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Tarot
The Empress
The Empress is the third Arcana, where for the first time we see, united, the basic energies
expressed in the previous two cards: the creative energy of the Magician
with the passive, shape and deepness of the High Priestess,
the feminin and masculine aspects, Yin and Yang. It shouldn't surprise us then that almost
all decks present this card with an explosion of life and fecundity, many times including the
central figure showing an advanced pregnancy.
It is the aspect of the Great Mother par excellence, something that becomes even more obvious if we keep in mind that one of the common titles encountered when referring to the Great Goddess is that of "Queen of Heavens". If we look closely, we'll see that among the classic atributes of the Empress we find the Stars Crown, reminding us of this title. We also find the shield, portraying an eagle on the more classic versions, symbol of the Spirit. Arthur Waite and Pamela Colman Smith decided, instead, to change theeagle for a symbol of Venus, expressing in this and the heart-shaped item, the ruling of the card.
According to moden psychological theories, particularly following Jean Shinoda Bolen, the archetype of Venus appears as alchemical, of transformation. We can relate this from the more practical point of view with the changes women suffer during pregnancy. But this would mean limiting ourselves to just one aspect of the matter: the Empress isn't limited to create new life in the material world, even if the more classic (and patriarchal) interpretation would be happy to let us believe so. This new life, this new transformation, can be even deeper.
The Empress reminds us that whatever the change we want to do, the ability to do it and bring
it forth to light is in ourselves, something that becomes even more evident when noticing
that even when pregnant, the Empress is on her own. The power is in her. If we notice the
card that comes under this one in the three lines disposition, we will
see that this ability to get control becomes more evident. The image of the Cosmic Tarot
shows this independent attitude with an expression of quiet satisfaction: surrounded by nature,
the Empress is on her own, but pleased.
The divinatory meanings imply all these aspects: fertility as an obvious meaning, physical as in pregnancy in the more obvious plane, but can also mean intellectual fertility. It shows a strong and assertive female figure, and like Hera in mythology, another of the classic meanings it has is that of marriage. We should keep in mind, though, that more than Hera, the card belongs to Venus, inciting us with it's exhuberant display of life, to enjoy more our own with the certainty that, whatever we want to do, the strenght is in ourselves.
