Pathworking the Tarot

by Leeza Robertson

  3. The Empress

  The great mother of the deck is the embodiment of Venus, the Goddess of Love. She is nurturing, giving, and constantly creating. Yet she is more than just a woman who always seems barefoot and pregnant. The whole idea of pregnancy and birth is debated within the energy of this card, along with the idea of what we define as a mother. Not every woman gives literal birth to another life, and men cannot do it at all; yet both are just as much a part of the Empress as those women who can, and do, bring physical new life into the world. It is within the Empress that we start to see that maybe the way we have defined the world is not as concrete as we first thought. It is under the loving gaze of the Empress that we start to think about identity, purpose, and how we wish to engage in the material world of physicality. For if the Empress can be fluid in self-identification, perhaps so can we. It is here with the Empress that we start to learn that gender is not identity and identity is not gender. This idea will be explored even further throughout the court cards.

  The Empress’s deep connection to the earth means she can teach you how to birth your ideas into the material world; however, she will be brutally honest about the level of sacrifice you will have to make in order to create all that you want and desire. The Empress knows only too well about processes and cycles. She understands there are no shortcuts or overnight successes. If you are willing to walk the path of creation with her, she will be more than eager to share some of her tips and tricks along the way, but be forewarned, her advice is not for the faint-hearted.

  Pathwork

  Intentional

  The Empress is our first lesson in process, stages, and cycles. In order to create something, it must first be conceived, then go through a gestational process, and then be birthed into the world. After it is born, the hard work begins. But for now, let’s focus on gestation. In today’s instant gratification world, waiting for things to happen can seem like a cruel form of torture. But the Empress knows that in order for things to be birthed in the right way at the right time, there needs to be a specific gestational period.

  As you think about projects, ideas, or relationships you seem to be waiting on, take a nice deep breath. Just relax and breathe out any and all tension you have created around the idea of having to wait. Focus on exhaling the tension and anxiety while you inhale the calming and more nurturing energy of the Empress. Feel the unconditional love she has for you and your creations. Let it wash over your body. As you breathe in the energy of the Empress and exhale the tension, bring to your mind’s eye the end result you are rushing so hard to get to. Make this image as sharp and bright as you can. Allow the energy from the Empress to seep into this end result image you are focusing on and see how it makes you feel. Sink into the visual representation of seeing your goal achieved. Notice who is there with you. Notice what sort of environment you are in.

  As you make this image larger, brighter, and more lifelike, notice any and all tension or anxiety that creeps into your body. Just keep breathing it out, and do not release your primary focus from your vision. As you take in your achievement and the amazing feelings this achievement gives you, ask yourself if you are willing to compromise any of this. How it looks, how it feels, and who is there with you are all products of your goal coming together in divine time, and divine time is the Empress’s domain. This vision is the end result of the perfect gestational period. Allow that to sink in, and then when you are ready, take three nice, long, deep breaths in through the nose and out through your mouth, and just let the image fade away. Release it with the knowledge that it is on its way to you. Let go of your need to control when it shows up, and instead put it in the hands of the Empress. Allow her to guide it through its divine gestational period, knowing she will be more than willing to give it back to you once it is time for you to birth it into the world. Relax, roll out your shoulders, take the Empress card out of your deck, and place her either on your altar or beside your bed. Leave her there for the next three days. Each morning and evening, look at your card and say “Thank you.”

  Intuitive

  For this journey, take your Empress card out of your deck and put her somewhere you can see her. Next, open up your yearly planner or digital calendar. Take a deep breath and ask the Empress to give you a date of expectancy. You can word this any way you want. You may ask her for a due date for your goal or maybe a deadline for phase one of a longer project. Just find a way to ask, then close your eyes and let the date come to you. No matter what date it is, put it in your calendar. This may seem a little out there, but I have learned over the years that the Empress is never wrong with her timing. Even when I am on a contractual deadline, I ask the Empress for a due date, and without fail she gives it to me. It is always right every single time, without exception. Once you have your date marked you can relax into that fact and know that you now have a solid time frame to work with, meaning you now know just how long your gestational period will be.

  Wandering

  If you were to take the Empress for a walk, where would you take her and why? Think about the fact that she is heavily pregnant; what would you need to do to accommodate her? Take into consideration that her connection to Venus means she has a preference for beauty. And last but not least, consider the fact that she is used to getting her own way. Take this all into consideration before you plan your outing. Now, start making a list of all the places you want to take the Empress. Make bullet points as to why you think the Empress would enjoy herself at these places, and consider if you yourself would also enjoy them. You just never know; planning a trip for the Empress may turn into a trip-planning event for yourself!

  4. The Emperor

  Have you ever imagined what it would be like to build your own world? To have a world that was in alignment with your own personal beliefs, thoughts, and feelings? Can you even see what sort of people would live there and how the structure of the society would work? It is not easy thinking about having massive numbers of people in your care. It is not easy to set the rules and regulations that hundreds, thousands, or millions would have to live their lives by. Yet this is exactly what the Emperor does. He is law, he is structure, he is the creator of his own Empire, the builder of his own world. It is easy for us to think we know all the answers to solve the world’s problems, but the truth is that no one does. Humans as a collective are messy, complex, and often paradoxical. To build an empire you have to think about the many and live with the few that do not agree with you. To create a world means establishing one set of ideals, beliefs, and biases and expecting everyone else to follow them. The job of the Emperor is a difficult and unrewarding one. Maybe that is why from time to time he locks himself away and only bothers to indulge his own needs and wants. All good leaders should have “me time”; however, they also know this is not something they can do forever.

  The Emperor in the tarot represents the divine masculine, the energy that works harmoniously alongside the divine feminine. You can tell when the divine masculine is out of alignment, because it is not sharing the spotlight with its female consort. In order for any world to be fair and balanced, the divine gendered energies must be on equal footing. The Emperor knows this, which is why he is more than happy for the Empress to come before him in the first row of the major arcana. He doesn’t need to upstage or outshine anyone, as he has too many other things on his mind, and without the help of the Empress, nothing he builds will grow. This is important when you start your pathwork journey with the Emperor, for oftentimes people forget that the Emperor doesn’t create worlds on his own. He is not a singular entity as such; he is part of the whole, and without the other pieces there would be no need for any of the things he can build, create, or bring together. The foundation he forges needs others to engage with it, support it, nourish it, and help it expand.

  Pathwork

  Intentional

  When it is time to get serious and get our hands dirty, it is time to pull the Emperor from our d
ecks and start to work alongside this builder of dreams deliberately and with purpose. Emperor isn’t just a ruler and commander in chief, he is also a creator; he constructs things, often with his own two hands. This is the energy you will need when you want to manifest something from your dreams into your physical experience. This simple mantra-style spell will help you channel your inner Emperor and get you focused on building your own empire.

  Go ahead and remove your Emperor card from your deck. Put it either on your altar space or somewhere it won’t be disturbed for the next twenty-four hours. You can pair your card with crystals, herbs, or even building tools. Write out a small mantra on a piece of paper, something along the lines of“I call on my inner Emperor to show me what tools I need to pick up to assist me in building the life of my dreams,” or “Dear Emperor, show my how I can lead by example so I can best serve those around me.” You will know what it is you want your Emperor to assist you with.

  Once you have your card on your altar and your mantra written, take a nice relaxing breath, light a candle or some incense, and recite your mantra three times. Sit silently for a couple of minutes and then finish up by saying, “Thank you for helping me construct the life of my dreams.”

  And that’s it. You can repeat this over the next few days if you feel called to.

  Intuitive

  In my book Tarot Court Cards for Beginners I talked about how each of the four Kings could be seen to show different aspects of the Emperor himself. For example, the King of Cups is a heart-based leader, the King of Swords is a thought leader, the King of Wands is a creative leader, and the King of Pentacles is an investment leader. All four show totally different ways to lead, build, and govern.

  In this exercise, I want you to pull out your Emperor card, your four Kings, and your four Queens. Place the Emperor faceup so you can see him staring back at you. Gather up your Kings and Queens, keeping them facedown, and give them a little shuffle. Fan them out and pick two cards, card one being your main leadership influence and card two your secondary leadership energy. Card one indicates how the outside world sees you and card two shows how you see yourself. Did you turn over cards that surprise you or are your results no surprise at all? Pick up your journal and write about the differences between how the world sees you and how you see yourself. Think about whether or not you are comfortable with the differences or if it is something you would like to work on. The more you get to know these two cards, the more you will be able to manifest, serve, and engage with those around you.

  Wandering

  Do you want to walk in the Emperor’s shoes? Do you want to see how glamorous it is to have the world at your feet? I know there are times I do. I want to sit on that throne, be the one giving orders, and have others look up to me with deep respect and trust in their eyes. I want to know what it feels like to have world-changing power at my fingertips. If you struggle with confidence of any kind, this exercise is a good one to practice on a regular basis. Getting into that feeling place of the Emperor will help you tremendously. All you have to do is immerse yourself in your Emperor card, see yourself merging with the image on the card, and slowly allow yourself to observe from behind the Emperor’s eyes. You may be brave enough to become the Emperor yourself, or you might be able to take a backseat and observe the Emperor’s actions, decision-making, and strength. How you approach your wandering is entirely up to you. The braver you get, the more you might find yourself becoming more Emperor and less observer. Just take your time and allow the feeling to build at your pace.

  5. The Hierophant

  How you relate to this card really does say a lot about how you view religion and spirituality in general. I know some people tend to view this card as limiting, a reminder of the overreach of traditional religious institutions and a visual representation of all their rules and regulations. I understand how easy it is to get fixated on this view of the Hierophant, especially considering that the church was pretty connected to this card in the fifteenth century, with many decks labeling this card as the Pope. But don’t forget that right alongside the Pope was the female Pope, also known as the High Priestess. It was a different time with different values and traditions. I know others who see the Hierophant as a teacher, storyteller, wise wisdom-keeper, and the one who passes knowledge, medicine, and wisdom from one generation to another. There are others who see him as a spiritual guide, someone who helps you along the path to enlightenment and self-actualization. All of these are religious and spiritual in nature, but how you feel about each manifestation of the Hierophant will have a very real impact on how you work with the energy of this card, and what you will or will not allow it to teach you.

  For the sake of this book and your pathworking experience, we are going to use the Hierophant in all of his forms. He is going to be Pope, priest, monk, wisdom-keeper, storyteller, and all-around guru. We are also going to see him as a representation of the paradox that expansion can only happen through limitation. Love him or hate him, the Hierophant has an awful lot to teach you about who you are, why you are here, and how you can stay focused on your life path. As with all good spiritual mentors, you will find yourself both running from him and running toward him, until you settle into the lessons and wisdom he has for you. Working with a spiritual teacher is hard for many reasons, and a lot of people have had bad experiences in the past that now darken the idea of trying again.

  Just keep in mind that picking a spiritual teacher or finding the Hierophant that is right for you may take some time. It might also push you to drop some of your own preconceived ideas about what a spiritual teacher should and should not be like. Find teachers who are joyful, abundant, authentic, believe in integrity, and above all are loved and give love back willingly. In other words, don’t pick an asshat. This is one of the ways working with the Hierophant can be beneficial, as he holds the space for you to explore your options. He creates a place for you to consider what it is you truly want from a spiritual path. He is not interested in what he can get out of you, only what you can find out about yourself and your place in the larger vibrational web of the universe.

  Pathwork

  Intentional

  Who are your spiritual mentors and why do you look up to them? During this pathwork exercise, select one of your spiritual teachers or someone you wish to emulate. It doesn’t really have to be someone who walks a spiritual path, just someone you respect, listen to, and model your life after. Sit in silent, reflective meditation and contemplate how this person or their words or their music or their beliefs have benefited you. View all the ways this person has made your life better, more joyful, or more grounded. Allow these feelings to just bubble up and roll through you. Feel them as they rise and fall. Notice any sensations as these feelings, thoughts, and memories wash over you. Remember to breathe as you continue to focus on these sensations. Once you have reflected as much as possible, visualize yourself sending your teacher, mentor, or role model waves of gratitude. See this gratitude pour from your heart center and out into the world, eventually falling down on your target like gentle spring rain. Notice if your gratitude is a specific color. Also notice how your body feels as it sends out these pulse-like waves of gratitude and affection. Relax, breathe, and when you feel finished, allow yourself a few moments to settle back into the here and now. If this person has had a very large impact on your life, you could make this a monthly practice. Sending their vibrational bodies gratitude makes them able to continue their work and help others. Your small reflective meditation can be a part of that bigger vibrational web.

  Intuitive

  Remove your Hierophant card from your deck and place it in front of you. Shuffle your remaining cards, and while you do so, ask your Hierophant what spiritual lesson he has for you today. When you feel ready, go ahead and select a card, then place it faceup next to your Hierophant card. So, what does your spiritual mentor want you to know today? What lesson does he want you to learn? Can you think of why
this particular lesson may be popping up now? Sit with both of these cards for a while, keeping your gaze on them, while you contemplate the card you have drawn. When you feel ready, pick up your journal and let your mind rattle off anything and everything that has pushed itself to the forefront of your awareness. Save it and read it tomorrow. Space often gives us even more perspective.

  Wandering

  Once upon a time if one wanted to have a spiritual experience, one had to either renounce all that they owned and all of their labels, and join a wandering band of other spiritual seekers, or renounce who they were and go into a monastic institute. With the advent of modern churches, the internet, and podcasts, one does not have to go wandering anymore, yet this does not stop people from doing just that. Millions of pilgrims walk the earth in search of some form of spiritual experience. Each of us can become a pilgrim in our own everyday life. Spiritual wandering can be as simple as a morning walk in the park and being fully present and aware of everything that surrounds you.

  Have you ever walked in the park and practiced the “I am that, I am” exercise? I heard about this process on a tele-seminar with Neil Donald Walsch, in which he talked about finding God and the self in the world around us. In this exercise, as you walk, look to a tree and say, “I am that, I am.” Then you see a flower and say, “I am that, I am.” You may see a fellow parkgoer and say, “I am that, I am.” This inner dialogue becomes a mantra inside your head, a point of focus that grounds you totally in the moment with no separation between you and the world outside of you. This is a fabulous wandering Hierophant exercise, and you don’t even have to do it at a park. You can do it anywhere—the mall, hiking through the mountains, walking along the beach. The point is not the location, but the dropping of the ego “I” and the embrace of the “I” that is nothing and everything, much the way millions of spiritual seekers before you have sought to find who they are by forgetting who they used to be.