Wendywu
I look at this card and there is so much to see. It is amazing.
At the top of the card I see, of course, the Tree. Its branches spread out evenly making a lattice work through which we can see the sky. The branches are not white, as in the Empress’s card, but a more natural tree colour. On this Tree the female figure is clear – her naked body blends with and forms part of the Tree. This card is full of pagan symbolism – the woman has horns on her head and her body is not nailed to the Tree – it is part of it. To me this says that she is one with Nature and understands this so deeply that for her there is no separation between herself and the natural world she loves.
The sun shows through the lattice of branches as a vivid orange to either side of the card, but brilliant yellow pouring down on the woman’s body and the tree itself. Ra himself is sharing the rejoicing in nature, and pouring himself down upon the earth.
The Emperor sits below the Tree with his wings spread. Lying curved over the top of each wing are more female figures; they are also naked. This signifies to me the great sensuality of this Emperor – he is obvious in his enjoyment of his body and those of others. The women on his wings lie in an almost ritual posture - exposed and accepting of all he cares to bestow upon them. At this time, however, the Emperor chooses to ignore them – he is not consumed by his physical self by any means.
Tucked under each of his wings is a monk like figure, both are engrossed in reading large books. For me this emphasises that the Emperor values learning and education, and also expects us to make efforts to think for ourselves, for this is what books inspire in us. There are huge piles of books at the sides of the Emperor – lovely stacks that are falling sideways they are piled so high with more and more volumes.
In another way, these piled up books symbolise the life stories of all of the Emperor’s subjects – kept close by and in his care. He obviously values them very highly. Interestingly, just off to the side are two skulls, both peering eagerly into one book. Skulls again – symbols of heretical thought, and of thought itself. These skulls appear fascinated by the book they are reading – I can almost hear them chattering to each other about it. Whose life is so interesting that it absorbs them like that? Well, when you get right down to it – each of us is immensely interesting. With some of us it just doesn’t show on the surface. So, the two skulls could be engrossed in any one of the books.
Or – it could be one of the Holy Books – all cultures have their own, albeit some are oral traditions. Most thinkers and students read everything they can get their hands on, they discuss it, mull it over and absorb what is useful into their own personal philosophy. Having all these books around him – and maybe they are all holy books – tells me that the Emperor accepts all faiths and traditions as having value – none more favoured than the other – no particular book has been given special treatment. There are some figures directly behind the skulls – they look like hooded monks with their backs turned toward us. Why would they be turned away? The only thing I can think is that they are the followers of rigid thought patterns, unable or unwilling to join with the skulls in their reading.
Directly in front of the Emperor’s crossed legs is a tarot spread. How wonderful – the Empress with her bones, feathers and I-Ching, and now the Emperor with the cards. Again, I feel happy to think that divination is not only accepted but positively endorsed. From the look of him – sat in lotus position on the ground, eyes closed and deep in thought – this time the Emperor is using his cards for meditation.
His gown is strange. It is a loose robe in shades of purple (signifying spiritual thought) but growing up from his groin and covering his chest is a representation of a tree. For me this says that the Emperor understands and believes in the Tree of Life, shown here as Ygdrasil, the World Tree, on his gown. It is at the root and core of him.
Where his robe is stretched between the knees of his crossed legs, there are some very strange marking. They are dark and ugly, as if they are somehow eating into the Emperor. The only understanding I have of these marks, at present, is that they signify that this Emperor is not all about the careful ordering of life (the books of life stacked by his side where he can keep an eye on them). There is also a dark ugliness whose necessity I need to understand.
He is an Emperor. This is a large concept. There is not much in the image to give away the dark side of power, but it exists and a being as powerful as an Emperor most certainly has a dark side which he uses. By necessity not every aspect of ruling can be gentle. To be truly loving takes discipline – he obviously loves his subject and this world – he will not be afraid to apply necessary discipline. It is obvious from the fact that the dark areas on his robe are limited, that the disciplinary side of the Emperor is held in check. As long as he has his caring, loving Empress by his side the Emperor is held in balance.
The Emperor loves the earth – he sits on the ground instead of on a throne, keeping himself in direct contact with the world he loves so much. His horns show his one-ness with Nature, Mother Earth, his lover. The Tree on his robe shows his commitment to the one world.
On the ground either side of him are bones. Quite large bones – very traditionally shaped. This reinforces with me that at bone level we are all the same. Whose bones are they? It doesn’t matter – they are our handle on remembering that no-one of us is any greater or better than any other, and we are all his subjects. He can handle us at will.
Either side of the tarot spread in front of him, thick gnarled roots are emerging from the soil. They are twisted, convoluted and go off in all directions. At the bottom of the card, where the branches of each root meet, it is impossible to say which branch has which root. Again this is for me a metaphor that we all start off separate, apart, but as we grow we join and blend in many different directions. And we are at his feet.
Surrounding the Emperor, guarding him or being guarded by him – is a dragon’s tail running sinuously around him. I see this as Ourobouros – the worm who eats his own tail. We can only see a portion of him – his head and tail are out of our sight. Ourobouros, the Lemniscate – circling the Emperor who, like his partner, sits at the centre of Eternity.
To me, the Emperor is a symbol of great power. My life is kept safe in his hands – or not – he chooses but never in an arbitrary way – always for a reason. He is an authority figure – his self-discipline is obvious – and he expects discipline of each of us too. He has a loving, warm and caring partner – this softens his edges, limits his harshness and lets his warmth and care come through as well.
At the top of the card I see, of course, the Tree. Its branches spread out evenly making a lattice work through which we can see the sky. The branches are not white, as in the Empress’s card, but a more natural tree colour. On this Tree the female figure is clear – her naked body blends with and forms part of the Tree. This card is full of pagan symbolism – the woman has horns on her head and her body is not nailed to the Tree – it is part of it. To me this says that she is one with Nature and understands this so deeply that for her there is no separation between herself and the natural world she loves.
The sun shows through the lattice of branches as a vivid orange to either side of the card, but brilliant yellow pouring down on the woman’s body and the tree itself. Ra himself is sharing the rejoicing in nature, and pouring himself down upon the earth.
The Emperor sits below the Tree with his wings spread. Lying curved over the top of each wing are more female figures; they are also naked. This signifies to me the great sensuality of this Emperor – he is obvious in his enjoyment of his body and those of others. The women on his wings lie in an almost ritual posture - exposed and accepting of all he cares to bestow upon them. At this time, however, the Emperor chooses to ignore them – he is not consumed by his physical self by any means.
Tucked under each of his wings is a monk like figure, both are engrossed in reading large books. For me this emphasises that the Emperor values learning and education, and also expects us to make efforts to think for ourselves, for this is what books inspire in us. There are huge piles of books at the sides of the Emperor – lovely stacks that are falling sideways they are piled so high with more and more volumes.
In another way, these piled up books symbolise the life stories of all of the Emperor’s subjects – kept close by and in his care. He obviously values them very highly. Interestingly, just off to the side are two skulls, both peering eagerly into one book. Skulls again – symbols of heretical thought, and of thought itself. These skulls appear fascinated by the book they are reading – I can almost hear them chattering to each other about it. Whose life is so interesting that it absorbs them like that? Well, when you get right down to it – each of us is immensely interesting. With some of us it just doesn’t show on the surface. So, the two skulls could be engrossed in any one of the books.
Or – it could be one of the Holy Books – all cultures have their own, albeit some are oral traditions. Most thinkers and students read everything they can get their hands on, they discuss it, mull it over and absorb what is useful into their own personal philosophy. Having all these books around him – and maybe they are all holy books – tells me that the Emperor accepts all faiths and traditions as having value – none more favoured than the other – no particular book has been given special treatment. There are some figures directly behind the skulls – they look like hooded monks with their backs turned toward us. Why would they be turned away? The only thing I can think is that they are the followers of rigid thought patterns, unable or unwilling to join with the skulls in their reading.
Directly in front of the Emperor’s crossed legs is a tarot spread. How wonderful – the Empress with her bones, feathers and I-Ching, and now the Emperor with the cards. Again, I feel happy to think that divination is not only accepted but positively endorsed. From the look of him – sat in lotus position on the ground, eyes closed and deep in thought – this time the Emperor is using his cards for meditation.
His gown is strange. It is a loose robe in shades of purple (signifying spiritual thought) but growing up from his groin and covering his chest is a representation of a tree. For me this says that the Emperor understands and believes in the Tree of Life, shown here as Ygdrasil, the World Tree, on his gown. It is at the root and core of him.
Where his robe is stretched between the knees of his crossed legs, there are some very strange marking. They are dark and ugly, as if they are somehow eating into the Emperor. The only understanding I have of these marks, at present, is that they signify that this Emperor is not all about the careful ordering of life (the books of life stacked by his side where he can keep an eye on them). There is also a dark ugliness whose necessity I need to understand.
He is an Emperor. This is a large concept. There is not much in the image to give away the dark side of power, but it exists and a being as powerful as an Emperor most certainly has a dark side which he uses. By necessity not every aspect of ruling can be gentle. To be truly loving takes discipline – he obviously loves his subject and this world – he will not be afraid to apply necessary discipline. It is obvious from the fact that the dark areas on his robe are limited, that the disciplinary side of the Emperor is held in check. As long as he has his caring, loving Empress by his side the Emperor is held in balance.
The Emperor loves the earth – he sits on the ground instead of on a throne, keeping himself in direct contact with the world he loves so much. His horns show his one-ness with Nature, Mother Earth, his lover. The Tree on his robe shows his commitment to the one world.
On the ground either side of him are bones. Quite large bones – very traditionally shaped. This reinforces with me that at bone level we are all the same. Whose bones are they? It doesn’t matter – they are our handle on remembering that no-one of us is any greater or better than any other, and we are all his subjects. He can handle us at will.
Either side of the tarot spread in front of him, thick gnarled roots are emerging from the soil. They are twisted, convoluted and go off in all directions. At the bottom of the card, where the branches of each root meet, it is impossible to say which branch has which root. Again this is for me a metaphor that we all start off separate, apart, but as we grow we join and blend in many different directions. And we are at his feet.
Surrounding the Emperor, guarding him or being guarded by him – is a dragon’s tail running sinuously around him. I see this as Ourobouros – the worm who eats his own tail. We can only see a portion of him – his head and tail are out of our sight. Ourobouros, the Lemniscate – circling the Emperor who, like his partner, sits at the centre of Eternity.
To me, the Emperor is a symbol of great power. My life is kept safe in his hands – or not – he chooses but never in an arbitrary way – always for a reason. He is an authority figure – his self-discipline is obvious – and he expects discipline of each of us too. He has a loving, warm and caring partner – this softens his edges, limits his harshness and lets his warmth and care come through as well.
