Journey of “The Emperor” – Major Arcana V

Visual representation of the card

On a throne made of stone sits a white bearded man. He is wearing royal robes underneath a suit of armor. He wears a crown on his head, holds a golden staff in his right hand and a globe in his left. The sky below him glows an orange hue.

His long beard indicates the wisdom accrued through his lifetime. The crown indicates the status and power that he holds coupled with the staff and globe which represent his authority.

The symbol of the ram ornate his throne. He chooses his throne for pure functionality and not style. This imposing looking man is practical, powerful and fearlessness. He puts on his armor beneath his robe as he is ready to battle if the need arises. The Emperor is prepared and is not afraid to go into battle, defend his position or attack his enemies. This is a man who is aware of his duties and has the capability to fulfill them.

Signs that you lack the energy of “The Emperor”

• Over-use or abuse of authoritative power
• Rigidity in thinking.
• A need for control arising out of insecurities
• Feeling powerless
• Problems with fatherly figures
• Conflict with officials
• Routine
• Lack of self-control
• Lack of ambition
• Inability to deal with any kind of authority.
• Overbearing and dominating partners
• Disconnected
• Severity
• Distancing self from others
• Controlled emotions

Connect to the energy of “The Emperor” to strengthen the following traits:

• The ability to make decisions based on hard facts
• Building inner Power
• Developing Leadership
• Becoming an Authority figure
• Gaining Knowledge
• Honing the Intellect
• Developing Honesty
• Living a life of Integrity
• Accountability
• Initiating Responsibility
• Taking Decisions
• Creating structure and Order
• Self-Control and Discipline
• Strengthening the Will
• Successful endeavors
• Protection
• Develop a tough exterior
• Strong Foundation
• Manifestation
• Setting and achieving Goals
• Setting up healthy Boundaries

The Emperor: The Power of Choice

One of the strongest traits of the emperor archetype energy is the ability to take decisions based on facts and not merely feelings. The emperor has the ability to overrule emotions and make choices that serve the best outcome irrespective of how we feel about it. With the wave of the new age movement and self-help guides, we tend to overly rely on our emotions to take action. We justify not taking actions or passing out on opportunities because it makes us feel uncomfortable. The truth is our greatest growth lies just outside our comfort zone.

We may not have the power to choose the outcome of our life or even how circumstances will play out but we always have the power to choose. We choose the meaning events have in our life, we choose what we allow and what we resist. We make choices every single second and that is truly the only power we have. The power to choose

Here are some ways to strengthen our power of choice

Becoming conscious of what you choose:

The way to make better choices is to make them more consciously. As you go about your day become aware of what choices you are making. And as you catch yourself making a choice ask why am I choosing this? As you ask this question you open yourself up to having the ability to make a different choice. A different choice gives you the power to create a different life.

Setting up your value system:

Why do we need values? Because values are the basis upon which we make choices. Having values in our lives helps us to align our choices to that which brings us the greatest joy. If there is any area of your life that you are unhappy with, chances are that you hold a value system in that area that is not aligned with who you truly are.

As you become aware of the choices you make they will reveal to you the values that you hold and give you the power to make changes if required.

Beeing your own authority:

Assuming absolute responsibility for yourself and your life is painful, it is so much easier to hand over power to someone else and play the victim. As painful as it is, taking absolute responsibility for all the choices you make puts you in a space of tremendous power. That is why it feels so scary and better off to not take responsibility at all. “With great power comes great responsibility” it works the other way around too. “with great responsibility comes great power”. The moment we become our own authority, making choices from our core values, we set yourself up for success.

Staying clear of drama and trauma:

One of the simplest ways and the best choice to make in order to keep yourself healthy on all levels is to stay clear of drama and trauma. The exposure we have to the current world events feeds us with so much negativity that it is difficult to be balanced. As painful as it sounds, nothing sells better than drama and trauma. They are things that catch our attention and get as hooked. That’s why it is on the news and internet day in and day out. Stay clear of things that revolve around this energy. Spend time with people who uplift you and energize you.

Learning to say NO:

Learn to say no to situations that drain you and to people who make you feel like s**t. Our greatest responsibility is to take care of ourselves, everything that does not allow us to do that it is okay to say NO to that/them. We need to come out of the illusion that we have the power to make people see us in a certain light because the truth is “how they see you have nothing to do with you but, everything to do with them”. You may be the nicest person in the world yet someone might think of you as a horrible person. So, stop the need to please others by saying YES to things that don’t serve you and learn to say NO when appropriate.

It is okay to be powerful:

The world has witnessed so much abuse of power that it is almost a negative expression to be powerful now. Power doesn’t necessarily mean control over others because truth, be it everything, is interconnected and everything has a certain degree of control over everything else. To be powerful is to be conscious. The more conscious you are the more powerful you become because you begin to choose more consciously. Your choices determine your course of action and ultimately your greatest outcome.

Article by Darshan.S

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Darshan is a Reiki healer & teacher, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and a Professional Dowser. He owns a Metaphysical Store called “Crystal Alchemy” through which he helps spread awareness about Crystals and other Healing Modalities. You can reach Darshan at www.facebook.com/Crystal.Alchemy.Store, www.facebook.com/TheHealingOcean.