Four Pillars Tarot: The Empress (Unwieldly)

Notes on The Empress (Unwieldly)

Four Pillars Society Tarot by Gary Rosenberg (GAR) and Nyxsaurius Fallsong

Artist’s Notes:
 
In front of a symbol that is both ankh and the glyph for Venus at the same time, a feminine shape dances. So fast does she dance and so strong her gyrations that one cannot be sure whether she is one being or several. From her, living energy spills forth that is awesomely creative and awesomely destructive at the same time. Not that one of these things could ever exist without the other. She is nature in all of her fullness. She is nature, both beautiful and terrible at once, both a beautiful Lilly in a quiet field on a sunny day and the wild force of a hurricane, tornado or erupting volcano
 
When talking about the tarot, particularly the Major Arcana, it is essential to see them and know them fully (grock them in fullness as Robert Heinlein might have said) as both individual cards, forces and meditation devices but also how they link to the cards before and after them in sequence. This sequence may be as the Fool’s Journey through the Major Arcana or it could be the order in which it shows up in a reading for no matter the order, every card in a reading may shine a light on that which comes before it and that which comes after and such is the power of the archetypal narrative.
 
The Empress comes after the High Priestess. The Priestess holds her secrets and keeps everything well contained until it is time for the knowledge to be awakened. The Empress holds no secrets. Everything is expressed and let out and there is nothing held back. Indeed no boundary can withstand the full force of her creative effort. She is the all-mother ever-birthing creation. She is as excessive as the Priestess is contained
 
About the Archetype:
 
If the High Priestess represents the ideal feminine untouchable and chaste then the Empress represents the feminine aspect in full flower. She is a full-blown creative force and her intelligence is that of creativity, not reason. She is sensuous and maternal and emotional. She inspires with a glance and ignites the senses. She frustrates and delights. She combines the active force of the Magician with the passivity of the High Priestess and gives birth to wonder. In every moment she expresses yet at any moment she will express herself differently. She is ever-changing. She is the spirituality of the High Priestess made manifest by the will of the Magician. She is the Earth mother; Venus and Aphrodite, Freya and Isis Unveiled in all her glory. She is the calm river and the raging storm. She is creative will made manifest.
 
 
Astrological Correspondent:
 
Venus-Astrologically Venus represents what and who we love and what brings us pleasure. Venus represents what attracts us and what is attracted to us. It can also indicate where our emotional (and physical) addictions may lie. We are most in harmony when Venus is well-aspected and when it is badly aspected our lives may seem cacophonous. Venus shows what we most appreciate in a romantic and sensuous (if not sexual) way.
 
 
In a Reading:
 
When the Empress shows up in a reading, it may indicate that this is not a time of calm reflection but a time to go with the emotion. Enjoy this period of pleasure and creativity and manifest in joy. The card may also indicate that it is time to get outside and enjoy nature. For a city dweller, this may mean seeking it out. The Empress may also refer to a pregnancy or birth. When the Empress turns up it can also mean that it is time to express the nurturing side of the querent’s own personality but it also means that if the querent is being harassed by people that they can let the ‘diva’ side of their personality out and show others the full force of who they are. It is a time for the full manifestation of energy and good things are coming.
 
 
 
Reversed or badly aspected, the Empress can indicate that there are blocks to creativity and the expression of one’s self. The querent’s imagination may be running away with fancies that they are confusing with true intuitive imagination. The reversed card may indicate fear of ‘letting one’s self go’ because they cannot handle the onslaught of their own emotional nature. It may also indicate a time of emotional imbalance and disharmony. Where the right side up the card indicates plenty, when reversed it may mean it is a time of scarcity where one has to make do with what one has. This is usually a temporary situation as The Empress is a card of change. The Empress reversed can also be indicative of hormonal imbalances such as those felt at the onset of menopause.
 
Fates Whisper:
Unbeknownst to the residents of reality, there are two types of energy, Biased and Unbiased. Energy without a unique personality, aka Unbiased, was deemed safe and handed to reality for their safety and growth. While on the other end the Biased energies razed each out till four prominent egos quelled the rest. Those four biased energies were the Four Pillars.
 
When we come into our power a new bias forms around us. This bias forms the energy around us to reflect the aspect of reality that we hold within. . In the Empress card, energy flows unhindered from her being. The act of being ourselves strengthens this bias we hold. The energy is free and ever-flowing,  as is her outlook on life. Both sides of her are in perfect harmony despite all the chaos she emits. Feeling her power course through her invigorates her to bring that change just by existing. Just as she does, follow your heart regardless of how crazy it might be.  You might just bring the change you need.

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