The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning and Symbolism

The High Priestess is card number two of the tarot; when reading the tarot, this card represents duality and opposites. Dressed in robes, the High Priestess sits between two pillars holding a scroll in her lap. Her horned crown represents the balance of opposites: darkness and light, positive and negative, day and night. The pillars too (the pillars of Mercury and Severity) are opposites. The pillars have been said to represent the entrance to the Hall of Truth, where ancient Egyptians believed their souls would eventually go to be judged.

 The High Priestess Tarot Card and the Torah

The scroll, some say, is the Torah, the holy scriptures in which God's will is revealed. Others see it as the Divine Plan of man, or the Book of Wisdom which could well be symbolic of the tarot. What is agreed on is that this scroll holds many secrets which should not be revealed to those who aren't yet ready for them.

The High Priestess Tarot Card and the Spiritual World

The High Priestess stands at the entrance to the spiritual and mystical world that lies beyond the material. She will not step aside to allow anyone to enter easily into the hidden sanctuary, but what she will do is point people in the right direction. Similarly to the teachings of Buddha, the High Priestess will show the way of truth but man must walk the path on his own.

The High Priestess Tarot Card and Intuition

This is a card of secrets and intuition. When it turns up in a spread it suggests that it's time to get in touch with the real person within. If the person for whom the tarot is being read has so many commitments and responsibilities they spend most of their time attending to other people's requirements it will be difficult for them to keep in touch with their own needs. To find the High Priestess within, they should try to set some time aside each day for quiet, calm meditation. This will help them keep in touch with their spiritual self whilst dealing with their day-to-day responsibilities.

Reading the Tarot - The High Priestess

 The High Priestess might represent a person in life, a wise woman who is calm and serene; someone with lots of common sense. She brings help and healing when times are difficult. Other representations of this card include teaching, religious and spiritual knowledge, intuition, change, secrets, intelligence and wisdom. When reading the tarot it is important to consider the relationships between the cards. When for instance, the High Priestess falls alongside the World, then try to link these cards together.

They might signify the start of a new venture which will involve a lot of travel, the publication of a book or even a birth. If Justice stands alongside the High Priestess and a court case is pending, it could be that hidden evidence will come to light which will catch someone unawares. This pair might also signify that harmonious agreement will finally be reached on a contentious matter. Getting into the habit of combining the meanings of the cards will give a much fuller reading.