When it’s about feelings in love and relationships, The Empress arrives to remind us that…
You don’t have to chase what’s really meant for you! In love, she is a reminder to stop trying to prove yourself and start trusting your worth. She sits on her red-cushioned throne in the midst of nature’s abundance, surrounded by beautiful things without having to overextend herself to receive. She simply attracts.
What are their feelings? The Empress upright
New Connections and crushes
In new connections, the Empress often shows up when they feel an instant and magnetic pull towards you. To them you glow from the inside out: warm and sexually confident. They also sense that you don’t really need them, which only makes you more attractive! Especially if it’s a crush, they might not have the words for it yet, but they are fascinated by you and feel your Empress energy: grounded, sensual and full of life. They sense something can grow here. Whether they know it or not, part of them is already imagining what it would be like to be held by someone like you. Your energy is irresistible to them.
committed relationships
Their feelings for you are warm, full of care and still deeply sensual. Even if you’ve been together for a long time, the physical attraction is still strong! This attraction will not show up as the urgent desire you feel in the beginnings of relationships. It will present itself as a deep affection and appreciation for you as a person. They want to grow and protect this relationship because it is based on mutual generosity. The Empress says that their feelings for you are abundant and if you’ve been thinking about building or growing a family, The Empress is a beautiful sign that it might be where it’s heading.
Exes & old flames
They still think about you fondly and warmly. You’re likely someone they won’t ever forget, you left a lasting impression with your energy and presence. But it’s not just nostalgia. Part of them still feels connected to you. Whether they admit it or not, they wonder what it would feel like to be close to you again. Reconciliation might be on the table if they can rise to the level of maturity the Empress requires. But the card also reminds us: you’re not meant to chase. If they want back in, they’ll have to come with more than just a vague longing. The Empress needs presence, consistency and respect for her energy.
What are their feelings? The Empress reversed
Did you know that many professional Tarot readers choose to not work with reversed cards? And you don’t have to either! Read my article about “Why I don’t read reversed cards” here.
There is absolutely no right or wrong way of going about this, and including reversed cards in your readings can absolutely make sense. However, especially if you’re just starting out, know that many well established Tarot professionals don’t feel the need to include them or assign special meaning to them.
Nevertheless, here are some of the traditional interpretations of The Empress as feelings in love and relationships when it shows up reversed:
- Feeling emotionally drained or unappreciated
- Struggles with giving too much and not receiving enough in return: love may feel one-sided or imbalanced
- Possessiveness or smothering tendencies could be present
- Difficulty expressing affection or feeling disconnected from warmth
- Insecurity around being “enough” in the relationship
- Possible codependency or over-identification with the partner’s needs
- Blocked emotional flow: love is there, but not flowing freely or healthily
