3 - The Empress
Note: This guide is based on the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck. Other tarot decks may have unique meanings, or some of these meanings may not apply.
| Upright Keywords: | Fertility, abundance, emotional freedom, fruitful efforts, nature |
| Reversed Keywords: | Over-dependence, lack of confidence, stagnation in growth |
The Empress sits on a plush red throne in front of a verdant forest set against a yellow sky. Her white dress is patterned with pomegranates, and her crown is made of stars. In her hand is a raised scepter. A heart-shaped stone with the Venus symbol rests against the base of her throne. Around her, wheat grows and a river flows. Her expression is content, kind, and confident.
Her crown represents her authority as Empress, while the pomegranates on her dress represent love and abundance. All of the growth around her emphasizes her position as a figure of prosperity. Her posture is upright but not wary.
In Readings: Upright
When upright, the Empress represents the fertility of the earth and of life. She indicates a person or situation that is prosperous and growing. Her realm is one that is always in bloom, offering ample opportunity and freedom of choice.
The Empress can also suggest taking control of one's emotional health, as she's a sympathetic, kindly figure in the tarot. She says, "The world is full, and the fruit is ripe; pluck it and experience joy."
Some interpretations include the Empress as the embodiment of the divine feminine.
Card Combinations:
Suggestions for possible meanings of this card when combined with others.
Three of Cups: Allow yourself to enjoy the good things in your life, preferably by celebrating with the people around you.
Judgment, reversed: It's not yet time to move on from this period of growth. There's more to reap from this field; leave nothing behind.
The Hanged Man: Rest is productive. Waiting is productive. Patience pays dividends.
Two of Wands: The key to true prosperity is proper planning and support.
In Readings: Reversed
When the Empress appears in reverse, her bounties are nowhere to be found. They're held in limbo, inaccessible to the querent. The fertility that she should represent just isn't there - the soil is spent, and it's time to replenish it.
The reversed Empress suggests that someone's confidence is shot, perhaps for good reason. When things aren't working out, it's easy to feel down on yourself. A lack of progress is a blight.
Card Combinations
Suggestions for possible meanings of this card when combined with others.
Nine of Swords: Fear is a growth killer.
Four of Wands: You've gotten here, but there's not enough left to make it to the next stage. The ultimate goal eludes.
Death, reversed: Refusing to adapt has caused all momentum to freeze. Staying where you are is depleting your nutrients.
Ten of Pentacles: Those who have come before have done so much that it seems impossible to grow any further. What disappointment.
Other Perspectives
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