The Emperor
Explanation
Like The Empress, this card indicates power. But instead of spiritual power, this card indicates materialistic, worldly power. The Emperor is sometimes compared to Mars, God of war and courage.
Place in the cycle
The Emperor has the number 4 attached to it. This is the number of order and structure, the number of matter; with 4 things can be built and organized.
There are 4 seasons, 4 elements, 4 wind directions. The number gives stability and orginanisation and discipline and a steady strength to get done what needs to get done.
The number 1 brings the idea, the number 4 takes it on. This also means that with this number 4 things can be decided one way or another.
While the previous card, The Empress, indicates a time to relax and enjoy, with this card it is time to get things underway and for the work to commence.
Meaning
Positive
Of all the things that are heading your way you must pick just a few or even just one to focus on. Get your goals into focus and stick to your goals. Be careful not to get distracted.
Neutral
This card falls in a time when you're busy and facing challenges. This means there is a lot to do and a large need to organise and structure your activities.
You feel strong and full of energy, you have willpower and selfdiscipline and an ability to close yourself to distractions.
Negative
Don't be too rigid, you can't achieve your goals with just strength, often wisdom and knowledge are needed as well.
7 of Pentacles
Explanation
The 7 of Pentacles is about perseverance, about not giving up the work. Yet it may also make you aware that while you've started the job, you're now perhaps also quickly tired from the work.
Meaning
Positive
You've got to decide, because it doesn't feel nice to be divided between two extremes; either you enjoy the work you've done so far, or you work some more right now.
Neutral
You're divided between a desire to be active, and a desire to be lazy. You want to stand still and admire your own work, yet something inside you is telling you you've done this for long enough now.
Negative
It's not wise to be lazy at this time. Your situation likely demands that you keep on working.
8 of Pentacles
Explanation
The 8 of Pentacles is about keeping up the hard work you're doing, and trying to be happy about doing that work at the same time. While the 3 of Pentacles is about completing a masterpiece, the 8 of Pentacles is about doing the apprentice work that makes you a master of your trade.
Meaning
Positive
Even though everyone gets tempted to just abandon their sometimes boring hard work in search of adventure, now is not the time for you to seek adventure. You'll reap rewards you might not even realize from this hard work, when it's done.
Neutral
The work you're doing at the moment has become boring to you, as a lot of work often becomes to anyone. You may feel an urge to let your project slide and focus on something new. Consider what you'll gain if you'd complete the boring work, though, before abandoning it or letting what you've accomplished so far degrade by a period of stagnation.
Negative
Don't turn your work or project into a prison. A brief period of laziness might serve to bring your attention to new opportunities, related to your project or not.
Ace of Pentacles
Explanation
With Wands, you surveyed the world for worthy goals and ideals.
With Cups, you decided on a specific (set of) ideals to pursue.
With Swords, you faced some initial problems on your road towards your chosen ideal(s).
Now in Pentacles, it's about the remainder of the work (with procedures worked out by Swords) that gets you to completion of your chosen ideal(s).
The element attached to Pentacles is Earth. And it's attributes are perseverance, taking pride in boring hard work, discipline, order.
Pentacles are often refered to as related to money. But that's a bit of a narrow view. It's about the hard work that completes the journey to an ideal and thus give your life fulfillment.
The Ace of Pentacles has the number 1 attached to it, which is always the number of a new beginning.
Meaning
Positive
You've figured out what to do, you sort of know how to do it, then now is the perfect time to start doing it. And don't give up easily.
Neutral
When this card falls, it might serve to point your attention to whatever is new and fresh in your life; a new job, study, love relation, business relation, project, etc. Look to the other cards in the reading to see what more can be said about it.
Negative
The plans you made for getting to your ideal might not be the optimal course for getting there after all. Stay flexible, something you encounter might be a shortcut for you.
2 of Cups
Explanation
This the first assignment number of the Cups suit. Unlike Wands, with the Fire element, Cups, with the water element, has a lot more patience. Water is by nature more introspective, and this second card in the Cups suit is indeed about exploring yourself. The outcome is uncertain as always, but it usually results in better acceptance of yourself.
Meaning
Positive
Now is the time to take some rest and relaxation, not the time to go on wild adventures.
Neutral
You're going through a process of self-healing, and are perhaps almost unaware of that. You may feel a little tired, or confused, or wary, but along the way you will get more lenient with yourself, and give your soul the rest it needs.
Negative
You might be pressing for reconciliation with yourself a bit too hard. The middle road is not always the right one, and confrontations (with yourself or with others) should not always be avoided.
6 of Pentacles
Explanation
The 6 of Pentacles signals that help has arrived or will arrive soon. The number 6 represents security and reward. In the Earth element attached to Pentacles, this means material rewards are likely coming your way.
Meaning
Positive
Now would be a good time to go out and seek some help for your project. Talk to people about your project.
Neutral
You'll notice that there are people and institutions that are willing to help you along your path toward your ideal. You've managed to convince others of the worthiness of your ideas and the help you can get from them is meaningful and solid.
Negative
Don't seek help if you can solve things on your own. It's not always wise to reveal your ideals and plans to others.
King of Wands
Explanation
The Kings are the rulers. With the experiences of Queens, who integrated the experiences of Pages and Knights, they act.
The King of Wands uses the properties of Wands (vitality, optimism, enthousiasm) to go out with confidence. He is seen as a leader with charisma.
Meaning
Positive
Use the positivity that this card radiates. This would be an excellent time for a job interview or to apply for any other position where others determine your suitability.
Neutral
You function well at the moment, now might be the time to take on more responsibilities, to apply to a higher rung on the ladder of success.
Negative
You might be too arrogant to some at the moment. Modesty gets you further.
4 of Swords
Explanation
4 is the first number in the cycle of giving things shape. It's about making things real. The element of Swords also relates to making things real, so this enhances the effect so much that arrogance can cause you to exhaust yourself.
Right now you probably could use some rest. It doesn't mean you should fall asleep, but both your body and your mind can use some rest before embarking on the next steps.
Meaning
Positive
Learn to trust the signals your own body sends you. If you need rest, take rest soon. Don't work yourself into a burnout.
Neutral
You might have been asking too much of yourself lately. Take a rest now or face true exhaustion just a little later.
Negative
You've rested enough, it's time to get back to work.
Death
Explanation
This is about psychological death (or: transformation), not physical death as we have to face in life.
Place in the cycle
Death carries the number 13, which is considered the unlucky number not now but throughout history as well.
It's composed number is 4, the number of structure and order.
Meaning
Positive
Get rid of the old (habits) and get ready to welcome in the new. Don't look back too often, which may make you second guess your decisision.
Neutral
You're in a period of your life where you've decided to radically clean up your act. Actually you've made the decision at The Hanged Man, the previous card in the deck, and now at Death you're ready to fill in the blanks of that change. The cleaning up concerns things that you know have to change. You get rid of things that no longer matter and will become blockages when you continue with them. But the new is not here yet, so while you cut old habits out of your life you may end up waiting for the input of the new. This may cause feelings of uncertainty and vulnerability.
Death is a card that does not fall frequently, it is a bit of a special card. When it does fall, you should spend time to understand it's meaning for you then and there. First of all to take away the negative appearance of the card, second because the card signifies an important time in the life of the asker.
The card may indicate relational problems. Getting rid of the old may mean abandoning someone you once loved.
There is the chance that you may want to kick out the old (habits) too soon, just to get clarity. Or you may end up in limbo, having eliminated the old but also not welcoming of whatever new is heading your way.
Negative
Don't make any (drastic) changes yet, give things time instead.
