The Empress is a card of compassion, acceptance and rejoicing in all the rich diversity of life. It flows naturally out of the energy of the Priestess card. The Priestess is very passive, going within to listen without attachment or bias. The Empress is the more active side of the divine feminine. The Empress is active acceptance. She gives birth to all things and embraces and enjoys life to the fullest. She gives birth by the law of allowance. This universal law states that everything that exists does so because it is the fulfillment of divine desire. In this regard, the nature of reality is predominantly feminine. Creation is the process of allowing things to come to fruition. On a personal level, we attract to ourselves what we desire to experience deep within. These experiences are not always pleasurable. They aren't always what we think we should want. But the Empress accepts all of it with an open heart, knowing that on a deep level it is all the fulfillment of our soul's desire for becoming.
In Vedic astrology, the Empress corresponds to the planet Venus. Venus is the planet of harmony, peace, and expressions of love through art and beauty. It is also the desire principle explained above, which leads to fulfillment and pleasure. The sanskrit word for Venus is Shukra, which translates literally to mean semen. This is interesting considering it is a feminine planet. Venus specifically is the ability to procreate, which exists in both biological males and females. It is that desire to rejoice in life that leads to the creation of more life, whether through physical procreation or the creation of art and other forms of creativity.
In my understanding of Toltec shamanism, the Empress card is a part of the mastery of awareness. It increases our awareness because it encourages us to embrace all of our senses. The Empress allows for all things to exist. She rejoices in everything, painful emotions and difficult experiences as well as the fun stuff. To the Empress, it is all part of the infinite fertility and diversity of life. She celebrates all of it equally. The Empress card and the planet Venus relate to the Toltec concept of the path of heart. As we begin to become more aware of our habitual patterns and all the ways we go against ourselves, it is essential to cultivate compassion and forgiveness. Truly, in the eyes of the Empress there is nothing to forgive. It's all good.
With the Empress card, you have an invitation to open your heart fully to your experience. With an attitude of active acceptance of all things, you can allow yourself to become more fully aware of your life. Remember that becoming more aware of yourself does not mean judging yourself. Let your increased awareness come from a place of love. Rejoice in the rainbow variety of your emotions.
Find the Empress card from the tarot deck of your choice. Place it somewhere you will notice it often. Carry the image of the Empress within you. Imagine that you are the Empress, full of life and willing to give birth to all things. Explore fertility.
Next: The Emperor
(c) 2004 by David Ray
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