ShadowWolf - The Empress
The Empress
"A stately figure, seated, having rich vestments and royal aspect, as of a daughter of heaven and earth. Her diadem is of twelve stars, gathered in a
cluster. The symbol of Venus is on the shield which rests near her. A field of corn is ripening in front of her, and beyond there is a fall of water.
The sceptre which she bears is surmounted by the globe of this world. She is the inferior Garden of Eden, the Earthly Paradise, all that is symoblized by the visible house of man. She is not Regina Coeli, but she is still refugi um peccatorum, the fruitful mother of thousands. There are also certain aspects in which she has been correctly described as desire and the wings
thereof, as the woman clothed with the sun, as the Gloria Mundi and the veil of the Sanctum Sanctorum; but she is not, I many add, the soul that has attained wings, unless all the symbolism is counted up another and unusual way. She is above all things universal fecundity and the outehr sense of the Word. This is obvious, because there is no direct message which as been given to man like that which is borne by woman; but she does not herself carry its interpretation.
In another order of ideas, the card of the Empress signifies the door or gate by which an entrance is obtained into this life, as into the Garden of
Venus; and then the way which leads out therefrom, into that which is beyond, is the secret known to the High Priestess: it is communicated by her to the elect. Most old attributes of this card are completely wrong on the symbolism--as, for example, its identification with the Word, Divine Nature, the Triad and so forth."
For some reason I will always hold in my mind one of the first classes I ever took ages ago, where the teacher described the empress as a real "hubba hubba, come hither" woman- vastly different approach from the maternal, nurturing role we often see described in the books, wouldn't you say? But with validity there somewhere.
So we've looked at the calm introverted High Priestess, and even though we spend alot of time thinking about our intuition, or hoping its there- did we
really get to know her? Does the HP make you want to just give her a hug? Or is there more of a respectful distance to be kept? And why is that?
Well here we are with the Empress now, who instead of formally sitting on a throne, is just a lounging in the great outdoors, legs apart, belly pregnant, and while she's not giving a huge grin, nor does she seem foreboding.
The obvious fertility, ripeness of this card takes us to interpretations of motherhood, fruitfulness, growth. All around her in this card, nature is plentiful. While the HP might be thought of as the maiden Goddess, this is definitely the Mother. In her life, in all its glory, is ruled. Yet as feminine a card as this is, does it solely pertain to females? Of course
not.
This card shows fertility of ALL things- not just the simplistic birth of a child interpretation. Indeed creativity, the birth of ideas, projects, new
adventures, a new love and passion--these are all at some point birthed. Each individual has the seeds of this type of epiphany in them.
Also, do you see her as sexy? Getting back to the hubbahubba idea. The american cultures have minimized sexuality to a point of near oblivion. Even now, with the advent of such goddess cultures, there is still the
undercurrent of sex vs power. Here we have an EMPRESS... a RULER folks. She is in charge big time. And she's sexy.
So what does this say to us? Look at ourselves, accept that part of us. It doesn't have to be a run away train, perhaps we see the card and learn how to
take the sensual, fertile part of us and channel it into something meaningful and powerful. Perhaps we see it and simply decide to have fun and romp with
nature.
She is holding a scepter, topped by a globe in her right hand- she rules the world. The heartshape shield under the right arm has the symbol of Venus, love, protection, nurturing, and Venus is the planet associated with this card. There are many other goddesses that preceded and followed Venus- take
the time to remember this card when you run across them in books or other sources-Demeter, Ceres. Also look for the mother images that are NOT so pleasant- the Empress reversed. There are folktales and myths with the evil stepmother. See this shadow side of the loving Empress.
Some symbolism:
cypress trees- sacred to Venus, symbolizing growth and change, long life with the usual sorrows and blessings
Wheat- big time symbol of life, used alot in feritlity, harvest type rituals
The Water- reminds us of the stream of consciousness we saw in the HP- and falling integrates the masculine and feminine (note: the "grain-near-a-waterfall" motif was a Gnostic symobl of feritility later used by Freemasons to symbolize earth and sea fertility) Also remember the huge role that water played in much of mankinds early history, survival was its essence.
White robe of purity with roses of red, lust, fertility and desire
Orange pillows of creativity, red for passion, yellow sky of illumination
Laurel wreathed crown for success, victory which is definitely hers- as the ruler of her world; 12 stars of heaven over the world Pearled necklaces (pearls are sea gems, relating to the depths of wisdom, emotions), 7 pearls- hmm, perhaps the 7 planets, or ?
When this card comes up perhaps it means creativity, depending on its place in a spread- the beginning or flourishing of a project of some sort, or perhaps that it is time to throw ourselves into a passion- be it a
person or a life work, a time when life is pregnant with ideas that are important. Remember, this is a major arcana card, and she is the Empress--there is
strength in the loving rulership, the caring nurturing.
Perhaps reversed this might take it to the other extreme of overprotection, obsessive love, not
doing what you love, or not giving the love and nurturing.
And remember that while the HP was turned inwards, this card (look at her open posture lounging on the throne!) is more action oriented, time to take what has been going on inside and do something with it! It may be a new beginning, or completion of something already started that has faltered and needs a dose of new care.
There are empress figures throughout history- and even now, Madonna evokes a cacaphony of those very elements- creative artist, sensual to the point of pushing the envelope, now a loving mother, yet still sexy....
questions?
shadow
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