On the Tree of Life, she is placed on the fourth pathway between the spheres

of Binah and Chockmah. Binah is female intelligence, while Chockmah is male

wisdom. The seeds of male and female within the Empress conceive new life.

UPRIGHT MEANING
The gifts of the Empress are abundance and material comfort, sensuality and
security, and emotional support. This is an auspicious card for children and
families, showing harmony at home; if you are hoping to begin a family, the
Empress symbolizes fertility and femininity. Your creative projects thrive and
you prosper financially now, too. The Empress is resourceful, so when she
appears in your reading, you can feel assured that your needs will be met. This
card, therefore, shows the influence of a nurturing mother figure who supports
you. As the you/your situation card in a reading, it reveals you are a good mother
to others—and to yourself.
Here are some additional possibilities:

Home: renovation and extensions, home improvements; considering a move

to a larger home; tending a garden
Relationships: Happiness—If single, this indicates a good time to begin a
relationship. Harmonious relationships exist within the family.
Career and money: Security; money flows—In work, you are resourceful,
able to support others, and come up with inventive ways to manage your
projects.

REVERSED MEANING
When reversed, the Empress shows financial issues and domestic strife. This
may take the form of a controlling and disruptive influence at home. She can
also show a creative block in your projects and someone who is needy and takes
too much from you. The result of these challenges and demands is stressful, and
there may be an impact on fertility if this is an issue for you now—literally in
terms of conceiving a child or figuratively in terms of finding the time and peace
of mind to grow an idea.
HER WISDOM MESSAGE
Life is abundant.

THE EMPRESS’S SYMBOLS

In the Rider-Waite tarot, the Empress appears with these magical symbols. Some
of them reappear in other major arcana cards, so learn to recognize them and
you’ll soon find you can apply your knowledge throughout the deck.

The starry crown: The half-crown, or diadem, holds twelve stars, a common
emblem on paintings of the Virgin Mary; the Book of Revelation 12:1–2
mentions a woman, interpreted as Mary, as, “Clothed with the sun, and the
moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” The twelve
stars may signify the twelve tribes of Israel, and some tarotists associate them
with the twelve astrological signs. The number twelve signifies unity.
The laurel wreath: The wreath the Empress wears just below her crown
shows peace and success.
See this victory symbol on the Six of Wands, the Two of Cups, and the
Seven of Cups.
Pomegranates: The pomegranate design on the Empress’s dress denotes
fertility, death, and rebirth and relates to the myth of the Greek goddess of the
harvest, Demeter. The fate of her daughter, Persephone, was determined by
Persephone eating the seeds of the pomegranate in the underworld (see The
Historical Empress).
See this symbol on card II, The High Priestess.
The pearl necklace: The seven pearls, meaning wisdom, also represent the
seven major chakras in harmony—base, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat,
third eye, and crown (see page 235). The seven pearls also link with the seven
classical planets.
The shield with the sign of Venus: The Venus sign—the circle with the cross
beneath—is associated with the goddess Venus, for love, beauty, and
creativity. It embodies the sun and the earth.
The scepter: This is an emblem of state. The Empress is ruler of her own land
and is secure in her authority. The orb atop it and the Empress’s hand position
echoes the shape of the sign of Venus. (See Venus above.)
The corn: The ripe corn, ready for harvest, stands for rewards, fertility, and
abundance. (See The Historical Empress.)
Yellow background: consciousness, clear sight, and support
See this on the I, The Magician; VII, The Chariot; VIII, Strength; and XI,
Justice.
 THE HISTORICAL EMPRESS: ROOTS OF
THE GODDESS
The Empress is the great mother goddess at the heart of many ancient
beliefs: the Roman Venus and Diana; the Sumerian Innana, Queen of
Heaven; the Celtic goddess Brigid; the Egyptian deities Hathor and Isis;
the Virgin Mary; the Nordic goddesses Freyja and Frigg; the Greek
Aphrodite and Gaia; and the Hindu Parvati.
The ripe corn shown in the foreground of the card also associates the
Empress with Demeter, the “grain mother,” Greek goddess of the harvest
and the cycles of nature. When Demeter’s daughter, Persephone, was
abducted by Hades, Demeter bargained to get her back by threatening to
withhold the grain harvest. It was agreed that Persephone could return to
her mother, but only if she had not eaten anything when with Hades. Alas,
Persephone had eaten six seeds of the pomegranate (the fruit depicted on
the dress of the Empress). And so Persephone was allowed to return to her
mother and the earth for six months of the year, through spring and
summer, but cursed to spend the other six months of fall and winter in the
darkness that was Hades—a metaphor for the rhythms of the seasons that
the mother-goddess Empress embodies.

THE EMPRESS’S REFLECTIONS

The Queen of Cups, for love and nurturing—the heart aspect
The Queen of Pentacles, for generosity and security—the physical body
The Queen of Swords, for the intellect—the mind aspect
The Queen of Wands, for creativity and communication—the soul aspect
Nine of Pentacles, for money, luxury, and self-authority

TRY A READING WITH THE EMPRESS: GROWING

CREATIVITY AND ABUNDANCE
Take the Empress from your deck and lay her before you. Now shuffle all the
remaining cards and then cut the deck or fan out the cards facedown. Choose
three with your left hand and place them around the Empress as shown. You
could ask, “How can I develop my ideas/be more creative?” or “How do I have
more abundance in my life?”

Card 1: You/your present situation

Card 2: The source of abundance—where to focus your expectation and
attention
Card 3: The outcome
 IV THE EMPEROR

Alternative Name: The Grandfather

Number: IV
Numerology Link: XIII, Death
Astrological Sign or Planet: Aries the Ram
Element: Fire
Hebrew Letter: Hei (Heh)
Symbol: Window
Meaning: Progress
Tree of Life Pathway: Fifth, between Tiphareth and Chockmah
Chakra: Base, for security
Key Meanings: Control, security, order, and ambition
UNDERSTANDING THE EMPEROR
The Emperor is the father archetype, a symbol of male power and virility. His
beard shows he is a man of maturity and wisdom, a forerunner of the Hermit, the
other bearded man of the tarot, whom the Emperor will become in later years.
Yet at this time of his existence, he is still full of vigor and ready to take action
to defend his realm, as we see from the battle armor showing beneath his robes
of state.
His number is IV, for the four compass points and for stability and order. The
Emperor is sure of his position, and he sits squarely in place on his throne of
stone, high-backed and secure in a landscape that appears to be little more than
barren rock. Yet the mountains, almost equal in height on each side, seem to
protect him, and his throne, higher than the peaks of the rocks, suggests he is in
control of this strange environment. A tiny river runs behind him, perceptible at
the base of the mountains—a sign of the potential for growth and cultivation of
the land as he directs. The Emperor is a pioneer and a true Aries, shown by the
rams’ heads on his throne; his will drives him forward.
And as the Emperor knows the boundaries of his territory, he is realistic about
the sphere of his influence. He also maintains and defends his boundaries
appropriately, through rational negotiation rather than force.
In the major arcana sequence, the Emperor comes after his consort card III,
The Empress, and before card V, The Hierophant. In traditional societies, this
sequence reflected power status, from mother under father and priest at the top,
being closest to God. The Emperor corresponds in numerology with card XIII,
Death, perhaps linking with the Emperor’s warrior aspects in that physical death
would have been very much part of life as a feudal ruler. The Emperor and Death
are the only two major arcana cards that show figures with visible leg armor.

THE EMPEROR’S ASTROLOGY

The Emperor’s astrological sign is Aries, the Ram the first sign of the zodiac
(March 21–April 20). He has fire and determination, the qualities of leadership.
Aries is ruled by Mars, planet of war, indicated by the Emperor’s armor. It is
known as the fiery planet, echoed in the color orange in the landscape behind the
Emperor’s throne and his red robes, which are also a sign of his sovereignty.
THE EMPEROR AND KABBALA
The Emperor’s Hebrew letter is Hei, which means progress. Another meaning of
Hei is window, or portal, through which streams the light of consciousness. He is
fully aware of who he is and of his place in the world. Placed on the fifth Tree of
Life pathway between the spheres of Tiphareth, for beauty and rebirth, and
Chockmah, male principle.

UPRIGHT MEANING
In a reading, the Emperor can denote a powerful man, and the traditional male
aspects of rulership and ambition. As the consort of card III, The Empress, he
signifies the husband or other intimate partner who is constant and trustworthy.
He is in control of his emotions, and comfortable with who he is. Less appealing,
depending on your perspective, is his need for conformity. Although he may
have ambition, tradition is essential to his happiness.
As a general influence or symbol of the self he brings balance, security, and
conventional values. He reveals mastery of life and control over territory, and
predicts that problems can be overcome with careful planning and single-
mindedness. He shows a return to order, so his arrival in your reading is a
welcome sign of improvement in your circumstances. You may also be offered
protection from someone you trust; you can also trust yourself to make the right
decisions.
It’s time to live in the here and now, and use what practical resources you
possess—wisdom, determination, and the skills of others—to realize your next
steps. Be the leader.
Here’s what he represents in specific areas of your life:

Home: Order and smooth running. However, it is also important to set

boundaries and protect what is yours.
Relationships: A new partner, or focusing on practical matters and future
planning in established partnerships. Loyalty in love.
Career and money: Finances get organized and you plan how to balance
expenditures. You can expect to have fairness at work and to be sure of your
goals; you will either enjoy this new structure or feel it stifles your creativity.