What an interesting reading we have this week, my friends. We have a visit from the parents of tarot themselves - The Emperor and The Empress - forming a powerful foundation for the growth of the Page of Pentacles. If you’ve been following the monthly forecast, you’ll recognize a Pentacles through-line, and both this month and this week show a burst of growth in our material lives. If there’s a week this month to step out of the shadows, take a chance, or initiate something new, this is it.
Entering into the week we have the stabilizing force of The Emperor. It’s worth our time to suit up in the armor of our accomplishments. Where does your self respect come from? Take the time to look back at all you’ve done and gather the power that comes from knowing that you’re capable, battle-tested, and ready for what’s to come.
More practically speaking, The Emperor is a card that encourages us to get organized. This is not a time for flying by the seat of our pants or improvising wildly. How can you prepare yourself for the week ahead? What tools are at your disposal? Most importantly, how can you gift yourself the structure you need to grow?
I’m thinking here of the cascading vines in the Seven of Pentacles, a card that was the final card for last week’s reading and this month’s. If you’re a blossoming plant, what conditions do you need to thrive? A trellis for your heavy fruit? Deep soil for strong roots? With The Emperor leading our reading we’re more than capable of creating the ideal conditions for ourselves. Don’t wait.
It’s true that there’s a harshness in The Emperor card. Building a foundation requires breaking ground, making a mark for yourself. There’s no way to do this without disturbing what was there before, yet the Emperor trusts in what’s to come and knows that growth is necessary, not optional. Find ways to embrace this energy in a way that’s authentic to you: practice being assertive, step into your power, and treat your expansion as something important. Because it is.
Fascinatingly, the sharp edges of The Emperor give way to the lush landscape of The Empress later in the week. These cards are next to each other in the deck and I sometimes picture them as two sides to the same larger card (much like The Magician and The High Priestess). Both deal with taking up space, growth, structure, and power. Needless to say, that they’re here in our reading this week is a huge encouragement. Notice which of these archetypes is the hardest for you to accept or embody while trusting that you have both within you in equal measure.
That the desert landscape of The Emperor gives way to the fertile abundance of The Empress is quite noteworthy and suggests that the work we do to set the stage, stand up for ourselves, and push towards manifesting something will blossom wildly. You’ll notice that there’s a small stream connecting these two cards - what current of emotion has been driving your growth in the big picture lately? Know that there’s something larger at play here and that your feelings are an important animating force in this chapter, perhaps the key to your success and flourishing.
To bring this back down to earth, keep an eye on how what seemed hard or risky in the beginning of the week transforms into something much more comfortable and even luxurious. There’s a sense of relaxing into ourselves that winds its way through our reading. Allow yourself to exhale after whatever challenges you face in the beginning and middle of the week; step into the comfortable and cascading robes of The Empress. Treat yourself (meaningfully) and take joy in the beauty of the world around you.
So what are these cosmic parents boosting up this week? Yes, I’m going to lean into this metaphor because it’s irresistible. We have a youth of the tarot right here! The Page of Pentacles is bursting up, supported by these two powerful cards. This is an excellent card for making moves, pioneering new paths, and launching new chapters. Focusing on your day-to-day life, where do you see an alluring potential for change? What do you want to see grown your garden?
Speaking of gardens, this card is as obvious a next step from the (important) ennui of the Seven of Pentacles as it gets. Remember how we were invited to consider what we’ve done, how far we’ve come, and remain patient about moving forward? Well, now the time to move forward has come. Whether it comes to you in a flashy epiphany or is more of a slow-burn/coming into focus, let yourself step towards this new idea or opportunity.
The Page of Pentacles has a huge store of creative chutzpah. Let yourself be intrepid, innovative, and true to yourself. Note, too, that the authoritative Emperor is part of the foundation. You can trust that you have his assertive energy waiting in the wings if you need it. When it comes to interfacing with the outside world, however, this week is best treated as a time to be your excited, authentic self. Move from a place of enthusiasm and expansion, not self-protection or complex strategy.
This is one of those readings where I could go on and on, but I have to walk away at some point. I’ll just say that this is a uniquely beautiful and potent group of cards: trust in your growth and let yourself move joyfully towards a place of flourishing.
This week, embrace:
(Re)organizing
Initial planning and preparing
Taking meaningful risks
Launching, debuting, initiating, expanding
Relaxing into your accomplishments
Celebrating your physical form
Centering around your longterm growth
This week, avoid:
Distracting yourself with others’ drama/issues
Over-complication
Rigidity
Ignoring the call to something greather
Get creative:
The Emperor: Practice your Emperor stance! Feet on the ground, hands beside you, feel the connection you have with the earth and the solidity of your body. Stand or sit tall with a straight back, squared shoulders, and look ahead with confidence. Simply keep this stance in mind and invite yourself to take it as often as you can, especially in moments when you need to advocate for yourself, remind yourself of your capabilities, or communicate something important.
Page of Pentacles: This page is so delightfully creative and I think that their energy is worth amplifying in all aspects of our lives this week. So, simply, make something. Anything! As much as you can! In true page fashion, do this in quick bursts whenever you feel inspired. No expectations, no self-judgment or criticism (when possible). This is why speed and frequency are our friends. Doodle in the margins during a zoom meeting, make a speed painting while your baby naps, twist your pie crust into flowers. Adorn your life and see how much change you can make with joy and ease.
The Empress: I love the alluring self-assuredness of this card. Find ways to treat yourself as if you were the object of your complete and utter adoration. Not only is this a spicy card, it’s a decadent one. Decadent in the way that flowers blooming in a meadow are decadent: beautiful, natural, and meaningful. I’m actually thinking of this card’s connection to the goddess Demeter, now. How can you give an offering fo your inner deity of harvest, abundance, and fertility? I, personally, would not skimp here. Make a gesture to yourself that elevates and honors your creative powers and allows you to enjoy life through the senses. (Have I just talked myself into buying that gorgeous bottle of perfume I’ve been eyeing for months? Maybe!)
Another wonderful and synchronistic reading ❤️ Lordey I appreciate your channeling so very much. Thank you 🙏 ✨