78 Weeks: Emperor

To find out what these threads refer to, please seeThe link above provides suggested dates and links to all threads for this study.

Some amongst us may be working through the deck in a different order, and using different decks.

For more general comments or questions about the 78 weeks, please post in the thread linked above.

Enjoy!

HAINDL Emperor

Compared to previous majors, this card has few symbols. Many of my thoughts came out of comparing this card to the Empress:

1. The Emperor is young, naked, and no throne in sight--so different from most decks. His image represents male vitality, muscle, potency of all kinds. A young king of action, he's not laden with material stuff, not burdened by the position he holds. He's on his feet, ready to move. His bare muscles and mind enable him.

2. The tree is huge, the oldest in the forest, yet still thriving. Is it his base, a signal of his power source--rooted yet reaching for the sky? (The Empress had the huge eye over her--limitless cosmos.)

3. The Emperor usually represents structure, logic, order. I realized that he organizes the creativity of the Empress. This card made me think of how we take a brainstorming session and organize the best ideas into action.

4. The element stripe on the card is for fire. Out of the earth (Empress' element), fire and molten rock come through a volcano--a vaguely penile structure and pours into solid form.

4. The Pollack handbook quotes Haindl himself--"The Empress creates the Emperor," the opposite of the Adam/Eve myth. The Empress had many mystical symbols and capacities compared to this simpler male power of force and logic. The Empress is the door and the Emperor is the onward path of action. (Though I like the volcano metaphor best.)

I'll be looking for my fiery vitality this week!

Blue Rose deck

www.tarotpassages.com/PGEmperor.htm

Thanks so much to horoskope88 who tells us that the red, toothy images flanking the Emperor are the faces of a tall statue of Yaksha, a demon/ogre/giant of hindu lore, and that the headdress on the female in the lower right corner is a traditional headpiece for Thai classical dance drama called a "chada".

I see this Emperor as being passionately in love with the Empress. His fierce aspect, flanked by ogres, is the protective stance of one who will keep invading forces at bay and set up a peaceful, structured kingdom in which the arts and spirituality can florish. Under him are a woman who appers to be meditating, and a woman in traditional dance costume. Fabulous architecture rises behind him, perhaps including a theatre and a temple; a city steeped in beauty, it's citizens able to express their uniqueness. The creations of the Empress, and the connection she maintains with the High Priestess for inspiration, are well protected under the fiery gaze of this virile King who appreciates their worth.

Edited to add: wow, Imagemaker, I just read your post- we must have been typing at the same time- and I see you drew similar comparisons between the Emperor and Empress. The energy of studying these cards together is really cool!

Re: Blue Rose deck

similar comparisons between the Emperor and Empress. The energy of studying these cards together is really cool!

Click to expand...

Imagine thousands of people simultaneously meditating on the Emperor protecting and encouraging creativity--imagine the fireworks! (In a GOOD way)

Quote from Imagemaker: Imagine thousands of people simultaneously meditating on the Emperor protecting and encouraging creativity--imagine the fireworks! (In a GOOD way).

That would be awesome, indeed.

Haindl deck

Quote from Imagemaker: "...we take a brainstorming session and organize the best ideas into action."

I'm also imagining this brainstorming session on a huge, internet type scale, with the best ideas organized and implemented almost immediately- the beginning of a Golden Age.

Witches Tarot

The Emperor stands in front of his throne chair, wearing a gold garmet with a red cape, a crown atop his head. He has a long beard that reaches his chest, and long brown hair. He holds a septor in his hand that has the sign of Aries (Ram horns) at the very top. Three other septors lay on the floor in front of him as if they were dropped or discarded. Behind him are red mountains and skys. A gray sphere is in the top right of the card, while a yellow sphere is in the lower left corner. He looks stern, as if someone has challenged his decision, and he has stood up and taken a step towards that person.
He is saying ' I am the Emperor and I make the decisions around here, and if you don't like it then tough!'

I would say this is a card of decisions to be made.

Book meaning:
Querent seeks wisdom (or should seek it), moves towards it. Search for energy--developement of force. The number five.

Reversed:
Life force and energy flow into Querent. If question involves health, this is a card of renewed energy. Force comes to illumination. Qerent is able to put ideas, especially spiritual ones, into action.

The 15th Path, represented by the MYthological figure Gilgamesh, and the hebrew letter Heh-the window. The wisdom of beauty, the beauty of wisdom.

Emperor

Hadar

He has a casual pose, one leg crossed over the other and is leaning his elbow on the throne. He is facing the past but looking intensely at his sceptor. "This is who I am". He has a confident attitude. I cannot help but compare this to the Empress card because 'everything' is opposite:

Emperor:
clothes are red over blue ..... Empress is blue over red
looks to his right................... Empress looks to left
eagle in landing(!)................. Empress eagle is taking flight
is outside ............................ Empress is inside
holds sceptor in right hand .. Empress holds it in left
eagle faces right .................. Empress eagle faces left
stone in sceptor is red ......... Empress stone in sceptor is blue

He is waiting but still prepared for action as the sides of his cloak are thrown back. Its almost as though he is awaiting the slow approach of someone.

Russian of St Petersburg

Again sceptor is in right hand. He sits on his embossed throne on an elaborate plinth. The plinth depicts a dragon and warrior - strength and will. His walled city is behind him. His clothes are ornate, embroidered and beaded showing his importance and wealth.

Gill

Strength comes accross in this card. Three volcanos erupting and the fourth has his right foot on top as if he is plugging the valcano such is his authority and strength. The colour shows power, being orange and red, but below him is the calm blue water showing his other side. He can be aggressive and powerful but also calm and fair. His headgear is like the Mayan sun headdress and the sun is directly behind his head. He looks to the past his lance in his right hand. He is ready for any challange.

Moonbow*

Comparing the Empress and Emperor

Imagemaker said:

Compared to previous majors, this card has few symbols. Many of my thoughts came out of comparing this card to the Empress:

Click to expand...

I noticed this too, while posting about the Empress yesterday, that it's by comparing these two cards that we learn the most about them.

Nevada

Sorry everyone, I deliberately don't read the other posts so that it is my own thoughts that come out in my post, but it seems many of us have noticed the Empress/Emperor comparison. I have only just gone back and read some of the others

Moonbow*

Will the Shepherd be proud of us or what?

No need to apologize, Moonbow*. Actually, I think it's pretty interesting that we're coming up with similar connections independently. Perhaps the concept is important to humanity right now and we're picking up on that unconciously while meditating?