fertility, and natural beauty are the material aspects of The Fountain.
Emotionally, The Fountain is any kind of tender, nurturing connection. When The Fountain represents relationships, it represents ones in which people feel like they are cared for, and like they can grow in ability and appreciation from the emotional foundation provided by their relationships.
Card Affiliations
The Fountain is the Two Worlds Tarot counterpart to The Empress, Major Arcana number III in the Waite-Smith tarot and in many universal tarot decks. This card's meaning differs moderately from the universal meanings widely used for The Empress. Universal meanings for The Empress can be substituted or used to alter this card's meaning if the reader desires.
Reversed
- Poverty, lack of wealth, lack of nice things.
- Facing hard times.
- Losing a job or another significant source of income.
- Poor physical health.
- Lack of nurturing.
- Being unappreciative of natural beauty.
- A broken home.
- Having wealth and beauty, but being unable to enjoy those things for any reasons.
- Feeling like nature is an opposing force rather than a helping force.
Reversed, The Fountain indicates a lack of material wealth, or an absence of worldly beauty which may be actualized through wealth. It could also indicate a lack of a nurturing presence. Poverty or emotional neglect.
It may the the case that one has wealth, is surrounded by beauty, or has emotional assistance from others, but cannot enjoy those things for reasons of illness or other complications.
With the blocked or absent energy of The Fountain, making strides in the world will be much harder, for fewer personal and physical resources to draw upon.