The Meaning Of The High Priestess Tarot Card

Major Arcana cards add an all-embracing spiritual or philosophical layer to any reading.

The High Priestess card’s message is about trusting your intuitive guidance. This feminine and spiritual character is the keeper of spiritual mysteries.

She offers initiation to those mysteries only to those sincere in their desire to learn.

High Priestess Tarot Card Description

To better understand the meaning of this card, let’s take note of the images involved:

• Moon – Her crown mimics the appearance of a Full Moon between two Crescent Moons. A golden Crescent Moon appears tangled in her misty gown at her feet. The shape and light of a Moon on a given night determines how well you can see in the dark.
• Symbolically, the Moon is your personal experience. The things you sense, think, and feel but may never have to express. The High Priestess wants you to look within those experiences for what you need.
• Pillars – The pillars represent Strength and Establishment. They are black and white to signal the interplay of darkness and light or good and evil. You have to be aware of both to make the best use of your intuitive power.
• Cross and Pomegranates – The cross symbolizes the marriage of spirit and matter that makes us conscious humans. The pomegranates relate to the Underworld, reminding us what is underneath and behind what we can see.
• Torah – She holds a scroll of the Torah, signaling her role as a student and educator.

The High Priestess is an embodied example of mystery and intuitive knowing. She sees deeply and can serve as a guide to trusting your vision.

Key Facts

Upright Meaning of The High Priestess

The upright meaning of this card is the same as the core meaning: Learning to trust your inner wisdom.

This is a time to get comfortable with your intuitive power. All is revealed when you can sit with how things feel.

Here are the central themes:

• Wisdom & Intuition – Knowledge intersects with intuition to create deep understanding. This wisdom allows the High Priestess to see past the surface of things. This gives her more information to act on.
• Secrets & Mystery – Some parts of life are hidden from us, mysterious or unknown. The High Priestess is a keeper of secrets, so when you see her, you can assume something unimportant isn’t apparent. It’s an invitation to sit quietly and see what more you can intuit.
• Feminine Mystique – In duality, femininity corresponds to darkness. Things that are secretive, hidden, or elusive are believed to have womanly characteristics. The High Priestess isn’t a liar but may not reveal all she knows.

Love and Relationships – Upright, The High Priestess

The High Priestess in love wants you to listen to your inner guidance in romance. If something feels insincere in your relationship, it will stand out to you. Don’t ignore this intuitive warning.

If you’re looking for love, the High Priestess is here to encourage you. You can trust your instincts with people. Pay attention to how they make you feel. If you aren’t sure, there is no need to rush.

Career and Work – Upright, The High Priestess

Upright in a career reading, the message of the High Priestess is about trusting your intuition. Have faith in your inner guidance to show you the next right move for success.

If there is confusion or dissatisfaction with your job path, this is the time to ask yourself some questions. Learn what’s causing this discomfort and spell it out for yourself. There is wisdom in the way you feel.

Health and Wellness – Upright, The High Priestess

In a question about health, the High Priestess invites you to listen closely to your body. When it comes to your health, you can trust your instincts.

It also reminds you to consider a holistic approach to your well-being. There is a mind-body connection that cannot be ignored.

Diving into quiet practices like meditative reflection or gentle yoga can help you understand what you need to feel well.

Spiritual Context – Upright, The High Priestess

Upright in a spirituality reading, the High Priestess calls you to embrace your intuition. By honoring the inner experience, your sense of spiritual connection will grow.

This card may also point to a spiritual leader with a mysterious way of being. This person can be a good resource for helping you access the mysteries.

Reversed Meaning of The High Priestess

When The High Priestess comes out, you have become disconnected from your intuition.

The High Priestess is all about the wisdom that informs our progress. So when she shows up in reverse, you may ignore your inner voice and lose because of it.

• Hasty Decisions – It’s risky to rush into something when you haven’t checked how it feels. Reflection and contemplation are necessary for making big choices.
• Avoidance – You may be reluctant to explore your spiritual connections. It’s natural to fear your own subconscious depths. The benefits of that deep dive outweigh the drawbacks.

Love and Relationships – Reversed, The High Priestess

When the High Priestess pops reversed in a question of love, it signals a disconnect. Someone isn’t being forthright about their feelings.

There may be secrets, or some underlying problem one of you isn’t willing to address. In either case, the lack of communication compromises trust and creates emotional distance.

The guidance is to be honest with yourself and your sweetheart, even if it’s hard. Support comes with understanding, and understanding comes from telling the truth.

If you’re looking for love, this card reminds you not to rush into love without a good emotional connection. It’s important to understand the needs and motivations of your partner. Knowing you’re on the same page will allow you to support one another.

Career and Work – Reversed, The High Priestess

Reversed in a career spread, the High Priestess signals lacking clear objectives on the job. You may be in a fog regarding what you’re doing and why.

It’s possible you feel your talents aren’t being best used where you are. Or you’re uncertain you have the wisdom to navigate this career.

It’s essential to give your professional life due consideration. Don’t make hasty decisions at this time. Reflect on your talents, skills, and what kind of work would fulfill your emotional needs.

Health and Wellness – Reversed, The High Priestess

When the High Priestess pops reversed in a wellness reading, beware of ignoring symptoms. The body and mind require daily care and consideration.

Sometimes, your health falls out of balance when you lose touch with your feelings. Don’t hesitate to seek professional advice if your health becomes hard to manage. 

Spiritual Context – Reversed, The High Priestess

The High Priestess, in reverse, is calling you to notice Universal signs and messages. It’s essential to pay attention to your spiritual life. Engage intuition to add a layer of spiritual connection to your experience.

You can pick it back up if you’ve fallen away from your spiritual practice. Taking time out for reflection and meditation is never wasted. Knowing how things feel to you is a great way to support yourself.

The High Priestess: Yes or No

“Yes! Trust your gut, guidance, and intuition.”

The High Priestess is a sign of inner knowing. Trust yourself, and your choices will bring you success!

The High Priestess and Astrology

When you add Astrology to a Tarot reading, you get another layer of significance. In astrology, symbols for the High Priestess card are the Moon and the sign Cancer.

• Moon – In Astrology, the Moon represents your inner experience. Sensation, emotion, and intuition provide information you can’t get outside yourself. It guides you to listen to and trust your experience.
• Cancer – This sign correlates to nurture. It takes intentional care to be fully attuned to how things feel and what that means for you.

The wisdom and access to mysteries the High Priestess provides come from self-knowledge. The better you know your own experience, it will be easier to navigate any challenge.

The High Priestess Tarot Card and Numerology

Numerology is about the symbolism of numbers. The number of the High Priestess in Tarot is 2.

In this example, The High Priestess card vibrates the number Two.

In Tarot, Two represents duality. The message is that there is more to a situation than meets the eye. It’s up to you to intuit what might be hiding behind the façade.

Remember to trust your instincts. Feeling information is important for making good decisions.

The High Priestess as a Daily Card

In a daily Tarot draw, the High Priestess card invites you to use your intuition when navigating the day.

The tasks on your list will require attention to subtle details. Trust your gut when taking care of the day’s business.

This day may give you reasons to reflect on how various situations feel. Don’t ignore this valuable information.

How to use The High Priestess in a Reading?

To use this card in a reading, you must remember that it wants you to dive deep into the mystery.

As a Major Arcana card, The High Priestess card’s influence is stronger than a regular suit card. And whatever other cards turn up with it, it broadcasts a message of intuitive power!

Here are some themes to pay attention to:

• Mystery – The High Priestess doesn’t reveal much in her appearance. Her face is somber, and her clothes cover her like clouds and mist. She sits before a screen, hiding a scroll in her robes.
• The wisdom she possesses isn’t for everyone. One must have patience and self-awareness to approach this profound, hidden knowledge.
• Divine Feminine – She is the spiritual embodiment of the Moon. It takes dedicated study to appreciate her changing nature and the cycles she reveals.
• Duality – The High Priestess is the feminine counterpart to the Hierophant. Both are spiritual leaders. But where the Hierophant shows you the structure and rules, the High Priestess reveals their spiritual reason.

Notice how these themes relate to your life at the time of this reading. Your intuition will tell you what or whom this card reminds you of.

How to use The High Priestess in a Love Reading?

In love, The High Priestess indicates a spiritually connected romance. This card promises a deep, feeling connection.

If you’re looking for love, the message of the High Priestess is to make sure of a heart-to-heart connection. If you don’t know what you want or your potential mate isn’t open enough to share what they want, the guidance is to go slow.

It helps to look at the card’s position in your spread. For example, the High Priestess could land in a position called “the future.” In that case, this card’s deep connection and spirituality is something that has yet to occur.

How to use The High Priestess in a Career Reading?

The High Priestess in a career spread is about relying on intuition. Knowing your heart and doing work that feels good is important to your sense of purpose.

Part of making informed choices for your career is relying on your inner wisdom. Based on previous experience and intuitive guidance, you can make good progress.

For any reading, it’s important to ask specific questions. Keep your job prospects in mind while you shuffle or mix the cards. Take a grounding breath. Trust what comes immediately to mind when you turn the card over.

How to use The High Priestess in a Health Reading?

In a health reading, The High Priestess signals healing from the inside. You can see positive results by prioritizing how things feel and nurturing your intuition.

It promises that you will get there if you don’t feel well now. Pay attention to your self-care needs and trust your inner wisdom to guide your healing.

The guidance for using it in a health reading is the same as any other reading. Compare and blend the story of this card with that of the others. The High Priestess card says your inner guidance will lead to good health. So trust yourself.

Also, notice what the other cards have to say about that.

The High Priestess in Relation to Other Cards

The High Priestess card gives an energy of mystery and deep wisdom. Now is the time to dive into your inner knowing! But, just how will you do that? The answer may lie in the cards that surround it.

Here are some tips for comparing the High Priestess with other cards:

• Paired with Positive Cards: When the High Priestess card is surrounded by positive cards, trust your instincts. When things are going well, you’ll feel good about what’s happening.
• Balanced with Negative Cards: If The High Priestess card appears with challenging cards, there is a lesson in the struggle. By trusting your internal guidance first and foremost, you can face any challenge.
• In the Company of other Major Arcana Cards: Other Major Arcana cards sitting near the High Priestess card enhance the power of this card. They add more dimension to the story, giving clues to the path ahead.

The High Priestess card is an important part of the overall story a reading tells. The key to a good reading is to blend its message with the messages of the other cards in the spread.

Complementary Cards

Some cards support the High Priestess. They do this by spelling out a similar story or adding depth and dimension to the tale of wisdom and inner guidance. When it shows up with complementary cards, the reasons become more clear.

Here are some cards that complement the High Priestess card:

• The Moon – The Moon and the High Priestess have intuition and subconscious exploration in common. Together, they invite you to access mystical and hidden realms.
• The Hermit – The Hermit and the High Priestess have the search for wisdom in common. Together, they point to the pursuit of deep understanding.
• The Star – The Star and the High Priestess have inspiration and spiritual insight in common. Together, they allow you to feel spiritually connected to the Divine.

Contrasting Cards

Some cards contrast with the energy of the High Priestess, signaling a lack of wisdom or intuitive block. These contrasting cards are a wake-up call when you’ve lost touch with your feelings.

Here are some examples of cards that contrast with the energy of the High Priestess card:

• The Fool – The High Priestess advises patience and insight. The Fool represents spontaneity and lack of foresight. Together, they remind you to look within before you leap!
• The Tower – The High Priestess provides a steady and intuitive nature. The Tower brings upheaval and chaos. Together, they remind you to maintain calm in adversity.
• The Five of Swords – The High Priestess offers harmony and intuitive understanding. The Five of Swords attracts conflict and discord. Together, their message is to follow the path that allows you to stay connected to others.

Conclusion

As we end our High Priestess card discussion, remember to trust your internal guidance. Wisdom arises from the subtle information you receive when you look within. Grace and power come about through introspection and trusting yourself.

With these themes in your life, you can appreciate the intuitive gifts of the spiritual people you know. By spiritual connection, you can also embody this Divine Feminine principle in your life.

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