Today's Tarot Tuesday is focusing on The Empress. For this week I used my faerie deck--partly because Folklore Friday had me in the mood, partly because I wanted to honor the beautiful weather we got today. This deck is particularly important to me because it was the first deck I ever owned. My mother's deck was a faerie deck so when I decided to buy one of my own, this felt the most comfortable to me.
This card is complex and powerful. It brings to mind great, ancient goddesses--Hera, Aphrodite, Demeter--and many possible answers--nurture, creativity, love, romance.
The Empress, representing a powerful sovereign, commands you to take leadership, but in a way that promotes the well-being of others and also empowers them. One thing I learned in a women's studies class in college, that I still carry with me, is that there's a difference between a woman leader and a feminist leader--and a feminist leader looks after her people and so does The Empress. Be a resource to others and be aware of their needs, but never forget to love or care for yourself.
When asking questions of love, marriage, children, etc. The Empress is strongly in favor of anything that will create or nurture a relationship. Pour love and empathy into your relationships. She can also represent the arrival of an ideal female partner for those who are attracted to and date women.
For a woman or femme person reading the cards, it can also mean that they must look into themselves and recognize their great qualities and what makes them so unique and wonderful. It's about finding The Empress in you. If you embrace what makes you who you are, people will come to love and respect the real you.
The Empress encourages you to choose whatever path will give you the greatest room for creative expression. If you're choosing between job options, choose the one that you feel most genuinely passionate and excited about.
Find ways to express your creativity and create more beauty and harmony in your life. Whether it's in your personal space or your community, bring a little more love and light.