Thoth Study Group - The Emperor

To get the card going for the week I have posted some quick thoughts on the Emperor.

The colours in the card image is the first thing that strikes me with this card - red, orange and yellow - all sun / fire colours which relate for me to passion, energy, intellect.

Also when I put the Empress and the Emperor next to each other - they appear to be facing / looking at each other and also they have a similiar shield at their feet, although the Emperor's shield seems to relate to the Sun whereas the Empress' shield relates to the Moon.

Their arm positioning in the cards also is similiar, except where the right arm of the Empress is empty, the Emperor's right hand is holding an orb - symbolising power and rulership.

I am curious about the lamb (with the banner) at his feet, so I will post more later on this card after I have done some research and given it more thought.

CreativeFire

PS. have attached an image of the card for easy reference

Some thoughts

For me this card really symbolises a person, so it's hard for me to look objectively at him. Whenever I did Readings and he came up it makes me think immediatly of that person, and it made sense too.

For me the lamb is the innocence that the Emperor is protecting. Just like the stories of the Sheperd (sp?) finding and looking out for the lamb.

I especially see the two "coins" at his arms of the material wealth that Emperor has gotten.

What puts me off in this card are the two goats in the background above the Emperor. I though it might be a little reference to the Devil. How the Emperor as authority figure can also "bind" you.

Re: Some thoughts

Kahlie said:

For me the lamb is the innocence that the Emperor is protecting. Just like the stories of the Sheperd (sp?) finding and looking out for the lamb.

Click to expand...

Kahlie, interesting thoughts on the lamb, I had not considered that angle.

I have posted a link below to the previous study group thread on The Emperor which may have some more insight on this card. I have not had a chance to read it through properly yet.

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11085

Cheers
CreativeFire

What do the bees on his robe mean?

I very much like this card. What strikes me first is the intensity of the colour... very intense warm colours. It reminds me of heat. It is almost as though what we are seeing here is intense heat... perhaps even oppressive heat. In the background it is almost as though there is a huge sun, its rays filling the width of the card.

According to Ziegler, in his book Tarot, Mirrors of the Soul, the seated lamb is chosen to represent the opposite of the two wild rams in the top left, and right corner. Of the seated lamb, he writes...

'It reveals the other side of the wild ram: true leadership qualities include humble subordination to the laws of the universe. This presupposes deep understanding and constant reflection on the will of the whole. A ruler of this nature is filled by ardent compassion to such an extent that he is willing to sacrifice himself for the good of all.'

To quote from Crowley's BOT, directly taken from Duquette's, Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot...

'He is seated upon the throne whose capitals are the heads of the Himalayan wild ram, since Aries means a Ram. At his feet, couchant, is the Lamb and Flag, to confirm this attribution on a lower plane; for the ram, by nature, is a wild and courageous animal, lonely in lonely places, whereas when tamed and made to lie down in green pastures, nothing is left but docile, cowardly, gregarious, and succulent beast. This is the theory of government.'

So, I am thinking that perhaps the two wild rams represent the more negative aspects of this card, eg. domination, and the seated goat represents the more positive side, eg. compassionate leadership. Interestingly, the Emperor sits inbetween both of these... almost as though he is striking a balance between the two.

Does anyone know what he holds in his hand? I cannot quite seem to find that information.

These are the original colors brought back

www.lleeheflin.com/thoth/emperor.html

Diwha

Nothing on the bee

Taken from the Royal Road

Rams' Heads: Symbols of the representative Zodiac sign, Aries


Lamb, Flag at Feet: Symbolic of Government

Body Position: The arms and head form an upright triangle;

The crossed legs form the number 4, the number of the Master Builder

Scepter, Cross: Successful energy, power, and authority; established government

Orange Color: Mix of Fire and Earth; realistic ideas put into practice

Phoenix on Shield: Transformation of the world through practical action

Diwha

Hi Diwha,

Be careful of the link you posted - I went there a few months ago and the site was virus laden. I have just clicked the link so I'll find out if it was a fluke or not.

Thanks Emily

I will be very vigilant in the future, I personnaly have been going there for over a month and no problem, but, I will heed your advice.


Thank you Diwha

closrapexa said:

What do the bees on his robe mean?

Click to expand...

Found something on the bees in Banzhaf's The Handbook to the Cards:

Clothing (Golden Bees)
The bees - which on the garment of the Empress symbolise fertility or motherhood - represent structure in the beehive, and therefore fatherhood and rulership on the clothing of the Emperor. This also includes the integration of the instincts and feelings in external forms, which channels these powers into paths of justice and order.

CreativeFire