If the Empress is the Divine Mother
here in the physical realm, her counterpart is the fourth numbered card, the
Emperor. Interesting to note that in Tarot the masculine spiritual energy of
attraction precedes the feminine spiritual beacon (Magician/High Priestess),
but the tangible source of nurturing and creation arrives before the masculine
representation of power, authority, and structure. First creativity is given
life and nurturing, and then one encounters the essence of more masculine
physical power, the domain of the Emperor. It is as if the Empress nurtures the
potential for success and abundance and the Emperor awaits the arrival of such
abundance in order to begin to establish the structure and authority necessary
to wield power with integrity. The Empress represents growth and profit, the
Emperor provides the backing to make sound decisions, protect one’s hard earned
territory and assets, and establish authority in a mature responsible way. The
Emperor is the archetypal father figure. He is generous but not doting. His
role is to provide and to counsel. He has the ability to defend those who need
his intervention, but will not bestow his resources lavishly upon those who
have not earned his respect.
The Emperor is the essence of power,
authority, and stability. He is a grounding force but is also a leader, a
warrior and a seasoned and wizened guide. He wears the appearance of a
confident, stern ruler who shows evidence of his experience in battle, but
currently rules from his throne. He has earned his place in his kingdom and
waits patiently to see if you are earning your place as well. He has resources
to spare when needed, but does not give in lightly to any requests for
aid. In modern cultures we do not look
to an Emperor for the final say, for protection or opportunities to work for
our families and homes. We do however seek the opportunities to show our
integrity, to prove our work, to obtain intervention and guidance when new
tasks are beyond our scope of experience. The Emperor is the energy of
developing stability and protection and learning to handle your own personal
power without unfairly crushing others (even if you can) but also without
holding back out of fear or insecurity. It is through the Emperor that we learn
to develop in our careers, set boundaries with our children and families,
protect our homes, and assert ourselves in all relationships. The Emperor helps
us rise to the challenge of recognizing our own power and knowing how and when
to use it. He is not a warrior for the sake of dominion, and warns against
overpowering others out of greed or conquest alone. He brings the influence of
the stern, but fair ruler.
If the Emperor appears in a reading,
issues of power, authority, discipline, resources, territory, protection and
assertiveness are at play. The Emperor may represent issues with one’s own
father or dynamics that evolved from the relationship with the father, but
extend beyond just this one individual into a pervasive response, a pattern
that emerges when we are confronted with authority, restriction and power. For
some this will mean accepting the lack of control in situations in which one
must collaborate with others, or managing confidently when dealing with a boss
or other authority. For others this may mean tapping in to your own sense of
confidence and authority, to assert yourself rather than turning unspoken
concerns into anger, depression, or self pity. This is a card calling you to
action as the Emperor brings the energy of Mars and Aries, and commands
attention and motivation to work toward achieving what you want, but perhaps in
the confines of an already established hierarchy. Whether the message is to
bring a voice to your needs and assert yourself or to recognize the value of
allowing those in power to assist you by appealing to mutually beneficial
goals, this is a crucial card for developing independence and navigating
through issues of power assertion. There may be the need to appeal to an
individual or organization that holds control over resources crucial to your
goals. The Emperor stands as an ally to those who are able to find their voice
and assert their needs.
Article by: Angela Kaufman. Angela is a Priestess for the Dragon Warriors
of Isis Coven in Upstate, New York, and the co-author of Wicca: What's the Real Deal? She is a professional tarot reader. For more information about Wicca: What's the Real Deal? visit
http://www.wwtrd.webs.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment