Astro Tarot – The Empress and Venus
Welcome to one of the most beautiful and positive cards of the Tarot. The Empress is the epitome of feminine power and the card is linked to the planet Venus. Venus is the ruler of two signs – sensual Taurus and beauty-loving Libra. One sign is Earth the other Air – so the card also represents earth and heaven. The card presents the personal feminine and also feminine power. Venus is also the goddess of love, art and beauty. In most decks of the Tarot The Empress is depicted as pregnant and she will often be shown wearing a green dress or robes as green is the colour associated with Venus. This is symbolic of both fertility and creativity. Don’t forget in mythology, Venus was the mother of Cupid or Eros as he was known. She gave birth to the God who fires off those little arrows that can delight or confuse us!
When this card appears in a reading it’s good to step back and ask what area of the person’s life needs abundance, creativity or fertility. The card is usually positive even when it appears reversed as it contains the promise of bounty and success. If you look closely at the card you will see The Empress presides over a green and fertile landscape. In astrology, Venus rules the 5th house and here is where we see the connections between this and the card. The 5th house rules romance – the start of a love relationship and attraction. This is all about sensual pleasure and remember, Venus and by default, the 5th house, is not concerned with whether the relationship lasts or not. It’s all about enjoying the experience! It is the 7th house which rules our long term partnerships. The 5th house also rules creative ventures and children (our greatest creation of all!), so again, we see the links between the pregnant Empress and the 5th house.
Astrological Venus also rules our bank accounts. Have a think about times when romance and relationships were going well. Chances are your bank account was quite healthy as well. Very often a new job or promotion can bring about an upswing in our personal lives and vice versa. This is Venus at work! Of course, Venus can cause us to over-spend and over-indulge in our quest for pleasure but with The Empress, this is all about a positive Venus experience.
So, when she appears as well as looking at what areas need or are showing abundance, creativity or fertility the message of the card is that something is coming to fruition. The person asking the question is in a position where they can access their feminine power and give birth to something be it a new idea, child, relationship or even a new job or career. The message is a positive one. If you are reading for a man then The Empress would indicate that if he’s single, romance would be around the corner. Alternatively, children or creativity will play an upcoming part in his future. If you are looking at the chart then it’s always a good idea to look at where Venus was at the time of birth and where both the transitting and progressed Venus is now and then tie this in to the card’s message.
The Empress shows us what we are able to attract simply by tapping into our creative power. Unlike other cards The Empress is sitting, content. She’s not taking action because she doesn’t need to. She knows what she desires will come to her because she is ripe with possibilities. That’s what we need to remember both when dealing with this card and with Venus in astrology. The combined power of love and creativity can create wonderful experiences for us.
