Astro Tarot – The Emperor and Mars
Aries, the leading sign of the zodiac is ruled by Mars, planet of masculinity and action and in the Tarot this finds form in the card of The Emperor. There’s a lot of confusion out there about Mars as it’s often associated with aggression and impulsiveness. The Emperor however is all about power, authority and leadership and how we appear to others as it rules the first house. We can be powerful but not aggressive. We can have authority without abusing it and we can set examples by our leadership stance that others will emulate. This is Mars and the Aries archetype at its most positive.
We all need a little masculine energy at times even if we’re women. The card of The Emperor is about manifestation and structure. Without structure what we manifest will crumble. If you look closely at The Emperor you will see that he is usually surrounded by pillars – they can be part of his throne or even behind or in front of him. These represent the structure we need to create in order to rule our own lives. In general terms, when this card appears in a reading it is asking us to establish some kind of structure and authority in our lives. We may need to become more focussed and set some boundaries in order to achieve what we need to.
For a woman, the Emperor can represent a partner or even an authority figure in her life. If he is the former then there is a real chance the relationship could conform to very ‘traditional’ roles with the man acting as the patriarch and breadwinner or it can indicate a man who is stuck in this kind of relationship dynamic.
If you are doing an astro tarot reading, then you need to take note of the sign which Mars occupied when the person was born and the house if you know their birthtime. Take a look at where the transitting and progressed Mars is now.
The Emperor can indicate the need to establish something and in a reading is a very good indicator for anyone wanting to start their own business or establish their own ‘empire’ – buying a home for example. The card shows that they will have the energy available to them to do whatever it takes and in a business or professional capacity the card can show a mentor or someone willing to assist with expertise or resources.
No matter what the situation, in a reading The Emperor is the card that gives us permission to control our circumstances and empowers us to do it. It’s a call to be more assertive and to become The Emperor of our own lives whether we are women or men.
