Card for Taurus: The Empress, the Gate of Heaven

The Empress is the Divine Feminine of the Thoth Tarot and because of that she is vast. She also represents Love – and how would you describe Love except to say it’s everything and everywhere? It’s the material that the Universe is made of, and we know that because the sign of Venus, which rules the Empress card, is the only planetary symbol that you see reflected on the Tree of Life.

Venus rules two zodiac signs: Libra and Taurus. The Sun has just moved into Taurus and will stay there for most of May, so it’s perfectly fitting that the Empress would appear as our card of the month.

On the image to the left, you can see the path ruled by the Empress on the Tree of Life. The Hebrew letter assigned to that path is Daleth, which means Door. On the Thoth version of the card, the Door is the blue arch right behind the Empress.

Looking at the Tree of Life you can see that the Empress’ path forms the bottom part of a triangle. The other two paths are ruled by The Fool (top right) and the Magus (top left). This whole area is like a vestibule, or a foyer, that we enter when we’re just about to make it to Kether at the top. This isn’t something that we can really do while we’re living here on earth – first, because we can’t really understand what Kether is and second, we can’t access Kether while we’re connected to the earth in physical bodies.

But we can think of Kether in symbolic terms. It is the beginning of beginning. It’s the time when all the information you have absorbed is swimming around nicely in your head, and you’re walking along not putting any of it together and thinking you’re just doing the shopping … and you walk right into the situation that will connect all those thoughts into an idea. That happens in Chockmah. The Aces in Tarot reside in Kether and this is why: they, too, are inspiration without form.

The Empress is particularly important in terms of creating a doorway to heaven because as we rise up the Tree of Life and pass the Abyss, which marks form from not-form, hers is the first path we encounter. She gives us access to the top – or ‘supernal’ – triangle.

What does this mean for May? That’s what I meant when I said that The Empress is vast, and is everything and everywhere. She’s divine, she’s the gate to heaven, and she’s also the sensuous, abundant energy that luxuriates in nature, and creates a beautiful place for everyone. Especially herself. She works with all the senses, so her home is lovely to look at, comfortable to sit in, full of delicious food and drinks, and it smells amazing. The Empress knows how to look elegant and still be comfortable enough to sit on that slouchy couch all night, sipping rose-scented Turkish coffee.

The Empress loves being with people, her family and friends especially. She loves taking care of them, whatever that might mean for her. Some people feel loved when they’re eating a five-course dinner, and some people feel loved when they’re left alone in the back room listening to music. The Empress is in tune with everyone.

This month, get yourself situated for the summer. Allow yourself some indulgences! It’s been a long winter and for the first time in a long time, there’s something sweet and hopeful in the air. Make up for the dark days by getting out in the sun when you can, and raid your local grocery store for the summer fruits you haven’t been able to have since last year. And, as I said in the newsletter for this month, if you need a haircut or new summer clothes, this is the time to get them. The first of May is Beltane, so get in the mood! Decorate yourself like the spring god that you are! Celebrate life and love like the Empress you are.