Emperor Rider Waite

The Emperor

Son of the Morning

Rules: Aries

Exaltation: The Sun

Planetary Association: Mars

Hebrew Letter: Heh

Color: Red, Scarlet

Musical Note: C-natural

 

Emperor Description and Symbolism

 

An older man with a long white beard sits at a stone throne. His throne is gray with rocks from the Earth. There are four ram heads, which form the four corners of it. He sits, but is ready for action. He doesn’t relax as he surveys what is before him. Behind him yellow and red burn the sky. The mountains that tower before him are also red. This is because he rules the color scarlet. There is one small blue stream that trickles down the base of the mountains that runs laterally across the image.

The Emperor is wearing a red cloak with the symbol of Aries on it. A small amount of blue can be seen on the sleeves. We see armor poking out from under his red scarlet robes. He is holding the symbol for male and an orb both upright and rigid. His crown is large and gold with jewels running around the circumference.

He is a good ruler, who is very disciplined. The Emperor is a strong leader and a paternal archetype. He rules over his kingdom with discipline, law and order, and in absolute control. Everyone obeys him. His foundation is solid and balanced. He takes great care at ruling methodically and meticulously. He rules with his head not his emotions.

The Emperor needs his Empress, for without her he becomes cold and his logic turns tyrannical. The love of his Empress is what gives him the strength of compassion.

The Emperor is the embodiment of all the Kings.

 

Emperor Interpretation and Divination

If you get the Emperor in a reading, it could mean that you need to exert self-control and discipline in all matters. You may even meet a very successful, older business man who can help you build a business.

When you get the Emperor in a reading it can mean that you will come across an older man of authority. This could be a father figure or a man of authority, such as a police officer or general in the military. This man will help you in the areas of your life that need structure, discipline, and stability. You will learn a lot from this person.

The Emperor rules the element of fire. He is the action and spark that can ignite an idea. He is the business owner who never loses his resolve. He speaks directly to all the Kings.

He needs the Empress to nurture, sooth, and love him. No one can rule alone. Where the Empress is the fertile, loving, nurturing womb, the Emperor is the solid land, the building with a strong foundation, and the law and order of the people.

The Emperor suggests that you have a good relationship with your father.

 

The Emperor in Love

 

You may meet an older man who is very helpful to you. It is possible to grow to love this man. He may remind you of your father. The Emperor doesn’t speak of undying love or passion. He usually wants an Empress type of female. Someone who dresses up or is feminine in another aspect. Maybe she loves to have a garden and cook, since he loves to eat and loves to walk among her garden. He needs a very feminine woman in his life because of his extreme masculine energy.

In a relationship the Emperor usually needs to be the boss of the situation. He will want to take control and you may even have to be subjugated to him. He has very male oriented principles such as the female being submissive to the male. He always thinks he knows what he’s doing even when he doesn’t. He usually doesn’t let people into his emotional side and when he doesn’t get his way in love, he can be extremely aggressive. He may send flowers, follower her on face book, or find different ways to infiltrate her life. He’s the type that will call his wife five times a day when she’s way on a trip. He believes this is a devotion of love, but in reality, it’s a controlling aspect of being in an Emperor relationship.

 

The Emperor as Feelings

The Emperor isn’t a feeling type of card. He’s all about logic, control and that reasoning mind. If you get the Emperor in the placement of, “How does my love interest feel about me”, I would read it in two different ways depending on the surrounding cards.

First, he may not feel anything. He is being rational about everything and doesn’t have romantic feelings towards you.

Second, he could feel the need to control you. He (or she) feels like they have all the power in the relationship and can yield that power when they choose. He could easily feel like you complement him in some way as a trophy to his already growing trophy of things.

 

Emperor as the Outcome (Love)

If you are a female seeking a male in a relationship, then the Emperor is a good card to get as the outcome card. It speaks of building a family, stability and structure. This man wants to build a family with you. If you see the Empress or Lovers card in the reading with the Emperor you have found the perfect love.

Depending on the surrounding cards, the Emperor will mean that the relationship will stay as it is. This can be a good or bad thing. If there are lots of swords in the reading it can indicate its rather mental and far less full of emotions. If you are asking about a love interest, rather than a standing relationship, your relationship will stay as it is–a love interest. The Emperor doesn’t change his mind often, so whatever he feels or thinks in the present moment, is exactly how he will stay.

 

The Emperor in Career

Perhaps an older man will give you a loan or provide mentoring to you. Occupations that could be coming your way are ones where you are the boss.

In a business the Emperor is usually the one always calling shots. He can be so rigid that he never learns from his mistakes even if they are plain as day. He wouldn’t yield under pressure and can find ways to get his way no matter what. Types of jobs that suit the Emperor archetype are any jobs where he takes the lead. He has to be the boss. A self-employed business man. He can be very shrewd when it comes to business and if his business is failing he either blames someone else or will do something underhanded such as creative accounting in order to show a profit that doesn’t exist in order to get prospective buyer. He may seem stoic and silent on the surface, but he’s usually observing everything, waiting for the right move.

 

The Emperor as Advice

The Emperor could indicate that you need to focus more on logic than emotions. You need to follow through and act with resolve. Do what you say you’ll do. Make a to-do list and complete it. Don’t let your emotions run wild. There is a time and place where the heart is necessary, but when the Emperor turns up in a reading, this is not the time to brood over your heart matters. Use your head. Now is the time for logical, rational energy to manifest in your life.

 

The Emperor as an Obstacle

Being stiff and ridged is an obstacle that the Emperor presents. You could be in a position trapped by your own rigidity or someone you know might be restricting you. This restrictive attitude won’t help. Sometimes we need restrictions in order to thrive, but when the Emperor comes up in the obstacle position, it’s detrimental.

 

The Emperor as an Action

The Emperor is going to do exactly what is was doing before. He is not going to change course. If you are asking what action your love interest will take and he hasn’t been calling you, then the Emperor as an action will indicate that he will continue to not call you.

The Emperor won’t budge from his chair. He’s made up his mind.

 

Tarot Emperor Professions

Body guard. Military. Entrepreneur. Builder. Construction. Body builder. Police Department. Defense Department. Captain. General. Armed Services. Entrepreneur. Engineer. CEO. Politician. Delegation. Head of the Department. Rule Maker.

 

The Emperor Reversed

The Emperor can turn into a tyrannical, overly-aggressive man. He can be short-tempered and abrupt.

Emperor Tarot Card Combinations

Emperor and the Fool
a. Father and a son
b. Boss and an employee
c. Any older figure (uncle, boss, police) that mentors someone younger

Emperor and Empress
a. Mother and Father. Soulmates. Structure meets abundance.

Emperor and Temperance
a. You hit a rock while trying to partnerup

Emperor and Devil
a. Being chained to a bad business partner or deal.
b. Unable to move your position. Standing your ground in the face of opposition.
c. Severity.

Emperor and Knight of Swords
a. Can indicate war or military action.
b. Writing a stern and strong letter backed by the legal system.

Emperor and Queen of Wands
a. You may want to expand your home based business. This combinations also works
with the Emperor and Queen of Pentacles.

Emperor and Seven of Cups 
a. Controling your delusions.

Emperor and King of Cups 
a. Staying emotionally where you are.

Emperor and Three of Pentacles
a. You may be asking for a business loan or someone maybe coming to you with a
business loan.

 

Tarot Decks Worth Owning

Lovers Oracle

Find out exactly how he feels with these easy to read lovers oracle deck! 

After Tarot Deck

“After Tarot explores what the cards would look like just moments after the usual scenes with which we are most familiar. For instance, what would happen to The Fool moments after putting his foot over the cliff? Find out in the revolutionary After Tarot.

Kit includes 78-card deck and a 160-page guidebook.” Excerpt from Amazon

Oracle of the Mermaids

“Overflowing with Mermaid magic, legends and lore, the 168-page guidebook features in-depth messages and clear, accurate card spreads to help you to find answers for yourself, your loved ones, or your clients. Features 45 illustrations by renowned fantasy artist Selina Fenech.” excerpt from Amazon

Ciro Marchetti Oracle Deck

“Through lush, Victorian-influenced images, the Oracle of Visions deck offers unique perspectives for insightful and intuitive readings. Rather than relying on a single theme, this eclectic oracle deck introduces archetypal figures from many areas of life, including the theater and the carnival. Ciro Marchetti’s imaginative scenes encourage us to set aside pre-conceived ideas and open ourselves up to new ways of looking at our choices, decisions, and potential outcomes. Oracle of Visions set includes 52 cards and 140-page illustrated guidebook. Following a career in advertising and graphic design, Ciro Marchetti has devoted the last decade of his life to the creation of several divination decks, including the Gilded Reverie Lenormand deck and the Tarot of Dreams. His award-winning digital artwork is popular around the world.” -Amazon

Ciro Marchetti Gilded Tarot Deck

“One of Llewellyn’s bestselling tarot decks has been updated with brilliantly refreshed art and an updated guidebook. With borderless cards, richer colors, and stylish design improvements, the deck retains its powerful readability with a more contemporary look to engage its many fans and new users alike. Following the RWS style and abounding with medieval magicians, priestesses, emperors, and knights, the Gilded Tarot Royale will continue to inspire tarot readers for years to come.” Amazon Staff Writer

Rider Waite Tarot Kit

The kit comes in a beautiful gift box and has lots of extras, including 78 beautiful tarot cards, in-depth guide, instruction booklet, luxurious velvet tarot card bag, 3 piece of tarot card holder stands, 7-color chakra stones, crystal pendulum, divination tablecloth and 2 decorative feathers. You will feel like you are participating in a personal ritual every time you pick up your tarot deck gift set.

Rider Waite Classic

Rider-Waite Tarot has set the standard for hundreds of other tarot decks, which follow the archetypal images created by Pamela Colman Smith in 1909under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite. This edition includes Smith’s original hand drawn titles.”A unique feature of the Rider-Waite deck, and one of the of the principal reasons for its enduring popularity, is that all of the cards, including the Minor Arcana, depict full scenes with figures and symbols.

We make a small percentage from purchases through the Amazon Affiliate program.

Additional Reading

The History of Tarot

For a complete history of tarot, follow world-renowned author and researcher, Robert M. Place.

Seventy Eight Degrees

A simple introduction to tarot by international author, Rachel Pollack.

A Complete Guide to the Tarot

One of the first books I read on Tarot. I bought mine from a used book store when I was 15-years-old. Eden Gray’s Tarot Book remains a staple must-have and a timeless resource.

“The Tarot is a symbolic record of human experience. Through deeply rooted mystic powers, the cards accomplish miracles of psychological insight, wise counsel and accurate divination.”—from A Complete Guide to the Tarot

Paul Foster Case

Paul Foster Case takes you deep inside the esoteric elements of the Major Arcana.

The Element Tarot Handbook

For a deeper, esoteric dive into Tarot, I recommend Naomi Ozaniec’s book. She takes cues from the Golden Dawn, Qabalah and Western Mysteries.

We make a small percentage from purchases through the Amazon Affiliate program.