The Empress is the third card of the Major Arcana. She represents the matriarch, the feminine force that rules next to The Emperor. This text outlines The Empress Tarot Card Meaning.
She is the yin to his yang.
She balances out his masculine force with intuitive leadership, gracefulness, gentle power and hidden sharpness.
She stands above all the Queens in the Minor Arcana.
The number three is always fascinating in numerology. The number three is very spiritual—the three in one, mind, body and spirit.
In this context, the number three can mean multiple things, but a good overarching principle is that for the force of the Empress to come forward, mind, body and spirit have to work in union with each other. Otherwise, this may be an unbalanced Empress, which might have some negative consequences.
There must be balance in all things; otherwise, harmony would not exist. The feminine of the Empress sets out to balance out the masculine of The Emperor; even still, this does not mean she is not a force in her own right.
She is.
When The Empress shows up in the spread you pull, there will be several reasons for this. The first question you should ask yourself is, how are The Feminine leadership qualities talking space in my life? Am I too much in my masculine? Would it be helpful if I leaned more into my feminine? Or am I too much in my feminine?
If this card shows up, the Tarot asks you if there is something from the feminine you can glean from and integrate into your life.
Or is there someone with overpowering feminine energy taking up too much space and now allowing you to flourish in whatever shape or form?
We can all learn from some striking qualities about The Empress.
Here are some of the Empress Tarot Card Meaning
Our list is not exhaustive and is only meant to give you some potential ideas to work from.
Intuitive leadership
Many of us lean into logic, reason and hard facts when leading ourselves and others. This is, of course, very important; sometimes, we must lean into our intuition and feelings to explore avenues otherwise hidden away from us.
If The Empress shows up in your spread, ask, do I listen to my intuition enough? Or do I listen too much to my intuition and need to step closer to logic and reason?
There is never a straight answer to the Tarot, and you must interpret it.
The meanings of cards will always change depending on the other cards you pull them with and the individual you are sitting in front of.
Graciousness
The Empress does not force. She is patient, diligent and willing to wait on results. One of her essential qualities is that she allows the future to unfold and is comfortable with unpredictability.
This does not mean that she is not strategic in her approach; it is merely that she leads her life with grace and is not fazed by the unpredictability of life.
Her inner core is so strong she can withstand any rough waves.
Ask yourself, do you falter too quickly under pressure? Are your feathers easily ruffled?
If yes, you might benefit from strengthening your core and resilience.
Gentle power
Unless severely agitated, The Empress will never strike out in public only if she deems it extremely necessary.
In all other cases, she displays and rules with gentle power. She is the master of guiding the ocean where it needs to with the slightest move of her mind.
Ask yourself, are you trying to force change and manipulate people when in fact, what you need to do is to take a step back and let go?
That is, of course, easier said than done, but sometimes we have to let go of everything and allow the future to unfold as it will.
Hidden sharpness
The Empress, albeit more intuitive and gentle, still has a bite, although it might not be on display. She strives for decorum.
Her sharpness is there; it is just more hidden.
Ask yourself, are you acting without decorum? Are your emotions too much on display?
Are you being guided by your inner demons?
The Empress has a depth of emotion but holds them well under control.
On the negative side, it is not a pretty one. The Empress can become jealous and spiteful. She does like to be the centre of attention. Ensure that you are keeping these energies from guiding you.
Ask yourself, where am I leading from? My shadow or conscious awareness?
These are some of our musings on The Empress Tarot Card Meaning. To become a sufficient Tarot Card Reader, you must sit with the energy and see how you feel about them. There is no other way.
Over time, you will notice that the card’s meaning will change depending on the person sitting in front of you and where the card sits within the spread you laid out.
The Tarot is a perfect example of how the energies around us constantly change, move, and become something different.
I see this all the time in my Psychic Tarot Reading sessions. The energies of the cards constantly change as I work with the clients. Sometimes it even has multiple meanings within the same sitting.
The Tarot can be an incredible tool to create greater self-awareness and be given advice about what is coming up next in your life. If you are using on yourself, take great care because most of the time, our mind only looks for the good things and disregards the “bad”.
Conclusions
Overall, the Empress is a very positive card to pull, and there is a significant force behind her. Most of the time, she will show up because she has a positive message to convey and an opportunity for you to learn and grow.
As with all things, there is a negative to her, and we must ensure that we have not become too sharp, spiteful and jealous.
I would love to hear more about what you can learn from The Empress and her magnetic energy.
What can you take away to integrate into your daily life?
Always think about this, how can you integrate spirituality into your life instead of using it as a way to separate yourself from everyone else? Too many people fall into this trap, which does not lead to a greater sense of wellbeing.