the Empress

3. The Empress

The Empress being the third card of the Major Arcana is the card which represents the ability to put together an idea and to bring it into fruitition. She is a pregnant mother sitting on the thrown of the earth holding the wand high into the air with 12 stars on a crown on her head. at her side is a heart shaped shield with the ankh meaning life. She is the fertility card and the third step on the journey. She demonstrates to you that once you have the tools that The Magician (1) has set in front of you and the wisdom that the High Priestess (2) demonstrates to you, you can now begin to bring forth the ideas and put them into usage. This is a card of fertility and growth. When she appears in your spread it's normally to tell you that you are ready to begin to make your goals become possible. She says to you "I am the mother of ideas."

This is the card of new beginnings and a heading into a new birth of awareness. It represents fertilizing an idea and carrying it through to completion. When we have and Idea often times we leave it sit in the dust and proceed to something different. Other times we just ignore the idea figuring it won't amount to much. When The Empress comes into your life she is there to remind you that you need to nurture yourself and your ideas and goals. Yes you are going to have to labor to achieve them, birthing doesn't come without it's pains but if your willing to endure the pains of trial and error and occasional set backs, the life you will "create", or the idea you will give birth to will be one that you will not regret. If you choose to ignore this card, a period of barreness is most likely to develop.

IN A READING	A Major Arcana always indicates and important event, category, or month, and will overpower all other cards in both impact and effect.
NUMBER 3	Many 3's indicate group activites or situations involving more than one person. THey can also indicate delay, but with the promise of future success.
FOCUS	The focus is on passive rather than active activities; feelings, emotions, inner promptings, and intuition, self~expressionm, socializing, or connecting; short~ or Long~distance trips; and "being" rather than "doing."
DESIRE	You are discontented because somethings is missing or lacking in your life, or because you want to find something creative, meaningful, or fulfilling to do, but you don't know what.
ROMANCE	You will long for love and affection and want very much to express the things in your heart but cannot and will not be content to be just a surface lover.
THE UNEXPECTED	You are going to be surprised by a sudden flirtation or romantic possibility.
OTHERS	It will be a strain communicating with some people because you will feel scattered, intolerant, or critical, yet it will motivate you to get your intention clear and to take action to resolve the difficulty.
THE HOME	You will want to take it easy, be outdoors, travel, or move, but if you considered moving to a new locale or living with another, you won't go through with it because it won't feel right.
TRAVEL	You will travel for work or pleasure and will look at or discuss property to buy, rent, or purchase for a new home.
PAPERS	You will experience problems connected with papers. Don't gloss over documents; read them carefully or define them more clearly … you made need someone else's input.
WORK / CAREER	You will try to put off work for awhile and/or schedule business appointments for a later date, or you will want to work in a human~potential profession that motivates others through self~actualization or creative interaction.
UNIONS	You will be examining your relationships with others and trying to sort out your feelings.
EMOTIONAL STATE	You will feel taut, troubled or out of sorts because you'll want to create something but won't know what, and your thoughts and feelings will be unruly or discordant.
PLEASURE	You will find peace, comfort, and inspiration through nature, rest, or relaxation, social gatherings, and small trips are pleasurable pursuits.
NEWS	Something inside is trying to tell you something. Get in touch with your feelings.
FAMILY	Your relatives will be concernes with the sale or purchase of a home or real estate venture. Expect communication problems.
THE PHYSICAL BODY	Your upper back could bother you, and a rest or vacation would do wonders. Get in touch with your body and see what it wants or needs … You'll be happy with the results if you do.
FINANCES	Expect a postponement of delay concerning finances, but the money is forthcoming.
TIME	In time, you will intiutively sort things out and come to the conclusion that it's better not to give problems any (more) thought or attention, and to relax and start enjoying yourself.
FRIENDS	You're not saying what you really want to say, or expressing the things you really feel, or doing exactly what you really want to do. Female friends are also indicated.
VISITORS / CALLERS	If you planned to unite with someone, your plans will be canceled or delayed … at least for now.
MAIL	Something that's been overlooked is going to cause an upset or delay, but it will arrive shortly.
ANXIETY	Communicating with others will be a strain, and you will be frustrated because you will you are in a "holding pattern" and are unable to make the kinds of changes you want to see happen in your life.
DISAPPOINTMENT	You will be unhappy because you won't be able to manifest the things of your heart.
ENDINGS	Stress and strain will come to an end.
NEW BEGINNINGS	You are going to make a very important or significant connection with someone and though it's only the initial stage of an action or union, the gears will be set in motion.
INHERITANCE	You will "inherit" the ability to intuitively synthesize information and grow as a result.
REWARDS / GIFTS	You will give someone a gift in appreciation or exchange for a service he/she provided for you, or one will be given to you.
SUCCESS	Your success will come through a positive change in your attitude trusting your intuitive prompting, and doing what the heart dictates, and in anything pertaining to nature, organics, or the "great outdoors".
FORTUNE	Luck will be with you in finding an emotional or physical outlet that will resolve tensions and ease your mind or soothe your soul.
BLESSINGS	You will be grateful for an intellectual respite and healing of emotional ills.
SPECIAL GUIDANCE	Mundane:This is no the time to think, act or do. You're already overloaded and mental pursuit won't give you what you need. Further attempts to follow your intellect or reasoning mind will only cause frustration or lead you astray Esoteric: You are in a reorientation period. If you have neglected to heed your feelings or intiutive faculties, you will be prevented from utilizing your intellectual resources until the balance is restored. Thought must learn to unite with feeling, and in this case, feelings must lead.
BEST COURSE OF ACTION	Heed your feelings or instincts and not your intellect, and leaarn to trust your feelings more.
OUTCOME	Expect delays or postponements … but there is a promise of future success.

There is a myriad of symbolisms on this and many of the other cards in both the major and minor arcana. In order to present a comprehensive and easy to use as a reference source set of pages for this and other cards, I will refrain from going into great detail regarding the individual symbols on the cards. On a future date I will go over the more explicit aspects of them. If you have a question regarding a particular symbol you can email me at Tamerin. I would also like to hear from you on some of your interpretations of this particular card or any other that you would like to discuss. Please use above email link.

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