The Empress is the fourth card of the Major Arcana, although it is numbered 3.  (Remember The Fool is the first card and is numbered 0).

The Empress is linked to the The High Priestess but unlike the HPS, the Empress is a card of activity and movement. The basic meaning of this card is growth, prosperity and fertility as The Empress is ruled by Venus.  In a spread, this card can indicate pregnancy, luxury, abundance and acting on one’s internal guidance.

This card can also mean that any seeds you’ve planted have taken root and it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labors. The querant’s hard work is coming to an end and now it’s time to enjoy the results.

This card has been known to come before people have won the lottery or some other kind of windfall. If negatively aspected, this card in the future could show recklessness and loss.

As with all the cards of the Tarot, The Empress has a dark face. When reversed or negatively aspected The Empress could indicate misdirected or wasted energy is causing failure. As the Empress is ruled by Venus, this will usually appear in around the home, love or money. The answer is to plan carefully and to avoid being reckless and irresponsible. An emotional emptiness, or poverty, could also be indicated. Someone represented by a reversed or negatively aspected Empress could be suffering from a ‘poverty consciousness’.