Emperor Tarot Card Keywords
Paternal influences, fatherhood, institutions, organisation, stability, promotion, rules.
Emperor Tarot Card Description
The Emperor appears to have leapt up from his throne and be about to blaze into action. He is not in the first flush of youth, but he is an active, decisive man who is willing and able to take control of a situation. The gold chain around his neck and the golden belt at his waist suggests he has been financially rewarded for his skills and knowledge.
Upright Meaning
The Emperor is a born leader and his presence in a reading, points to issues relating to leadership, authority, power and sometimes fatherhood. When this card appears upright in a reading related to business or your ambitions, you can be sure you have the drive and determination to reach your goals. Yet, it can also suggest that you lack finesse when exercising your power and this could alienate those around you – remember the saying – ‘be nice to the folks you pass on the way up the ladder, since you are sure to meet them on the way down’. Fortunately, the chance of you slipping down the slimy slide of success is small now. When The Emperor is in the upright position, vocational satisfaction is highly likely, as long as you have self-discipline and determination. Even upright, The Emperor is a rather unsettling card to appear in relationship related readings, as when it does, it tells us to follow our head instead of our heart. It also suggests you are drawn to a dominant person or someone who is a real ‘go-getter’, who is likely to be reliable, and whilst this is not a bad thing, they may also be inscrutable or at worst, cold.
When The Emperor appears upright, he is asking you to be conservative, methodical, organized and play by the rules. Whatever your goal is, this is not the time to think laterally or go out on a limb.
Reversed Meaning
Here he comes, the grumpy Victorian Dad who is always right and will not allow anyone to disagree with him. When he is reversed, The Emperor is a tiresome fusspot who can’t wait to annoy the editor of his favourite paper by writing a letter complaining about the kids who stand on the street corner or mithering about a misplaced punctuation mark in the last issue. You can bet that whatever is causing you problems in your life right now, somewhere a Victorian Dad sits glowering your way; be he your boss, bank manager or Oh no, your father. Of course, it wouldn’t be you who is acting in this way would it? When he appears reversed in relationship questions, you’re likely to have found yourself involved with an emotional freezer who may be difficult, if not impossible, to thaw. On occasion, and usually in relation to business, child rearing or education, this card can point to an individual behaving in a resentful or rebellious manner, usually because they believe they are not being given the responsibility they deserve. In business and work related matters, someone may be shirking, leaving tasks either unfinished or poorly done. The Emperor suggests that this is because they are too immature for their allotted role and need more supervision and input.
Past
It has felt as if no one has been listening to you, particularly if you have been trying to reach those in power. Or have you been in a position of power and ignoring the wishes of your subordinates? You may have achieved some goals recently but at what cost? Rules and laws may guide but have they also smothered you?
Present
You have gained some authority, and you’re totally positive about what you want. There’s a risk of you being too forceful and wanting everything your way. You must avoid being stubborn. Relationships see you in control, but base your decisions on facts. There is a chance that someone in authority is preventing you from developing to your full potential.
Future
It is highly likely that you will be able to score your career goals, though this will not come on a plate but through hard work and self-discipline. In love, you can be attracted to the Alpha type with a great career, or someone who’s strong and dominating. They’ll be reliable, but you may never suss out their motivation.
The Emperor Love Tarot Card Meanings Keywords
Fatherhood, father figure, traditional relationships, stability, legal ties.
The Emperor Love Tarot Card Description
Upright Meaning
Love is like a butterfly (according to Dolly Parton) but the Emperor is like a Parliamentary Private Secretary – rather serious, efficient and not particularly romantic. Don’t get me wrong The Emperor is a very useful chap, he’s just not much of a cuddle bunny. The Emperor is about power, he encourages us to take responsibility for our actions and choices. He also asks us to use our common sense regarding relationships. He often appears when a relationship is profound and traditional rather than fleeting, he is not a ‘friendship with benefits’ kind of guy. The Emperor can exert authority over our moral codes and so his appearance can point to some moral issue surrounding your love interest. He can imply that you could find others questioning your choice of mate and you may have to be strong enough to face that criticism. Alternatively, it might be your other half who is set on a course of action you find dubious, if so, you might need to speak your mind.
The Emperor often represents an older person, frequently someone who is well established in their career. The flip side of this is that he can suggest that the other person in your life struggles to display their emotions, they may have deep feelings but somehow they just can’t express them very well. At their worst someone represented by The Emperor can be egotistical, dominant, bossy and a bit of a bully with little sympathy for the failings of others.
Reversed Meaning
Pat Benatar sang Love is a Battlefield, but do we really have to be so negative? Well, when the Emperor appears reversed you may not be at war but there seems to be something of a power struggle going on in your relationship. You just don’t seem able to see each other’s point of view and this is acting as a damper on your ability to communicate and your personal interactions could suffer.
The Emperor can suggest that you are attracted to a domineering partner and there is a risk that you could hand too much power over to them and risk losing your own identity. Equally, you or your partner may struggle to connect emotionally thus potentially making your relationship cold and distant.
Single souls need to consider how they relate to others, are you too willing to please or perhaps you don’t connect emotionally with others very easily.
