Tarot Study: The Empress

[Gentoo]

I know it's been a while, but I'm hoping to revive the tarot study

The next card is the Empress:

Post any observations, insights or feelings you get from the cards. The first is from the Rider-Waite deck and the second from the Celtic Dragon deck. Please feel free to compare and contrast the two cards, or post your own and compare all of them.

After some responses on the images of the cards, we can discuss the different meanings associated with the Empress. And please jump start the other Tarot study threads too if you feel the need to.

 

[EtuMalku]

Book of THOTH: III The Qabalic letter Daleth meaning door. The planet Venus is associated alchemically. Daleth is the path on the Tree of Life from Chokmah to Binah, it unites the Father with the Mother. The Empress combines the highest spiritual with the lowest material qualities. The Empress is associated with Aset. This card represents pure, unconditional love.

 

[blackout]

Is this actually the third card of the whole deck Gentoo?

Can you direct me to the cards you covered already,
and explain the order in which you are moving through them?

I am EXTREEMELY curious/interested in the deck...
and would love to follow your "study" from start to finish.

The only cards I have ever really looked into at all
are the magician, and the fool, and I'm wondering...
is there a deck that depicts the emperess sitting between two pillars,
with a curtain behind her? Because I think that was where I stopped.
Could I be that lucky?

Thanks Sweetheart!
~Violet~

 

[lilithu]

Is this actually the third card of the whole deck Gentoo?

Can you direct me to the cards you covered already,
and explain the order in which you are moving through them?

I am EXTREEMELY curious/interested in the deck...
and would love to follow your "study" from start to finish.

The only cards I have ever really looked into at all
are the magician, and the fool, and I'm wondering...
is there a deck that depicts the emperess sitting between two pillars,
with a curtain behind her? Because I think that was where I stopped.
Could I be that lucky?

Thanks Sweetheart!
~Violet~

The Empress is the fourth card, even tho it's numbered 3. The first is The Fool, which is 0. The second is The Magician, which is 1. And the third is The High Priestess, which is number 2. She is the woman sitting between two pillars with a curtain behind her. She holds the Torah, partly concealed and partly revealed.

 

[lilithu]

The next card is the Empress:

Post any observations, insights or feelings you get from the cards.

The overwhelming sense I get from The Empress is fertility. Abundant life. femininity. softness. Love. Seated on soft pillows. With her loose gown, she very well may be pregnant. The gown itself is adorned with fruit. I see sunshine, water, and earth, and lush vegetation. At her feet, grain, another symbol of fertility and life.

Unlike The High Priestess, who strikes me as cold intellect, The Empress strikes me as warm and emotive. mother.

I'm not quite sure what to make of her crown of stars or pearl necklace.

 

[Gentoo]

Is this actually the third card of the whole deck Gentoo?

Can you direct me to the cards you covered already,
and explain the order in which you are moving through them?

I am EXTREEMELY curious/interested in the deck...
and would love to follow your "study" from start to finish.

The only cards I have ever really looked into at all
are the magician, and the fool, and I'm wondering...
is there a deck that depicts the emperess sitting between two pillars,
with a curtain behind her? Because I think that was where I stopped.
Could I be that lucky?

Thanks Sweetheart!
~Violet~

Along with what Lilithu said, I'm picking up as MaddLlama left off, and she started with the Major Arcana. The other threads are The Fool, The Magician and The High Priestess.

 

[Willamena]

To me, the Empress represents the maturation (leading to concretization) of image. The fool steps off the cliff into nothingness, finally understanding that he doesn't understand. The magician is aware that we have tools with which to understand, that we can manipulate and allow to manipulate us. The High Priestess puts an "us" behind the tools, pointing to that that manipulates them as the mystery. Spirit. The Empress/Goddess then is the image that spirit gives birth to: body, form, life, the world, illusive substance/substantial illusion.

 

[Willamena]

I am EXTREEMELY curious/interested in the deck...
and would love to follow your "study" from start to finish.

If you haven't already, you can easily find them on the 'Divination' forum list.
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/divination/

The only cards I have ever really looked into at all
are the magician, and the fool, and I'm wondering...
is there a deck that depicts the emperess sitting between two pillars,
with a curtain behind her? Because I think that was where I stopped.
Could I be that lucky?

That sounds more like the High Priestess.

I too haven't given the Tarot much study, but I enjoy finding progressions in the card images.

 

[Gentoo]

I don't care too much for the Raider-Waite deck, but I do like this card from the Dragon Tarot. What I get from this card is that the Empress is not only by a stream (which has a lot of feminine qualities) but her robes turn into the stream. She's also wearing a lot of blue, showing that she's ruled by her emotions; which at this point in time those emotions are flowing steadily as the stream.

 

[lilithu]

To me, the Empress represents the maturation (leading to concretization) of image. The fool steps off the cliff into nothingness, finally understanding that he doesn't understand. The magician is aware that we have tools with which to understand, that we can manipulate and allow to manipulate us. The High Priestess puts an "us" behind the tools, pointing to that that manipulates them as the mystery. Spirit. The Empress/Goddess then is the image that spirit gives birth to: body, form, life, the world, illusive substance/substantial illusion.

:yes: Manifestation. The mystery/potentiality born into manifest actuality.

Have you read Jung and Tarot?

 

[michel]

The overwhelming sense I get from The Empress is fertility. Abundant life. femininity. softness. Love. Seated on soft pillows. With her loose gown, she very well may be pregnant. The gown itself is adorned with fruit. I see sunshine, water, and earth, and lush vegetation. At her feet, grain, another symbol of fertility and life.

Unlike The High Priestess, who strikes me as cold intellect, The Empress strikes me as warm and emotive. mother.

I like that; much as the way I see her.

 

[Willamena]

Have you read Jung and Tarot?

No, sorry. Is it good?

 

[Gentoo]

Getting into the intended meaning of the Empress, my Tarot book says this:

The message of the Empress is that of creation and passion. You are in a position to nurture and give birth to a project. Tap into the energy of Mother Earth and celebrate her gifts. Recognize, honor, and celebrate your senses, the physical world, and nature.

Be aware of maintaining a healthy balance. Do not let your emotions or actions become obsessive or controlling, and do not allow a chaotic proliferation by trying to do too much. A garden needs careful and loving cultivation--too much or too little upsets the delicate balance of beauty.

How does this explanation of the Empress coincide with your initial feelings towards the card? What do you think the practical application of this card would be, i.e. in regular life?

 

[Willamena]

How does this explanation of the Empress coincide with your initial feelings towards the card?

I don't know!: I'm just making this up as I go along.

What do you think the practical application of this card would be, i.e. in regular life?

Most likely it's most practical application would be in a Tarot spread, although it might also make a nice coaster.

 

[lilithu]

No, sorry. Is it good?

I'm pretty sure it was Jung and Tarot. I've read so many books they kinda jumble together. Methinks you would like it. First off, it describes the major arcana cards as archetypes. But even cooler, it talks about how the major arcana and each of the suites tells a story. (The story of the swords is pretty gruesome. Live by the sword, die by the sword, I guess.) And the story of the major arcana is very similar to what you said.