Modern Day Tarot Play: Know yourself, shape your life

In its most challenging expression, the Empress represents smothering or motherly lovers (Lovers, Moon) or the limitations and restrictions (8S) of searching for a true heart connection (1C, 2C) when moving only in the small social circles of the highly privileged few. When partners fail to meet the Empress’s status, class or wealth standards, this archetype needs to assess whether allowing their emotional comfort to be affected by social or material concerns really is the true path to love and happiness.

As a layout crossing card, this archetype can indicate, for both men and women, the selecting of an ultra-attractive life partner, either due to their looks, wealth or status, as a form of self-flattery. Unless a couple’s love can grow, change and penetrate further than merely skin deep, over time, when this attractive and flattering mirror image of the self begins to show its illusionistic and transitory nature, the ‘love spell’ will fracture and eventually break (Lovers, Tower).

Professional Life

Whether meeting the highest outward standards or keeping up appearances, the Empress indicates great success in the broadly creative industries: home comforts, family planning (3P), parenting, business deals, negotiation, diplomacy, creativity, art and design, literature, entertainment, high-end leisure or luxury services, beauty, femininity, nature, farming and fruitfulness in food, flora, fauna production (7P).

This archetype can indicate a flourishing business or much-admired project, even the best in show or a showpiece. Being the centre of attention, on display for all to see and admire (Sun), the Empress can also represent fashions, trends, image-conscious professions, branding and advertising (8W).

By their highly creative endeavours and infectious passion for their work (KW, QW), the Empress reaches the top of their game and can be rewarded with a vastly upgraded office space or work environment (4W), a highly desired new position (Aces) or the exceptional success of their product (World). Their creative efforts tend to have universal or mass appeal (Sun). They can be super-successful in all aesthetics-based businesses or industries where an appreciation of good looks, charm, an amiable personality, dressing to impress, beauty or style are the keys to getting ahead or commanding the attention of others (Sun, KW, QW). As such, this archetype can also represent ego and vanity projects (Devil, Sun), which exist superficially or only for show (Sun).

When flanked by positive, friendly and harmonious cards, the Empress’s work can bring great joy and contentment to the lives of others. Though it doesn’t constitute a basic survival need, their sphere of work can make people’s lives feel all the richer, as argued by the painter Pablo Picasso when he said, ‘You know, music, art – these are not just little decorations to make life prettier. They’re very deep necessities which people cannot live without.’

Property – Finances – Resources

The Empress can be an excellent provider, both of finances and resources (10P), and this card’s presence in a reading signifies great material success: the proverbial harvest coming in. Being a feminine archetype, this is the card of passive earning: it symbolizes a harvest time, when you reap the rewards of your previous hard work or past efforts.

The Empress can also be charitable and generous in sharing personal wealth and resources (6P), but must remain astute lest their passive and obliging nature is taken advantage of by others (Devil).

This archetype can represent living the ‘charmed’ life of a kept or independently wealthy individual, living off unearned family money, a trust fund or their partner’s income (KP, QP, 10P). If this is the case, look to the surrounding cards to see if this is a blessing or a hindrance to their overall personal happiness and sense of fulfilment. Chronic boredom (4C) can result from being handed everything with little or no effort. Also, if cards of delusion are present, this archetype’s sense of privilege or entitlement can be wholly imagined (Moon, 7C) and unfounded (Fool).

Health and Well-being

Being comfort oriented, the Empress can be prone to laziness or excessive passivity (4S); however, this card is a blessing for those who find it difficult to relax, rest and unwind, and is of particular benefit during trying or stressful times. It often signifies some form of retreat or well-deserved time off (4S), a time of feeling wholly nourished (Star) after a great effort or exertion.

During the passive Empress period, your emotional (Cups), mental (Swords), physical (Wands) and material (Pentacles) balance and harmony can be fully replenished and restored (Temperance). This is therefore the ideal time for natural conception or success with fertility treatments, which will be likely to result in a pregnancy (1C, 1W, 1P) and childbirth (Pages).

4 The Emperor IV

‘The expert in battle moves the enemy, and is not moved by him.’

SUN TZU

Personification – Psychology

The Emperor archetype likes to be first and foremost or given primacy and priority to retain their leading position (7W). Their primary drive or impulse to arrive first or lead the way extends to initiating, founding, pioneering, newness, novelty, innovation, invention, individuality, originality and uniqueness (Aces). The US Supreme Court Justice (Emperor, Justice) Antonin Scalia, aka the ‘Originalist’, once retold the story of two guys who were out hunting when a bear started chasing them. They started running, but the bear was gaining fast. One said, ‘Why are we running? We can’t outrun a bear.’ And the other said, ‘I don’t have to outrun the bear, I only have to outrun you.’ This is the survivalist mindset of the tarot’s Emperor archetype.

The Emperor’s quest is to find and propound great new theories or potential (Star, Aces), seek new horizons (KnW) and be at the forefront, driving, moving or leading the flock, herd, team, group or troop.

As the archetype of our primary life-force vitality, the Emperor manages, channels, aims and directs it into either material resources (Pentacles), love and feelings (Cups), physical acts (Wands) or intellectual interests (Swords).

In opposition to their Empress counterpart, the Emperor thrives on challenge, and will often take the path of most resistance (10W). They aim for the mark of excellence and the highest possible professional achievement in their personal or work endeavours (World, Sun). As such, their sense of self-worth and ego validation is often solely reliant on their outward successes and achievements. This can, unless consciously processed, set them up for huge blows (Tower) to their self-esteem and confidence (8S, 9S, 10S) when they experience any sort of failure, be it material (Pentacles), emotional (Cups), mental (Swords) or physical (Wands).

A destabilized, negatively toned Emperor who has perhaps received a blow to their pride or self-esteem can display exaggerated masculinity, will-power, selfishness, chauvinism, supremacy and defensive invulnerability (9W, KNW, KNS) or behaviour that is overpowering, domineering, high-handed, oppressive, opinionated, dictating, forceful, controlling, bossy, strict, authoritarian and even persecuting, intimidating, stubborn, unyielding, obstinate and inflexible. Yet in the appropriate context, this archetype’s rigidity can be key to their success.

Under stabilizing influences (Hermit, Hierophant, Empress, Judgement), the Emperor can display solid reasoning and judgement, extraordinary self-control, patience and persistence, a reasonable nature, and astute, intelligent and worldly thinking and decision-making (World, KS, QS, KnS). Under higher-minded influences, they are capable of great self-realization (High Priestess), conscious awareness (Sun), grounding (Hermit) and humility (Temperance).

The Emperor has great organizing ability and knows how to get the best out of others, be they family, friends or co-workers. They have strong parental and authoritarian instincts, born of an inherent capacity for home rule. The cards surrounding this archetype in a reading will indicate whether their parenting style is working for them or not.

The ultimate example of the Emperor archetype is perhaps film director and father of seven Steven Spielberg, who once said, ‘Fathering is a major job, but I need both things in my life – my job to be a director and my kids to direct me.’ Spielberg’s words are a great reminder that behind the Emperor’s throne there is often a strong directive, purpose or person(s) that empowers their otherwise self-directed actions.

Spirituality and Philosophy

Unless a spiritual bent is indicated (Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Hierophant), the Emperor archetype can be devoid of faith or belief in the subtle realms of the lesser known or seen, especially as these challenge their cutting-edge or leading world view based upon the modern cult of scientific materiality and sense-perceptible ‘fact’ (KP, QP, KNP).

Unless neighbouring cards suggest a heightened conscious awareness or sensitivity to the subtle, spiritual and metaphysical realities (Sun, Moon, High Priestess, Magician, KC, QC), that which appears illogical, irrational or materially inexplicable is anathema to the Emperor. They aren’t devoid of subtle perception, for they can read and appreciate fine art (KS, QS), for example, but the deeper spiritual forces (High Priestess) behind creative processes can elude them completely.

As the archetype who most appreciates masculine, tangible, material rewards and achievements (KP, QP), it often takes a great blow to the Emperor’s ego, resulting in the greater self-realization that induces a spiritual awakening (Sun, Magician, High Priestess), for them to overcome their psycho-spiritual blocks and resistance.

Personal Life

A positively influenced Emperor denotes honour, respect, protection, longevity, stability and monogamy in love, marriage and any other relationship (2C, 4W, Hierophant).

As the epitome of the protective male ego, the psycho-emotional well-being of the Emperor archetype (Moon) relies on their not only being needed and useful as a partner, but also worshipped and adored (Sun, KW, QW). Emperors are often dutiful, dependable, responsible, influential and highly regarded by their partners; their final word, on almost all subjects, being generally accepted and followed. As such, the all-knowing, controlling, possessive, domineering, commanding, patriarchal or motive forcefulness of this archetype – telling you what to do and when to do it or setting out what they see as acceptable behaviour – is often behind any long-standing relationship politics (5W).

Paradoxically, it’s the Emperor’s ultra-masculine charm and optimism that first attracts the opposite sex (Lovers). They often make exceptionally virile lovers (1W), even when this card signifies an older partner or significant age gap.

Beyond their better, wiser judgement, this archetype holds rigidly to any perceived challenge or ‘mountain’ yet unclimbed. Their instigating, initiating, prize-winning, ‘me-first’ attitude to romance and relationships finds the initial pursuit, challenge or sexual conquest highly engaging (KnW, KnC, 9C), but then they can lose interest once the ‘prize’ is won (KnW).

For a harmonious love or marital life, this archetype tends to prefer an ultra-feminine and compliant Empress type whose own male energies are especially well regulated, allowing them to bend to the Emperor’s will. For those who enjoy the traditional feminine role (Empress), the Emperor can be the perfect complementary partner. The modern, outgoing, high-achieving Superwoman type, being an Emperor in woman’s clothing, is likely to encounter a ‘battle of wills’ with an Emperor-like partner, which leaves the latter feeling unfortunately emasculated.