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Many decades ago I went thru a formal study of the Qabbalistic Tarot, it was a 13-year program with 18-courses in different aspects of Tarot. At the end of each course there was a written test that was reviewed by an instructor. What I share here is from some of that coursework.
Key-3, The Empress, is at the Self-conscious level of consciousness. In Qabbalah The Empress is seen as the “door” to creation. In our consciousness The Empress is our creative imagination. Concentrating on this Tarot card regularly can enhance a person’s creative ability. At least that is my experience and it is what my coursework advocates.
The Empress is sometime called the Priestess, but Key-2 in Tarot is The High Priestess. The number three (3) is the number of creativity, and in numerology it is the number of creative expression. The Empress is ruled by Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, growth, and fruitfulness. The Great Mother principle in nature. The Empress may also be depicted as a pregnant woman.
The Empress Tarot card usually has a lot of green color in it because green is associated with “growth.” The stream and waterfall that is usually depicted in this card symbolize the stream of consciousness, it flows from the robe of the Empress. The half moon often depicted at the Empress’s feet symbolizes subconscious activity.
The Empress is said to be the wife of the Emperor, Key-4. This perspective says that all of the 22-cards in the major arcane are depictions of different characteristics of the one divine being in human form, and they all have relationships with each other.
The minds power to make new combinations from the store of remembered experiences comes from creative imagination. All of our mental activities we have are modifications of the Life-Power within us, that includes memory, imagination, attitude, etc. Creative imagination carried through to completion can literally help build a person a new life.
We human beings can not help but create; we are creating situations and other things consciously or unconsciously, for better or worst, fairly constantly. The creative process involves bringing at least two things together, and those two things merge bringing about a third thing. Again the number three (3). Many religions have a trinity, Christians say Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Hindus say Creator, Preserver, Destroyer, etc. Although Hindus believe that Brahma is the Creator God.
So creativity is the major theme of The Empress. Tarot can be used for consciousness development, and The Empress is a good place to start.
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