Boundaries are an important aspect of any journey including the spiritual journey. We can look at every card in the tarot as part of the journey that one takes through life/the fool’s journey, and very quickly in that journey to self-mastery we learn that boundaries help build the foundation for success/forward movement.
When we look at the emperor card we not only see the next chapter in the fool’s journey, we see the balance between the emperor and the empress. That balance symbolizes the duality within ourselves. On the surface the empress card is about a nurturing quality and the emperor card is about a protective quality. These two cards when harmonized create a duality in the self. Yes, each of these cards has a deeper meaning, but this blog isn’t about that, it’s about the boundaries that come with harnessing the energy of the emperor card.
While the empress speaks to the side of compassion and spiritual softness, the emperor is about upholding boundaries and protecting the kingdom (the self). And to build a kingdom one needs to build walls, win battles, and rule over those they command with compassion, otherwise, there is no functional kingdom. This thought speaks to the idea of personal boundaries because just like a physical kingdom your inner spirit has a difficult time functioning without protection.
A physical kingdom needs commerce or exchange to thrive, just as our inner kingdom needs exchange to thrive. To simplify this idea we can refer to it as spiritual commerce. A ruler over a physical kingdom has discernment when ruling their kingdom. They understand that strategy and knowledge play a huge role within this. To truly lead our inner kingdom we need to practice this same type of discernment to find success with our spiritual commerce. This type of discernment will help you understand what types of interactions you should and shouldn’t allow into your kingdom.
There is a lot of self-reflection that goes into creating your strategy and embracing the knowledge that supports your inner kingdom. Embodying the energy of the Emperor tarot is about knowing yourself. Taking accountability for your behavior is an important step in this process. Taking accountability isn’t always about how you may be hurting others, but how you may be hurting yourself. Taking accountability is complicated and not something that is always easily understood. It’s ok if you struggle with understanding what that looks like for you. To navigate such an involved emotional and spiritual process is not intuitive. I don’t think anybody is born with that knowledge. Most of us want to share and connect, so strategizing and protecting ourselves may seem unnatural.
When we are on our fool’s journey and begin examining the foundation of the inner kingdom and we begin to encompass the qualities of the emperor tarot, we begin knowing ourselves in a deeply personal way. We begin to understand what our interpersonal boundaries look like, and our boundaries with the outside world. If you’re struggling with burnout or feeling insecure with how you interact with the world, it may be time to call upon the energy of the emperor tarot. If you’re already on your journey of upholding spiritual, emotional, or physical boundaries know that I’m rooting for you! It’s a long process and you don’t need to beat yourself up over the setbacks you may be experiencing. I’m proud of you and you should be proud of yourself for nurturing your inner kingdom in such a profound way.
Lisa
I can relate so much with mistaking being humble for silence. Facing trauma and releasing it and discovering who has been asleep is a long process. I commend you and your journey. At the same time you’ve discovered your spiritual self and family practice and knowledge. It is not easy thing to accept and much easier to bury but you’re embracing it. You will shine because of your strength.