In this episode of the Everything Tarot Podcast, I explore one of the most misunderstood cards in the Major Arcana: The Emperor. Too often he’s seen only as a rigid tyrant or an absent father, but the truth of the Emperor lies in how we embody his energy.

I share my personal journey with the Emperor from growing up without a true model of healthy masculinity, to finding discipline through sports, MMA, and study, to learning the difference between control and responsibility. The Emperor teaches us that structure can be a foundation for love and protection but when unexamined, it becomes a prison of control, judgment, and exile.

This episode unpacks:

* The Emperor’s true role as protector and builder.

* How discipline and structure can free us if they serve love.

* The shadow side of the Emperor is when control replaces compassion.

* Practical steps to build foundations without walls of tyranny.

The Emperor asks us all: What are you building, and does it protect or divide?

In this episode, we explore The Empress, the Major Arcana’s embodiment of creation, love, and self-worth. More than just a symbol of fertility or abundance, The Empress calls us to nurture ourselves first so we can nurture the world around us. Through personal stories and tarot wisdom, we’ll uncover how this archetype teaches self-value, creativity, and the power of compassion. Whether you’re seeking healing, deepening your intuition, or learning to honor your own worth, The Empress reminds us that true growth begins from within.

Discover what you’re nurturing at TarotChris.com

In this bonus clip from Everything Tarot, we explore The Emperor’s shadow side—when structure hardens into control and authority becomes a weapon. The Emperor teaches discipline, protection, and foundation, but when unexamined, his energy turns into tyranny.

Discover how to recognize these patterns in yourself and others, and why true authority serves love, not fear at TarotChris.com

1. Nurture Without Abandoning Yourself

* Notice where you’re over giving in your life. Write down one place where you constantly pour energy into others but neglect your own needs.

* Practice setting a small boundary this week, not to withdraw love, but to show yourself that your needs are equally worthy.

2. Reclaim the Forgotten Inner Child

* The Empress is mother energy. Sit quietly, close your eyes, and imagine yourself as a child. “What did you need to hear or feel that you didn’t receive?”

* Write a letter to that younger self offering those words now. Read it aloud as an act of re-parenting.

3. Create Something Tangible

* The Empress is the archetype of creation. Choose one small act of creation this week. It can be cooking a meal, planting a flower, painting, journaling, or designing something new.

* The point isn’t the outcome, but the act of honoring your capacity to bring something into form.

4. Ground in the Body

* The Empress teaches presence through the senses. Practice a 5–4–3–2–1 grounding exercise. Notice 5 things you see, 4 sensations you feel, 3 sounds you hear, 2 aromas you smell, and 1 taste in your mouth.

* This roots you back into your body instead of escaping into the mind.

5. Shadow Work with The Empress

* “Where have I neglected myself the way others once neglected me?”

* Journal on this honestly. Then ask: What is one act of nurture I can give myself today that breaks that cycle?

In this clip from The Empress, we dive into the question: What are you nurturing? The Empress reminds us that self-worth grows from the seeds we plant within. Discover how honoring your own value allows you to create, heal, and bring abundance into every part of your life.

In this episode, we explore The High Priestess, guardian of intuition, mystery, and inner knowing. She invites us to step beyond logic and into the wisdom that lives in stillness and silence. The High Priestess reminds us that answers are already within—we only need to listen. Through personal stories and tarot insights, we’ll look at how this card helps us trust our intuition, face what we’ve hidden, and embrace the sacred balance between the seen and unseen. Whether you’re navigating uncertainty, seeking clarity, or deepening your spiritual practice, this episode will help you uncover your inner guidance and learn how to trust it.

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A reading from my article The Fool - Stepping into the Unknown

Where The Magician directs power outward, The High Priestess draws power inward. She is the guardian of intuition, of what is hidden, and what can only be revealed in silence. Her wisdom is not gained by doing. It is received by listening. She represents the sacred feminine principle of knowing: mysterious, receptive, and non-linear.

She does not speak — she reveals.She does not teach — she allows you to remember.

She is the space within the soul where truth rises unbidden.

The High Priestess’s Energy

* Element: Water (still and deep)

* Astrology: The Moon (subconscious, dreams, illusion, feminine cycles)

* Archetype: The Mystic, The Oracle, The Gatekeeper, The Inner Voice

She sits between the black and white pillars. Boaz and Jachin, the duality of shadow and light, guarding the Veil of the Temple.

Behind it?

The inner sanctum of your higher self, your deepest knowing. Your eternal spirit that loves you and communicates with you through divination, like the tarot.

She holds the Torah an ancient wisdom, half-hidden, never fully revealed.

This is the card of mystery, sacred timing, inner knowing, and the unspoken.

When The High Priestess Appears in a Single Card Pull

It is a clear call to pause, to go inward, and to trust your intuitive senses over external logic or pressure.

It means:

* Not everything is ready to be revealed trust the mystery

* Your intuition knows the answer even if your mind hasn’t caught up

* This is a time to observe, reflect, and listen deeply

* Answers may come in dreams, symbols, synchronicities

Intention Behind the Card:

“Be still. Feel before you speak. Know before you act.”The High Priestess is not passive, she is potent. Her stillness is a sword; her silence is sacred. This card teaches power through restraint and clarity through intuition.

Significance After The Magician (Position in the Journey)

The Magician acts.The High Priestess integrates.

The Magician says, “Use what you know.”The High Priestess answers, “But do you know what you feel?”

In a personal journey:

* After outward creation, we are asked to turn inward again

* It reflects a shift from external will to inner wisdom

* It says: You’ve made your move, now wait and watch the truth unfold

This teaches a key spiritual rhythm: action must be balanced by awareness, or we lose ourselves in the illusion of control.

The Message of The High Priestess

“The answers you seek are within.But they are not ready to shout. They are waiting for you to listen in stillness.”

She invites you to:

* Trust your intuition above opinions

* Hold your truth even if you cannot yet explain it

* Notice your dreams, symbols, and gut reactions

* Resist the urge to act just for the sake of motion

Final Reflection Questions:

* What am I being asked to hold in silence or mystery right now?

* Where is my intuition guiding me that my mind is resisting?

* What becomes clear when I choose not to react immediately?

The High Priestess is your inner sanctuary.She is the space where spirit whispers.She is the veil — and the invitation to part it.