Build the foundations

My card of the day from Joanna Powell Colbert's Gaian Tarot (Llewellyn 2011) is The Emperor.

The what? Shouldn't that say '3 of Coins'? What the heck is The Emperor doing in his shirtsleeves decorating his front porch? I can only assume he's the one who's chopped all that cord wood as well. What sort of Emperor is this?

I don't know anything about Gaian deck printing lore, but I do notice that in the guide book, the card is called 'The Builder', while the card in the Llewellyn deck is labelled '4 - The Emperor'. So maybe it's a printing error. 'The Builder' certainly fits the card better.

The companion books says, 'The Builder is the archetypal Father, the creator of culture, structure and human laws, as compared to the Gardener (Empress) who embodies the abundance of Mother Earth. He is the city, she is the country' (Journey through the Gaian Tarot, pp 35-36).

The book goes on to describe him as 'the architect of civilization.' So it would seem that in this deck, The Emperor represents logic, structure, science, systems, heirarchies, order, possibly even the foundations of culture and learning. He also represents manipulating natural materials in ways to suit the needs of man, and even the craftsman's expression of  higher knowledge and impulses, as seen in the symbols he is carving.

So this card today was flanked by 2 of Water  and 7 of Earth (ie, 2 of Cups and 7 of Pentacles). I see what it's saying. I am facing a situation today where I will need to be the one in charge, while showing lots of patience toward someone with whom it can be difficult to work in partnership. As the Emperor is at the centre of the draw, seems to be saying not to get emotional or nurturing or too Gardener-ish. In order for the project in question to work, there must be a firm foundation and plan that can't keep wavering. Of course, the 2 of Cups also reminds me that it's good to listen to others, so I shouldn't be too closed-minded to alternatives that may be on offer.