RDG 02: Am I Currently On Earth?
The Ten of Pentacles in the Rider Waite Deck forms a Kabbalah Tree of Life with the tenth pentacle placed at the old man’s feet – representing the 10th sefirah on the Tree called Malchut, the material/physical realm where all things manifest. He is depicted looking out over his property and admiring all he’s created throughout his lifetime. Everything he’d once envisioned has happened. Over time, the seeds he’d planted long ago had grown—his dreams became reality.
Empress Symbology
After first pulling the 10 of Pentacles, the next card I drew was the Empress Card. Using the 10 of Pentacles as a map key, I am able to see how the Empress card corresponds with a particular pentacle, which represents an energy aspect of the matching sefirah, and will portray to us exactly what will manifest. For instance, the Empress card is Roman numeral III. All the number 3 cards, and cards associated with number 3, connect to the 3rd pentacle (sefirah) on the 10 of Pentacles card, which is Binah, meaning understanding. Binah is the feminine aspect of God, and gives birth to all things, including intuitive understanding through contemplation – literally giving birth to the whole of creation, and provides the supernal womb. Do you notice that the Empress is pregnant? This is why she is wearing a loose-fitting gown and is seen here sitting on comfy pillows. There are exactly 40 pomegranates on her gown. The number 40 is significant here because a fetus is inside a mother’s womb for 40 weeks before its birth. In the right background of the card there is a canal stream. This represents a birth canal. There are also the six-pointed stars of the Empress’s crown totaling, exactly 12 six-pointed stars: 12×6 = 72, and 72 is the Kabbalistic number relating to miracle making – as in the ‘miracle’ of birth. According to the Kabbalists, Moses engraved the 72 Names on his staff, which was used to part the Red Sea—one of the greatest miracles performed in the Torah.
The Empress is depicted in the card holding onto a golden scepter in her right hand, which represents her authority and control over the world aka her reality. She has the final say on when it is time to birth something new. This concept of control is symbolized by the wheat crop at the bottom of the card. The Empress has dominion over when it is time to reap the harvest. She planted the seeds and nurtured the crop; therefore, she says when it is time to cut and gather it. We now look at one more clue, which is the heart symbol placed at the Empress’s side with the astrological symbol for Venus on it. In Greek mythology, Venus is Saturn’s daughter, and the heart represents that Saturn loves his daughter. However, the heart is colored gray, which always represents wisdom, so that the Venus symbol being inside a gray heart represents that Saturn (the Empress as Binah) expresses a tough-love towards her daughter, Venus. Remember the 40 pomegranates on the Empress’s gown? Pomegranates, throughout the tarot, are a symbol for memory. Pomegranate juice is actually given to Alzheimer’s patients to help improve their memory. So, this is another clue that the Empress (Saturn as Binah) does not freely give love unconditionally to her daughter. The Empress remembers the past. She may forgive but will never forget, and she judges accordingly. She will not enable Venus or anyone for that matter; she cares too much to spoil them. Furthermore, the Empress does not repeat mistakes. She remembers her mistakes and learns from them, and is considered a nurturer when it comes to relationships, due to the way she treats her business and family, as well as herself.
Planets
All number 3 cards are associated with Binah, ruled by Saturn. Saturn is the god of the harvest and agriculture, as well as the lord of time. Saturn is the ruling planet for both Capricorn and Aquarius. Aquarius is symbolized by the water bearer, and babies are birthed out of the womb from their mother’s water. Capricorn is the hard worker who tends to the field, putting their hands into the creation of things and improving life for the betterment of others. So, here we have the clues that lead us to understand that the Empress is a hard worker and she wishes to improve her life as well as the lives of others around her by creating prosperity for all people and things she is involved in—whether it be business, career, charitable work, friends, or family. She is the one in control of her prosperity, as well as her destiny.
When it comes to business and relationships, the Empress approaches these things like a Capricorn would attend to a wheat crop throughout the year; nurturing it, looking after it, plowing the field, watering the crops, and planting the seeds during the appropriate times of the year. All this in total control – knowing when to either hold back or when to take action depending on the current season’s circumstances, which is a gradual process. Only after years of practice and experimentation with the field does the Capricorn know what appropriate actions -and daily regimens to partake in, and at the correct times of the year.
Children
The Empress only wants the best for her daughter, Venus, and she wishes to one day show her off and be proud of her. This particular concept of a child refers to the development process of anything being taken from its seed level – and growing it into something big, such as when one starts with a simple idea and turns it into something that generates a stream of income. The Empress knows that things take time, attention, and effort – it is a nurturing process. Like the developing fetus in the womb during pregnancy as it’s nurtured with a mother’s sustenance throughout its 40-week birthing process, the fetus is readying itself to be strong enough to enter the world; and this creation of life is a miracle. The newborn is full of potential and carries within it the power to change the world—hopefully for the better. NEXT READING
Cheers to your success in the coming year!
Written by: Grant Isaac