4 The Emperor

Keywords: masculinity; strength; endurance; power; wisdom; ancestory

Archetypes: father; grandfather; Mr. Cleaver; Geronimo; General Eisenhower; President Kennedy

Correspondences:

Number/9

Planet/Mars

Element/Fire

Astrological Sun Sign/Aries

Upright Interpretation:

Wow, this card gives us a sense of relief…“Dad will take care of everything.” It’s that child-like kind of feeling. Someone who’s older, stronger, more experienced with life is going to take charge and everything is going to be okay, whether this authority figure is an actual person or Spirit stepping in to make sure things will work out, to lift you over that monumental stumbling block you’re about to hit. Breathe a sigh of relief, order will return, the path will be cleared, the cavalry is coming.

Reversed Interpretation:

The foot has come down, the line is drawn, the buck stops here. The Emperor jerks you by the collar and plans on whipping you back into shape, whether this is what you want or not. The energy is overbearing, extremely controlling, and somewhat suffocating. Sometimes maybe we’re not suppose to have our way paved smooth and clear before us; maybe sometimes we’re suppose to learn a few of life’s harsh lessons on our own. Help comes, but it could come with a price.

Study Questions:

1. What is your first impression of this card?

2. What does this card mean to You?

3. Are there details on this card that especially stand out for you? If so, write them down and explain.

4. How does this card define relationships?

5. How does this card define financial circumstances?

6. How is this card relevant to health issues?

Affirmations for Meditation:

1. I will embrace my masculine side.

2. I will celebrate the men in my life.

3. I will retain control of my life.

4. I will find balance between me and The World.

5. I celebrate and rejoice in my personal power.

A Tarot Reading for The Emperor:
The Emperor ~ Queen/swords; The Devil; The High Priestess

The Emperor, so immersed in the masculine energy of myths and legends.  The old saying, “behind every successful man, is a woman” comes to mind.  It’s so true.  This Emperor most often has a very special woman in his life, one in which he feels he’s reached a mutual level of intellect and eloquence, a woman with whom he can stand shoulder to shoulder and share his ideas and beliefs, his wishes and fears, and his goals.  Within The Emperor, there is a balance of the feminine.  It’s true.  Men can find and embrace their feminine side, with an equality that brings miraculous energy.

The Emperor, as all powerful and mythically strong as he might appear to those around him, has his own demons.  He may be so afraid of tarnishing his image, of letting people down, of humiliating himself, that he will go to great lengths to keep these demons hidden from the world…and sometimes even from himself.  It’s called denial.  Help The Emperor in your life realize that it’s okay to be human; you’re not expecting some super hero of movie fame who can take a beating and come out completely unscathed.  This Emperor needs to reckon with that part of himself he struggles with.  Allow him to do this with the knowledge that this does not diminish him in your eyes.

The power and majesty of The Emperor will often be tempered with the magic and mystery of a greater power, a divinity that releases the ability in all of us to spread our positive energy in so many undefinable and unexpected ways.  This Emperor, so strong, so manly, so indomitable, has within himself a great heart, one that is touched with the feminine in so many positive ways.  It shows his true character, his strength and self-confidence.  The Emperor in this manner, is The Emperor at his best.

Tarot Study Guide
A Complete Listing

©2015 Amythyst Raine