III – The Empress
“the gateway to the source”
symbol: devotion, re-/birth, nature
planet: Venus
date and ritual: spring celebration, adoration of nature
archetype: Inanna/Ishtar, Isis/Nephthys, Demeter/Persephone, Shakti/Kali, Gaia, Rhea
path of Daleth: Chokmah – Binah
This card shows a proud and crowned female ruler on a throne decorated by roses and serpents. It is meant to represent both – the great goddess as guarding mother and protective archetype, but also the destructive, gulping, and thirsty force, she can be (comparable to the Shakti – Kali narrative) The crown shows the stellar constellation of Orion (= origin). The lotus in her right hand traditionally represents the female or passive nature. The stem is clasped firmly which can be a symbol for the controlled adulthood and the authoritative or matriarchal nature of this card. The lotus usually grows in a swamp – a reference to the watery depths of this archetype as well as the disintegrating forces she embodies. In her left hand she is holding an ankh within a circle. This represents her son or the child which is embedded in an egg (Horus), whom she is pregnant with (compare the symbol of mother Mary and her child). On her dress we can find dancing bees forming a circle around her midst. The bee symbolism includes a lot of meanings. The most important ones are the hive and the phasing of her many children under one maternal ruler, but also geometry, harmony, diligence and the honey they produce. A significant story related to this symbol is the biblical narrative of Samons riddle and the beehive in the dead lion (well worth looking into it, if you are interested in magical or cosmic symbolism).
The mother within is so dominant that both her positive and negative aspects are related to the maternal aspect. In the lower part of the picture, we can see growing lilies and two important animals. The lilies are symbols for purity and virginity but also for the underworld, dark secrets, and the mysteries of the night. Below, on the left, a traditional symbol related to this card can be found – The pelican who nurtures its offspring with its own lifeblood. This symbol is usually chosen because it represents the sacrifice and self-abandonment of a devoted mother.
On the right, the alchemical symbol of the two-headed white eagle is to be found, which corresponds to the ruler of the water element. As an explanation: In past times the water element had a trinity-symbol “Scorpio-Serpent-Eagle” which still can be found in many alchemical scriptures and art. The base of the queen’s throne forms the symbol of Venus which evolves into an ovarian form, a characteristic of conception and birth.
In the background we can see a hidden door (Daleth) which is guarded and framed by the moon cycle.
