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The Emperor Tarot Card
As the fourth card or Key 4 of the Major Arcana, The Emperor tarot card represents stability, structure, sovereignty, power, authority, and control.
The Emperor tarot card meanings include divine reason, clarity, and logic. He represents stability, structure, sovereignty, authority, power, and control. Just as the Empress is representative of the Divine Mother archetype (or active feminine principle), the Emperor, her consort, is the Divine Father archetype (the active masculine principle). The Empress is imaginative, creative, and productive in an uninhibited, organic fashion. The Emperor takes what she creates and gives it order and a solid foundation to continue flourishing.
Associated with the number four, The Emperor is linked to manifestation and stability in the material world. The influence of the number 4 represents the way The Emperor builds order and rules out of the raw, untamed creative force of number 3 (the Empress). These two cards work as a team; together, they create life and matter. The Empress provides the creative imagination, desire, and drive for an idea, bringing forth life in its natural, untapped state. The Emperor takes the ideas and creations of the Empress and sculpts them into something material, secure, and lasting. He brings stability and results into the creative process.
Some questions The Emperor invites you to ponder…
- How do you define power?
- Where do you need to exercise more restraint or responsibility?
- How can you demonstrate leadership?
- What larger goals do you have in mind and what are you prepared to undertake to get them?
In this post, we’ll be going over The Emperor’s Upright and Reversed meanings, as well as The Emperor as a person (or significator) and The Emperor as feelings. Sometimes awareness of a card’s place in the Tarot and your intuition can be all that’s needed to interpret its message, however, understanding the traditional meanings of the Upright/Reversed Emperor card, as well as its emotional and personal elements, will help equip you with deeper insight and more comprehensive, perceptive readings. Let’s get started!
The Emperor Keywords
| Upright↑: | stability, structure, sovereignty, power, authority, control |
| Reversed↓: | instability, disorder, malice, cruelty, prejudice, stubbornness |
| Elemental: | Fire |
| Zodiac Sign: | Aries |
| Planet: | Mars |
| Number: | 4 (strength, responsibility, stability) |
| Yes or No | Yes |
Don’t have time to read? Check out this helpful video for key meanings of The Emperor Tarot card!
The Emperor Upright
The Emperor in the upright position of a tarot reading can suggest that you need to be assertive, embrace your power, and build structure, stability, and order into your life.
His appearance can also be a sign that someone or something is dominating your life. Beware of giving your power away, whether it be to someone else, a situation, a material thing, or even your own emotions! The Emperor favors self-control, rationality, and logical thinking. If your emotions have been running away with you, now is best to reign them in and ground yourself. This card can also be a signal to step into your power. Don’t let others call the shots for you, and certainly don’t let others put you down. Treat yourself with the highest respect, and set firm, healthy boundaries if you need to! Rise and claim sovereignty over your own life. Start living for YOU.
Another important point to mention is that this card signifies the need to get clear, organized, and disciplined about what you want. Create a clear vision of your goals and start concocting a well-defined plan to execute them. The Emperor favors order, structure, and sound planning. When it comes to solving problems, this major arcana card is a master – he systematically breaks everything down and maps out the actions needed to fix it. So if you find yourself in a difficult situation or dealing with conflict, his appearance can be a nudge to be highly organized and strategic in your method of resolution. Stay consistent, see your plan through to the end, and you’ll see results!
Also, remember that it’s okay to have the final say over your life. You can listen to others’ advice, but this card is a nudge to forge and follow your unique path + voice.
The Emperor Reversed
When the Emperor shows up reversed in your reading, it is a good time to evaluate your relationship with authority, power, control, or discipline. These elements could be out of balance in your life right now, which can manifest in multiple ways. Examine how power plays a role in your life. Are you asserting your power in healthy ways that make others feel empowered and supported? Are you keeping your power hidden in the shadows, out of fear of being seen?
How about your personal power – are you letting others make decisions for you, or are you comfortable taking control? You may be dealing with someone who is attempting to push their will on you or dominate you. Watch out for falling into perceived powerlessness or feelings of low self-esteem, causing you to avoid making healthy decisions for yourself. When reversed, the Emperor tarot card advises that you seek a solution where power is fairly distributed; avoid taking it away from others, or giving yours away.
Another important thing to look at when the Emperor reversed pops up in a tarot reading is your commitment to your goals. How is your sense of responsibility or self-discipline to follow through on your commitments? Do you find yourself slacking off or ignoring things you know you need to take care of? With this reversal, it can be a warning of struggling efforts and unfruitful outcomes. Make sure that you have a clear plan and efficient routine in place. Stay consistent to see your plans through!
Pay attention to procrastination sneaking you away from getting things done or avoiding your responsibilities – you may need to give yourself a little tough love and push through any stagnation, apathy, or discouragement. The Emperor Reversed is a reminder that if you can manage to develop and utilize the energy of the upright Emperor, you will see success.
In a love reading, the Emperor reversed suggests an imbalance in a relationship. At its worst, this card can represent abuse, possessiveness, and manipulation of power + control. Your partner may be grossly authoritative, dominating, possessive, and overbearing in their behavior towards you. The Emperor reversed is a sign that your relationship may be unequal and won’t make you happy, especially in the long term.
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The Emperor as a Person
As a person, the Emperor card represents a true maverick and thoughtful leader. Powerful go-getters, these people have a clear vision of what they want and can masterfully organize themselves or others to accomplish their goals. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to see Emperor people in leadership positions or running their own businesses.
The Emperor can show a literal or symbolic father figure that provides for and protects their loved ones. Others look up to or rely on them for stability + security. And while generally not a fighter, people represented by this tarot card are not afraid of conflict and won’t hesitate to defend those they care about. Life brings valuable experience and wisdom with time. Those signified by the Emperor may be especially wise and great at offering advice or direction to others. They may make influential teachers, coaches, managers, and CEOs. Their strong sense of logic, calm demeanor, and honesty naturally attract loyalty and trust from others.
The Emperor (Reversed) as a Person
As a person, the Emperor reversed represents someone who is immature, irresponsible, or petty, and lacks the willingness to change. This person may constantly shirk responsibility and run from taking charge of their life.
They can be extremely rigid in their thinking, usually only seeing things from their point of view. The reversal of the Emperor also lends an overly stubborn personality and a refusal to accept help from others. Even when they’re wrong, these people will never admit it! This card can also represent someone who has become power-hungry. They may be so enthralled in their goals and plans that they lose sight of their original intentions and place their aspirations above other responsibilities or people in their life. They may even be excessively controlling and domineering. Power or status may be used to control or dominate others. These people may bring themselves down and others with them – they limit their own opportunities and blessings by blocking themselves from receiving anything positive.
Alternatively, the Emperor reversed as a person can present as someone insecure and afraid to assert their power or use their voice. They can be co-dependent on others and struggle with doing things alone or making decisions for themselves.
The Emperor as Feelings
As feelings in a tarot reading, the Emperor represents feelings of security, responsibility, and dedication. Because this card is ruled by the zodiac sign Aries and the fiery planet Mars, emotions can run hot with passion and determination. However, the Emperor tempers his ambitions with wisdom, reason, and logic. Emotions are kept under balanced control.
Especially in love readings, the Emperor upright as how someone feels about you can show someone who wants to take care of you and make sure you are provided for. They feel responsible for you in some way and are probably feeling protective over you.
The Emperor (Reversed) as Feelings
When the Emperor reversed is in the feelings position, inferiority and self-doubt can emerge. Someone could feel timid, unsure of oneself, and afraid to stand up for their wants or needs. More often than not, insecurity and some sort of instability are at the root of these feelings.
Sometimes, the reversed Emperor can show up when your sense of independence or freedom is being stifled by someone or something else, causing feelings of frustration and discontentment.
If you received the Emperor reversed for how someone feels about you, it can be a mix. They likely care about you but feel unable to provide for you the way you deserve. Insecurity or outside circumstances causing problems with stability can be impacting the way they currently feel. This card also comes up when someone is feeling closed off and does not have their heart open.
In the worst case, this reversal can show ill will or negative feelings. The Emperor Reversed can be a harsh, dominating figure; so when representing emotions, it can show someone who feels they want to have power over and/or be in control of another.
That’s all for The Emperor tarot card meanings! To learn more about the Tarot, check out our Tarot Guide for Beginners, or explore the meanings of the rest of the cards!
DISCLAIMER:
Sage & Moon is a participant in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you choose to purchase through these links. Any product we choose is based on personal recommendations that we love and trust you will too. By using these links you are directly supporting us to keep writing + creating. Thank you!
