TAROTThe Emperor
Upright
Male energy. Responsible and stable leadership, law and order.
Strategic planning, master of skillful action and balanced, disciplined action but often passionate about the goal.
Progressing problems and setbacks with skill, patience and persistence.
Intuition
The Emperor is often seen as the ‘unpopular card’ because of the talk about power, but most things are not a simple power grab.
Think instead of setting boundaries and targets within a group so they have a space within which to grow and achieve. Also consider the Emperor as laying structures, so others can proceed.
Reversed
Lack of structure, stagnation, irresponsive behavior and vulnerability though mistakes.
Lack of understanding and prone to overreaction. Avoiding problems rather than addressing them.
Anger rather than protection and failure of duties.
Astrologia
Taking the initiative, leadership and independence. Courage and assertiveness can make them a leader or pioneer. Open to stubbornness, inflexibility and lack of awareness of others.
The Emperor
The Emperor is the elemental masculine, associated with leadership, law and order, rational planning, and the discipline to succeed.
The card carries connotations of external authority and structure, but recall that the Major Arcana primarily concerns you, not external influences. The Emperor is an archetype representing a powerful facet of yourself. This may be derived from a male guardian or similar person in your life, but it is now a part of you.
The Emperor represents the part of you that leads from the front, making rational plans while striving to protect and grow everything under your charge. He symbolizes knowledge that comes not from intuition, but from hard-won skills, drive, and the strength to use them. At his best, he clears the path so that goals can be reached by himself and his peers, working under clearly understood responsibilities. At his worst, he is inflexible, prone to outbursts, and creates power structures that maintain rigidity for his own benefit.
A major point to recognize about the Emperor is that he is fundamentally a creature of passion, as he represents Fire. Although his methods rely on law, reason, and structure, his underlying goals and ideals are deeply passionate. He is both driven and emotional, but that fire is (usually) held in check by his profound sense of responsibility.
The Emperor is based on the mythological 'All-Father'.
Zeus
The archetype of Zeus is one of the few that can be directly traced to older origins, particularly from the Near East. He was initially a rural agricultural or rain/lightning god, associated with mountain tops (many early shrines are on peaks). He later migrated to cities, becoming the symbol of traditional authority and behavior for families and entire city-states. He was worshipped particularly as the guarantor of divine justice, holding a strong association with the 'father' within the family unit. His home on isolated mountain peaks eventually evolved into the home of the gods: Mount Olympus.
He appears to be a syncretization of many similar sky and sun gods, which is apparent from the large number of epithets he was worshipped under (around 80). This may go some way toward explaining his shifting moods and many partners. He is perhaps not one god from a single set of stories, but the amalgamation of many sky gods into one character.
One of his most interesting traits is his absorption of the pregnant goddess Metis (Wisdom). Because it was prophesied that a son of Metis would grow to be more powerful than Zeus, he swallowed her. She then resided within Zeus, becoming the wiser side of his nature. This means many of his best decisions likely came from his inner feminine side. The child was later born directly from Zeus himself, appearing as the fully formed goddess Athena (seen later in the Strength card).
Description and Symbology
The Emperor sits on a throne in the sky. The throne is made of hard stone, implying a solid foundation despite resting high above the clouds. By the side of the throne, we see a shield with the sign of a ram on it. An eagle is perched near the top of the throne. The Emperor wears armor and holds an Ankh in one hand and a globe (with lighting shooting out from it) in the other.
Symbol for The Emperor
The Symbol for the Emperor is the Greek zeta or Z (for ‘Zeus’), It is also the symbol for Jupiter.
Face
Depending on how far away you are when you look at the card, the Emperor’s expression seems to be either fatherly with a slight smile, or looking straight through you. He has a graying beard, suggesting wisdom gained through time and age.
Throne
The hard stone or crystal throne implies solid foundations and stability. Reversed, it can also mean being constrained and held back by your position within a hierarchy.
Armor
The armor represents protection and the willingness to fight if necessary, although the fact that he is also sitting on a throne suggests many battles already won. The armor can also suggest being slowed down by the weight of rules and responsibility.
Shield
Identical to armor, except the shield has the mark of a ram and the color of the planet Mars, suggesting a dominant astrological sign and planet. The shield also symbolizes the Emperor as being in control of his feelings and able to emotionally protect himself.
Ankh
Although the Empress is clearly associated with life via fertility, the Emperor also holds a life-sign, the Ankh. He is her equal when it comes to life, but this is a different energy. Rather than fertility, the Emperor is concerned with life as a motive force, aka virility.
Globe
The globe represents the power of the Emperor’s position. It can be manifested as strength and competitiveness, but also the power of mind-over-heart when solving problems that require a cool head, unbiased judgment and skill.
Eagle of Zeus / Aetos Dios
The eagle is a symbol of Zeus, and a good omen. Eagles have often been seen as a symbol of Power and Empire through the ages; often good, but sometimes also bad.
Tips for Readings
The following table shows the upright and reverse meanings for general questions. The last row ('Yes/No') is useful when you are picking a single card to decide a yes or no decision.
Upright
Reversed
A relationship that is strong through commitment and responsibilities being met fairly.
The strength of the relationship occurs through each partner leading on areas of their own strength, rather than putting everything to a committee or vote. This kind of relationship is often called a power couple for good reason; each is successful in their own right!
This is a relationship that does not veer far from expected norms, but will survive through tried and tested roles.
An oppressive, inflexible relationship.
There may be infighting and power struggles, with one person in the relationship having all the power.
The potential for strong disagreement and even violence if unchecked.
Success will occur through hard work and discipline, and strong initiative.
Helping others by clearing the path ahead for them or tutoring them on the correct methods.
There is the possibility of promotion to a higher role through recognition, perhaps to a leadership role.
A rough time ahead. Be wary of conflict with superiors as you try to advance.
You may hold dissatisfaction with your current position or lack of progression, but you may be seen to be reaching for leadership or control before you are ready.
Now is not a time to voice your concerns unless you are able to forge ahead on a new path on your own, as there is the possibility of demotion if you speak out now.
Health will occur through self-discipline and a regular routine.
Stick to tried and tested routes, as they work the best.
There may be issues with overwork and ignoring yourself, and too much emphasis on goals in other areas.
You may be ignoring injuries or health symptoms. This is not sustainable, so it may be a time to reflect on what you are losing to progress vs. what makes you happy, and consider whether you are making yourself ill by always trying to be the leader.
There will be a connection to the divine masculine, pointing to belief as a source of personal security and strength in some way.
This may be a set of values that promote you as your own leader, or fitness of the mind through fitness of the body.
Whatever this belief is, it will put you at the center of your own destiny, and you as the one responsible for your own future.
You may be using faith as a tool for control, or mixing faith with politics and hidden agendas to do with power.
Be careful with this route as it will always make you unpopular.
An over reliance on yourself as your own leader may also make you spend far too much time alone or fail to seek help when it is needed.
You will enter a period of responsible money management.
This may show itself by increasing your position through diligence and tenacity, with the possibility of the upper hand in deals.
You may find yourself taking the leadership role in deals and required to make things move along and happen. Do not be afraid of this role; you've got this!
Take the initiative in deals and making decisions unilaterally if they will help everyone in the long term.
Be wary of creating power struggles to do with money through being overly defensive or taking control and micromanaging.
Your inflexible behavior or inability to share responsibility may mean missed opportunities or being slow because you are failing to work as a team, instead trying to lead the way yourself and taking on far too much.
Yes, through power and authority.
No, through irresponsive use of force or over-reacting.
Reading the card
This deck takes the view that the Major Arcana always refers to you and the major occurrences in your life. The Minor Arcana represent your 'outer world' (other people and events on a more day-to-day basis). Therefore, even if you are female, drawing the Emperor means you are currently driven by a strong masculine archetype.
The Upright Card
The Upright Emperor represents success through stating your aims clearly and taking the lead. Leading from the front is the path to success. You will carry people with you by being open and honest. Your work and relationships will operate best when you are clear about what you want, rather than expecting others to automatically share your aims.
Have a plan with goals and responsibilities for yourself and others, safe in the knowledge that you possess the necessary skills. When setting goals for others, remain accountable and transparent. This is not the time for secrets or hidden agendas. It is the time to give clear direction coupled with the space for others to grow, which often means assigning clear roles and tasks.
Like the Empress, the Upright Emperor is a sign of growth. However, he achieves this not through nurturing, but through the force of his own action and 'will to power'. He pulls others with him through example, offering protection and good counsel when needed, and acting as a role model for success.
You may be deeply passionate about your cause, but save your emotions for the celebration of success. Do not mix emotion into your planning or leadership. Your impetus should be the force of action, not of emotion.
The Reversal
The Reversed card suggests that an endeavor has slowed down precisely because you are dictating the agenda. Listen to others and be mindful of their feelings, rather than focusing solely on your lofty goals and rigid sense of responsibility.
You may be setting inflexible rules. While these methods help in the short term, they are destined to fail because you are overthinking or assuming 'your way is the only way'. You are taking the lead, but perhaps this is not a plan for success; it is merely a plan to keep yourself in the lead role.
Stop the charge and take stock of the problem rather than viewing yourself as the only solution. Think carefully about the real aims of the group and where others want to end up.
Your heart may be in the right place, and you believe you are being clear, but others simply may not feel the same way. They are in danger of being stifled by your control.
Card Design Process
The Emperor is a straightforward archetype, but that can easily result in a simplistic design because it is easy to forget that the Emperor is driven by fire and as passionate as the Empress. His methods may be logical and rational, but his goals are just as rooted in passions or protecting the things he loves and cherishes. The Emperor only becomes simplistic on the reversal.
It is easy to forget that the Emperor is driven by fire and therefore as passionate as the Empress.
Time was spent finding a way to visually implement this duality, which is illustrated graphically in the Emperor's face. Depending on how you look at him, his expression is kindly with a slight smile, or stern, looking straight through you.
Zeus shared this double characterization. This is more apparent with Zeus than other similar depictions (such as the Old Testament's occasionally wrathful God), as there is no opposing force of 'evil' or temptation in the Greek pantheon. Zeus is quick to help, but also quick to punish or take what he wants. It can often seem capricious which route he chooses.
Zeus is not a person, but the domain under his rule: the weather, the rigors of life, the world around us with both its beauty and cruel imperfections. It is nature itself that is capricious; Zeus is merely the anthropomorphism of it.
This follows through in the rest of mythology. War (Athena) can be both clever and just, or cruel and unforgiving. Death (Hades) can follow the rules and call you at the appointed time, but can also steal you away irrespective of age or vitality.
The final design was created using stock photography, photographs of found items, AI, and Photoshop. Special mention goes to Zeus’s shield, which started life as a cuff-link.
Final Words
This card represents rationality, leadership, discipline, and stability. It also highlights the potential challenges caused by impatience, rigidity, or being led by irrational emotions.
