“She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral – a dwelling for an immortal soul”
-Cardinal Josef Mindzenty

abundance, nurturing, fertility, creation, feminine power, sensuality, connection to nature, motherhood, new projects, enjoying life’s pleasures.

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A Mothers Intuition

Overview

One could argue that maternal intuition is among the most powerful forces in nature—and The Empress is that force. She represents the aspect of feminine energy that longs to nurture and be nurtured. Whether expressed through motherhood, mentorship, or creative expression, this card speaks to fertility in all its forms.

Fertility here may be spiritual, emotional, material, or physical. This is an especially favorable time to create something new. Your mind is ready to sow seeds—particularly in artistic, domestic, or heart-centered pursuits. The Empress can also signify maternal figures, teachers, and mentors who support growth through care rather than force.

Symbolism

In the Rider–Waite–Smith imagery, The Empress reclines in red and white robes before a lush forest beneath a golden sky. A waterfall flows into a river that nourishes trees and grain at her feet, symbolizing life sustained through gentle abundance. She sits upon a cushioned throne, emphasizing comfort, pleasure, and security.

One pillow bears the symbol of Venus, reinforcing themes of love and beauty. Upon her head rests a crown of twelve stars, representing cosmic harmony and divine feminine cycles. In her hand, she holds a staff topped with a round orb, pointed skyward—signifying earthly power aligned with higher purpose.

Meaning of The Empress Tarot Card

Nurture your dreams

Now is an ideal time to pursue creative endeavors. The Empress brings inspiration, growth, abundance, and fertility into your life. You have the resources—emotional, material, or spiritual—to nurture others, but not at the expense of yourself. Reciprocity matters. You deserve to receive the same care and devotion you so freely give.

Matriarchal influence

The Empress symbolizes feminine authority and embodied power. The abundance she offers may appear as financial stability, creative fulfillment, emotional richness, or spiritual alignment.

Wife / Lover / Female Authority

In a personal context, she may represent a wife, lover, female authority figure, or someone destined to play a significant role in your life. She can also symbolize motherhood—your own mother, a mother figure, the mother of your child, or even you, embodying these qualities internally.

Feminine Sexuality

This card also acknowledges all expressions of female sexuality, including menstruation, pregnancy, and bodily fertility. It may indicate pregnancy or a fertile window, though it can equally reflect the gestation of ideas, relationships, or creative projects.

Influence on the Tarot Suits

During a reading, pay attention to the majority of the cards that are present. Depending on the number of Tarot cards of each suite, the meaning of the card can take a different shape.

The Empress surrounded by a lot of cards from the suit of Cups indicates you are intuitively aware of others’ emotional needs and know how to nurture them with compassion and care.

The Empress surrounded by a lot of Wands encourages creative exploration. Your current pursuits have strong potential to yield positive, lasting results.

Pentacles present in a reading with The Empress can indicate that you may need to yield—or respond—to a female authority figure who is materially focused, stubborn, or prepared for confrontation.

Swords surrounding a reading with The Empress indicates a time for self-love and healthy boundaries. You know your value—do not settle for less than the love and respect you deserve.

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The Empress Reversed

“Insecurity is being scared of your authentic self. It is the belief that your true, authentic self is not as magnificent as it actually is. Let go of that insecurity and do something totally gutsy and feel the relief in that.”
-Amy Leigh Mercer

Burnout, neglect, emotional overwhelm, over bearing tendencies, neglecting self-care

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In the Reversed position, you can turn the meaning of The Empress upside down and inside out, or it can be perceived as something else. Reversed cards can be read a few different ways. If you want to know the source of the concept of why this card is defined the way it is, check out the article “Reading Reversals” in Chapter 6 of this knowledge base.

If you simply want to know the reason and not the method of deciphering, here are some possible ways to read the card in reversed.

Deciphering The Empress Reversed

Troubles with nurturing or fertility

The Empress reversed can indicate problems with a pregnancy or becoming pregnant. Such as issues with fertility, miscarriages or pregnancy in general. It can also symbolize a though time to be had while pregnant, even in the event of outside forces such as finances or housing. In general, it calls for a difficult or incomplete pregnancy. Which includes termination of such.

Alternatively, it could indicate an unwanted pregnancy with a partner you do not pin as a good parent. Another interpretation would be that getting pregnant with this person is not in your best interest

A Diva

Aside from pregnancy and mother hood, it can symbolize someone who is overtly dramatic. This person has to be the center of attention, or is too pushy when it comes to the little details, like your own mother telling you to smooth out your hair and fix your collar.

It can also symbolize that you are the one whose going to end up bringing in the drama of the situation.

Problems with the Matriarchy

This could be your significant other’s mother, a step mother who’s overstepping or otherwise. The Empress reversed in this sense is someone who has power over the situation, and is looking out for the best interest of another party at your expense. They maybe presenting ultimatums or pushing them to make a decision out of another’s self-interest.

In terms of a Step-mother, this could be someone who cares more about the wellbeing of their own children, over the well being of your fathers. They will go above and beyond to spoil their children, and leaving the other parties offspring on the back burner.

Mama’s Boy/Girl

In this sense, there’s someone who is being overly mothered by someone else. This could be you, and it could actually be anything but your actual mother. This could be a roommate, a boss, a friend or a spouse that is trying to control every aspect of your wellbeing. This is an attempt to control someone out of codependency, making them reliant out of the sake of their own ego.

On the toxic end, this behavior can be seen as smothering, tactical neglect, and bullying. They establish a need for themselves, and then revoke access in order to cause a panic quickly followed by submission from the other party.

Creative Blocks

There is a simple fix to a creative block. There maybe something making you insecure about moving forward, whether lack of confidence in your ability or chaos in your space. Try to identify the reason you aren’t moving forward on a dream you’ve been weaving. It maybe time to either nurture your confidence or your environment to find the solution.

The Solution to your creative block is love. Whether to love yourself, or your working space.

Not taking care of yourself

Since The Empress can connotate all things relative to a queen, including lavish treatment— in the reversed position it can symbolize that you are neglecting yourself, and it’s starting to show.. Whether you’ve been in Pajamas all week, or your hair has not been done in more than a messy bun— it maybe time to reignite a spark in yourself by resonating with what you see in the mirror.

Not being taken care of the way you do others

Do you go above and beyond for the people in your life? Can you say they do the same for you? The Empress reversed in this sense warns that you are overextending yourself for others, while neglecting your own needs.

It’s time to take a step back from the responsibilities you’ve shouldered, and care for your own wellbeing. This is especially true if the Ten of wands is present in the reading, with the effect amplified if it’s one touching the Empress.