The Empress in Tarot: Meaning of Arcanum III

Among the major arcana, the Empress is one of the most radiant. Seated facing us, her gaze frank, she holds her scepter with confidence. You can feel a lively, creative, attractive energy in her. When she appears in a spread, she often announces a period of expression, of fertility in the broad sense, of projects taking shape. Here is how to read her, in love, at work and for money.

Description of the card

The Empress sits on a throne, facing us. She wears a crown. In one hand, a scepter; against her, a shield decorated with an eagle. Her clothes are full and colorful. She does not move, but she radiates.

• The scepter symbolizes the power to act, natural authority.
• The eagle evokes intelligence, vision, the ability to rise above.
• The frontal position speaks of frankness, presence, self assertion.

The Empress's keywords

• Creativity, expression, communication
• Seduction, femininity, charm
• Intelligence, new ideas
• Blossoming, abundance
• Reversed: creative block, superficiality, vanity

The Empress in love

In a relationship

The Empress is an excellent card for a relationship. She announces a period of blossoming, closeness, renewed seduction. She favors dialogue and declarations. She can also evoke a shared project taking shape.

Single

She invites you to show yourself, to express yourself, to seduce. She announces a period when you are particularly radiant. A meeting is possible, especially if you go out and reach out to others.

When you are waiting for a sign from someone, you quickly tend to question the cards about their thoughts. The Empress reminds you that you also have the power to express yourself. If you are wondering what someone feels, our article is he thinking about me? Questioning tarot accurately offers a calmer approach. And to broaden your reflection, see our guide to seeing your relationship more clearly with the help of a psychic reading.

The Empress at work

It is a very favorable card for professional life, especially for:

• careers in communication, creation, consulting;
• negotiations and presentations: it is the time to convince;
• new projects that call for ideas.

The Empress also speaks of kind leadership: a person who leads through inspiration rather than authority.

The Empress and money

For money, the Empress evokes a period of relative abundance, ideas that can pay off, a good ability to negotiate. She does not guarantee gain, but she indicates a favorable energy for making the most of your talents. If your question concerns your finances or career, a free tarot reading devoted to work and money can be a good starting point for observing the tendency.

The Empress reversed

Reversed, the Empress sees her creative energy held back or diverted:

• creative block: ideas that will not come out;
• difficulty expressing yourself: you do not dare say what you think;
• superficiality: image takes precedence over substance;
• vanity: an excessive need to please.

She invites you to find authentic expression again.

The Empress in a yes or no reading

It is a yes, clear and bright, especially for questions about communication, creation, seduction. "Should I tell him how I feel?" "Is it the right time to present my project?" The Empress answers: yes, express yourself.

Common combinations

• The Empress and the Emperor: a balanced couple, a solid partnership.
• The Empress and the Sun: complete fulfillment, a happy period.
• The Empress and the Lovers: seduction, an emotional choice.
• The Empress and the High Priestess: the balance between expression and reflection.
• The Empress and the Tower: words that shake things up, a truth bursting out.

A card that keeps coming back?

If the Empress appears regularly in your spreads, it may be the sign of an unmet need for expression. Many practitioners notice that certain cards come back at key moments in their lives. Our article on the mirror of the cards and recognizing repeating patterns explains how to make use of these repetitions.

The Empress among the 22 arcana

The Empress bears the number III. She follows the High Priestess (II), who represents inner knowledge, and precedes the Emperor (IV), who represents structure. She is the stage where what you know becomes expression. To discover all the arcana in order and understand their logic, our article on the 22 major arcana of tarot explained one by one and our guide to understanding the arcana and the different tarot decks are two good resources.

Practicing reading the Empress

Free online readings are a good way to meet the Empress in different contexts and compare your reading with the text provided. To know how to use them best, see what a free online tarot reading is really worth.

In summary

The Empress is the card of expression, creativity and seduction. In love, she announces a period of blossoming. At work, she favors communication and projects. For money, she indicates a favorable energy for making the most of your talents. Reversed, she signals a block in expression. Her message: dare to show yourself and say what you carry within.