The Emperor is the fourth card of the Major Arcana in occult Tarot decks. Represented by a middle-aged man, leaning on the throne, cross-legged, from which he observes his kingdom with a posture that emanates security and mastery. Its crown is humble, because it doesn't need to flaunt its power or rank. Discover the meaning of The Emperor in the Tarot, the indications he gives when it comes upright, reversed or combined with other cards and its possible application to the various facets of life and everyday issues.
The Major Arcana number tells you what stage you are in for a particular situation or problem. Ask the Tarot your question and interpret the Arcana according to its number and its position in the deck. These cards follow a storyline that tells of the spiritual travels taken from the innocent wonder of The Fool to the oneness and fulfillment of The World. In other words, these cards tell the story of humanity's spiritual evolution into enlightenment and individuation - when his life experiences are complete, he returns to zero, The Fool. Despite the divinatory meaning of the cards, think of the Tarot as a journey. If you look at the cards that come out in this way, with each question you ask, it becomes easier to intuitively interpret the cards and see their messages as a life story.
Index
The Emperor Tarot Card Description
- Major Arcana IV
- Zodiacal Affinity - Aries
- Keywords - Power, natural authority, father figure, justice, authority, past, family, trust, security, dominance, leadership, power of reason.
- Key Expressions - Assertive thinking, insensitivity to the feelings and passions of others, orderly chaos, need to establish rules or guiding principles, mastery of a given situation, structured thinking, following rules and acting according to them.
- Advice - Put your house in order; organize yourself; put the practicals ahead.
- Reversed Meaning - Feeling controlled by archaic attitudes or commanded by an authoritarian but ineffective person.
The Illustration
In the Tarot, the illustration from The Emperor, shows a man with a crown, seated on his throne, with his legs crossed. In his right hand he holds a scepter with a globe and a cross, and in his left hand he holds a belt. On the right side of the card, there is a shield with the design of an eagle with its wings raised, as if it were taking flight. The fact that the figure has its legs crossed is full of symbology since only kings or great lords had the privilege of doing it in public.
In Numerology, the number 4 is considered the number of luck, reliability and stability. The 4 is action, achievement, stability, security, firmness, fairness, honesty, and organization. In Kabbalah, The Emperor corresponds to path number 15 on the Tree of Life: the wisdom of beauty.
The Symbology
In the Tarot, The Emperor represents the masculine principle, the archetype of authority, fatherhood and leadership. When The Emperor is activated, a person has the energy and ability to take charge of his life and do what has to be done to achieve his goals in life.
In a relationship, this card means a willingness to be in control or that some father figure is preventing the person from moving forward according to their plans. It can also indicate that you are attracted to someone who is dominant, entrepreneurial, hardworking and successful.
The Emperor Tarot Card Meaning
Upright Emperor Meaning
- Upright Love Meaning - Traditional relationship, use logic in love, unexpressed emotions.
- Upright Career Meaning - Creating processes, structure, discipline, routine, mentor.
- Upright Finances Meaning - Being disciplined about money.
When this card appears in a Tarot reading, it means that a challenge will arise for the realization of something, whether the realization of an idea or the construction of something. It could be a new business, entering into an important contract, buying a new home, or starting a family.
The Emperor can also represent an opportunity to participate in something. It sometimes predicts the appearance of someone important in the person's life as a mentor or parent figure. It can also be an indicator of job promotion or new responsibilities that imply having more power.
Reversed Emperor Meaning
- Reversed Love Meaning - Power struggle, competitiveness, overbearing partner.
- Reversed Career Meaning - Low concentration or focus, bureaucracy, bad boss.
- Reversed Finances Meaning - Not disciplined about money, out of control finances.
When it comes out reversed, this card can predict loss of power or disruption of a situation that seemed to be in balance. The consultant may feel overwhelmed by someone. Personal ambitions may not be realized due to external circumstances beyond the person's will.
In financial terms, it may reveal involuntary loss of income. It can also mean that the person is burdened with the burden of responsibility. In personal terms, it is important to communicate better and know how to ask for help and recognize that one is not infinite.
On the other hand, the reversed position of The Emperor may denote behavior of tyranny or abuse of power exercised by the person himself over others. Authority turned to repression and abuse.
The Emperor Combinations with Other Tarot Cards
Combined with The Magician, The Emperor promises absolute success in all areas of life. All new ventures will be successful. With The Death, he shows the need to leave the past behind and start again. It favors new initiatives and new beginnings.
With The Star, it indicates a clear and rational vision, with a correct assessment of facts and reality. Combined with The Devil, it warns against the dangers of excessive pride and its possible negative consequences for the person. Combined with any of the kings of the Minor Arcana, it indicates the person's influential character.
The Major Arcana Tarot
The Major Arcana, or Great Mysteries, are seen as symbols of great issues, moments or people. Each card represents a human archetype, evoking the most varied feelings, moral positions and behaviors.
- 0 - The Fool Tarot Card Meaning
- I - The Magician Tarot Card Meaning
- II - The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning
- III - The Empress Tarot Card Meaning
- IV - The Emperor Tarot Card Meaning
- V - The Pope/The Hierophant Tarot Card Meaning
- VI - The Lovers Tarot Card Meaning
- VII - The Chariot Tarot Card Meaning
- VIII - The Justice Tarot Card Meaning
- IX - The Hermit Tarot Card Meaning
- X - The Wheel of Fortune Meaning
- XI - The Strength Tarot Card Meaning
- XII - The Hanged Man Tarot Card Meaning
- XIII - The Death Tarot Card Meaning
- XIV - The Temperance Tarot Card Meaning
- XV - The Devil Tarot Card Meaning
- XVI - The Tower Tarot Card Meaning
- XVII - The Star Tarot Card Meaning
- XVIII - The Moon Tarot Card Meaning
- XIX - The Sun Tarot Card Meaning
- XX - The Judgement Tarot Card Meaning
- XXI - The World Tarot Card Meaning
Reading, Meanings and Interpretation of the Tarot Major Arcana
Tarot is used as a tool for self-discovery and self-knowledge. In this sense, more than guessing the future, it serves to read and interpret all the elements of our life: it describes the current moment, clarifies the motives, desires and intentions, pointing out the path and the energies present in our life.
The possible readings for each Tarot card are practically infinite. There is no unique interpretation for each card, for each layout of cards or for each reading method. Tarot is based on intuition. Each person who reads the message of a card, or a set of cards, intuitively unravels the meaning of the card's message and how it connects with their own reality and circumstances of life.
The word "arcana" comes from Latin and means "secret" and, in the Tarot, the Major Arcana are considered universal, symbolic and figurative: they are considered symbolic of great issues, moments or people. They are archetypes, that is, they represent the most diverse feelings, moral positions and human behaviors. When they appear in a reading, it indicates an important event or decision, whether practical, spiritual, or emotional. They also establish correspondence with the astrological signs and planets.
