The Emperor card in Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Marseille tarot and in the Rider Waite tarot is one that has a very deep meaning, since it refers to the broad features of authority, thus becoming the indisputable representation of authority. the father figure, the structures and the solid foundations. However, it can also refer to domination, excessive control, attitudes of a despotic nature, and lack of flexibility in postures.
Meaning of The Emperor in the Tarot Marsella Jodorowsky and Rider Waite
The meaning of The Emperor card varies according to the position in which it is presented, either upside down or right side up. It is for this reason that it is important to look in detail at each of the factors that influence a different reading of this card.
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The Emperor protects material life in his paternal role. And indeed, just as the Empress was one of the parents, the female of the Fool card, the Emperor is the male parent. He is the archetype of the Father.
The Emperor holds a scepter in his right hand, which is surmounted by the symbol of the ankh, an Egyptian symbol also known as the key of life or the ansata cross. The passage from earthly to non-earthly life, to reincarnate again in another earthly life. On the left, on the other hand, he has a golden globe, the symbol of the world, of the temporal power that the Emperor has. This knob contains the aspiration to wholeness. Behind the throne you can see mountains, which reinforce the concept of hardness with which the Emperor faces life.
The element that represents it is fire, which also belongs to Aries. If it is represented on the obverse, the keywords are rules, authority, society, parenthood, but above all responsibility. This card makes it possible to recognize a person who holds great power in the workplace, presumably state labor.
Normally, however, the value of an important figure can be attributed to him, who can also be our boss, a public figure, a politician. It could also be, in a word, the transposition of the consultant’s father, or even the fatherhood that the consultant acquires, or more simply that the time has come to take care of yourself or defend something important that someone is threatening.
A card of enormous energy, of intense drive and sexual desire. If the online tarot consultation is requested by a woman and this card appears, it is almost certain that the reference is to a lover who is irresistible to her, but it could even represent a woman with very marked masculine characteristics. Basically, in the Emperor we find everything that is solid, destined to endure. It evokes the will to build something, without the impulse of the moment, but with maturity and experience. Reason wins over the emotional sphere in decisions.
The Emperor to the right
The Emperor is a card that stands out for representing authority, thus being the most faithful incarnation of the father figure. It is a representation of the material achieved through the capacities and all the knowledge that has been obtained, as well as the temporal and earthly powers.
It is a card that suggests stability, being able to enjoy material achievements, social position and wealth. In turn, this card is responsible for showing us the dominance of the mind over the heart, with the rational over the passionate, and it is possible that this is not what is desired. However, on many occasions, it is possible that the best thing to do is to take this position for certain situations.
When making difficult decisions, it is of vital importance that we can maintain concentration and focus, bearing in mind that this attitude will be the one that makes the circumstances more bearable, allowing us to achieve what we want.
Although it is true that this card may be representing the attitude and parts of the personality of the consultant, it is also possible that it indicates the appearance or presence of a male figure, a man who could well be a partner, your father or a male figure. fatherly in nature.
It is possible that this person is interested in you in a romantic aspect. If this is the case, the Major Arcana are telling us that you should not rule it out solely because of its age. While this man can be frustrating at times due to his attitudes, he is a figure who is trying to help you see that rules have their place and purpose.
This is a man who teaches you, perhaps unintentionally, what are the benefits of structure and logical decision, thus ruling over minor emotions. The situation in question is perfectly controlled and commanded by a person who knows exactly what he wants and knows perfectly how he can achieve it.
In case you are expecting some kind of final result, when The Emperor card appears you are being told that the result will be mostly positive, and you will be able to achieve your goal, since it is a situation that has been very well studied and well carried out. There is a fairly neat planning and perseverance in efforts.
The Emperor in Health
At the Health level, when this card appears, we are told that we are in a moment of great vitality and strength, for which we must believe in the right to good health, always analyzing logically what we are doing with our body. . You should consider an «elimination diet» where you can test if you have any level of food intolerance. Order and discipline can be very useful.
For example, in case we are struggling with a health problem, then we should write down the symptoms and keep track of them, so that we can later keep track of them, and determine if there is any situation in our lives that has could trigger this problem.
The Emperor in Love
In the love aspect of this card, we are shown a type of relationship in which the material and the sexual plane are much stronger and better defined than the plane of emotions and feelings.
It is quite likely that this person is attracted to the order, logic and organization that you have and show off. It is possible that the attraction is not mutual from the beginning, but, if you try to be patient, and above all persistence, it is quite possible that you will see an increase.
The Emperor in Money
As for money and the field of finance, you will find success in this field, especially in business. In addition, it is possible that there is an inheritance involved. If you find yourself involved in some type of legal suit, it is most likely that you will emerge victorious from said process. In this respect it is a particularly encouraging letter.
As you can see at other points in the reading of this card, The Emperor clearly shows us a need for discipline, to make use of logic so that your finances work much better for you.
Keep in mind that those things we pay attention to in our lives will end up growing. Ask yourself if you are treating your money with the respect it deserves, if you know what you have, how you get it and where you are projecting it. This is not the time to focus on what you lack, because then the lack is what will grow. You should pay attention to everything you already have and what you want to have.
The Emperor at Work
At the work level, this card is warning us that we must pay special attention to the organization, trying to analyze the follow-up you give to things, mainly using the power of logic, since this is how we will be able to appreciate great results. .
In case you are looking for a job, you should know that now is the time to put aside your passions and place the focus outside of yourself, thus prioritizing how other people see you, always from a logical point of view. If you are a person who offers your services and opinions from a cerebral and logical perspective, then it is quite possible that you will be able to seduce your employers.
In turn, The Emperor is a card that tells us that jobs are approaching in which we have to serve as a leader, and even command others with force, having a commanding attitude. It may refer to positions of supervisors, managers, chiefs of staff, and even military activities where rank is a priority, along with discipline and obedience. These are serious, orderly and well-planned jobs.
The Emperor in reverse
When The Emperor is presented to us the other way around, then he is talking about domination, excessive control and rigidity in the negative sense of the concept, with despotic attitudes. He may be telling us that we are giving our hearts much more credit than our minds and logic tell us we should.
Grosso modo, this is not something inherently bad, since there are situations in which putting the heart is our only solution, just as in others we must use only logic. However, the ideal is that we use a balance between these two aspects, using our mind and heart, as the card tells us.
It is quite possible that this is a time when you can get easily distracted and end up having a hard time maintaining concentration and focus, so maintaining these last two aspects becomes vitally important.
Just as when presented to the right, this card may be signaling the presence of an older man. In this case, he may find himself in opposition or conflict with you. It is important that you try to look beyond the exterior, considering what he may have to offer you that you can take advantage of.
If this man is trying to tell you what to do, using his perspective as absolute truth, don’t get too irritated. There are useful parts within his tips, and you should take them while ignoring the rest. If you only focus on the attitude that he has, then you will not be able to get anything that is of value to you.
The Emperor in Health
At the level of health, when this card appears, it is talking about a lack of balance, which will end up penalizing both the body and the psyche. It may warn us of a certain risk of accidents caused by energy abuse, inattention, impetuousness. There may be pathologies that affect the liver, the spleen, the pancreas, the replacement, the blood vessels.
The Emperor in Love
In love, the inverted position of this card tells us about affective and sentimental problems, a weak and immature union for a definitive choice. The couple tends to prevaricate, with authoritarian, despotic and violent attitudes. There may be fights, conflicts and misunderstandings of couples, immaturity, lack of control of emotions and feelings.
The Emperor in Money
In the field of finances, it is likely that you will need to seek help from external sources. This card points us to the need to look for someone who is good with logic, order, and being methodical when it comes to creating budgets, handling taxes, cash flow, and other technical aspects of relevance.
You are not in a position to allow yourself to take a haphazard and impromptu approach. The Emperor is pointing out to you that there are expenses at home that seem to never end and that are getting out of control, and this is related to difficulties in saving and planning the use of money.
The Emperor at Work
At the work level, this card warns us that the lack of protection invalidates a project. Failures due to an impatient and arrogant attitude or inability to plan the work correctly. There may be conflicts, disagreements and confrontations with a superior or altercations, disagreements and differences with a colleague. Difficulty making yourself understood and obeyed. Trading losses, capital management mistakes, weak investments.
The Emperor: Combinations | special editions
In order to correctly analyze a tarot, spread, we must do it together. It is precisely for this reason that you should be aware of the combinations of The Emperor with other Major and Minor Arcana.