DESCRIPTION

The crowned Emperor is clad in armor and sits on a throne in front of barren mountains. The Emperor’s throne is made of hewn rock, and decorating the throne are four ram heads symbolizing Aries, the God of War. There is a fifth ram head on his robe. This reference to Aries connects him to the assertive and forceful characteristics of Mars, and also alludes to the Egyptian god Amun-Ra, a kingly figure. He’s the quintessential warrior King. His throne symbolizes material wealth, power, and authority. The color of the Emperor’s throne is gray, which is the color of wisdom; it’s a perfect union of black and white. His appearance is characterized by a white beard and a commanding presence. His long white beard represents his experience and wisdom. He is the grand architect of the universe.

The Emperor holds a scepter and an orb. The golden orb in his left hand represents rulership. The scepter in his right hand is shaped as a modified symbol of Venus, it is referred to as the crux ansata, a Christian version of the Egyptian ankh, symbolizing dominion over life. The Emperor is will in its embodied form and represents the lordship of thought. The Emperor’s active power to regulate is about controlling one’s use of mental images and creative imagination. It’s about directing those powers towards higher visions and purpose. The outer robe of the Emperor is red, which is the color of Aries and Mars and symbolizes passion and carnality. Under his robes, he wears armor, symbolizing his determination and rigor. While the Emperor’s feet firmly touch the ground, his heels are lifted off the ground as if ready for action. The Emperor embodies active fire or yang-type energy and the sun is exalted in Aries and so the sky surrounding him is red-orange and reflected in the mountains behind him. The Emperor’s inner robe is blue, which relates to the water and the subconscious root of matter and mind, and there is also a stream-of-consciousness that flows from behind his throne. 

The Emperor is a man on a mission, driven by a vision for establishing order and success in his kingdom, which is his physical world. He rules vision, inspection, watchfulness, vigilance, examination, analysis, and inquiry. His vision is guided by reason and insight, yet to fulfill it, he must push boundaries. More often than not, that means going against mainstream opinions and norms. The Emperor, who is protected by his armor of truth and sovereignty, is likely to meet resistance from others as he pursues his vision, and he needs to be ready to put his strategy into action. In times past, an Emperor or King actively seeking to expand his Empire would have embodied this archetype. For example, someone like Alexander the Great or King David. A modern example would be a leader of an organization such as a CEO of a large corporation, the general of an army, or the head of a program or division. Those who embody the Emperor archetype are pioneers, builders, and visionaries who have risen to positions of authority and respect and built wealth. The biggest lessons are in recognizing the potential within everyone and finding strategies to cultivate and empower them to rise to their highest potential.