78 Weeks of Tarot: The Emperor

[Trogon]

For information on what these threads refer to, see this thread;

 

78 Weeks of Tarot - Informational Thread

 

The above linked thread gives suggested dates for the cards as well as links to the individual topics.

 

Some of us may be working through the study in a different order and using different decks. If you have general questions or comments regarding the 78 Weeks of Tarot study group, please post in the topic in the above link.

 

Have fun.

[Seeker]

Purportedly by Marie Anne Lenormand: https://books.google.com/books?id=Qm9AAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22Marie+Anne+Adelaide+Lenormand+%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiX6rWrjvvWAhXFJCYKHYw4C50Q6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

"That which consolidates a military state is obedience. 'Tis that which makes all the members of the body politic co-operate to preserve a single head; 'tis that which annihilates individual interests and establishes on their ruins one common cause. It closes every eye while it puts every arm in motion. It serves the twofold purpose of a bandage to hide the precipice, and a curb to restrain Reason when she would talk of self-preservation..."

 

...compared with a contemporary assessment:

 

Upright:

 

Creating order out of chaos.

 

Leadership and authority.

 

Making your own rules and having others obeying them.

 

Being your own boss.

 

Structure, logic, and reason.

 

Energy, force, and drive.

 

Being fearless.

 

Reversed:

 

Chaos

 

Poor leadership

 

Lack of energy

[Hemera]

 

Everyday Witch Tarot

The Emperor

 

Description:

He is sitting on a wooden chair somewhere up in the mountains. He is looking straight at us and holding his sapphire sceptre up in the air. (The Empress was holding a ruby sceptre the same way).

 

What action is going on:

No action. He is sitting, the cat and the dog are both sleeping.

 

Images and Symbolism:

-both cat and dog -again (like in the Empress card) – maybe symbolising balance of ying and yang

-sceptre with sapphires

-map with constellations

-crown of antlers; symbol of the Horned God

 

Colours:

-blue, purple and gold – the purple cape is magnificent, really royal in color

 

This card encourages:

-to turn plans and intentions into reality

-keep your courage

 

Warns against:

-stiff perfectionism

-too much seriousness

-a bossy attitude

 

Traditional meanings (J. Bunning):

-fathering; protecting and defending

-structure; being systematic, coordinating, planning

-authority; commanding, leading, setting direction

-regulating; applying rules, setting standards

 

From the Book:

-This guy knows things and he gets things done.

-The Emperor nurtures those around him, just as the Empress does, but his approach is different..

-He is definitely someone you want on your side, but be wary, since he can be harsh when he is sure he knows what is right.

-Usually his presence is benevolent, even helpful, but occasionally he can be heavy-handed or oppressive.

-Someone who thinks he is the boss of you when, in reality, he isn’t.

 

Sallie Nichols: (in Jung and Tarot. An Archetypal Journey. Weiser 1984)

Connects with reality in a practical way – He is Spirit over Nature.

-He is about Logos and about naming things. Giving names to people and things is to come away from the subconscious and into the light of the day

-4 is a figure of wholeness; 4 walls of a room, 4 functions of the psyche (Jungian), 4 directions of the compass, 4 elements etc. Nichols has a very long list of “fours”

-The Emperor and the Empress are a Royal Pair, connected through many things; in this deck through their sceptres and their pets

-Symbol of family, clan, state, nation

 

Notes:

- I’m afraid he’s not really my type with his spiked metal boots and greasy long hair. (I’m looking forward to getting acquainted with the Kings! :D) He does look trustworthy and wise, though, I’ll give him that.

-Why does the book say the dog is old? What would be the point of him being old? He doesn’t look old to me, just sleepy.

-The scroll with constellations looks interesting. I wonder what they are there for? One looks like the Big Dipper.

-He does look like someone who’d get things done. He looks very knowledgeable but also down to earth and practical. He could be a builder or an electrician irl.

 

Quote:

Have more than you show, speak less than you know.

-Shakespeare, King Lear-

 

[Bookworm]

Deck: Fairytale Tarot

 

Card name: The Emperor

 

First impressions

 

The Emperor is Asian He is lying in bed with his eyes closed. His head rests on plump red pillows. He looks like he is suffering in his sleep. His face is creased. His bony fingers clutch the covers. He is very thin. A mechanical bird sits on a little table in the foreground. A scary skeleton wearing a cloak, holds a tiny candle and stretches out his right hand towards the Emperor. Outside his room, framed by purple curtains, is an indigo sky, lit by a huge white full moon. Against the moon is a little bird sitting on the branch of a leafy, green tree, singing.

 

This is a very unusual Emperor, to say the least. I vaguely recall the story, and I look forward to reading it because I’m sure that will clear up a lot of questions, the main one being, how can this poor fellow with one foot in the grave represent earthly power?

 

From the book:

 

Keywords and phrases: Artifice and invention, predictable structures and patterns, reason and logic, authority and man-made status.

 

The Emperor values products of a mechanistic approach and casts off connection with emotionality and nature. He is not unkind, but overly authoritative. He has forgotten that feelings count and that ingenuity, rareness and technological brilliance are not everything. The Court choose the predictable waltzes over the improvised songs of the living bird. We can recognize this preference in our own culture’s embrace of technology.

 

Logic, ingenuity and artifice all have their place, but you shouldn’t throw out everything natural just because you think you can replace it with something flashier and temporarily more thrilling. At his near death, the Emperor realizes that emotions and the simple gifts, such as love and truth, are more valuable than material possessions. The story is about understanding priorities. It’s fine to use, enjoy and admire man-made things, but don’t forget that they are only one part of our chaotic but lovable world.

 

The original story

 

The Emperor and the Nightingale, by H. C. Andersen

 

http://www.andersen.sdu.dk/vaerk/hersholt/TheNightingale_e.html

 

Traditional meanings

 

Authority, order, structure, your boss, leadership, your father, the establishment, promotion to a senior role, asserting yourself, ambition, law and order, taking a stand, firmness with others and yourself, an autocrat, control freak, a weak man, a cruel man, an underachiever, support withdrawn, laziness, abuse of power, lack of discipline, lawlessness.

 

My impressions of the card/story combination:

 

I like the story, but I think it only captures a small part of what the Emperor represents in Tarot. The story makes him a peevish, somewhat ridiculous figure, which works in the story, but not so well in Tarot.because it leaves out the importance of his role as THE authority over his realm: maintaining order, security, etc.

 

One thing I really like about the story, though, is an aspect of the Emperor that is usually not thought about or emphasized: his courtiers. They are the truly ridiculous figures in the story. All they are concerned with is looking good in the eyes of the Emperor and clinging to their own little bit of power. They have lost all personal integrity. Anybody who has ever had a job they can’t afford to lose or a boss they can’t stand has had to decide how much of their own integrity they are willing to sacrifice.

 

The nightingale is in contrast to the courtiers because he does not care at all about any of that nonsense. He just does his own thing and values his freedom above all else. That’s interesting to me: the balance between security (represented by the Emperor) and freedom (represented by the nightingale).

 

I like also that the mechanical nightingale represents the logical conclusion of what happens when we let technology gain the upper hand. I hadn't really thought of the Emperor as representing technology, but it works for me.

 

The presence of the skeleton on the card emphasizes the limits of earthly power in a way I haven’t seen before on this card. It’s worth thinking about.

 

My take (what I make of it/what I might see in a reading where I drew it):

 

I think I might think more about the balance between freedom and power, the limits of earthly power and the trade-off between personal integrity and security. Also the relationship between the authority figure and those with lesser (earthly) power.

 

I might also think about the idea of the limits of technology.

[Trogon]

Haindl Tarot

 

IV The Emperor

 

First Impressions;

 

A mature man stands in front of an ancient, gnarled tree. He is very masculine. He holds a globe in his left hand and a scepter (similar to the Empress's') in his right. These are traditional symbols of power held by many rulers. I feel the tree is symbolic of Nature and the Mother/Earth Goddess (Empress) from which he receives his power. He has an eight-sided crystal over his head, which makes me think of human constructs (such as society itself). Octahedrons rarely occur in nature (only a few minerals; e.g., diamond, fluorite and alum), but you can make them by removing the corners of a cube. The border of the card is red, representing the element of fire.

 

Symbols; (From "The Haindl Tarot vol. 1")

 

Number 4; "Traditionally seen as masculine." ("The Haindl Tarot vol. 1") 4 is also the number of stability. This stability is also referenced in the Rune and crystal.

 

Hebrew Letter; "Heh" - meaning "window". "Windows derive from doors. The door of The Empress opened to the light of spiritual consciousness. In the card of The Emperor, the tree appears something like a window, but it remains closed, dark." (ibid)

 

Rune; "Ansuz", "A". It symbolizes a stag, symbolizing masculine power. It also represents the Æsir, the old Norse gods.

 

Astrological sign; Aries - the ram. The first sign of the Zodiac, it is associated with Spring, vitality and sexual potency. It also represents aggression, intolerance and domination through force.

 

Element; Fire. Also representing vitality, energy and aggression.

 

Tree; This is Yggdrasil, "the world tree of Scandinavian myth, with it's roots deep in the mysterious origins of life, and it's branches reaching up to the stars and beyond." (ibid) The tree and the forest beyond represent Nature and the Mother Goddess.

 

The Man; The Emperor himself is stepping away from the tree, effectively turning his back on Nature and the Mother Goddess from which his power derives (The Empress).

 

Crystal; According to the Haindl Book, the rune, Ansuz, is "sometimes drawn as a diamond, an image we find in the crystal. With it's four equal sides it symbolizes the rule of law." (ibid) It also symbolizes stability, structures, language & society. (The diamond-shaped rune is actually "Ingwaz" in the Elder Futhark.) Ms. Pollack also says that a square is considered to be the opposite of a circle, which represents the spirit. It "contains the clors of humanity: red, black, yellow, white." (Team RWBY!)

 

Scepter and sphere; The scepter is, as seen in The Empress, a phallic symbol - masculine energy that is direct and forceful. The gold sphere represents the material world.

 

Meanings from the book

 

Upright; "in most Tarots the Emperor will indicate the influence of society, of law and social structures. But these meanings derive from the old man sitting on his throne." (ibid) Haindl used a younger, more vital image to indicate more energy. It may indicate beginnings or a resurgence of energy or drive.

 

It can indicate sexual "potency" (for women or men), being driven by desire. Possibly also being found to be sexually desirable. Although the masculine image may be seen as a lover, it could be representing something within the self. When it does represent someone else, they may be seen as "irresistible". But The Emperor can be dangerous too, for he follow his own desires without considering others. Part of his appeal is his confidence. He understands his charm and power and will use them to get what he wants.

 

When referring to the querent, there may be dangers such as arrogance, insensitivity, manipulating others through "charm and magnetism". It may also indicate delusions, feelings of everything revolving around them. Or, in the way that new religions or civilizations tried to wipe out the old ones, the querent may be trying to deny their own history. Possibly ignoring people who have helped them, or ignoring past experiences that have shaped who they are.

 

Reversed; Can indicate blocked possibilities. The person has the chance to experience that vitality or sexual energy, but for some reason it is not happening. Alternatively, it may indicate developing sensitivity. The querent may listen more to others. There may be more complexity and depth.

 

My further interpretations; (Garnered from several sources as well as my own thoughts.)

 

Upright; Although Haindl portrayed a younger, more vital male god, I feel that the meanings associated with images of an older emperor are still present; the rules and structure of society, the patriarch who rules with stern and directed energy. The 19th century image of the father as head of the family - he teaches the sons and is the decision-maker, though he can be inflexible.

 

Stability. Following the rules. The downside of "stability" is that it can lead to stagnation. Following the rules with no understanding of them, or why you're following them.

 

Reversed; The "father" or leader has become a tyrant. An abusive husband. On the other hand, he may become ineffectual, weak, indecisive. He amy be the victim of an abusive/overbearing spouse. A family ruled by a spoiled and tyrannical child.

 

Break-down of order. On a small scale, this might be a family falling apart due to lack of leadership. On a larger scale, the breakdown or overthrow of a government. Civil unrest, riots, etc.

 

Possibly a leader who steps down because they are aware that they can no longer lead. Possibly a male in a "non-traditional" role.

 

Additional thoughts;

 

The book discusses how patriarchal religions have replace older, goddess-based religions. And, in so doing, have lost touch with Nature and Spirit. The young, male god is pictured here - following from the goddess from whom he gets his power. It very strongly ties The Empress and The Emperor together in this respect, discussing that the former is the direct forerunner of the latter.

 

In doing some brief research on the Rune Ansaz, I found a couple of seeming discrepancies in the book. It is stated that Ansaz represents the "stag", however, I can not find that connection in a couple of other resources I briefly checked. I did find that the rune Algiz ᛉ (which appears on the Haindl card XV The Devil) relates to the Elk, so that might be what they were shooting for (so to speak). Also, there was the discrepancy already noted about the "diamond-shaped" rune which is "Ingwaz" and relates to the specific god Yngvi.

 

I was also somewhat disappointed in the Reversed meanings for this card, given in the book. It is two very short paragraphs with one additional sentence: "To find the best interpretations you will have to look to the other cards, and finally, look to your intuition." This sentence could really be used for every card in the deck. I personally felt that, in this case, it was a little bit of a cop-out. I'm not sure why Pollack short-changed the reversed meaning for this card as she seems to have written more, sometimes a great deal more on all the other Majors, but she definitely could have done better.

[tinyterrarium]

 

Decks- The Fairytale Tarot by Magic Realist Press and the Fairy Tale Tarot by Lisa Hunt

 

Card Name and Fairytale

4 The Emperor, "The Emperor and the Nightingale"

4 The Wise Old Man, "Brewery of Eggshells"

 

Visual Analysis

 

What are the possible symbolic elements?  (Alberti, 2011)

 

L.H.: Trees and faces, spirals, glowing lights in beard, the forest.

 

MRP: Nature bird, toy bird, skeleton, candle, sick man that won't look at us, full moon, nighttime, luxurious items like the bed, drapes, and folding screen.

 

 

How does the structure of a picture- or any visual art form- affect our emotional response? (Bang, 2016, p. xiv)

 

MRP: My eye starts at the top of the image because of the bright white moon, it contrasts the rest of the dark image. Then by association of lightness I go to the glowing candle that the skeleton is holding. The curving of the left drape also helps my eye travel down to the Emperor's bed. His head is propped up on red pillows and I notice that in the foreground is a mechanical bird on a red pedestal. It is interesting that birds occupy the highest and lowest part of the image. The cloak of the skeleton reminds me of the heaviness of the purple drapes that frame the picture. Death's hands are active reaching for the Emperor's head and I then notice that the Emperor's hands are clenched. Both sets of hands are pointed making the image more scary. The nightingale at the top of the image positioned on a diagonal branch with its beak open along with death reaching for the Emperor indicates that this is a dynamic moment, many things are happening.

 

L.H.: The wise old man is the most important part of the image because he is in the center. His beard and the white specks and spiral contrast with the darker green of the forest. I notice that there is white in his headband and shoes. My eyes scan from the top of his head to where his feet touch the ground. The tree roots flanking the throne curve behind him drawing the viewer into the forest. The trees have human and animal faces, the branches closest to the top of the card are more abstract. The faces are positioned almost like a clock or a half circle above his head. His hands are dynamic with one on his knee and another resting on the throne as if he is going to push himself up and greet the viewer. Overall the circular movement, spirals, faces in the trees, and light emanating from his beard indicate that this is a lively inviting forest.

 

 

Wisdom from the Hero’s Journey  (Fiction, n.d.)

What lessons has the hero learned about him or herself on this journey? What are we (the spectators) supposed to learn from the journey?

 

I like how the wise old man in "Brewery of Eggshells" knew the situation of what happened to the children but gave measured advice to the mother. His test of language for the two kids was rational and helped the mother make her own conclusions about the changelings. I think the story's wisdom is about thinking through a plan before you take action.

 

The wisdom in the Emperor's story was about accountability and the relationship you have with nature. Death made the Emperor consider all of his decisions and despite having discarded the nightingale for a mechanical toy the nightingale rescues him from death with a song. Even emperor's must be accountable for their actions and remember that the valuable things in life are not just things that please them but things that have their own free will. There is a strong parallel between the automaton bird and technology in modern life.

 

Questions

 

How do we interact with the world around us? How do we decide what is true? Are they true children? Is the mechanical bird better than a real bird? How do we place value on things? How do we make decisions?

 

Interpretation

Rachel Pollack “When I do readings for myself- contrary to popular belief, most Tarot readers read for themselves all the time- I do not try to uncover or make predictions, but instead, seek the wisdom of the cards. Because they “speak” in pictures, we can ponder what they say for a long time. Here are three questions, simple yet challenging.

 

What do I know? I know keywords for the Emperor are authority, structure, and fathers according to Joan Bunning. I know I struggle with this card given my ambivalence with authority and father figures.

 

What have I forgotten? Some of the most rewarding memories I have are those with structure and authority. I loved having the structure of running on set days of the week with a team or club. In order to move past writing problems the authority of my professor is what helped me.

 

What do I need to know and must never forget? Structure and authority are words that can easily be preparation, determination, experience or guidance. Being accountable to my own vision, remembering truth, and having a plan has always served me well. The Emperor reminds me that I have control over life and can always make better decisions learning form experience.

 

References

 

Alberti, G. (2011). Symbolism within the Tarot and Comparative Visual Analysis: A Proposed Methodology for the Study of the Tarot as Applied to the Ride Waite Smith Deck. Retrieved from conservancy.umn.edu: https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/116801

 

Bang, M. (2016). Picture This How Pictures Work. San Francisco: Chronicle Books LLC.

 

Fiction, K. G. (n.d.). Science Fiction Writers Workshop: Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. Retrieved from http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/Workshop-stuff/Joseph-Campbell-Hero-Journey.htm

 

Hunt, L. (2009). Once Upon a Time. Woodbury: Llewellyn .

 

Mahony, K. (2005). The Fairytale Tarot. London: Magic Realist Press.

[Onaorkal]

Manga Tarot

 

The Emperor - III

 

 

We can see a man sitting cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed. He is dressed in a red samurai armor with blue clothing underneath.

In front of him, on the floor, there is what looks like a painting of a lotus flower, beige in color. Behind him there is a partially damaged throne with a red and gold crown leaning on the armrest. On the wall, behind the throne, there is a red tapestry, oval in shape, showing a pattern of rams and a 3-dot symbol arranged as a triangle.

 

 

Colors : Red and brass/beige/brown

 

 

Season : Summer

 

 

LWB : Protection. Control, strength, responsibility. Provide for others, watch over them, protect them. The right to rule does not derive from force but rather humility.

 

 

First impression : This emperor looks credible with his straight posture and his red armor, but the decrepit aspect of his throne left me wondering about what is actually happening in this card. Without the LWB I wouldn't be sure, but it's possible that the throne represents the 'force' aspect, while the meditative position and the lotus flower represent the 'humility' aspect that are being mentioned.

 

 

What others had to say :

-Most agree that we can clearly see a duality between the need to show off power and the need to cultivate inner peace, time for fighting and protecting and time for peace of mind.

 

 

What the author had to say : ''He choose his own throne. One was a seat of external power. And the other (the lotus flower) of inner power. That choice shapes the way he rules.''

 

 

Symbolism found in the card

 

Samurai armor : Represents the typical Emperor archetype qualities : strength, fierceness, courage and protection.

 

Red color : Associated with the root chakra and grounding, but also with passion and fiery energy. The typical emperor (in the RWS) is dressed in red.

 

Sitting position : Typical meditative posture. Denotes a relaxed state.

 

Lotus flower with 10 petals : In Buddhism, lotus flowers are associated with spiritual enlightement. A flower with 10 petals is the symbol of the solar plexus chakra, which is associated with the Emperor card (along with the root chakra).

 

Throne : Typically symbolizes power and wealth. Here the throne is damaged and cracked, which suggests that not much attention is given to this aspect.

 

Crown : Another symbol of power, wealth and royalty. Instead of wearing it on his head, the Emperor put it aside for now, once again showing that he's not giving too much attention to this aspect for now.

 

Summer season : Season associated with the Sun, vitality and abundance.

 

Rams : Animal associated with the solar plexus chakra, but also with the astrological sign Aries, which is also associated with the Emperor archetype.

 

Triangle shape : Shape associated with the solar plexus chakra.

 

 

 

Synthesis/conclusion :

 

After a good analysis of the symbolism in the card, I can definitely feel the emphasis that was put on the ''inner power'' mentioned by the author. At first, it seems that the card simply pictures an emperor doing his meditation session. But it's so much more. It embodies the full energies of the 1st  (root) and 3rd (solar plexus) chakras. Even though this Emperor looks really passive compared to most other depictions, he does have a good lesson to teach us.

Also I realized I didn't talk about the gender switch (Emperor is Arcana III here, like Empress was Arcana IV). I guess one could see some Empress qualities in this card, like the idea of creativity and (self-)nurturing. But I prefer to see it as a different take on the typical Emperor.

[Lantana]

"Participate in social norms and codes of conduct without internalizing them. Learn the ropes. Get careful. Be observant. Understand the signs. Take the lead."

 

Art by Beatriz Mendoza

 

The Navigator's re-name is similar to the Kindred's, not only to side-step gender and royalty but also to avoid the Father aspect that is often connected to the traditional interpretations of this card. Just as many of us in the LGBT community have negative relationships with our mothers, there are many of us with negative experiences of father figures as well.

 

The card features a boat on the sea, being guided by the stars. Traditionally, the Emperor is about structure and order, especially that which we learn from society. The guidebook talks about navigating social constructions without interalizing them, because as much as we wish xyz didn’t matter we still have to participate in the society we live in to survive. This can look like a lot of different things: a transgender or gay person hiding their identity for safety, taking a job because you have bills to pay no matter how much of an anti-capitalist anarchist you are, putting on a smile and eloquent tone to explain why something is harmful when all you want to do is cry and scream... The list goes on. If the sea represents this issue, than the stars represent our own personal values and principles that we guide ourselves by. Just because you don't follow societies values doesn't mean you don't have your own. Of course these may shift as we grow, but we can always focus on a new constellation if we need to change course. By navigating with these, we can build structure for ourselves that we actually fit within.

 

Reversed: Feeling a bit adrift. Misreading the social or instituional context. Making a cultural blunder. Draw strength and focus from your home or family. Allow some flexibility. Bend the rules.