The Empress — III

The Halloween Tarot - A twist on the traditional earth mother. Abundance and fertility of the mind, body, and spirit. Motherhood, nurturing, passion. - by Karin Lee, Art by Kipling West

Some key themes having to do with the third trump, The Empress are: motherhood, nurturing, fertility, abundance, pregnancy, wealth, creativity, and generosity. 

We could view this Halloween Tarot version of The Empress as a look behind the pretty mask of The Empress. What exactly does it mean to be the very definition of femininity, to be the place of fertility and abundance? It is downright exhausting finally. It is a labor of love. But on the bad days you might sit on your chase with a vacant crazed look in your eye, mindlessly stroking a(your?) cat, involuntarily twitching every now and then, wondering how much more you can take of giving before you go completely batsh🦇t insane. 

And no one even asked if this "created to be a bride" bride wanted a monster husband, or, particularly *that* monster husband. Nope. But she was automatically and immediately condemned for rejecting her would be role. Give a girl some time to adjust! It is an important decision! Should she just be impressed that this nameless monster is the only other reanimated corpse on the planet? He who, by the way, has already rather ungracefully stomped his way into some pretty serious ill repute? 

Impress (v.1) is 

from assimilated form of in- "into, in, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + premere "to press, hold fast, cover, crowd, compress" (from PIE root *per- (4) "to strike"). [OE]

When a seed is planted it is impressed into the earth. In the fertile place of impression a plant grows. Because the seed takes root there and is growing there, another plant cannot, and is not growing in that same place. This is the predicament of the one who is the place of fertility, the one who is impressed upon, the one who gestates and gives birth. There is a decision to choose and discriminate, or to be open and allow. Being seeded, growing and nurturing from ones own substance is taxing and takes time and energy. There is an equal investment of the earth whether she produces a weed or briar, or a lettuce or a rose. The feminine power of fertility is impressive, but being receptive is not without consequence. 

In this respect the absolutely insane abundance of types of species and different habitats the earth allows for and gives time and space to, which allows for them to evolve and grow upon her body is amazing. The earth is the epitome of generosity. The earth is a heroic but underrated time spell of fecundity. 

Shaddowscapes Tarot, artwork by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

We humans are beneficiaries of this great mother. Where else do we see any place for us in the universe to grow and thrive in such richness? There is nowhere. And perhaps this is a problem. It is too  easy to take our fundamental roots, supports, and primal foundations for granted when they are doing an excellent job. The earth could make quite an impression by kicking us ingrates out. If she acted with such authority we might call her Empress Earth.

Empress is the feminine form of Emperor, from Old French empereor, from Latin imperatorum(nominative imperator), from imperare meaning "to command".  An emperor rules an empire, a word which is also from Latin imperare, which is from an assimilated form of in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + parare "to order, prepare" (from PIE root *pere-(1) "to produce, procure"). So, we could say that an empire is a place that is in order. It is a place ordered to the end of production and procurement of a certain civilized lifestyle. 

Tarot de Marsailles 

So, a male ruler or commander of an empire is called an emperor, and a ruler of an empire of the female gender is called an empress, however, the symbolic functionality of The Empress trump does not so much speak to a position of her being in command, or being a female version of Emperor, but rather it speaks to her nature as being the epitome of abundance and fertility. Therefore she is more of an Impress, in this sense, than an Empress.

With the number 3 (III) we get movement. It is not just a point or a line between two points, it is a trend, a direction, area, growth.  If a person sees their reflection in a mirror, the reflection is a single image. The two are one. However, if another mirror introduced, the images become infinite. This is the magic of generation, like a flower that is fertilized and goes to seed. The Empress is the empire, the place, the space where fruiting takes place and is allowed to flourish. 

Universal Waite Tarot

More and bigger isn't always better however, there has to be a balance between creative potential and control. The health of an empire isn't determined by how vast it is. It needs to be big enough, but not too big, i.e., it needs to be balanced.

The Empress is associated with the sign of Libra "balance, pair of scales" which is a Venus ruled sign. Astrologically Venus has to do things related to attraction, love, relationship, harmony, art, and beauty.

Spolia Tarot - Artwork by Jen May

Venus is from Latin venus meaning "love, sexual desire; loveliness, beauty, charm; a beloved object." Venus was the Roman Goddess of love, sex, beauty, desire and fertility. Venus is related by PIE root *wen- (1) meaning "to desire, strive for," to other interesting words such as "venerate, venereal, venison, venom, wean, win, wont". 

The symbol for Venus is depicted in some versions of The Empress. It is a cross with a circle on top of it.

The Empress[detail]

It is also used as a symbol for "woman" or female gender classification, and the cross mounted by a circle shape looks somewhat human in form. It can also symbolize the coming together or incarnation of "spirit" (the circle), into "matter" (the cross). 

In ancient Egypt a similar looking symbol was called the ankh. 

Ankh triplicity, indicates plurality - life +++

The form itself was made into physical objects that were used as protective amulets, in magical spells, and funerary practices. The ankh indicated a vivifying force or "breath of life",  and was used as a hieroglyph representing the word, '-n-ḫ which had the meaning "life", "live", "nourish". Also, interestingly the word ankh was used for "mirror" during the Middle Kingdom, and handheld mirrors (of the polished bronze type) and mirror boxes were sometimes ankh shaped.

Egyptian Mirror Box from the Tomb of Tutankhamun c. 1333-1323 BCE.

"The association of the ankh with the mirror was no chance occurrence. The Egyptians believed that the afterlife was a mirror image of life on earth and mirrors were thought to contain magical properties." The Ankh, worldhistory.org

Mirrors, as pointed out previously, have magical generative powers when reflecting each other. It is nice to imagine each individual person as a mirror. We are all mirrors to each other. But by the nature of reflecting, it is from a place of reception and femininity that we mirror the other. It is a place of humbleness, yet a humbleness with the potential to be strength, like Christ crucified... and resurrected.

The anointed one(Chi Rho), i.e., Christ, assuming in humility the place of the ankh/mirror/feminine/life, Anastasis - symbolic representation of the resurrection of Christ. Panel from a Roman lidless sarcophagus, c.350 CE. 

The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar . . . When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, "This water flows toward the Eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Ez 47:1,7-9

It is only when we truly see ourselves that we can fix ourselves. Without a mirror we can walk around with mustard on our face or lettuce in our teeth and never be the wiser. But it is all too easy to condemn the messenger because it doesn't feel good to see our own flaws and shadow selves. It is much easier to project and cast off our own unpleasant traits onto our mirrors and maybe slap a big old scarlet letter on her at the same time. Ahhh! Isn't it good to be one of the elite, the righteous! 

Execution of Ann Hibbins on Boston Common in 1656, Scetch by F.T. Merril, published 1886

The earliest examples of mirrors found in human history are black mirrors made of polished obsidian. However, obsidian is also used to create blades. Obsidian blades are some of the sharpest blades on the planet. The truth can hurt, but the origin of the pain doesn't go away when it is deflected as if it were an attack, it just ends up hurting someone else instead. And in the end death still awaits, and the dues will be paid. You might as well learn to look in the mirror and grow from the process.

Jean Peuget de la Serre, London 1639, The British Museum

And it is true that the consequence of bringing forth life is, in the end, to also be bringing death. If there was no mother, no earth, no life, there would not be anything to die. However, given the nature of the cycle (kyklos "circle"), which is that of nurturing, holding, keeping a place for, gestating, and regenerating, then, when there is death, there is also new life; a new day. This is the magic and mystery of The Empress and the manifestation of abundance. It is not about forcing, seizing, taking control, winners vs. losers, or good vs. evil. It is about allowing and giving the universe a place to flow into. It takes a special person to do that: The Empress. So, love your mother/mirror. And just as importantly, BE a loving mother/mirror. And this goes for everyone, man and woman alike. She is life.

There's no better time to embrace your shadow and conquer death! Look in the mirror and live abundantly! Even if what you see is a bit spooky! Happy Halloween! Happy Samhain! 

Art by Ailis O'Reilly, ailis_art, instagram.com, ailisartwork.com

All that Glitters is Not Gold

About 3.4 billion years ago cyanobacteria (blue-green bacteria) began to perform photosynthesis in the oceans of the earth. This first life upon the earth was directly dependent upon sunlight for its existence. To be in the light meant photosynthesis and life, to be in the dark meant no photosynthesis, no life. It wasn't until round 360 million years ago the first animals started to come out of the water to live upon land. Therefore life evolved for billions of years with a direct connection to the light as sustenance. About 250 million years prior to animals appearing on land, the first proto-eyes evolved in animals which were able to detect light and dark. Cnidarians were the first animals to be able to detect light. The seers were dependent upon these types of bacteria and other plant life to sustain them. Even for these animals, going toward the light and heat meant food and energy.
The shiny places meant refuge in the dark foreboding expanses of the sea. Could it be that at our deepest most primal cores we are still hard wired to think that shiny glittering things mean abundance, comfort, and life? 

   Hey, come  back. Come back here. I'm gonna get you. Gonna get you. . . Come here. . . I'm gonna swim with you. . . I'm gonna get you. I'm gonna get you. - Finding Nemo, 2003

And no one showed us to the land. 

And no one knows the where's or why's

But something stirs and something tries And starts to climb towards the light. Echos, Pink Floyd, 1971

Animals that do not preform photosynthesis are one step removed from the sun and can travel deep into the darkness of the ocean, never needing to travel to the surface. These are some of the meanest looking, craziest creatures on the planet who are obviously not concerned with beauty. They play dirty to get what they need to survive. They use other creatures natural attraction to the light to lure them in and eat them.

    Some deep sea Anglerfish lure in prey with a light emitting escae, the result of a symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria

The lure mimics something that the prey are drawn to naturally out of self preservation, but in a sadistic twist, that very thing turns out to be a trap and the cause of death rather than life. 

The word lure is originally from Anglo-French lure, Old French loirre "device used in falconry to recall a bird, lure". The lure mimics the natural prey of the falcon. Falcons probably aren't stupid. They learn that the lure is not prey, however it comes to be associated with something valuable, namely food and other benefits they may get from the relationship with their keeper. The user of the lure, in this case, does not mean to harm the falcon, but uses the birds natural attraction to its prey as an incentive for training.

    Pheasant Wing Lure, northwoodsfalconry.com

The etymological dictionary states that lure is from Frankish *lothr or some other Germanic source. It seems plausible that the Old French word loirre comes from root words like PIE *legh- "lie, lay" and *leugh- "to tell a lie", with the meaning of something like "lie, deceive, conceal, be false", considering that the 'g' might have been replaced by 'r' as in the name of the River Loire in France. The name Loire comes from Latin Liger, which is from the Gaulish name of the river Liga meaning "silt, sediment, deposit, alluvium", from root *legh- "lie, lay". False prey might be a bird that lies. It does not move it lays still. It is false, a lure. Which can make it like a trap. A lure lies, like a concealed hole in the ground lies, or, even, like soft wet silty earth near a river lies that it is solid ground when it is actually a muddy trap. All that appears solid is not solid and all that appears delicious and edible is not really edible.

The French word for gait of a horse is allure. The allure "gait; way of walking" of a thoroughbred may be a factor in people choosing a particular hose to bet on in a race such as the Kentucky derby, but it finally comes down to the race. You don't necessarily get paid by betting on looks. Although looks and talent are often seen together.

    Secretariat at Saratoga On The Grass Saddling Area, The Whitney Stakes, 1973

Appearances can be manipulated for effect. So we have the common saying that all that glitters is not gold. All that is shiny or alluring is not valuable. Gold is ultimately from PIE *ghel- (2) "to shine." Gold is shiny, but what about being shiny is good? It is pretty and that is part of the allure, however, its real value goes beyond its appearance. The gleam of gold does not fade it is durable, and gold is malleable, a good conductor, and it doesn't tarnish. So it is pretty, but it is also the promise of being something of value that is alluring. If something is alluring but it does not prove to be valuable or beneficial the allure is a trap. 

    Iron Pyrite- Fool's Gold

A beautiful or mysterious woman can be very alluring. Mermaids are the epitome of mysterious allurement. 

    The Depths of the Sea, Edward Burne-Jones, 1887

The sea itself is very alluring. It glitters and waves. In Latin mare / maris is "sea" and merus "pure; bare, naked," figuratively "true, real, genuine", probably originally "clear, bright," from PIE *mer- "to gleam, glimmer, sparkle." It is so delightful when it is peaceful. It is full of abundance, and enables swift travel. But it is a very raw and naked strength, and sometimes seemingly cruel and unforgiving, not unlike a mirror of merus (pure) truth. 

Things can be alluring that hold the promise of being delicious and delectable. In fact the word delicious comes from the sense of luring away. It is from Latin de "away"+ lacere "lure, deceive." Why would what is delicious be a deception? Perhaps it is a deception that what is delicious will make one happy, when in fact its deliciousness can lead one instead to a state of weakness, sickness or delicateness through [over]indulgence and therefore making one less resilient and finally less able to enjoy anything. What is delicious can lure us away from balance to our own demise.

Delicate meaning (of people)"self-indulgent, loving ease"; also "sensitive; easily hurt, feeble"; (of things) "delightful" is from Latin delicatus "alluring, delightful, dainty," also "addicted to pleasure, luxurious, efiminate" deliciae "a pet". Related to Latin delicere (de "away' + lacere "to lure, entice"). Often people have delicate lacy looking doilies to dress up holiday party tables. Fitting in that we are trapped by the delicacies and the word lace is from Latin lacium, from Latin laqueum "noose, snare," related to lacere.

Eat now. Feel guilty later. Hang over. . . tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving. 

    Delicious Root Vegetables on Thanksgiving, photo by Julie O. /chthonickore

And I'm just going to leave it at that, 'cuz that's where I'm at right now.

peace ✌️