February celebrates love in all its forms as the Empress is revealed as our unfolding mystery and theme of the days ahead. She is the Queen of the Garden, the bridge between heaven and Earth, the Inspired One, grounded and connected in her Divine Feminine presence. She is always a welcome energy as the Empress in tarot is a symbol of expansion, happiness and authenticity. Yet the cards that followed for clarification showed some unique challenges that stand in your way.
For those who followed my publication in 2020, you'll remember that August was also ruled by the Empress. The messages that came forward for me at that time was to heal issues around our bodies and connect to the wisdom of our material selves. Here I found myself unexpectedly in a few emergency rooms in the Northwest Territories, prepped for surgery from a bursting appendix. I needed to rest, receive, recover. Not what I expected, but perfectly aligned!
Here, I feel we are working directly with her spirit of Creativity and addressing the obstacles that hold us back and keep us in the dark. This energy has shifted from love who you are to love what you do - which can create equal disruptions in your circles of support. More on this below.
The Collective Reading: Themes and Energies Coming Forward
A Hostile Force Threatens Creativity
Who do you think you are? This is often the phrase we encounter during a flood of juicy creative inspiration. This is the sound of the inner critic or perhaps a ghost of the past, meant to hold us back, keep us small and hidden away. However, this month it's not just in your head. As you grow in your own authority and power, making decisions to follow a new path or do what you love, someone in your circle is very threatened by this.
The Queen of Wands is a fire sign (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) who can show us who we are meant to be. In her highest expression, she encourages you to be the centre of attention, to open up to all possibilities that come with being divinely inspired, to be "on fire" with vitality and expression, particularly for those who create with their hands (writers, illustrators, designers, crafts). In her dark side, she is horribly self-involved and lacks empathy for the experience of others. She fancies herself the main character in every room she enters and is threatened by anyone outgrowing or out-shining her. If you dare step outside the role she's assigned you (side-kick, assistant, support) and step into your own life, the claws come out.
It is likely you know exactly who this could be in your life, but the wisdom here is to realize the projection. Often the person we identify is our mirror, someone we project our own darkness onto so we don't have to own it. In any circumstance, you spot it - you got it. Be mindful of who you deem ignorant, arrogant, audacious, radical... they may just be doing what you could be, if you had the courage. Whenever you feel certain about a situation, ask yourself, is this true or is it an old story?
At the same time, if a friend or family member is consistently cutting you down, it may be wise to distance yourself until you're strong enough to have boundaries. You deserve respect. This goes double for your creative birth. Keep it secret until it incubates and is ready to be shown. Keep it between you and the spirit of the Universe. The Empress creates because that is who she is. She doesn't seek approval, but seeks to be closer to the Divine and more embodied as her divine self.
Shift Your Focus
When you accept that at your core, you are a creative being, then possibilities are endless. There are cards that show financial constraints and needing to be tight with your resources. Explore all of your options on how to monetize your skills. There are many doors that can open, don't be too attached to methods you've done before. This can be taking place in how you work, how you deliver your work, where you work, who you work with... all of this needs to remain flexible. There are adjacent possibilities for you. Open your mind and let the Empress inspire you. From love and service, where are you needed?
A Victory is Assured through Acceptance
There is energy here of loss, broken hearts and also being envious of others and their perceived experience. We all have our individual curriculum, our divine assignments. Justice is served to us when we embrace our own path and stop comparing to others. Here again, we seek the wisdom of the Empress. She shows us that there is no lack, no scarcity. She is the messenger of abundance and expansion, endless creative potential. All we desire - truly desire - is our mission and will unfold at just the right time.
This is emphasized for those who are wanting to be in a romantic partnership and are tired of waiting, tired of the "lessons" of where love is lacking. Here too I see a shift in experience when keeping your focus on what is - instead of what isn't. Love creates more love. Joy creates more joy. Start where you are to make everyday the most heart-lit experience to elevate your energies and align with the Empress, the Queen of the Garden, who knows gifts are effortlessly laid at her feet because love is her birthright, not hard-won. The Rose doesn't chase. She unfolds, magnificently and is loved and appreciated for just doing what she is meant to do.
For more energies for 2021, head over to my shop and get the Future Visions download, a pick-a-number oracle that can add further clarity to your situation.