Thoth Tarot: The Empress As Guide

The reading begins with the Mother Aspect of The Empress. Love, happiness, beauty, pleasure, sexuality all reflect the abundance brought forth by this third card of the Major Arcana. She is elegant and gracious with a receptive presence. The Empress looks to the future, the essence of creativity and fertility. She reflects our emotional presence and is the doorway to new ideas, passion, and joy.

The Major Arcana flows from one card to the next, each one building upon the others. We begin as the Fool, taking a leap of faith as we focus into form on our journey of self-discovery. The Magus or Magician is considered card number one followed by the High Priestess as card number two reflecting male and female energies. Together they produce The Empress as card number three who then gives birth to The Emperor. All things flow from the Goddess in all Her Aspects.

Continuing the emotional influence of The Empress, The Two of Cups reinforces the unity of polarities that we saw result in the Empress. Reciprocity and balance within and without are present in this card. The Two of Cups represents love, reconciliation, and partnership.

We end with the visionary and passionate Prince of Cups. Crowley seems to believe the Prince is the equivalent to an energy vampire, ruthless and cold, but I see the Prince as passionate and sensitive, in touch with his emotional presence in the world. The card itself evokes a subtle dreaminess as the Prince emerges from the wave, appearing unaffected by the emotional chaos of the world. Astrologically, this card represents the movement between Libra and Scorpio which may account for the secretive nature that Crowley refers to. But the pause to let his eagle, his partner on the journey, drink from the well so to speak indicates a calm, centered, and balanced emotional state.

Calm within the chaos, an aspect of The Empress as well as the Two of Cups. Perhaps this is the theme of the reading. Reciprocity and balance, partnership and trust, flow from each card. As we live our lives, we play out various expressions of duality. The Empress emerges from the blending of The Magus and the High Priestess as the child born of two parents, an expression of duality that gives way to new creation. Balance within and without are present in the Two of Cups, another expression of duality. The partnership expressed in the Prince of Cups and his eagle are yet another example of duality.

But these examples are only manifestations of our life here, our true duality reflected only in our physical and nonphysical aspects of Self. Remembrance of our primary reality as expressions of Source Energy becomes our focus as we align with that primal energy, that Source Presence within. Standing apart from the chaos of physical form, we’re able to calmly observe and experience life, trusting that we possess all that we need to live in balance and joy.

It’s the calm resonance of The Empress that guides us on our path, giving birth to new ideas and experiences that we explore with joyful abandon. She teaches us to allow, to love, and to live in grace.

Blessings to all!

~ Jan