The Empress.
The 1916 Saint Paul Winter Carnival Queen, Anna Skon
The Empress is the third card in the Major Arcana and my third Twin City Tarot post. She represents a path to spirit through the senses. She is a stately figure, seated upon opulent cushions. The Empress is mother. She reminds me of my brother’s other mother. She’s a creator and nurturer. In some decks she appears to be about nine months pregnant. She can represent the creation of life, of romance, of art or business. The Empress often represents the germination of an idea before it is ready to be fully born. The Empress is associated with Venus, goddess of beautiful things as well as love. The woman in the card is also interpreted to be Demeter, goddess of abundance. She is the giver of earthly gifts, although at the same time, she can be overprotective and possessive. In anger she can withhold, as Demeter did when her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped and Demeter kept the Earth cold and barren until Spring when her child is returned to her. The Empress is often interpreted as an aspect of the intellect and the power of the mind. It can mean making your plans become a reality or moving forward with your plans to your next goal. It can stand for the conception for nurturing ideas and thus for creativity. The Empress also suggests fertility and pregnancy.
The Rider-Waite Empress
