Meditating On The Empress in Her Season
The Empress Has A Lot To Say About Abundance and Creativity
Spring has sprung in the northern hemisphere, and there’s no better time to consider The Empress than during this fertile season. If the idea of fertility and motherhood and spring freak you right out — I’ve got you covered, because I’ll talk about my own difficulties in dealing with this card as someone with some serious mother issues and a rough case of springtime allergies.
The Empress is a Major Arcana card about fertility, spring, new life, and abundance. She represents divine femininity, and in particular divine motherhood. In AE White’s description of the card the world ‘fecundity’ comes up a lot . Given my oft-alluded to issues, I’m not super delighted with associating femininity with fertility, but this is a card that has a lot to say about motherhood in particular — and in many decks, The Empress is pictured as pregnant. The Empress is less of a physical mother, and more — mother of the world. Thinking of her as my universal mother has given me a lot of insight into her.
The Empress Card (III) in the Smith- Waite tarot deck. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons.
On the shield at her side in the Smith-Waite-Rider deck is the symbol of Venus. The Empress also wears a crown or diadem of 12 six-pointed stars. Crowns symbolize rulership in addition The number of stars could refer to the signs in the zodiac, the months in the year, or the hours of a clock. The six pointed start is often seen as a union of the human self with the divine self.
Her white robe symbolize illumination, and the fruits appear to be cut pomegranates, connecting her to the Eleusian Mysteries. She also holds a scepter with an orb on the top of it, a ruling symbol primarily associated with ruling women. The red cushions behind her connect her with passion, and The Empress is a card that has a lot to say about sensuality. The field of wheat in front of her and the waterfall behind her are more images reinforcing the ideas of fertility and abundance.
Divinatory Meanings
Upright
The Empress when upright can signal creativity, abundance, fertility (or pregnancy), new life or ideas, as well as aspects of ‘divine motherhood’ and ‘divine femininity’. The Empress upright in a reading might refer to her nurturing nature, or the unification of mind-body-spirit. She represents empathy and unconditional love in addition to unity.
Reversed
The Empress reversed could indicate a creative block, or being cut off from abundance. Her appearance reversed in a spread could indicate disharmony or overwhelm, and might indicate your need to take a moment and regain composure (or if you can, engage in self-care). The Empress reversed could also mean an over-dependence on others.
Advice
Abundance is yours, be gentle and loving.
Meditating on the Nature of The Empress
The Empress presents a lot of ways to meditate, and a lot of possible meditations to help deepen your relationship with the card (and yourself!)
Connect with nature
As you close your eyes, imagine yourself standing in a lush garden surrounded by vibrant flowers, trees, and wildlife. Feel the warm sun on your face and the soft grass under your feet and hear the waterfall behind you. I, personally, will avoid the wheat field (Celiac), but if that’s your thing — walk through it, and run your hands through it! Breathe in the fresh air. Be in and cultivate the abundant world of The Empress. Contemplate how you can bring those feelings into this world.
Release negative emotions
Visualize the Empress holding a box. Stay with me. Think about your negative feelings (especially if you bear any around motherhood and femininity), and recognize the physical aspects of those feelings. Find where those feelings are in your body. Maybe it’ a knot in your neck or a lump in the back of your throat or a angry nib of anger in your left big toe. Visualize yourself freeing these emotions from your body and putting them in the box.
Connect with your Intuition
Envision yourself sitting beside a serene pool of water. Gaze into the water. Allow yourself to sink deeper and deeper into a state of relaxation and peace. Acknowledge thoughts and feelings that rise to the surface, and recognize when they bring you wisdom.
Tap into your senses
Visualize yourself standing in a lush, green forest surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. Become more and more attuned to your senses by interacting with the world around you. Breathe in the fresh air, touch the leaves and grass around you, and bring more and more abundance into your inner world by engaging your senses in the visualization.
Boundary-setting Meditation.
Once you have settled your mind into your meditation, visualize yourself holding the shield of Venus from the card to protect you from any negative energy.
Embrace your inner Empress.
Visualize yourself in place of the Empress, radiating love, nurturing, and strength. Allow yourself to feel a sense of empowerment as you connect with this energy within yourself.
Further Reading / Sources
The Empress According to A. E. Waite
Here is what the occultist Arthur Edward Waite, co-creator of the
Rider-Waite Tarot deck, had to say about the Empress…www.tarotcardmeanings.net
Symbols in The Empress Tarot Card — This Boyer Life
