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Card of the Day~ The Empress~ 4.3.07

Major Arcana Card #III, Marseilles Deck, entitled L’Imperatrice.

The Empress sits, royally dressed, on her throne holding her scepter and wearing her crown.  She is a resolute woman of action, in charge of a kingdom and using her intellect and capabilities to rule over her subjects wisely and fruitfully.  All things grow well under her care and are nurtured to successful completion.

The Empress seems like an overwhelmingly positive card (see also The Empress under the Card pages).  Is there a “down” side to this card?  What about when the card is drawn in the reversed or upside-down position?  Some interpretations for this negative aspect are the use of “feminine wiles” or guile, of getting what one wants through subterfuge or lies, of infertility and infidelity.  These seem like very patriarchal interpretations to me; what are your thoughts on the reversed position for the Empress card?