While the Empress being the Mother archetype of the Tarot deck, the Emperor is the Father. He sits on a stone throne which is decorated with four rams’ heads (symbolic of his connection with the planet Mars). The Emperor holds an ankh in his right hand, the Egyptian symbol of life, and in his left hand, there is an orb symbolizing the world over which he rules. He wears a red robe, which symbolizes his power and passion. He wears a suit of armor, suggesting that he is protected from any danger. Along with his gold crown, he is an authority figure who requires to be heard. Behind his throne looms a tall, impenetrable mountain range, signifying that he is backed by a solid foundation but resistant to making any changes unless he deems it necessary. Below the mountains flows a small river, giving some hope that despite his solid exterior, he is still an emotional person.

Upright
Authority, establishment, structure, a father figure
Reversed
Domination, excessive control, lack of discipline, inflexibility
Astrology
Aries
Element
Fire
The Emperor

Upright Emperor

The Emperor is the father figure of the Tarot deck, suggests that you are adopting this protective role (regardless of whether you are male or female), affording for your family, and protecting your loved ones. 

Similarly, the Emperor represents a strong and charismatic leader. Status and power are necessary to you, and you are most comfortable in a leadership role where you can direct others. You have a clear vision of what you want to manifest, and you arrange those around you to manifest your goal. You listen to the advice of others, but you prefer to make the final decision. 

The Emperor reflects a system defined by rules and regulations. You create law and order by applying policies or guidelines to a specific situation. Be strategic and highly organized in your approach by sticking to your plan until the end.

The Emperor card also implies world knowledge and expertise. You have gained valuable wisdom and living experience, and now you enjoy offering guidance to someone who might benefit from it. You may be a teacher, coach, boss, or just a good friend who likes to take the knowledge and pass it on so that others can be as wise and powerful as you.

Reversed Emperor

The reversed Emperor requests you to assess your relationships with responsibility and discipline. Are you expressing too much or too little of these in your life right now? Are they serving for you or against you?

In the reversed position, the Emperor can be bossy and inflexible in his thoughts. The card can suggest an over-use of authoritative power. It could be you or another person, often a boss, partner or family member. And it may be because of deep insecurities and self-doubts.

Recognize the position of power in your life. Are you declaring your power and dominance in a way that leaves others feeling weak? Or are you giving away much of your personal power to please others? Try to find a solution where you start from a place of personal power and enable others to do the same. Power can be equally distributed – you don’t need to take it from others, nor do you need to give yours away.

Sometimes, the reversed Emperor asks you to stand up to authority. You may feel fed up with an oppressive boss or a hierarchical organization and feel forced to enter a more flexible and adaptive environment. Maybe you aspire to be your own boss and work independently by starting up your own business. 

In a love reading, the reversed Emperor hints that you may be in an unbalanced relationship and it‘s making you unhappy. Your partner has become overbearing, possessive and dominating. This dynamic is putting tension on the relationship and blocking the flow of energies between you.