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The High Priestess Card Meaning: Upright And Reversed

    The High Priestess represents intuition, psychic ability, and spirituality. As intuition connects us to the Ether, she is also a symbol of inherited wisdom that flows through generations.

    The High Priestess represents intuition, psychic abilities, and spirituality. When reversed, it might indicate blocked intuition, secrets, and disconnect. The High Priestess is the bridge between the conscious and subconscious mind. 

    The High Priestess is tarot card number 2 in the Major Arcana sequence. She represents intuition and divine wisdom. If you want to connect with your psychic abilities, the High Priestess is your card!

    THE HIGH PRIESTESS: KEYWORDS

    Upright: Intuition, psychic powers, divination, esoteric wisdom, the subconscious mind.

    Reversed: Secrets, denial, too rational, blocked intuition, disconnect, ignorance, misuse of psychic powers. 

    When you reach the end of what you should know, you will be at the beginning of what you should sense.

    Kahlil Gibrán

    THE HIGH PRIESTESS: IN SHORT

    The card shows a woman sitting on a throne facing straight on. In her lap, she holds a book. It is the Tora, the book of wisdom. On her chest, you find a cross. This represents the four elements. 

    Beside her are two pillars, one black and one white. The pillars represent duality. Black and white: femininity and masculinity. To access intuition, you need to accept that there are two worlds and truths.

    Behind the High Priestess is a veil, hindering you from seeing what is behind. The veil represents what we can see and not – the conscious and subconscious mind. The symbol of divine feminity, a crescent moon, is resting at her feet. Water is flowing from her dress. 

    The card is intense energy and grounded in the present. 

    • Number: 2 (II)
    • Element: Water
    • Astrology: Moon (cycles) + Cancer
    •  Yes or No: Maybe
    • Supporting crystal: Amethyst, clear quartz, and moonstone

    THE HIGH PRIESTESS TAROT CARD MEANING: UPRIGHT

    GENERAL

    The High Priestess is all about intuition and spirituality. She guards the world of the unknown, the Ether, and the unconscious mind. The Magician is the key, and the High Priestess is the guard of the Ether. To access divine knowledge, you have to accept duality – the known and the unknown. She asks you to open your eyes and heart to intuition.

    When you get the High Priestess, it is time to look inwards for your inner truth and guidance. Allow yourself to believe in the unknown, not only science and rationality. Everything is not to be fully understood. Listen to your gut feeling and inner compass. 

    The best cause of action is to allow yourself to trust your intuition and inner voice. Don’t let your rational mind take up too much space in your life. Accept that not everything is seen, that there are the Earthly “truths” and the “truths” of the Ether. Be sure to tune into your dreams, and don’t ignore the messages. It might be your subconscious mind sending your invaluable messages.

    LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS

    When you get the High Priestess in a love reading, you need to listen to your intuition. Love is not governed by rationality. Listen to your inner voice, and be sure to take note of dreams you might have. They might help you get invaluable information about your relationship (or a person of interest). 

    The High Priestess is all about duality. Be sure to look out for any imbalances if you are in a relationship. Are you too codependent or not allowing your partner enough space to be an individual? 

    If you seek love, be sure not to focus on the rational side, but choose your partner out of emotion and gut feeling. Not what might be “best” for you. 

    If you are in a relationship, be sure to open your heart to love. Love is intuition in its purest form. Allow yourself to love and have trust in your relationship and partner. Not everything needs to be understood or revealed. 

    The best cause of action when getting the High Priestess in a love reading is to allow yourself to indulge in the emotion of love without understanding it or controlling it. Not everything needs to be understood or revealed. Don’t rely on your rational mind but on your emotions and gut feeling. Don’t be a control freak; trust the balance in your relationship. 

    MONEY

    When you get the High Priestess in your spread, it’s a call for you to stop relying solely on your rational mind. Let your gut feeling and intuition be your guide. It is hard to do as money is often an essential part of our lives. To rely on gut feeling instead of statistics and calculations might open new possibilities for you. 

    You have lots of wisdom, but it’s easy to override your inner voice with numbers and “musts.” Be sure not to let numbers rule everything; let your intuition be a part of your decision-making. 

    The best cause of action is to listen to your heart more than the numbers. What does your gut feeling tell you? Doing something you love will bring you more joy and prosperity in the long run. But as always, be sure not to go overboard. Be cautious with your money, but don’t let everything be a numbers game. The High Priestess is here to show you there is another way – where love flows, money grows. 

    CAREER 

    When you get the High Priestess, it is a sign that you might need to stop and listen to your gut feeling. Are you doing what you love? The High Priestess is here to make you aware of your inner voice. You have lots of wisdom accumulated through the ages; it is time to let that knowledge through. 

    Maybe it is time to do what your heart desires. Have all musts in your life made you walk down the wrong path? Maybe your talents and wisdom are better used elsewhere.

    If you love your work, maybe it is time to let your intuition take a more significant part in your everyday life. When it comes to problem-solving at work, why not go with your gut feeling more than the cold numbers for once? 

    As always, don’t go overboard. A balanced view of life is recommended. Of course, you should always act with care and thought. 

    The best cause of action is to open your heart and let your inner knowledge through. Use your intuition as your guide. As the High Priestess is all about duality, balance your decisions between intuition and rationale.

    THE HIGH PRIESTESS TAROT CARD MEANING: REVERSED

    GENERAL

    When you get the High Priestess in its reversal, you need to assess if you are blocking your intuition and relying too much on your rational mind. Is your heart filled with envy or anger? Be sure not to use your psychic abilities for negative causes, even if you feel tempted. Having psychic abilities comes with a great deal of responsibility. Also, be aware that not everything might be as it appears. Someone might be fooling you or misleading you in some way. 

    The best cause of action when getting the High Priestess reversed is to be sure you are not relying solely on your rational mind – be sure to let your intuition have a say. If you are hurt or angry, be sure you are not using your psychic abilities to gain advantages or hurt someone. 

    LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS

    When the reversed High Priestess appears in a love reading, it is time to assess if you are not acting according to your heart and gut feeling. Maybe you are ignoring something that shouldn’t be ignored. Don’t let the rational mind take too much control. Your inner wisdom, accumulated through the ages, is here to help you along your way. 

    Love is not always rational. It shouldn’t be. Listen to your heart, always. If you feel the relationship is not suitable for you in your heart – listen! What can be solved, and what can’t? Have an open discussion with your partner if needed. Maybe some things are quickly resolved? Don’t wait until it is too late. 

    If you feel a relationship is right for you, but your rational mind is trying to tell you otherwise –  give your heart a chance! Love does not follow rational laws. 

    When getting the High Priestess reversed, the best cause of action is to assess if you are not listening to your gut feeling or ignoring something that should not be ignored. What does your inner voice tell you? If you are filled with anger, be sure you are not using your psychic ability negatively. Having psychic powers comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility. 

    MONEY

    The High Priestess reversed indicates you might rely too much on your rational mind. Be sure to let your intuition be a part of your decision-making. Be on your guard as well, as the High Priestess in reversal might indicate someone is not honest with you. If you are about to enter a new business, do a thorough vetting. 

    The High Priestess, in reversal, might also indicate that you ignore problems or situations that need attention. As she looks straight at you, the situation is in the present. 

    The best cause of action when getting the High Priestess in your spread is to allow yourself to trust your intuition. Don’t let numbers and statistics rule your world. Trust that your gut feeling will bring you an added layer of invaluable information. 

    CAREER

    When the High Priestess appears reversed in a career reading, it is time to trust your heart! Maybe you need to change your career, job, or project. Have you relied too much on your rational mind when choosing your career? It is time to let your gut feeling have a say! You have an ocean of inherited knowledge from generations. Don’t ignore your true calling. 

    If you feel content with your career choice, then the High Priestess might indicate that you benefit from using your intuition more in your everyday work.

    When getting the High Priestess reversed, the best cause of action is to assess if you are listening to your true calling. Have you let your rational mind dictate your future? You might benefit from letting your heart have a say as well. The High Priestess is all about accepting duality – that there are things you can’t see or feel.

    WHAT THE HIGH PRIESTESS SYMBOLIZES

    The High Priestess is the card of psychic powers and intuition. The world consists of more than rationality, statistics, and scientific laws. The High Priestess reminds you that the world consists of what we know and what we feel. It is easy to discard intuition in modern life. We are taught since we were kids to make decisions and rely on scientific data and logic. 

    The High Priestess is a potent card as it represents one key element in tarot itself – intuition. It is hard to break down the walls of logic, as it is very comforting understanding the world around us. But we have to realize there is more to the world than pure logic. Love is everything but logic and rationality. Love is what connects us all – the invisible glue of the Ether.

    WANT TO LEARN MORE?

    What reversals are and how to read them.

    THE HIGH PRIESTESS TAROT SPREAD

    If you want to tap into the High Priestess’s energy, this spread helps tap into your intuition and amp up your psychic abilities.

    Start by shuffling the cards. Set a clear intent by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Open your heart to receive any message you might need to hear. When you feel ready, place the cards in front of you. Don’t force the message. Trust the magic of your inherited wisdom to come through. Let your rational mind rest for a little while.

    THE HIGH PRIESTESS’S TAROT SPREAD

    1. How to trust in my intuition?
    2. What can I do to be more intuitive?
    3. What blocks me from experiencing my intuition to the fullest?

    MEDITATION ON THE HIGH PRIESTESS’S CARD

    It is a great idea to meditate on the High Priestess card when you want to explore your psychic abilities and intuition. The card helps you release knowledge stored in your unconscious mind. The High Priestess is all about learning to trust your gut feeling. This is something that will benefit you in your everyday life, as it opens doors previously shut. 

    1. Hold the High Priestess card in your hand.
    2. Gaze at the card. Be sure to look at all the details in the ard. Try to figure out what all the symbols mean (to you!).
    3. Let the card sink in for a minute or two.
    4. Close your eyes and imagine you are the High Priestess.
    5. What do you see?
    6. Where are you?
    7. Try to feel all the emotions attached to the card.
    8. When you think that you are ready, slowly open your eyes again. 
    9. Take some time in solitude and reflect on your new insights.

    It is always a great idea to journal your experiences. It is not uncommon to have profound emotional experiences when meditating on cards. Please don’t stop the emotions; let them flow freely. They need to surface. It is not uncommon to feel tingling or warm sensations in your body as you explore your psychic powers. As you learn to read your body’s signals, you realize how often our intuition is at play.

    Sandra Törnroth

    Intuitive multi-modal tarot reader with a love for crystals and everything esoteric

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