The Emperor card in the Mythic tarot deck is a representation of Zeus, king of the gods, the ultimate father figure, creator of the world and sovereign of both gods and men. His symbols of power were the thunder and lightning bolt and he had a volatile, fiery spirit. Zeus dispensed both good and evil according to the laws he himself established. He was also god of the home and friendship and protector of all men.
On an inner level, Zeus is the image of the father figure. It is the father who embodies our ethical codes, self-sufficiency with which we survive in the world, the authority and ambition that drives us and the discipline and foresight necessary to accomplish those goals. It is a masculine card and a very different principle to that of nurturing. Here it is action, rather than intuitive flowing with nature, which is demanded of us.
The father within us also fosters self-respect because it is this part of us which helps us meet life's challenges. Zeus could be compassionate but also angry and vindictive if his authority was challenged or his rules were broken. Thus, the Emperor has a dark face which comes through when authority becomes rigidity or self righteousness.
To be comfortable with one's inner father means to possess a sense of one's capacity to generate ideas and manifest them in the world. To be dominated by the inner father means to be enslaved by a set of rigid beliefs that crush all human emotion with their inflexibility and arrogance.
The Emperor card represents strength, dominance, stability, power, authority, will, conviction and protection. This card is primarily about personal authority and responsibility. The Emperor has to control his own life before he can rule over anyone else. This card challenges us to manifest our ideas, to build something in the world, to found a business perhaps, or to establish the structure of a home and family. We are also asked to be mindful of where we are becoming the rigid, oppressive tyrant, and where our ideals are interfering with life and growth.
We decide, daily, whether to be the Emperor and take control, how to rule our empires, or to refuse the position and let things happen as they will. The Emperor's appearance in a spread is a reminder that we each have ultimate power over our own life and it urges us to be the benevolent dictator in our own.
Very interesting. The Emperor is also inherently alone - did you think about that?
ReplyDeleteThat was really enjoyable to read! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, its lonely at the top. But if you practice benevolent dictatorship, perhaps not as much;)
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