Do You Have What it Takes?

Who’s Ruling You?

Do you have the qualities of a leader?

In the Rider-Waite Tarot deck, the illustration for the Emperor portrays a strong male presence. He exudes calm dominance. His upright stance and penetrating gaze make him hard to ignore.

There are no flowers, trees or cooling streams here. No pale blue atmosphere, warm sunlight or whimsical butterflies. Just an immovable stone throne, rocky mountains and a searing sky. If that’s not enough to cower you, he has four ram heads surrounding him to reinforce his air of strength and power.

So, is this card about traditionally male qualities like strength, power and control?

No, not at its deepest level.

This card is really about personal control.

Take another long look at the Emperor and you’ll realise something important:

The Emperor may be ruling a kingdom but, in reality, all he’s really doing is ruling himself.

He didn’t sleep in, miss breakfast and dress in a rush. He got up early enough to sit composedly on his throne in time for the first task of the morning.

The Emperor is educated, organised and sees the big picture. He has a tentative plan for the day but has lived long enough to know plans change.

He’s prepared to see what unfolds, who comes, what questions will be asked, what this day will require of him.

In the book, The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living, Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman quote Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.22:

“Pay attention to what’s in front of you — the principle, the task, or what’s being portrayed.”

This’s what the Emperor is doing. He’s not wondering what he’ll have for dinner or hoping his favourite horse’s ruptured tendon has healed enough for him to go for a good gallop. He’s not swearing about the past or grumbling about the future.

He has himself under control. He’s paying attention. He’s very much alive to the moment.

He’s present. Alert. Flexible. Keen. Focussed.

He knows he can learn a lot from what’s happening right now, right in front of him.

Socrates, the Greek philosopher whose writings are still being published more than two thousand years after his death once said:

One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.

True leadership comes from people who aren’t burdened with what they think they know.

They’re not constrained by society’s rules. They’re rebels. Think of Galileo, Gandhi and King. Their actions and words moved society forward, and their legacy is a reminder today of what can be done when people with self-control step forward and take the lead.

The qualities of the Emperor are equally important for men and women. As Arianna Huffington wrote on page 116 of her book Thrive:

. . . creation and action are as inherently natural to women as they are to men. Women don’t need to leave behind the deeper parts of themselves in order to thrive in a male-dominated world. In fact, women — and men, too — need to reclaim these instinctual strengths if they are to tap into their inner wisdom and redefine success.

Mindfulness and the Emperor

When the Emperor appears in a spread for you, think of this card as representing you. You are the Emperor.

Next time you wish someone would step into your life to offer stability, leadership and protection, stop wishing.

Instead, be that person yourself.

How?

Place your feet firmly on the ground. Straighten your back. Take a deep breath. Feel your body (your kingdom) fill with life-giving air. Flex your fingers. Smile.

Feel you controlling you.

Next, ask yourself a question: What does this moment require of me?

Then do what the moment requires.

Be the Emperor of your life.

Insight

Don’t waste time trying to control others.

Control yourself.

My next article in this series will feature the Hierophant (or Pope).

Foretaste: What is truth?

Do ideas ever knock on your door? In case you missed it, here’s a link to the previous article about the Empress and the act of creation.

With love, Marlane

Thanks for reading! I hope it helps you for the rest of your life. For more articles on mindfulness visit me at https://www.marlaneainsworth.com