2. The Emperor card is the fourth Major Arcanum of the Tarot. Here are some of its characteristics.
Image: Crowned and enthroned man
Hebrew letter: Heh
Divinatory meaning: power, authority, fatherhood
Location on the Tree of Life: 15th path connecting Tiphareth to Chokmah.
Qabalistic Description. The 4th Key, the 15th Path. The Son of Morning, Chief among the Mighty. This Path connects Chokmah (the Father) to Tiphareth (the Son); The Emperor takes the manifesting energy from the Empress and passes it down to the Higher Self of the individual. Together, the Emperor and Empress function almost as Animus and Anima. Heh is feminine energy balanced in masculine form.
Card Description. Here we have the great energizing forces as indicated by the varying shades of red. The red paths remain red in all planes, varying only in shade. Thus Aries, the Emperor, the Pioneer, the General, is blood and deep crimson, red, pure vermillion or flowing fiery red. He is Ho Nike, the Conqueror, hot, passionate, impetuous, the apotheosis of Mars, whether in love or in war. He is the positive masculine as the Empress is the positive feminine.
Interpretation. War, conquest, victory, strife, ambition.
Psychological Value. This card can break you free from limiting beliefs; especially those that you feel trap you. It is possible to use this Arcanum to call upon a higher part of your being, to ask it to reject that part of your nature that belongs to the “old self” that you are trying to change. You can use this great power to help you to break free of whatever causes your difficulties.
This Arcanum is paradoxical. At first you may see it as a symbol of destruction, but in fact, it symbolizes the moment when old beliefs are broken to allow the transformation of your personality and life. It allows you to conquer the invisible kingdoms, defend yourself from negative attacks, and can defend you from your own internal devils as well as from external and real adversaries. These powers are veiled by darkness and are only accessible to those who can accept the neutrality of the Mars force.
This Arcanum represents the power of language, the power of the Word. (According to the Divine Arcanum of the Aurum Solis - Divinity: Ares; Greek Letter: Omicron.)