THE HIGH PRIESTESS
By Cal Garrison
Before we analyze The High Priestess, I want to mention that out of all the cards in the deck, she is probably the hardest one interpret. The fact that she is primarily a spiritual archetype makes it more of a chore to understand what bearing she might have in a real time reading, for real people with real problems. Her presence is difficult to translate in mundane terms if you don't have a lot of experience as a card reader.
In the Rider-Waite Deck, The High Priestess appears in full regalia, seated between two pillars. They are the Pillars of Wisdom. One of them is black and the other white. On the Tree of Life these two pillars support the base of what Crowley refers to as, 'The Supernal Triangle' — but anyone who has made even a cursory study of 'The Tree' knows that a third pillar forms a direct pathway to the center of the base — and that pillar belongs to The High Priestess.
Inscribed on the dark pillar we see the letter 'B' — a 'J' is etched on the white one. These letters are emblems for duality. If the pillars represent the polarities of light and darkness, we can assume that The High Priestess is an intermediary whose central position gives her the power to balance and neutralize any form those opposites might take. How do we know this? The cross on her Heart Chakra is the key. Adjacent to those letters, the cross indicates that it is via the Christ Consciousness in her heart center that light and darkness merge to become one and the same thing.
Her headdress is a lunar, and therefore feminine symbol. We see the waxing and waning crescents buttressing the full lunar orb in the center of her crown. The power of the female isn't something anyone can contest here — it is an open statement that causes us to wonder what it is about the female energies that have so much significance on the path to enlightenment.
The Torah in her hand, held so close to the Second Chakra tells us that her primary relationship is the one that she has with divine wisdom. This book contains all the hidden mysteries and the High Priestess is the keeper of those mysteries, the woman who knows all. But what she truly understands is how to integrate those secrets with the wisdom of the heart — and she is able to let all of it come into manifestation as oneness because it is through the power of her own female force that everything achieves balance and unity. Being whole and complete within her self, The High Priestess sources unity and is an emblem for it.
Draped behind her we see a curtain. The curtain is 'The Veil' that separates the world of form from the higher dimensional levels. Pomegranates decorate the veil. Long known to be symbols for fertility and creativity, the pomegranates represent the heavily seeded womb of creation. The High Priestess guards this veil. You have to pass her and move through the pillars of wisdom to see what lies beyond it. No one can become privy to any of those secrets until they reach her level of attainment.
At her feet we see a large lunar crescent facing upward. Another feminine image, it speaks to the idea that she is firmly grounded in the female frequency, that which is formless and ever changing. It is a sign that her all knowingness is rooted in her receptivity, or her willingness to allow that which exists as Truth to reveal it self in stages the same way that the Moon exposes its full face gradually from cycle to cycle.
The wide open crescent is empty, waiting to be filled, indicating that she holds no preconceived notions about what the Truth might be. This aspect of the card is significant. It is as if The High Priestess is telling us that before we can be 'all knowing' we have to know nothing, and permit life and experience to teach us in their own way, if we wish to transmute the Karmic patterns we were born with.
When The High Priestess comes up in a reading, in its upright position it is an indication that the querent is inwardly balanced and has a complete understanding of whatever their situation involves. They don't need any more information because they are aligned with their inner wisdom and able to move gracefully between the dark and the light. If they can maintain that position, and continue to remain in touch with what their real emotional needs are, the Truth will expand their consciousness and set them free to move on to the next level.
At times The High Priestess appears in a layout to remind the querent that what's going on is an 'inside job' and that their issues will only be resolved if and when they are dealt with from within. It's placement in the spread will tell the reader whether the person they are talking to is already balanced, or if it's a question of achieving that balance. Either way, when the card is upright it's an indication that the querent is in touch with the Truth, or on their way to it.
To read cards well it's important to be able to address each individual in a language that they can understand. Telling a naive, inexperienced 20-year-old, who's obsessed with whether or not her boyfriend is cheating on her that she needs to go within, is quite different than telling a mature, spiritually oriented person the same thing. But the High Priestess can show up any time, for any of the people you interpret for — and the trick lies in being able to explain her presence in simple terms, without patronizing the querent or talking over their heads.
With a naive 20-year-old it's sometimes sufficient to say that it would help them to spend more time alone and perhaps talk to them about the virtues of looking at what their real feelings are. You could also say that, 'The High Priestess in you knows what your true worth is. If your boyfriend is unfaithful it's quite possible that he can't even see who you are. What you need to ask your self is whether or not you need to be wasting your time with someone who has no reverence for you as a female.'
Even though the Priestess archetype has been purged of her sexual aspect over the centuries, it is a well known fact all of the vestal virgins were the guardians of the sexual mysteries. It is because of this that The High Priestess can also address the deeper aspects of human sexuality. For some people her presence in a spread will underscore the need to do more research in that area. In a reading for a male or a female it is often the case that she is there to tell them that their research will involve connecting in a full and balanced way with their female aspect. If you're reading for a man and the High Priestess appears it's quite possible that he is about to meet his ideal mate. If the querent is a female, The High Priestess may be telling her to connect with her own feminine wisdom and perfection.
When this card shows up in its reversed position it indicates that the querent is totally out of touch with their true emotional wants and needs. Disconnected from their own Truth, it is quite possible that they have either lost it or replaced it with some form of dogma — The High Priestess can be very dogmatic when she's reversed. She can also be manipulative. When feminine energy expresses negatively its innate creativity becomes distorted and/or misdirected. This can include a misuse of sexual energy. The querent could be abstaining from sex for all the wrong reasons and thereby blocking the life force — or they could be using sex manipulatively, as a tool to serve the needs of the ego. Either way, they are removed from the Truth, and the only advice you can give them is to look at them selves and find their way back to it. Reclaiming their Truth will involve some serious soul searching. If they can accept what you say and go within they will return to balance.
At this point in time, as the Divine Feminine slowly reemerges as a force in the collective consciousness, The High Priestess is an excellent card to meditate on for anyone who wishes to connect with the deeper reaches of their female aspect. After 13,000 years of patriarchy we are just beginning to understand the power of the female and this image is a visual manifestation of what that power is all about. The idea that we are all whole and complete within ourselves and that it is through receptivity rather than assertion and control that we will find our way back to the Source is still new to us. But The High Priestess is alive and well — her Truth is eternal — and her image could very well turn out to be a valuable touchstone for all of us.
About Cal Garrison
Cal is a writer with four books to her credit. �The Old Girls� Book of Spells�, �The Old Girls� Book of Dreams�, and her latest book, �Witch On the Go� were published by RedWheel/Weiser Press and are available in bookstores or on Amazon.com. In addition to her own work, she also writes for Slim Spurling. Her first book with Slim, �Slim Spurling�s Universe� is being followed up by their second book together which, with any luck, will be out in 2008—2009.
A professional astrologer with 35 years experience Cal has cast over 6000 charts and is one of the best in her field. She is also an expert on the Tarot. When she�s not running the Spirit of Ma'at office, or working on her books, Cal spends her time doing in depth astrology and tarot readings for people all over the country.
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