Star83 Posted October 9, 2018 Posted October 9, 2018 This card just continues to baffle me. I need a little help. Here's my understanding of it - A reserved, private young woman who is mysterious and possibly introverted. She has a lot of wisdom and hidden knowledge and only reveals this to ppl she trusts and feels safe with. She is feminine. She observes from afar. Is psychic and intuitive. She is pure. I'd like to relate this to astrology, but I'm finding this rather difficult. For instance, some sites say this card is Virgo, others say cancer and moon. Some say she is a virgin. Astrologically it gets confusing because the intuitive, psychic, and mystical side is more like Pisces and cancer, but the young introverted reserved virgin side is very much lime Virgo. So I find it difficult in my head to pair this card up with astrology and understand exactly what this type of woman is. If anyone has any insights, please let me know.
Raggydoll Posted October 9, 2018 Posted October 9, 2018 To me, this card - together with The Empress, make up the whole archetype of the Sacred Feminine. I feel that these two cards show two aspects of the same principle: the virgin and the mother. This is also in line with what Waite intended for his ‘resurrected’ version of the Tarot. I quite like the way Waite describes this card, even though he clearly uses biblical references and symbolism (I’m an eclectic pagan who do not believe in the Bible). Here are some of the things Waite has written about the High Priestess that makes it clear just how special this archetype was to him: “There are some respects in which this card is the highest and holiest of the Greater Arcana” “[she is] the Spiritual Bride of the just man, and when he reads the Law she gives the divine meaning” “..[she is] the Queen of the borrowed light, but this is the light of all” “..she is also the Supernal mother herself - that is to say, she is the bright reflection” These quotes allude to several biblical passages and I feel that he is implying that the Sacred Feminine is an aspect of God/the Divine. Well, that’s how I choose to interpret it anyway ;) As far as astrology goes, I just see her as representing the moon and not any specific sign. I feel that her archetype is so vast that no one sign would encompass her. She is the mysterious side of womanhood personified. And much like the way the Moon has gotten so many negative connotations, she is also misunderstood and feared by some. And I don’t necessarily consider her a virgin in the modern understanding of the word, but more of the ancient ‘not belonging to any man’ definition.
Star83 Posted October 9, 2018 Author Posted October 9, 2018 Well thank you. I like your view of her but now I'm confused again. Cos it seems like she is pure with god and untouchable and sacred and mysterious. But when you say 'she doesn't belong to any man', it totally throws me off. Its like saying she's with many men, not one, which is not very sacred at all. Sounds pretty slutty.
Star83 Posted October 9, 2018 Author Posted October 9, 2018 Its just so weird for me I'm mind blown about this card. Cos I used it in a reading where I asked what this man likes about me. I got the high priestess. I take it he likes my virgin innocence as well as all my other feminine qualities. Yet the odd thing is his life partner is the total opposite. She's a cutesy girl but she's a serial cheater.
Avalon Posted October 9, 2018 Posted October 9, 2018 If she is a borrowed light and a bright reflection then she CAN be with any men and not belong to anyone.
Saturn Celeste Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 Well thank you. I like your view of her but now I'm confused again. Cos it seems like she is pure with god and untouchable and sacred and mysterious. But when you say 'she doesn't belong to any man', it totally throws me off. Its like saying she's with many men, not one, which is not very sacred at all. Sounds pretty slutty. When she wants a man, it's the Hierophant. I like the Italian version of Il Pope and Il Papessa connection.
Star83 Posted October 10, 2018 Author Posted October 10, 2018 If she is a borrowed light and a bright reflection then she CAN be with any men and not belong to anyone. A borrowed light and a bright reflection? What does that even mean?
Star83 Posted October 10, 2018 Author Posted October 10, 2018 Well thank you. I like your view of her but now I'm confused again. Cos it seems like she is pure with god and untouchable and sacred and mysterious. But when you say 'she doesn't belong to any man', it totally throws me off. Its like saying she's with many men, not one, which is not very sacred at all. Sounds pretty slutty. When she wants a man, it's the Hierophant. I like the Italian version of Il Pope and Il Papessa connection. So you're saying she's saving herself for the hierophant? Perhaps. Or perhaps she wants the devil to unlock her virginity.
Raggydoll Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 If she is a borrowed light and a bright reflection then she CAN be with any men and not belong to anyone. A borrowed light and a bright reflection? What does that even mean? It refers to a biblical quote (John 1:4) about Jesus being the light that was only borrowed to us humans as he was not of this world so he was destined to leave. So she is said to be the queen of this light, which in my opinion reveals an interesting spin on things And to understand what the ‘bright reflection’ means (well, what it might have meant to Waite) I feel that this quote is very enlightening: “So all of us who have had the veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinth 3:18) Clearly the high priestess has seen beyond her veil so therefore she reflects the divine back to the rest of humanity. And I must say that I react strongly to the usage of words such as ‘slutty’. We are discussing universal archetypes that stand well beyond human concepts of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and I view labels such as “slut” as by-products of shadow material in the human consciousness that we use to classify and judge others in order to determine a persons value or social status. And often, as a way to either make ourselves feel superior or as a tool for self harm (as in when people have internal dialogues where they judge themselves for their perceived faults and flaws). And I believe that, after having her ‘veil removed’, the high priestess sees clearly that concept of being a physical virgin totally misses the point and is of no real relevance to the divine creatures that we all are. But that’s just my own opinion ^-^
Raggydoll Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 And ‘not belonging to any man’ is really quite a feminist way of perceiving a woman (and her sexuality) as something sacred that belongs to her and that she can do what she pleases with - without making it any less sacred or any less her own.
Star83 Posted October 10, 2018 Author Posted October 10, 2018 OK noe I get it. Thanks for clearing that up. As for slut, I really don't like women who have sex with every man she wants, simply because she can. I have no respect for that. It goes against my morals and I find it superficial and total opposite to the high priestess.
Raggydoll Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 OK noe I get it. Thanks for clearing that up. As for slut, I really don't like women who have sex with every man she wants, simply because she can. I have no respect for that. It goes against my morals and I find it superficial and total opposite to the high priestess. That’s fine. You are 100% entitled to feel that way and to chose to live your life according to your moral codes. Just be aware that not everyone else feels the same way and that they are just as entitled to their feelings and opinions as you are :)
Star83 Posted October 10, 2018 Author Posted October 10, 2018 But just to confirm then, the high priestess is not promiscuous. She does not sleep around. That would describe me well and would be what this man likes about me.
Guest swedishfish Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 But just to confirm then, the high priestess is not promiscuous. She does not sleep around. That would describe me well and would be what this man likes about me. correct. she and the empress make up the whole. women are sexual. and, women are spiritual. both are beautiful. the high priestess is the spiritual. the empress is the loving sexuality and fertility.
Raggydoll Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 But just to confirm then, the high priestess is not promiscuous. She does not sleep around. That would describe me well and would be what this man likes about me. correct. she and the empress make up the whole. women are sexual. and, women are spiritual. both are beautiful. the high priestess is the spiritual. the empress is the loving sexuality and fertility. Well put! This is exactly what I tried to get across! <3
Cookie Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 I wouldn't worry too much Star 83, no one will ever know the true meaning of this card. She is the divinator's worst nightmare, for she is pure wisdom, and pure wisdom is pure silence. I can't remember what film it is (maybe The Witches of Eastwick) where everyone's trying to describe a person (he was tall...he was short...fat ..thin...blonde hair ... black hair etc) and they all saw this person differently, and none of them were quite right or totally wrong...well, this is The High Priestess. She is the spiritual chameleon, forever changing. In the Kabbalah she is the path from Tiphereth to Kether, and I wouldn't have thought there was a more mysterious and difficult path. Anyone who claims to have completed this path is either mental, a liar or Jesus. Under the white sheet of the cup in RWS seven of cups is said to be The High Priestess with all the answers to life & the universe, but the red aura is just the projection of our own desires and self delusion.
Raggydoll Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 I wouldn't worry too much Star 83, no one will ever know the true meaning of this card. She is the divinator's worst nightmare, for she is pure wisdom, and pure wisdom is pure silence. I can't remember what film it is (maybe The Witches of Eastwick) where everyone's trying to describe a person (he was tall...he was short...fat ..thin...blonde hair ... black hair etc) and they all saw this person differently, and none of them were quite right or totally wrong...well, this is The High Priestess. She is the spiritual chameleon, forever changing. In the Kabbalah she is the path from Tiphereth to Kether, and I wouldn't have thought there was a more mysterious and difficult path. Anyone who claims to have completed this path is either mental, a liar or Jesus. Under the white sheet of the cup in RWS seven of cups is said to be The High Priestess with all the answers to life & the universe, but the red aura is just the projection of our own desires and self delusion. I respectfully disagree :) I believe that you can form a bond (and an understanding) of any card in your deck. It might take some time and effort, but it is - in my experience - certainly possible. I work with my cards in many ways, not only for divinatory purposes but as a very important part of my craft. I like to tap into different archetypes and draw upon their energies. And I sometimes ‘summon’ them (inside of me) so we can interact and I can ask for advice. The high priestess is an archetype that I have worked with extensively for many years and she is very important to me. My understanding of this card is not based solely on book knowledge or tradition, but it is greatly influenced by my ‘interactions’ during rituals or channeling. You could say that she helps me to connect with my inner Pythia and with the legacy of ‘ancient sight’. (What I shared in this thread is more based on tradition and book knowledge though, because I feel that it would be extremely hard to try and explain my personal experiences and insights, plus it probably would not be very relevant for others either). What I mean is that I don’t believe that there is a right or a wrong way to view a card. Everyones understanding and experience is valid. And it is not static. It changes, evolves and deepen over time.
Saturn Celeste Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 Well thank you. I like your view of her but now I'm confused again. Cos it seems like she is pure with god and untouchable and sacred and mysterious. But when you say 'she doesn't belong to any man', it totally throws me off. Its like saying she's with many men, not one, which is not very sacred at all. Sounds pretty slutty. When she wants a man, it's the Hierophant. I like the Italian version of Il Pope and Il Papessa connection. So you're saying she's saving herself for the hierophant? Perhaps. Or perhaps she wants the devil to unlock her virginity. I don't look at her as being a virgin. She most likely had a life before attaining the priestess position. The Hierophant is merely her consort.
Raggydoll Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 Well thank you. I like your view of her but now I'm confused again. Cos it seems like she is pure with god and untouchable and sacred and mysterious. But when you say 'she doesn't belong to any man', it totally throws me off. Its like saying she's with many men, not one, which is not very sacred at all. Sounds pretty slutty. When she wants a man, it's the Hierophant. I like the Italian version of Il Pope and Il Papessa connection. So you're saying she's saving herself for the hierophant? Perhaps. Or perhaps she wants the devil to unlock her virginity. I don't look at her as being a virgin. She most likely had a life before attaining the priestess position. The Hierophant is merely her consort. Me neither. I feel that whatever this woman does it would be her private business and she would not let it define her in any way. And I don’t feel she is waiting for anyone to ‘unlock’ her. She is very much in control of her own veil :). And even though she wouldn’t need a partner to feel complete, she might still choose to have someone by her side if it could add to her life (and it did not get in the way of her higher purpose!)
Saturn Celeste Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 Me neither. I feel that whatever this woman does it would be her private business and she would not let it define her in any way. And I don’t feel she is waiting for anyone to ‘unlock’ her. She is very much in control of her own veil :). And even though she wouldn’t need a partner to feel complete, she might still choose to have someone by her side if it could add to her life (and it did not get in the way of her higher purpose!) I absolutely agree! I used to be afraid when I pulled that card for someone because I didn't understand her in the beginning like I do now. It's one of those cards, like the Moon card, that takes a little extra effort to get to know. I don't let the shadows frighten me, I've learned how to gently light the shadows. ;)
Cookie Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 Hi raggydoll, Yes, that is what I meant, she evolves and changes so much, and one learns and one learns and one learns; but to me The High Priestess knows the secrets of the universe, she is the equilibrium, the pure Kether experience. But perhaps you know something I don't, and maybe one day i'll "know" or maybe I won't. And that is what I love about the tarot. And that's not in any way an effrontery you understand, it's just acknowledging the different experiences of Tarot, and the absolute infinity of it.
Raggydoll Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 Hi raggydoll, Yes, that is what I meant, she evolves and changes so much, and one learns and one learns and one learns; but to me The High Priestess knows the secrets of the universe, she is the equilibrium, the pure Kether experience. But perhaps you know something I don't, and maybe one day i'll "know" or maybe I won't. And that is what I love about the tarot. And that's not in any way an effrontery you understand, it's just acknowledging the different experiences of Tarot, and the absolute infinity of it. I get what you’re saying and I’m not offended by it. I just oppose to the talk about there being a card that no one can ever experience an understanding of. I feel that it can be discouraging to people, especially those that are new to tarot and truly work at connecting with each card. Telling someone that no matter how hard they try they simply will not be able to comprehend the full meaning of a certain card (and that if they feel or believe that they do, then they possibly might be delusional - or worse !) is just not in line with my beliefs and values.
Guest swedishfish Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 Well thank you. I like your view of her but now I'm confused again. Cos it seems like she is pure with god and untouchable and sacred and mysterious. But when you say 'she doesn't belong to any man', it totally throws me off. Its like saying she's with many men, not one, which is not very sacred at all. Sounds pretty slutty. When she wants a man, it's the Hierophant. I like the Italian version of Il Pope and Il Papessa connection. So you're saying she's saving herself for the hierophant? Perhaps. Or perhaps she wants the devil to unlock her virginity. I don't look at her as being a virgin. She most likely had a life before attaining the priestess position. The Hierophant is merely her consort. idk. i kind of think of her like a nun, doing nunly things. in secret. like this. but, Raggydoll[/member] , i do tend to agree with Cookie[/member] . it's interesting to see how many different ways people see this card. to be honest, every time she shows up for me i react with an emphatic UGH.
Cookie Posted October 10, 2018 Posted October 10, 2018 Raggydoll that's so over-sensitive. Not understanding something truly is what makes it interesting. It just life i'm afraid. A cosmologist will never understand the universe, a psychologist will never really know a person etc etc etc ...it's just the way it is. In fact, if she really has just started then there is nothing that is going put someone off tarot more than talking completely over her head with the "the light & the reflection" and quoting the bible at her..things that clearly she won't understand....it's too abstract for a beginner. That's why she was so confused. What you wrote and what others wrote really is the equivalent of intellectual snobbery.
Star83 Posted October 10, 2018 Author Posted October 10, 2018 Thank you all guys. Gathering the info I'm gonna interpret the HP like this - someone who's private who secretly holds a lot of info. Saves herself for selected men. Its interesting cos when I asked what this man wants from me I got the empress. No doubt he wants to have an affair with me but that's not what he's gonna get from me/high priestess.
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