The High Priestess

Sometimes The High Priestess simply indicates a woman (a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, superior, rival). But more often the Second Arcanum of the Tarot symbolizes the presence of mystery. The surrounding cards may offer a hint as to its nature. One cannot know this mystery at once — it will reveal itself in its own time. Moreover, Mary Greer astutely remarks that "the truth of the High Priestess can only be seen through the sacred mirror of symbol." For those accustomed to looking at everything straight in the face "as it is," ignoring hints and figurative meanings, the mysteries of The High Priestess will remain mysteries forever. She is a teacher, but she does not teach everyone — only those who trust the wisdom of unconscious forces and the mysterious inner world. It is no surprise that women find this slightly easier. A man, as a rule, must take a difficult step in order to stop relying exclusively on his beloved ratio. Women find this easier — perhaps because their ratio is less well-tuned and not so infallible, and therefore "no better." The words that fully convey the principle of The High Priestess are "sixth sense." It can be called intuition, clairvoyance, an inner voice, instinct — but the fact is that it works, and it is rated no lower than (if not higher than!) rational calculation. Not every expert and analyst, of whom there is no shortage, becomes a "guru" whose every word is caught with bated breath.

The Arcanum of The High Priestess advises paying attention to "small coincidences" and listening carefully to various hints and guideposts on the path of life (that is — hold on to every sign that you have somehow recognized as addressed to you). The High Priestess embodies our unrecognized forces — intuition, premonition, often inexplicable but quite firm certainty about something. This is the key to the mysterious truth that eludes the logically thinking mind. Attention must be paid to the subconscious and to dreams. The knowledge you are seeking is within you, and to find it you must bypass your sophisticated consciousness. The primary meaning of The High Priestess is wisdom, knowledge, understanding, the ability to learn, to teach, to penetrate mysteries, and to initiate others into mysteries.

In a spread, this card says that information will gradually come to light that will make one look at everything from a different angle. The situation is under the influence of certain hidden factors — something secret. This must be accepted as it is — we cannot know, control, and foresee everything in the world.

When appearing in a spread, The High Priestess emphasizes calm and turning inward. She says that it is necessary to spend some time in reflection — more in search of peace than of answers and solutions — and they will come of their own accord at some point. All "faster-faster" impulses must be set aside. The High Priestess is associated with accepting the will of external events and submitting to them. She speaks of solitude, of the opportunity to listen to the natural rhythms and cycles of nature, body, and soul. It is quite possible that the development of the situation will bring with it a palpable enlightenment and personal growth.

Individual cognition, the development of talents, spiritual wisdom. Knowledge, study, the learning and grasping of something. This is especially true of occult knowledge, but may also relate to professionalism in general — when, in elevated states of consciousness, the essence of certain matters is grasped. This can be the very search for these elevated, illumined states, or an indication of their presence — "just listen." Intuition, illumination. The ability to foresee and to prophesy. Attentiveness to signs and symbols, the ability to feel a favorable moment, to appreciate a convergence of circumstances that can only be called mystical. Within The High Priestess's domain lie unfathomable events, mysterious coincidences, all manner of signs that life sends us, and the hints provided by the subconscious (like a casually overheard phrase that is clearly an answer to your thoughts). When appearing in a spread, she reminds us that Life is a Mystery.

The second meaning is uncertainty, the unclarity of prospects, and the indeterminacy of the future. This is a secret that will reveal itself in due time. As a result card in a spread, The High Priestess says: do not make plans for the future — the time for an answer has not yet come. The presence of The High Priestess may indicate that a hidden factor is present in the situation — a secret yet to be discovered. Some secret motives, unknown aspects of the matter, or implicit elements may influence the decision to be made and the outcome of events.

In this "knowing" (first meaning) and "not knowing" (second meaning) there is only an apparent contradiction. The High Priestess teaches that the knowledge is already within us. How often do we proceed blindly for a time, then cry out "But I always knew this!" This is precisely what The High Priestess is about. And also about the fact that to learn is to come to know what you already know. For we have all learned very much in life not from others, but from ourselves! This happens when we find the time and strength to concentrate on our own spiritual individuality — or, to use Kabbalistic language, on the stream connecting the "Kether" of our highest mind with the "Tiphareth" of our heart.

Contemplative.

Within The High Priestess's domain lie perceptiveness and farsightedness, calm and understanding. She emphasizes intuitive perception and the capacity for reflection. In reality, we usually live without finding the time to reflect on and integrate our own experience. We seek new impressions, not knowing what to do with the old ones. We are focused on everything except ourselves. The High Priestess offers the opportunity to give time to oneself and to everything that surrounds us. She brings what seems like an idle state — as if we are doing nothing clear or useful — yet this free time turns out to be remarkably important and full. The High Priestess carries a rich and deep spiritual experience, activating inner intuitive forces and work with the subtle planes. These may be diverse ideas, fantasies, dreams, pictures, images, feelings — which are not so much the product of pure imagination as of intuitive perception and receptiveness. None of this passes through consciousness by chance. This card carries an enormous quantity of deep adjustments that are difficult to use in everyday life or apply to one's interests for a specific purpose. In its most vivid manifestation, The High Priestess carries such phenomena as telepathy, clairvoyance, the gift of prophecy, access to the Great Book of Remembrance (symbolically, The High Priestess holds on her lap not only the Book of Secrets, but also the Akashic Chronicles). In essence, an individual magical initiation into deep mystical knowledge is taking place — a passing through the mystery. This knowledge (unlike the knowledge of The Hierophant) is difficult to formalize. Try telling a dream coherently, try clothing the images of the subconscious in words! Hence — silence, restraint, and secretiveness. The goal and essence of The High Priestess is UNDERSTANDING and the need to understand how the world is structured, why everything proceeds as it does. She uses this knowledge to help, to heal, to protect. The acquisition of secret knowledge, esoteric enlightenment, wisdom and strength of spirit that tear one free from the circle of the ordinary. The High Priestess offers the possibility of seeking esoteric knowledge, exploring one's capacities on the inner plane, and embracing the "yin," passive and receptive side of the self.

When describing a person (whether man or woman), the Second Arcanum makes clear that they are not inclined to rush with decisions or with energetic actions. This is a person of exceptionally delicate inner organization who prefers an intuitive approach to life. In Jungian typology, this is a person with a pronounced functional dominance of intuition — a living vessel of divination. They recognize something as right only when they "feel" that it is right, trusting their inner voice which warns and guides. They know what needs to be done and what can be forgotten. They do not display particular activity, do not rush into battle, but at the same time know how to react with sensitivity to unfolding events — to make a timely exit or, on the contrary, pick up the pace. In their case the proverb "it is not the swift who wins the race" works beautifully — they trust intuition, and in the end everything works out for them better than could be wished. They seem to act illogically, irrationally, at times simply strangely, but in the end arrive at the finish with a very good result. One gets the impression that an invisible powerful hand supports them. They influence reality and those around them quite strongly — though it is unclear by what means (in The Emperor's case, for instance, it is far clearer). This person needs free time for themselves, to hear and to hear themselves — and therefore cannot bear constraints and rigid systems. In this respect, much cannot be demanded of them. This person has very strong ties to those hidden forces that stand behind reality. But ties to reality itself are less reliable and may give way. They cope poorly with everyday bustle and stress, and therefore tend toward solitude, self-enclosure, and being left to themselves. They naturally gravitate toward life in quiet and seclusion. Their spiritual-creative needs definitively dominate over their social-domestic ones. Dreams and ancient legends hold far more meaning and logic for them than what is reported in the daily news. They are secretive and restrained, outwardly seeming somewhat cool and detached. Such people are said to be "not of this world" — though this is not always written on their face, since The High Priestess knows how to keep her secrets (or more precisely — to protect her inner space from intrusions).

The High Priestess is an attentive listener, not a talker. In the horoscope, Water, the 4th and 12th houses are often prominent. Mysteries arise around them of their own accord.

In the most direct sense, The High Priestess points to a person who has a secret or secrets.

And at a higher level — access to esoteric and spiritual knowledge (and being guided by it in life). Usually this person quickly grasps the deep meaning of what is happening — its underlying dynamic and spiritual purpose. Clairvoyance, telepathy, capacities for visualization and healing are implied. One practical instance: a man described by this Arcanum, who had a prosaically engineering profession, possessed a specific intuitive ability. A single glance at a stranger-woman was sufficient for him to diagnose a pregnancy with unfailing accuracy at the very earliest stages. Naturally, he could not explain how this knowledge formed (which, incidentally, is in precise symbolic correspondence with the lunar-feminine meaning of the Second Arcanum). The High Priestess person is a rare phenomenon — but having encountered one once, one can never confuse this personal mode with any other. The concentration of contemplation, wisdom, and outward passivity is such that the person seems, if not an alien, then a yogi of the spirit. Those detached eyes see through the outer shell and the veil of facts what others cannot see. They are silent: seeing all and understanding all, they usually discuss nothing and keep secrets firmly — both their own and others'. Having such an encounter in one's life experience, it becomes easier to interpret the Second Arcanum in a spread: well, and what might this person be trying to tell me right now?... and the answer comes intuitively. In complete accordance with this, The High Priestess is one of the strongest cards of harmony and balance. The aggressive and warlike manifestations of the amazon are not characteristic of her. She does not throw up her hands upon hearing portents of approaching events. There are no strong emotional burdens here. She is a bearer of profound calm and equilibrium of personality, introverted and impartial in her wisdom. To understand and feel The High Priestess is to take an enormous step on one's own path of development.

The High Priestess embodies the wisdom of feminine being in its mystical, magical, and metaphysical sense (The Empress, by contrast, in the domestic, sensual, and emotional). She is the capacity to see through, to read thoughts, and to divine the past and the future. She is the eternal goddess-woman of the ancient world, bearing knowledge and spiritual wisdom — and at the very least the equal of man.

The Great Mother of all that exists is the second ("passive") hypostasis of the One Universal Spirit. From their fruitful opposition all things are born. The interaction of the Active and Passive Principles (reflected by the First and Second Arcana of the Tarot) results in man being able to know the world only through comparison, through the "pairing" of all things, through antinomy — he perceives not so much the actual essence of phenomena as their contrast. In the Tarot, The High Priestess is symbolically the Mother of Wisdom, the Feminine Aspect of God, Ain-Soph, Sophia, Shekinah — keeper of the mysteries of being. She embodies all the magical power of wisdom that belongs to woman alone (naturally, as the historical supremacy of men in religion solidified, negative perceptions of women's spiritual power developed as well — hence the "witch hunt," literally as a competing force). She is the Teacher, the Initiate, the Guardian, the Guide. Understanding visible and invisible things — how the world is structured (and not the dogmas that express this understanding on earth) — is the goal and essence of her being. She is knowledge itself. Power holds no interest for her, nor do manipulation. The expression of patience, understanding, compassion, kindness, and the ability to forgive; the use of the subconscious forces for the good of people — for the sake of healing, clairvoyance, and help. She knows the path and is ready to lead those who have decided to walk it. She is considered one of the three "guardian angels," for according to Christian mythology, the Holy Virgin-maiden can render a person invulnerable.

Temple instruction, secret knowledge, understanding of higher laws, esoteric wisdom. In Greek mythology she corresponds to the goddess Hecate, who sent people nocturnal visions and prophecies — patroness of sorcery and magic. Hecate was a lunar, and therefore feminine, goddess. And it was women who prayed to her when her protection and patronage were needed. The Magician and The Sun represent the masculine Path. The High Priestess and The Moon — the feminine. Women more readily accept the mysterious mysteries of nature and life. Moreover, while The Empress directs her energy outward — toward people, circumstances, her own body — the energy of The High Priestess is directed inward. Her great know-how is the ability to know and to accept the inner world — to do with it what The Empress does with the outer. The High Priestess sees behind the surface of perceptible reality the mysterious darkness of creation. The statue of Isis at Sais was covered by a veil; anyone who dared look upon it without initiation was condemned to death. Penetration into the depths of lunar wisdom can be neither dilettantish nor forced. Passivity, the inward direction of energy — toward reception and reflection. With The High Priestess corresponds the inductive mind, connected to the knowing of truth within oneself. And to "know" means to "surrender" to this truth, to accept it submissively, to merge with it, becoming one whole. Men are inclined to "take" (yet lunar wisdom cannot be "taken"), and are not inclined to "surrender," setting aside the sword of ratio — and so contact with The High Priestess is for them equally difficult and spiritually radical, meaning even more so than for a woman.

The card depicts a seated woman crowned with the tiara of Isis, emanating lunar radiance. On her lap rests the Torah or the book of the supreme Secret Law (either open or rolled as a scroll), and in her hand are keys — golden and silver — the secrets to the doctrine. The golden key represents the solar principle of reason, and the silver one — intuition, imagination, or the lunar principle of knowing. Behind The High Priestess stand two columns, Jachin and Boaz (placed by King Solomon before the Temple in Jerusalem), symbolizing Good and Evil, light and darkness. The checkered floor on which her throne stands can be interpreted the same way. The veil stretched between the columns is a symbol of virginity. The columns are a kind of gateway, a portal of knowledge. To pass through it, one must become what The High Priestess is. By displaying the scroll, she declares that the supreme mysteries exist (and we all sense this acutely at the beginning of life). Behind the veil stretched between the columns lies still water. Astrologically, the translation of the hidden into the manifest is governed by the Moon — which is the very planet with which this card corresponds. The moon in the diadem crowning The High Priestess's head is a symbol of change; the crescent at her feet — the lunar barque of Isis — reflects the cosmic cycles that influence earthly life. This is the primordially given form that the invisible wave takes in the world, moment by moment, again encompassing the unity of life. Connecting the cosmos and humanity, she transmits this wave of celestial will through herself.

This Arcanum is also called the "Gates of the Temple": they allow the cosmic stream to flow onto Earth and open before the seeker a mysterious path to another existence. Identifying with this stream and entering the embodied world with it, the soul is drawn into the cycle of happiness and misfortune. On her lap The High Priestess holds a scroll in which all that is to be in this stream has already been written. These are the Akashic Chronicles — the absolute universal chronicle of outer and inner events — genetic and karmic memory; and the appearance of The High Priestess in a spread is a reminder that this information exists and operates within us. The High Priestess, who maintains her connection with the higher, symbolizes the immortal maternal principle that does not allow this infinite stream of life to be interrupted. Through The High Priestess our own psychological, ancestral, and karmic mysteries are opened to us. It is well if we are ready to receive this information and make good use of it — otherwise this open information channel may bring considerable discomfort.

This Arcanum describes quite promising affairs — only one must not force events. One should act when all is favorable.

The High Priestess is professionally connected with science and education, with the ability to teach others. Her capacity for understanding the inner world of a person, perceptiveness, and intuition favor professional psychology and healing, as well as occult pursuits. The High Priestess's path is walked by psychotherapists and counselors, as well as astrologers, tarot readers, and other practitioners of occult arts — professional advisors of all kinds who guide others toward the right path. Moreover, The High Priestess is connected with creative work (artistic and scientific), which is in its essence a mediumistic activity — the person does not so much invent and discover things on their own as tune in to the subtle worlds or the informational field of the Universe and transmit in their work what they have received. And so they say — well, Mendeleev, well, it came in a dream...

The Arcanum of The High Priestess is also characterized by the striving to know this world and oneself within it, the desire to constantly learn and acquire ever-new knowledge, to open new horizons for oneself. The High Priestess may hint at the need to acquire new knowledge, to improve one's qualifications and professional competence, to move to a new level in one's work. It is important to enrich one's store of knowledge — and possibly to develop abilities in science and the arts.

Impracticality in matters of money and property. The ability to intuitively make the right decision. The presence of hidden factors influencing the situation.

At the everyday level, The High Priestess has a poor reputation in the realm of personal life — because this is not a "domestic" card at all, and it does not always manifest harmoniously at the level at which events typically unfold and questions are asked. Her connection with mystery translates into the meaning of "another woman" — a secret woman influencing the situation, of whom nothing is yet known. With equal success (!) The High Priestess can also describe another man — a third party in a love triangle.

In old-fashioned interpretations, the presence of The High Priestess in a spread was linked to suppressed, unexpressed feelings (secret love) and platonic relationships, without physical intimacy.

This is also a card of hidden, secret, or undefined relationships (or at least feelings). She reminds us that "the heart of a woman is an ocean of secrets." And a man's heart too. Incidentally, for men, the card portends an encounter with an understanding and loving woman — a true treasure.

Contemporary tarotists hold that The High Priestess can characterize the quality of a relationship as such, emphasizing the deep connection between partners. We have all probably seen this at least once: people who don't appear madly in love, yet who sense each other across a distance, understand each other with half a word, and no sooner do they think "I should call," than the phone rings. There is trust and affection here — but also something more, simply mystical, which often manifests in astonishing coincidences and complements — for instance, in the nature of the New Year's gifts that both had purchased independently, without knowing what the other intended to give. Here there exists an almost extrasensory connection (which may seem strange to them both — they cannot explain why it exists). In such relationships, there is usually no imperativeness and no arguing over who is master of the house. No one raises their voice, no one insists on anything, and sometimes one gets the impression that the people barely speak at all. They have no need to speak anymore. This is telepathy threatening to become telekinesis.

It is considered that this is a card of solitude connected to personal asceticism and mystical knowledge. In reality, The High Priestess does not so much exclude relationships as indicate a weak predisposition toward creating them. Her essence is unlimited independence. Her trust in herself and responsibility to herself are very great — and so she radiates a sense of self-sufficiency. This is not a pose, but the result of self-acceptance. The High Priestess represents a colossal stable personal mode. She is not inclined to fall from her heights (or to rise from her depths — as one prefers). Just as The Empress instinctively protects the life within her womb (the state of pregnancy), so The High Priestess instinctively protects the higher truth and wisdom she carries within — which have little to do with everyday concerns. She is very difficult to "drag" down to the everyday level and "adjust" to a bustling society. She will not flirt, calculate prospects among suitors, or dash from party to party. But she can look so deeply into one's eyes that whoever is destined, is lost.

There will never be random people near her. She does not "fire indiscriminately." She is a very patient and self-assured person capable of prolonged waiting. She can remain alone for a long time (sensing that this too was given to her for a reason, and not losing her independence of spirit or inner equilibrium) — and her inner voice will tell her what, where, and when she must act in order to find her one and only, irreplaceable other half. When her heart urges her to seek a partner, she does not analyze this — she simply follows her inner voice, and finds herself in the right place at the right hour. The High Priestess emphasizes the ability to wait and to be led. Unlike The Queen of Swords, for instance, she is not demanding. She is contemplative. She allows events to run their course, observing what happens without any desires or expectations. She flows with the current and catches her very own, fateful moment — accepting it, however unusual it may be, and then suddenly acts on impulse in a way no one could have expected of her. This is why she is considered eccentric. One might say of her that she slumbers and waits for awakening — but this awakening comes to her not from without, but from within. Her decisive steps depend very little on external conditions.

The High Priestess embodies the perfect woman — but not in the ordinary romantic sense. The High Priestess knows and understands too much to be tossed about on the waves of the amorous astral in passionate impulses and illusions. She is acquainted with that depth where one does not tremble obsessively — but understands without words and heals with a touch. She is cold only to the extent that water at depth is cooler than at the surface. Marriage to The High Priestess is a Mystery with a capital M, one that will be felt across lifetimes. This is not a case of "till death do us part" — this is a case where even death does not part. This is precisely why, in her presence, one instantly has the feeling of having known her for eternity.

The High Priestess describes a restrained, enigmatic, and very subtly understanding partner. This is an unfathomable person who may have many secrets of varied kinds. But they will never behave brutishly. They are patient, wise, perceptive. There is almost nothing that can be hidden from them — not even thoughts — and they are felt quite clearly as a life teacher showing a different way of seeing the world. Their advice is truly invaluable. They do not need to see a person in order to know them. The distinguishing trait of this partner is a silence in which full contact is entirely maintained.

In sexual terms, The High Priestess is tantric and healing. There is no race toward orgasm here — she simply allows something to be and to happen, tuning in to her partner with perfect precision. She is patient and sensitive. She possesses the art of directing the process of energy exchange while being led. The High Priestess corresponds to a sexual experience that has a healing, internally transforming effect.

The High Priestess is closely connected with the lunar cycle. The lunar cycle is traditionally associated with the female hormonal cycle and pregnancy. As an indicator of illness, The High Priestess may point to a hormonal nature of the disorder (one should not forget that men have hormones too, and they influence a great deal as well). Also within The High Priestess's domain are memory, recollections, sleep, and mood fluctuations (everything that astrology attributes to the Moon). The presence of The High Priestess in a spread may also symbolize a healer.

In terms of events — obviousness, the unveiling of secrets, the exposing of what is hidden, being informed of what was previously unknown, the bringing of truth into the open. Sometimes — a return to activity after a period of isolation.

In personal terms — impatience, insensitivity, ignorance, inability to empathize. Prejudices, one-sidedness, clouded perception, inability to judge matters and events clearly. The denial of intangible evidence (which is very often the case with positivistically inclined scientists). Unwillingness or fear of making decisions, flight from reality. A tendency to avoid situations that require displaying feelings. Harshness, rigidity. In the reversed position, it signals problems resulting from a lack of perceptiveness and foresight. This is also superficial knowledge, presumption, and self-conceit. For a woman — the impossibility of cooperation with persons of one's own sex; for a man — rejection of such feminine character traits as tenderness, softness, sentimentality, and caring.

In the reversed position — an indication of a lack of intuition, or possibly advice to use not intuition but logic. For women — sexual unfulfilment, or sexual practices harmful to health (so to speak, debauchery does not guarantee satisfaction). Women's ailments or complications in childbirth; for men — problems in relationships with women. Those time-honored feminine wiles such as the desire to get by in life at the expense of others while putting forth no effort. Or — the wish to "go wherever the current carries," without thinking much about where the current might lead.

With The Magician — conscious passivity.

With The Empress — a good, though fairly rare combination. The arrival of a desired pregnancy. A mutually beneficial partnership.

With The Hierophant — a good sign.

With The Hermit — not a very good combination, producing an extreme turning inward that generally happens "not from a life of comfort" — unless the person is a born natural mystic and stalker.

With The Hanged Man — a mutually reinforcing influence; the meaning is similar to the combination with The Hermit, only here the element of waiting and restraint of activity is stronger.

With Death, The Devil — an ill omen.

With Judgement — a reappraisal of the value system and spiritual ideals.

With The World — the conclusion of a certain stage of personal growth, initiation, the completion of trials, a calm taking of stock and receiving of reward.

With the Two of Wands — self-assurance.

With the Four of Wands — a favorable combination.

With the Seven of Wands — aggressiveness.

With the Eight of Wands — the realization of plans.

With the Four of Swords — rest, contemplation, meditation, patient waiting. Of late, the pace of life has been too turbulent, and a time-out has arrived.

With the Five of Swords — strangely enough, according to Guggenheim, these cards are considered to reinforce each other and are interpreted as "peace" — and strangely enough, this is confirmed in practice.

With the Page of Cups — a favorable combination.

Matris Spirituale, Alma Mater, Mother of all souls.

Isis-Nephthys, Inanna-Ereshkigal.

The Moon reflected on the surface of water, as a symbol of feminine wisdom rising from the unconscious.

The words of Swami Vivekananda: "There is a peculiarity of the mind: we are capable of understanding only what we already know inwardly — what lies within our own 'I'."

The words of Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars: "Trust the Force, Luke" (in essence — set aside your will and rational thinking, and be in the current; it — or rather, She — will guide).

The legend of the only woman ever to sit in the papal chair. It is claimed that Pope Joan did so disguised in men's clothing, and was stoned to death when the deception was discovered (or more precisely, when the pope began to give birth — from which the moral: if you have decided to become a pope, do not become a mother).

A particular archetype of femininity — the wise and self-sufficient maiden (for example, the Roman goddess of the Moon Diana, also Artemis for the Greeks). Unlike the modern world, the ancients serenely gave this archetype a place in the pantheon, recognizing that Athena Pallas is quite different from Hera, Persephone, or Aphrodite — while being no less a feminine goddess for all that.

The films of David Lynch are made in the spirit of The High Priestess. Take Twin Peaks: the mediumistic Laura Palmer with her secret life is The High Priestess, as is Agent Cooper with his prophetic dreams and constant deciphering of mystical clues — along with about a dozen other smaller characters. And, naturally, David Lynch himself, who in recent times has refused to speak of anything other than transcendental meditation (!). One's attitude toward his work quite accurately reveals one's relationship with the Second Arcanum of the Tarot (though in fairness it must be said that other vibrations are present there as well).

Banzhaf and Akron emphasize the otherworldly associations, chthonic symbols, and connection with the world of the dead: the Sumerian epic "The Descent of Inanna into the Underworld," Persephone who tasted the pomegranate offered by Hades, Böcklin's painting "Isle of the Dead," the Venetian cemetery (the island of San Michele).