A warrior at her core.
Rewriting the narrative of The Empress
While The Fool, The Magician and The High Priestess all seem to float above the Earth, exuding their respective energies in barrierless worlds, The Empress appears as the first character wholly linked to the reality in which we humans exist. Regarded by some as the physical embodiment of the Feminine Divine, The Empress might also be the product of cards number 1 and number 2 coming together (1 + 2 = 3), suggesting that she not only emits the watery, intuitive temperament of The High Priestess, but also commands the consciousness and action of The Magician. As these two powerful and primal energies of the Tarot start blending together, The Empress begins to emerge just as Aphrodite rose from the sea. Traditionally viewed as the ultimate mother within the Major Arcana, The Empress signifies beauty, creation, and passion. However, although she may radiate exemplary kindness, unconditional love, and dutiful care, The Empress is also a warrior at her core, stepping up to protect all of the monumental energies she has birthed into this world. In the 20+ years spent studying the Tarot, I have had to unlearn some of the most basic, trite, and quite frankly, misogynistic explanations and interpretations of this card. When the archetype of mother enters the Tarot conversion, a historic tendency to link it to passivity, reception, and in some cases, subservience begins to take shape. Just because the art of Tarot has quietly slipped through the cracks of many patriarchal worlds, most of which were dedicated to the elimination of the “other” (ie. healers, midwives, witches, etc.), shouldn’t suggest that the cards successfully avoided absorbing some of that bigotry. The reality is that they have. The Tarot is a psychological and social reflection of the time and place in which it exists. Just as the collective conscious needs to unlearn the hurtful cliches regarding the feminine, we too must challenge ourselves to see The Empress not only as a maker and harbinger of life, but also a verdant and ferocious protector of it.
In a slight departure from other posts, I have decided to include five cards for our exploration of The Empress: the TAROCCHI by Mr Friborg Tarot, the Carnival at the End of the World Tarot by Kahn & Selesnick, The Medieval Scapini Tarot by Luigi Scapini, the Smith-Waite® Centennial Tarot by Arthur Waite and Pamela Colman Smith, and the Aquarian Tarot by David Palladini.
The Empress. Clockwise from top left: the Aquarian Tarot (US Game Systems, Inc.), the Smith-Waite® Centennial Tarot by Arthur Waite and Pamela Colman Smith (US Game System, Inc.), The Medieval Scapini Tarot by Luigi Scapini (US Game Systems, Inc.), the TAROCCHI by Mr Friborg Tarot (Arcanvm.com), and the Carnival at the End of the World Tarot by Kahn & Selesnick (KahnSelesnick.biz).
Three fundamental visual elements weave through The Empress, denoting the power and compassion with which she rules: her crown, her scepter, and her shield. These cues will always slightly differ from card to card, but ultimately they all deliver similar messages. With its history tracing all the way back to prehistoric India, the crown has become the most recognizable emblem of a ruler’s power and dignity. However, most monarchs, kings, queens, and ruler’s reach can only go so far here on Earth. The Empress’ crown, traditionally adorned with 12 stars or diamonds representing the signs of the Zodiac, suggests that her rule isn’t tethered to the rules of our Earthly hierarchies, rather it boundlessly extends all the way up into the heavens. As a true mother and care-giver, the blanket inclusion of all individuals’ star signs encourages us to regard her as an empress of all, bound together by her unconditional love and kindness.
Dating back to the kingdoms of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the scepter, or staff, was another indication of a ruler’s power and sovereignty. However, in some later ancient cultures, the scepter was granted use by other figures of authority such as priests, judges, and military leaders. As the meaning of the scepter shifted in Western civilizations, it was in the written work of Valluvar, a celebrated Indian poet and philosopher, where the symbol became more than a short-hand image for power, as it “was not [the] spear but the scepter which bound a king to his people.” Similarly to her crown, The Empress’ scepter binds her to those who fall under her domain while simultaneously holding her accountable for their well-being. Finally, we simply cannot ignore the phallic nature that is implicit in the structure of a scepter or staff. Whether topped with a cross, sphere or fleur-de-lys, the erect stature that falls below the adornments indicates a forceful, penetrative power. If we pair this symbol with the perceived “passivity” of The Empress, we get a VERY powerful and complex story, one where she challenges her opponents with “Go ahead. Try me, motherf*cker.”
As The Empress steps into the Tarot equipped with two symbols of power and rulership, she is also mindful that in the event her authority is challenged, she may need to protect herself and those around her. This mindfulness is expressed by way of a shield. Often adorned with the symbol of Venus, an eagle, or a phoenix—all forms of identification that we will touch on a little later—the shield suggests that The Empress has prepared, not for the worst, but rather for the unexpected. What is even more interesting is that her shield, in its most iconic and historical representation, exists as an incomplete pair. The Empress has made a deliberate choice to rid herself of the sword, a weapon, leading us to think that any battle she partakes of will be primal, visceral, and up close. We may think of this young woman as a lover and not a fighter, but quite the contrary. If provoked, she has no choice but to stand, pick up her shield and wield her protective power with fury.
But what pulls each of these Empresses apart from one another? What fracture in their DNA gives each of these characters their personalities? Let’s first take a closer look at their clothing. While traditionally The Empress is enrobed in flowing. ethereal garments, both The Medieval Scapini and TAROCCHI by Mr Friborg Tarot have made artistic decisions to armor-up The Empress. This deliberate choice starts rewriting the narrative of this woman simply existing as an ethereal, passive entity and reframing her as a Joan of Arc-type warrior. What better way to step into conflict mindfully than dressing appropriately for battle? But again, this shouldn’t suggest that when The Empress dons looser-fitting regalia she has abdicated her power. No, no. As we see in the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck (Waite-Smith) and Aquarian Tarot, The Empress proudly shows off her pomegranate and triangular (almost tribal) patterns respectively. Throughout ancient history, the pomegranate seed was believed to have had incredible life-giving as well as death-dealing powers, while the triangle has been used to build some of the most stable structures in contemporary times. The triangle has also been repeated throughout history as the tip of a spear, used in battle to bring down an enemy.
If we return our exploration back to The Empress’ shield, we will see two separate symbols emblazoned on their facades; the astrological symbol for Venus and an eagle or phoenix. Seen in the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck (Waite-Smith) and Aquarian Tarot, the symbol for Venus indicates a doubling down on the strong, protective power of the Feminine Divine, while the eagle or phoenix in both The Medieval Scapini and TAROCCHI by Mr Friborg Tarot link our Empress to her consort: The Emperor. But hold up! Didn't we say that The Empress was a strong, forceful character able to take care of her own? Of course! However, the art of Tarot brings into question the notion of equality and balance. Just as The Empress can tap into the more penetrative and forceful energy of her counterpart, The Emperor is also afforded the same bargain by borrowing the calming and protective energy of The Empress. They both share in each other's success while at the same time checking their egos at the door when in need of a little “oomph”.
Before we conclude this exploration of The Empress, I wanted to touch upon her rendering in Kahn & Selesnick’s Carnival at the End of the World Tarot. Although she does not share most of the recognizable elements a more traditional visage of The Empress has, there are a few nuances that I think are key to her success in this deck. First, the 12 stars or diamonds that festoon her crown have transmuted into the 12 points of her antlers. Antlers, which biologically only atop the heads of males, occupy a space that is both protective and combative. The Empress, as mentioned above, exists as both a protector and a warrior, shedding herself of the man-made shield to guard her. She relies on her own natural, defensive abilities. Next, the cosmos depicted on her dress pays homage to the boundless care and kindness she has for those who are in need of protection. And finally, the nest of antlers, nudging us once again into the belief that The Empress will stop as nothing to build the walls deemed necessary for others’ protection.
While continuing to work with the energy of The Empress, I challenge us to begin flipping the script that time has written for her. As the world seems to be oppressing and erasing “others” from our reality, it is my hope that we can take up her mantle, stepping in to protect those who are unable to protect themselves while also becoming a projective force—one that if provoked will gladly march onto the battlefield with a powerful voice that shouts “Go ahead and try US, motherf*ckers!”.