The Emperor Tarot Card Meaning

Emperor Tarot Card Keywords

Paternal influences, fatherhood, institutions, organisation, stability, promotion, rules.

Emperor Tarot Card Description

The Emperor appears to have leapt up from his throne and be about to blaze into action. He is not in the first flush of youth, but he is an active, decisive man who is willing and able to take control of a situation. The gold chain around his neck and the golden belt at his waist suggests he has been financially rewarded for his skills and knowledge.

Upright Meaning

The Emperor is a born leader and his presence in a reading, points to issues relating to leadership, authority, power and sometimes fatherhood. When this card appears upright in a reading related to business or your ambitions, you can be sure you have the drive and determination to reach your goals. Yet, it can also suggest that you lack finesse when exercising your power and this could alienate those around you - remember the saying - ‘be nice to the folks you pass on the way up the ladder, since you are sure to meet them on the way down’. Fortunately, the chance of you slipping down the slimy slide of success is small now. When The Emperor is in the upright position, vocational satisfaction is highly likely, as long as you have self-discipline and determination. Even upright, The Emperor is a rather unsettling card to appear in relationship related readings, as when it does, it tells us to follow our head instead of our heart. It also suggests you are drawn to a dominant person or someone who is a real ‘go-getter’, who is likely to be reliable, and whilst this is not a bad thing, they may also be inscrutable or at worst, cold.

When The Emperor appears upright, he is asking you to be conservative, methodical, organized and play by the rules. Whatever your goal is, this is not the time to think laterally or go out on a limb.

Reversed Meaning

Here he comes, the grumpy Victorian Dad who is always right and will not allow anyone to disagree with him. When he is reversed, The Emperor is a tiresome fusspot who can’t wait to annoy the editor of his favourite paper by writing a letter complaining about the kids who stand on the street corner or mithering about a misplaced punctuation mark in the last issue. You can bet that whatever is causing you problems in your life right now, somewhere a Victorian Dad sits glowering your way; be he your boss, bank manager or Oh no, your father. Of course, it wouldn’t be you who is acting in this way would it? When he appears reversed in relationship questions, you’re likely to have found yourself involved with an emotional freezer who may be difficult, if not impossible, to thaw. On occasion, and usually in relation to business, child rearing or education, this card can point to an individual behaving in a resentful or rebellious manner, usually because they believe they are not being given the responsibility they deserve. In business and work related matters, someone may be shirking, leaving tasks either unfinished or poorly done. The Emperor suggests that this is because they are too immature for their allotted role and need more supervision and input.