Tarot Tuesday

The Empress

The Empress is the Great Mother card. She is the life force that gives birth to all creation. She is abundant and fruitful. Everything in life is born through her. She depicts the true nature with which we are born. When well placed during a reading she indicates that the questioner is using their talents to the full, and when reversed she indicates the opposite or a blockage in this area of your life. In other words, she symbolises a block to using ones inherent gifts and an inability to reach full creative potential.

The Empress is also the card of Maternal Love. It brings wonderful influences and benefits. No matter what the current circumstances, they can only be helped and improved by the appearance of this card.

The number of the Empress is 3 which stands for Creation. She also represents fertility, so children born of and with love may be a relevant factor now. In relationships, there will be a lot of love and affection. Expressions of generosity and kindness will be sincere and genuine. It is also a card of creativity; creative seeds are planted and will flourish and grow. This might be a work of art, a piece of writing or a musical endeavor.

When the Empress makes an appearance in a tarot spread, she is relatively easy to interpret. When representing someone other than the querent, she is almost always going to stand for a mother figure. If she's not the actual mother, then she is very likely someone who plays a similar role for the querent in one way or another. 


If the Empress is situated in such a way that she represents the querent herself, then it should be taken to mean that she is at a point in her life when she's feeling somewhat maternal, although this does not have to be in a traditional sense that revolves around children. She may also be feeling protective or "motherly" in regards to a new business venture or a new relationship.

On another note...I'd like to introduce you to a terrific new forum called The Magician's Grotto. I recently signed up as a member because ThelmicWaves is such a wellspring of information for me about the tarot, specifically the Thoth tarot deck I recently bought. The topics range from herbalism, spirituality, magick and the Tarot and a wonderful group of people to exchange ideas and information with. I found it extremely refreshing to join such a knowledgeable, high energy, fantastic place to learn and contribute!