The Emperor brings structure to the world of the Empress. He turns her raw power into the fabric of civilization. While she is the feminine principle-mothering, nature, and love-he is the male principle-fathering, society and ideas. Together, they rule the world.

The Emperor represents protectiveness and productivity, stewardship and enterprise, expansive ideas put into practice. He is the force that organizes and rules, that makes decisions and lays down the law. Culture can only flourish once basic survival needs are met. The Emperor symbolizes the stability that comes with a peaceful and just society, one in which people are free to fulfill their creative potential.

The Emperor is totally committed to progress, and this can lead to intolerance of anything that seems to stand in the way. In the name of his doctrine, he can become greedy, corrupt, or oppressive. When the Emperor cuts off his feelings or tries to control nature instead of guiding it, he is on the road to becoming a tyrant.

For this reason, freethinkers may balk at the Emperor, loathing his dictates that seem to demand conformity. They may vilify the rules and institutions that are our modern expression of his energy. Yet "the system" also brings us roads, libraries, and other amenities that we often take for granted. Without the Emperor, there would be no order; the world would be chaos.

In a reading, the Emperor asks you to look at your relationship with authority. He challenges you to live by your own code of ethics and not just follow blindly the behavior society expects. He calls for self-discipline and integrity; govern yourself and any realms over which you have power with a wise and steady hand. Use his energy to create something, to assert yourself, or to set some necessary boundaries. And be sure to be honest with yourself: are you living by the letter of the law? Are there places where you are being rigid or oppressive? Dominion over oneself is necessary; domination over others is not.