The Empress Tarot Card Meaning Upright and Reversed

When the Empress appears in a reading, it represents motherhood, nurture, and fertile abundance. The lesson is that Mother Earth is generous with her gifts. Everything you need or desire is available to you, and it’s okay to enjoy this comfort.

The Empress creates the conditions for growth. Whether it is a fertility of the body or the mind, she establishes peace in her world with a sense of self-awareness and inner-knowing that positively affects the people she cares for.

Sensitivity is a strength. Harmony is the goal. The gift of the Empress is good fortune when we apply those principles.

The Empress Tarot Card Keywords and Facts

Before you understand the specific meaning, take a look at the keywords and phrases associated with our fourth Major Arcana Card.

Upright Keywords	Mother Earth, nurture, fertility, abundance
Reversed Keywords	Overbearing, starvation, dependence
Yes or No	Yes
Numerology Number	3
Zodiac Sign	Taurus
Element	Earth
Ruling Planet	Venus

The Empress Tarot Card Symbolism and Appearance

The Empress is seated on a throne of red pillows. By her seat is a stone carved in the shape of a heart, bearing the symbol for Venus. She is the very image and expression of femininity. She requires a comfortable and well-resourced space to bring things to life and nurture their growth.

Her body isn’t facing the reader, but her gaze is direct. She is a beautiful woman in an expensive dress. One can be a natural beauty and still appreciate the finer things in life.

The pomegranate design on her dress points to fertility and feminine mystique.

She wears pearls around her neck and a crown with 12 stars. The pearls represent her ability to turn adverse circumstances into treasured gems. The stars represent her intimacy with spiritual matters.

One hand rests on her knee while the other lifts a golden scepter. She wields the power of life and good fortune from her comfort zone. Whatever she ordains will surely succeed and add value to your experience.

She is surrounded by bounty: A field of golden wheat, a forest of shady trees, and a flowing river with a waterfall. It is understood that she is a part of this scene, another expression of life, bountiful and divine.

The Empress Tarot Card Upright Meaning

When it appears upright, the Empress refers to an abundant life of ease, where one can truly enjoy life’s real pleasures. It tells you that abundance is the way that life is expressed. It says, “there is more than enough here for us all.”

The Empress is a grounded and magnetic figure who brings serenity and good fortune when you encounter her. She is generous with her gifts, and there are no strings attached.

This card represents good fortune in terms of having all of your needs and desires met.

Love (Upright)

In a love reading, the Empress points to commitment in a relationship, a supportive and sensual partner. The message is that you can make a creative and fertile match with this person. If you’re looking for love, a great partner is on the way to you.

This card tells of the desire for a loving and financially supportive partner. Sometimes, it points to a workplace romance or perhaps starting a business with someone you’re involved with.

If you’re in a long-term relationship, this says it’s a serious and dedicated affair. A marriage or pregnancy may be coming up, or some other commitment milestone.

Health and Spirituality (Upright)

In a reading about health, the Empress stands for taking a natural approach to healing. The message is that holistic approaches to wellness come first, including good nutrition and natural remedies.

Spiritually, you give birth to a new perspective or a more profound understanding of the spiritual principles that guide you, like gratitude, patience, and acceptance.

It’s all about returning to the basics of self-care and self-discipline that allow you to grow and become your best self.

Money and Career (Upright)

When the Empress shows up in a spread about money or career, it means Good Fortune. You can capitalize on what comes naturally to you (i.e., a good singing voice or a skill with numbers). You will create something profitable, possibly with the help of a committed ally.

This also points to a time of comfort when you have enough to share, and so you do. Generosity is encouraged.

Establish an environment where you can thrive in comfort while still doing the work that brings security to your life.

The Empress Tarot Card Reversed Meaning

When the Empress shows up in reverse, it warns against doing too much for others at your own expense. The idea is that you have to be as kind to yourself as you are to others. You may be giving too much in ways that aren’t that helpful. Turn the caring energy toward yourself and attend to your own needs.

There are limits to the grace people have to offer. Living too lavishly can have its downsides. What has been created can also be destroyed.

What has been given may come at an unknown or unanticipated cost. Read the fine print. Look out for yourself, first and foremost.

Love (Reversed)

When the Empress reversed appears in a love reading, it points to a jealous and possessive lover. Low self-esteem brings stagnation to relationships. It’s up to you to trust yourself enough to choose a partner you can trust.

Otherwise, one might adopt an unkind and miserly way of being in love. The guidance here is to seek a more kind and giving way to interact with your loved one.

Health and Spirituality (Reversed)

In a health spread, the Empress, in reverse, represents overindulgence, laziness, and neglect. The message is that poor habits lead to poor health. If you want to feel better, giving your body what it needs is essential.

Spiritually speaking, it means that your connection to inspiration suffers when you don’t use your intuition. You may be suffering a creative block of some kind, and the guidance is to get grounded and engage with your creative and intuitive practices again.

Money and Career (Reversed)

If you see the Empress reversed in a money or career reading, it stands for a failure to recognize your good fortune. Your progress is stalled due to a lack of imagination.

Remember to recognize your accomplishments and be grateful for what you have. This will inspire the creativity you need to move forward.

This can also indicate that a specific golden opportunity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Again, read the fine print, and make sure you know what you’re investing in before you sign on, or you may wind up in an unsustainable situation.

The Empress Tarot Card Yes or No Meaning

The Empress is a definite yes! This card offers growth, treasured experiences, and good fortune. Especially when it comes to emotional or material investments in the things you love, don’t hesitate!

Important Card Combinations for the Empress Card

The Empress and Five of Pentacles

Sometimes, it’s lonely at the top. You may have everything you need but go without friends or a loving companion.

The guidance is to ask for assistance from someone who knows how to help you find creative partners.

The Empress and 8 of Cups

The 8 of Cups suggests moving on from an unfulfilling situation. Coupled with the Empress, this says you will find your ideal circumstances when you walk away from something that isn’t working out well.

Rest assured, putting the loss behind you will lead to satisfying upgrades in your life.

The Empress and the Hierophant

When these two come together, it suggests a ritual or ceremony celebrating beauty and good fortune. You may be reading for a bride-to-be. There may be a wedding soon.

The Hierophant is an observer of traditions, reminding you to attend to all the details of your ceremony in the style of your family’s heritage.

The Empress and Five of Swords

The Five of Swords depicts an unappealing way of behaving that turns other people off. Together with the Empress, who is a beautiful woman, this says the querent may be feeling unattractive.

It may be time to withdraw from the day-to-day hustle and pamper yourself. A hot bath or a dip in the pool can get you back in touch with your body and the inner beauty that shines through.

The Empress and Queen of Cups

The compassion and benevolence of these two figures indicate that the person in question is a natural helper. You can rely on this person to lend a sympathetic ear and to render good counsel.

If there seems to be no such person, this combo shows guidance to find a good therapist.

The Empress and the Devil

The Empress represents fertility, but the Devil is in the details. This pairing talks about the difficulties that people sometimes have trying to conceive.

Hormones and IVF treatment may be in the querent’s future. These strategies are invasive, expensive, and not guaranteed. This is your chance to decide how to proceed.

The Empress and the Chariot

Success in the beauty industry is indicated when the Chariot comes out with the Empress. The Chariot is determined and experienced when it comes to achieving his goals.

With these cards, you can find success in cosmetology, esthetics, or any other path that involves helping people look good.

The Empress and Knight of Pentacles

Knights set things in motion. Coupled with the Empress, it says you may find the bounty you seek in a different location.

The suggestion is to consider moving jobs for better compensation and benefits.

The Empress Tarot Card in Numerology

Though it is the fourth card of the Major Arcana, The Empress’s number is three. It relates to creativity and optimism.

Body, mind, and spirit. Past, present, and future. Maiden, mother, and crone. The number three encompasses all parts of one’s journey, promising completion and an opportunity to enjoy the fruits of the whole experience.

Next Card: Tarot Card Number 4: The Emperor Meanings

Rider-Waite images used with permission of U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT c. 1971 by U.S. Games Systems.