The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning
Do you trust your intuition?
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The High Priestess Tarot Card Description
In the Rider-Waite tarot, the High Priestess sits on a stone between the two pillars of the mystic Temple of Solomon, Boaz and Jachin. She holds the Torah scroll in her hands and wears a cross and a horned diadem, similar to crowns worn by the Egyptian goddesses Isis and Hathor.
The High Priestess wears a gauzy blue dress and sits in front of a veil covered in palms and pomegranates. These are symbols of abundance and fertility. They also connect her to Persephone who traveled between worlds.
She is the embodiment of the Divine Feminine and at her feet sits the crescent Moon. This symbol underlines her connection to mystery, magic, feminine energy, and liminal spaces.
Behind her is water. In the tarot, water represents emotions and feminine energy. On the High Priestess card, it also represents the concept of being on the edge of the abyss that separates the world of thought from accomplished manifestation.
The High Priestess exists in the in between. In the balanced space between masculine and feminine, dark and light, idea and action.
High Priestess Correspondences
Numerology: 2
Planet: Moon
Element: Water
Kabbalistic Letter: Gimel
Path on Tree of Life: 13 — Kether and Tiphareth
Esoteric Name: Priestess of the Silver Star
Yes or No: It depends.
Upright High Priestess Meaning
The High Priestess tarot card signifies listening to your intuition and trusting your inner knowledge. Within the Major Arcana, the High Priestess sits at the passageway to spiritual knowledge and urges you to look within to uncover hidden information and messages from the Universe.
She is the card most connected to the subconscious realms and to mystery. Waite wrote, “this card is the highest and holiest of the Greater Arcana.”
A.E. White wrote in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, “She is the Secret Tradition and the higher sense of the instituted Mysteries.” She does not reveal the mysteries to anyone — only to do the spiritual work to uncover them. This includes striving for balance and trusting their intuition.
If the High Priestess comes up in a tarot reading when you’ve been struggling with finding your path forward, she’s there to encourage you to get quiet and go within. Tools like meditation, visualization, and other spiritual practices fall under her domain. Because, in your meditative space, you might find the guidance you’ve been seeking.
The High Priestess also encourages you to tap into your Divine Feminine aspects and to balance your inner Divine Masculine and Feminine energy. Cultivating more abundance, flow, compassion, and connection with your intuition will serve you in unlocking her gifts.
Love and Relationships (Upright)
In a relationship reading, the High Priestess tarot card means it’s important for you to listen to and trust your gut feeling. It can also mean there is more going on under the surface than it seems. Depending on the situation, this could be good or bad.
If you are in a relationship, those recommendations still apply, but the High Priestess can also point to a deepening of your relationship and feeling more balanced with your partner.
Career and Finances (Upright)
In terms of career, the High Priestess appearing upright indicates that now is an opportune time for you to dive deeper into education. It doesn’t have to be in the realm of esoteric learning or gathering spiritual knowledge, but it could be.
It could also signify that you should trust your intuition when applying for roles, learning new skills, or deciding whether a company is right for you. Consider all aspects when it comes to both your finances and your career at this time as there might be unseen things that could impact you.
Reversed High Priestess Meaning
The reversed High Priestess means a time when your intuition might be clouded and you are struggling to access insight and spiritual messages. It can also suggest that you have been ignoring the messages you’ve been receiving and not listening to guidance that’s been telling you to go in another direction.
When the card pops up, it’s a message from the Universe that you need to find a way to reconnect with and listen to that intuitive part of yourself.
Love and Relationships (Reversed)
In the context of love and relationships, the reversed High Priestess hints at complications. You might be feeling disconnected from your partner or struggling to understand their emotions. It’s essential to listen to your inner voice and be patient during this time.
Also, be mindful of the potential for hidden agendas or secrets that could impact your relationship. Cultivate open communication and trust to navigate these emotional challenges.
Career and Finances (Reversed)
When it comes to career and finances, the reversed High Priestess tarot card suggests you exercise caution regarding financial decisions or job opportunities. You may be lacking the necessary knowledge or wisdom to make well-informed choices. What you don’t know is likely to come back and bite you.
It could also suggest that you’re being kept in the dark about something or not trusting your gut when it comes to making financial or career decisions. There’s likely more information to be gained that will benefit you in the long run.
If you must move forward, be diligent with your research and ask for advice from trusted sources.
