The High Priestess card

On the paths of the unknown.

Supporting / Blocking Tarot Card

support

The card does not provide an answer; therefore, it is inherently a blocker. The card represents the entrance into the subconscious, the journey along an unfamiliar and unknown path. It is important to learn the way and not to seek the goal. This card encourages recognizing the dark and hidden aspects of one’s personality in order to identify the habits that prevent spiritual growth.

Relationships

Career

Finances

Relationships

Career

Finances

The Meaning of The Card

קלף הכוהנת הגדולה מייצג אינטואיציה, עצמאות ואמון עצמי. חניכה וגדילה, תהליך של גילוי עצמי שנועד לשרש מנשמתו של האדם דימוי עצמי שגוי, חוסר אהבה עצמית, וחוסר הערכה. בסיום התהליך המחפש שלומד את עולם הנסתר בנשמתו וביקום יזכה בהכרה עצמית ובאיזון.

The High Priestess card: The Meaning of The Symbols

Card Symbols	Symbol Meaning
High Priestess	The High Priestess represents feminine energy, the yin, and the passive, introspective side of the soul.
Pomegranates	The pomegranates represent fertility and abundance, which will be granted to the querent if they dare to lift the veil and explore the dark and mysterious parts of their soul.
Veil	The veil represents the separation and concealment between the conscious and the subconscious. This is a veil that must be lifted when this card appears in a reading.
Crown Composed of a Full Moon, Waning, and Waxing	The crown represents the different phases of the moon: waxing, full, waning, and new. It symbolizes cycles and renewal.
Pillars of Boaz and Jachin in Black and White	The pillars, named after the entrance pillars of the Temple, Boaz and Jachin, bring forth the secret of duality in the material world, the polarity that moves between good and evil, light and darkness. They represent support and gatekeepers.
Stern Face	Authority, power, and mystery.
Authoritative Sitting on a Throne	Projection of power, control, and strength.
Light Blue Robe	Authority, power, grandeur, and magic. Blue represents the sky and spirituality.
Cross	The vertical line represents spirituality and activity, the horizontal line represents materialism and passivity, and together they symbolize balance.
Torah Scroll	Sacred wisdom.
Rising Moon	Mystery, change, femininity, the subconscious, cycles, causes tides.

Mythology

The card is represented by Persephone, Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of Spring. She symbolizes the different layers that move between birth and death—the divine mother who gives life and takes it away. The High Priestess is also represented by Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, patroness of spirits and midwives.

Representation of the Card in a Reading

The querent embarks on a challenging journey that requires them to gather all their inner strength to confront those parts of themselves they do not like, those they are ashamed of, the negative aspects that prevent them from being a whole person. With the help of the High Priestess, the querent discovers the secret mysteries of their soul and the universe. The querent is in the stage of seeking; they already know they want change, but they do not yet know its nature. The card appears because the querent needs to delve into those dark parts of their subconscious and recognize them. Without familiarity with these dark aspects, a person lives out their fears, insecurities, and anxieties. While the card is called the High Priestess in Waite’s deck, in Crowley’s deck it is called Isis, the Egyptian Moon Goddess, whose role is to illuminate the dark aspects of a person—those parts that the individual does not want to see out of fear of the unknown. A querent for whom this card appears must acknowledge that a new world awaits them; all they need to do is lift the veil of mystery over their soul and confront the challenging aspects of their life. It is important for them to remember that life is a cycle of renewal and decay. Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, the subconscious reflects the conscious. When the subconscious is purified in the process of lifting the veil, it becomes a clear mirror, reflecting the conscious desires in the querent’s life. The person is in a state where they are encouraged to acknowledge the non-rational, intuitive, and mysterious aspects of the soul. It is important that these aspects have a conscious place in the querent’s life. The High Priestess card represents a time to learn and become familiar with the subconscious. Once the uncertainty and mystery that fill the querent’s life disappear, their inner world will open up to them, and they will become a whole person. The card represents a state of not having an answer; the querent is not aware of all aspects of the question they asked and is in a state of uncertainty. Therefore, as a message, the card asks the querent to explore their fears and anxieties. Out of habit, the querent walks a path that seems safe to them. The card presents the need to follow the mystery of life; once the answers come from within the person, the answers will come from the cards. At this moment, every question asked hints at a secret in the querent’s life that they must uncover and confront.

It is important to remember that this is a card from the Major Arcana, representing the spiritual realm. The querent’s soul is in a place that desires to lift the veil over the mysteries of their life. They must release all that is known and familiar, allowing themselves, without succumbing to fear and without staying within the familiar, to dive into the depths of mystery.