Major Arcana

Court Cards

Pips

The Empress shows a blonde haired woman seated beneath an oak tree in the middle of a rich, verdant meadow. She holds a radiant, glowing golden orb in her right hand and a bouquet of flowers in her left. A golden crown sits atop her head.

Her gown is long and flowing in shades of gold and orange and decorated with flowers. Her royal red cloak flows down from her shoulders over her throne. Here expression seems both serene and wise. All around her the meadow is abloom with growth and life - fruits, flowers and grains are in evidence. In the distance we see her castle, but it is obvious that the Empress is more at home and happier in the midst of her fields.

The LWB says: She represents security and care, also in the sense of maternal protection. This means: supply with vital things derived from the abundance and richness of nature, as well as the experience of human qualities (according to C.G. Jun's psychology, this is the serene, already experienced aspect of the "anima" shaped by the mother). Past efforts and ambitions lead to corresponding expectations of successes, which may be arranged for by a benevolent patroness who carries out the necessary measures.

Bee's Buzz: I really like this Empress card (which is unusual because I am not especially drawn to the Empress). To me she symbolizes feminine strength and power which is not based on traditional masculines concepts and paradigms of dominance and control. She sits outside the castle - so her influence and power stem from a different source. Even without her crown and royal clothes you would feel this woman's strength and power. She exudes confidence and
inner calm. Looknig at her gives me a feeling of safety and security. She might not possess a sword, but this Empress gives the impression that she would be quite fierce in defense of those she loves.

This woman's power does not stem from anyone else. She is not just the Emperor's wife but holds power in her own right. I can just hear strains of Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" playing in my head every time I look at this card. And that is what the Empress represents - mothers and child-free women, working women and stay at home moms, married women and single woman - she is all of these things but most importantly she is true to herself. Good or bad, positive or negative, whatever this Empress is and whatever she embodies, she does it for her own reasons and her own purposes, not to suit someone else.

Bees Blessings,
Debbie

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