3 The Empress

Number 3 The Empress - 4^th Chakra, heart

   The Empress is shown seated, in full ease on her throne of nature, her emblem of a heart with the insignia of Venus within, at her side. She embodies full femininity, and manifests in all she does from her center of compassion. The metaphors of Mother Earth, Earth Mother, Mother Nature - all fit with her, as it is how she sees herself, and as such she wields an authority which cannot be easily dismissed. If she must, she can be quite fierce in her dealings, but she is not seeking to destroy, but to correct and bring into balance - she acts without shutting her adversary out of her heart. Her recreation is contained within her world, a natural environment which is complete and fulfilling without having to seek pleasure by superficial means. Her pleasures are with people, children, healthy food and drink, the arts. The earth provides goodness, and she intuitively knows what is good. Just to be around her, in her presence, is to receive some of her qualities as she exudes them with her breath. We go from her feeling a little less inclined to attain to vacuous pursuits – her example is so alluring that we subconsciously examine our own principles. Being intensely female she walks naturally the spiritual path – she is imbued with the Dakini energy of the Vajrayana and as such bears a natural power which is beyond reproach. It is ignorance itself which would challenge or tamper with her ways as she is in natural accord with wisdom, nurturing, compassion. If a young man is seeking a young woman to be his bride, he would do well to look for these qualities of the Empress above all else.

By Ananda G. Brady copyright 2011