He was starving. He had skipped dinner last night and the delicious aroma of baking bread somewhere afar reminded him how hungry he was. He wanted to find out where the appetizing aroma was coming from, hoping he could get something to eat soon.

He walked over a hill and saw the small country house. A woman was sitting on the porch and a small girl was playing next to her on the floor.

He assumed they were mother and daughter, and he realized, as he got closer, that she was pregnant. It did not occur to him even for an instant that they could be upset by his presence.

He was just going to ask for a small favor – just a little piece of bread, perhaps some cheese and something to drink. He would gladly pay for the food to calm his churning stomach.

When he greeted the woman and told her what he wanted, she smiled and asked him to wait a little until she got the bread out of the oven.

The little girl, meanwhile, came up to him and, pulling his coat with her little hand, invited him to play with her.
She was a sweet child and he did not have the heart to say no to her. Since he had to wait a little longer to satisfy his hunger, he figured he might as well return her mother’s kindness and spend the time playing with her.

They began to run around the grass, laughing and playing, surrounded by the chirping of early birds merrily singing along. He felt happy, remembering his own childhood and thinking what a joy it was to be so young, free from all the worries and concerns of the world that lay ahead.

He was enjoying himself so much, he did not realize how time passed. He had forgotten all about his hunger and the bread he had been looking forward to.

They ran back to the house, laughing and playing along the way. The mother gave him a big loaf and refused to take his money, although he insisted.

It was heavenly! “Can anyone say no to this beautiful bread, fresh out of the oven?” he thought to himself.

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At number 3, the Empress, the mother of all mothers, waits in patience to embrace you with love.

The Fool, who has an idea, and decisions around that idea, now faces new questions: How should he realize, enact, and make these decisions bear fruit? How will he develop them? This is where the Empress enters the frame, and acts as both mother and teacher for the Fool.

Just like a pregnant woman patiently waiting for the baby in her womb to grow, and loving with all her heart this baby which she does not know, every new thing needs generous love, patience and care. Only tireless care can assist the growth and development of a baby –of any kind.

The way to provide this quite challenging care is opened by discovering your female side, your femininity. Here, we must focus on the qualities attributed to the female; her relationship with beauty, her creativity, patience, fertility and abundance, her proximity to sentiments and feelings… The Empress awakens the mother-woman inside you.

In facing the new, the Empress card advises the person who draws it an approach full of love and patience rather than anxiety. The card may also represent the mother of the person who draws the card, or a person who he or she regards as their mother. The ruler planet of this card is Venus, the most beautiful of all beauties, and the Goddess of art, nature, love and sex.

To summarize, this is the message of the Empress: “Whatever it is that you want, you cannot achieve it without patience and love. If you seek inspiration, go into nature, wander the gardens, collect fruit and sleep in the meadows. Breathe in the amazing odour of nature, touch mother nature. Get in touch with the woman inside you, allow her to be your guide. Have a child, make a painting, or a sculpture, but love them all unconditionally. Wait in patience to harvest results.”

However, too much love can also be harmful, as in the example of overwatered flowers dying… Know your limits as you give your love, do not suffocate the ones you love with your love. What, or who ever you love, do not love in order to possess. Do not take your loved ones captive, on the contrary, liberate them. For true love does not contain personal concerns and expectations.

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