Major Arcana

Court Cards

Pips

Description
I have never sat and really studied this particular Empress card and today I did. The first thing that struck me is it appears the earth is giving birth to itself. Let me explain: The background encompasses elements/seasons: snow (winter, frozen water); clouds/sky (air); flowering fields (spring/summer/autumn flowers, earth); magma flowing (fire); water flowing over a stream filled with river rock (earth, water); a dove (air). In the middle of the card is an image of the earth, which appears to be rising. ...as though it is being birthed from it. Standing in the center of the card her feet firmly planted in a field of flowers, her arms outstretched to encompass ALL, is the magical goddess Selket, the Scorpion goddess of fertility and the underworld, a guardian of the (Egyptian) jars of the dead.

Response
This is a powerful image for me, and primitive. I had the pleasure of seeing this statue at the King Tut exhibit in NYC in 1979 and was so taken with Selket that I brought home with me a postcard of this statue, which I kept, in the next several years, pinned in various places; including my desk at home/work and over the kitchen sink so I could commune with her as I did the dishes <grin>.

I still have the image somewhere; to see it repeated on this card is both appropriate and stirring. From death comes life and from life comes death...in all forms of creation/creativity. I could never accept an Empress card that just deals in the pregnancy/baby/motherhood of human beings aspect entirely and solely; to me that does a *grave* injustice to this archetype. The Empress is an archetype, not a stereotype. Wanless writes: "The Empress honors and respects all of life for its inherent richness and beauty. No fruit is too small, no being is too weak; no idea is too foolish, and no emotion is too immature. The Empress is one with all. The earth and all of its animals, minerals, vegetables...are part of her seed. Everyone and everything are her children...Like the

Empress, nurse and nurture your *life creations* (italics mine) into full flower with a protective, healing, and compassionate hand...Upon the physical death of your "life creations", the Empress (represented by

Selket) assists the journey of the spirit into rebirth. *Recreate new life by honoring what needs to die* (pp. 65-66.)...Honor the spirit of the dead; be connected to the "other side". Revere the spirit essence of life" (p. 67.)

When I look at this card, I feel cleansed, refreshed, renewed. A shift has occurred; a uniting of possibility and creating. Unlimited potential in all aspects.

Dawn