The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning

The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning

The High Priestess tarot card of the Rider Waite Smith Tarot Deck. She is sitting on a cubic stone in blue robes between two pillars. One pillar is black; the other is white. A thin veil with pomegranate seeds and palm leaves is in the background.

The High Priestess card represents leadership, wisdom, and hidden knowledge. She is known as "the woman with a thousand faces" because she can be depicted with many different expressions: stern, wise, or playful. The High Priestess signifies power and authority over others through intuition and following the path of the true self. When you are troubled, think of The High Priestess as a pathway to your calm inner self unaffected by the external world.

The High Priestess Upright Tarot Card Meaning

The High Priestess Tarot: General Meaning

The High Priestess is a woman of intuition, mystery, and sensuality, all while remaining calculated and practical. When the High priestess appears in a tarot reading, it signifies the time to choose your instincts first and rely on your gut feeling. Please pay attention to your dreams, as the universe may send you signs and signals. Allow your intuition to guide you on what to do next.


The High Priestess Tarot: Love Meaning

The High Priestess in a love and relationship tarot spread may indicate that you have entered into a strong connection with someone who is spiritually more advanced than yourself. You can become more spiritual or explore your spiritual side more deeply.


On the flip side, The High Priestess in a love and relationship tarot reading may also indicate that you are currently dealing with internal conflict between your spiritual beliefs and your partner's. If this is the case, it is best to be open and honest about these differences so that there can be an understanding between both parties.


The High Priestess card in a love and relationship spread may indicate that you are ready to commit to another person. You may not be prepared for marriage or other formalized commitments, but the idea of living with someone is appealing. 

Keywords of the High Priestess Major Arcana Card Upright Meaning. The keywords are Crescent Moon, Inner Voice, Intuitive Capabilities, Inner Guidance, Inner Illumination, Psychic Abilities, Hidden Motives, and Esoteric Knowledge.

The answers you seek will come from within, from your most profound truth and 'knowing.' Connecting with your Higher Self through shamanic journeying, visualization, and meditation can help you lead a more fulfilling life.


In tarot readings, this card suggests that your intuitive sense provides valuable information about being in connection with your subconscious mind. Tap into the sacred knowledge you hold to fix the trials in your life that cannot be rationalized or thought through.

The High Priestess Tarot: Career Meaning

The High Priestess Tarot card represents the need for balance between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. The High Priestess is a woman of great intuition who guides us through the unknown depths of our unconscious mind. She can be seen as our inner voice or even a teacher who teaches us through life's challenges with wisdom and truth. It's okay to pause to release some pressure to consider what you need and want out of life.


In career readings, The High Priestess tarot card appears regarding returning to school or seeking further knowledge regarding a subject. What do you want out of your life? What fascinates you the most?


The High Priestess, being the tarot archetype of wonderment, cannot give you a direct response on what to do next. She suggests that life will always be what you make of it, so we recommend that you tap into your own desires and follow where your own intuition takes you next, regardless of other people's opinions.

The High Priestess Tarot: Health Meaning

It's time to get cozy in your sacred space, unwind and meditate. Allow the High Priestess to take you on a journey into your subconscious mind, where you can uncover your inner wisdom. Your internal divine knowledge is leading you toward your next steps to gain control over your life again. In terms of physical health, the High Priestess symbolizes a need to replenish your body with healthy and whole foods actively. Regarding mental health, the High Priestess is asking you to remove yourself from stressful situations, as your intuition has been trying to lead you elsewhere.

The High Priestess Reversed Tarot Cards Meaning

The High Priestess Reversed Position: General Tarot Meaning

The reversed High Priestess doesn't mean anything specific in a general tarot reading. Still, it indicates that you need to reassert control over yourself before trying to control others or situations around you.


The reversed High Priestess is a tarot card of great power and mystery. It symbolizes situations turning out in a way that you might not expect. It doesn't mean you have lost your power or authority over others; instead, you have gained more than you could have imagined while maintaining your original position in life. See your situation as an opportunity to take charge of your destiny by working hard towards your goals—even if those goals seem unattainable at first glance!


The High Priestess Reversed Meanings in Love Readings

Regarding love, The High Priestess card signals a need to connect with your subconscious mind as the conscious mind is not seeing the signs that your inner divine feminine energy has been trying to bring to light. Your inner self has been trying to let you know that it's time for you to use your intuition and be more careful about what kind of relationships you get into with other people. Now is the time to think twice before taking any risks or making drastic changes in your life because it could be very harmful if things do not go according to plan.

Keywords of the Major Arcana for The High Priestess Reversed Meaning. The listed keywords are Blocked Psychic powers, Energetic Disconnect, Loss of Intuition, Deeply Wounded, Information Withheld, Secrets Revealed, Lack of Harmony, and Broken Tradition.

We often see the reversed High Priestess when you or your partner are secretly still deeply wounded or deeply attached to a past relationship. When one or more of the partners cannot let go of their former attachments and memories, the energy of the unfinished business will continually be brought into your relationship, possibly halting relationship growth. Now is the time to listen to your subconscious mind and use your conscious mind to accept the red flags of your love interest as they are.


The reversed meaning shows how important balancing your emotions are during times when they run high; using logic on behalf of others without considering their feelings first can lead only towards conflict instead of harmony within relationships between people who care deeply about each other.

The High Priestess: Reversed Career Meaning

Do you trust a coworker despite feeling they don't have the best intentions for you? This card can suggest a colleague with a hidden agenda; be wary of others - a warm demeanor may hide danger.


Has your intuition told you to leave that job you can't stand? The reversed High Priestess in a career reading can indicate that it's time to explore other job options if you feel stuck. This card also suggests that there may be some negative aspects of your work environment that need to be addressed before moving forward with new opportunities.


Whether male or female, the High Priestess card in a reading signifies that your sacred feminine energy needs attention, you must balance this energy with the masculine energy around you. In some cases, masculine energy can be destructive rather than nurturing or collaborative. It would be best to focus on trusting your intuition rather than logic and competition.

The High Priestess: Reversed Health Meaning

What does the High Priestess represent in a spiritual context? Simply put, you may be out of touch with your spiritual side lately. It's time for you to take some time to unwind and connect with your spirit guides and do what they're asking of you. Connecting with one of your local spiritual communities can also be a help. This card can also warn you to be independent of asking mediums or psychics to answer your questions.

The High Priestess Tarot Card: Visual Elements & Symbolism

The High Priestess Planet - The Moon


The High Priestess Zodiac Sign - Cancer; Although the High Priestess doesn't traditionally have a zodiac sign, Cancer is governed by the Moon, and, therefore, can reflect the High Priestess.


The High Priestess Element - Water; Although the High Priestess doesn't traditionally have an element association, Cancer is associated with Water, and, therefore, can reflect the High Priestess.

The High Priestess Modality - Cardinal (Beginning of Season)

Crystals - Labradorite, Aquamarine, Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone, Pearls, Kyanite

*Prices shown are in Canadian Dollars (CAD)

Black and White Pillar: The High Priestess sits upon a cubic stone between two pillars. The black pillar has the letter 'B' as a shortened version of the word 'Boaz' (meaning 'in his power'). The white one has the letter 'J,' which is short for 'Jachin' (meaning 'he shall establish'). The colors of black and white on the pillars symbolize duality, indicating that the sacred space requires acceptance and understanding of the duality of masculine and feminine energies to access it.


Scroll: The scroll, with the letters TORA ("divine law"), is partly covered and implies that sacred knowledge is both explicit and implicit and that you can only see it when you're ready to look beyond the material realm. 

The astrology symbol for the Moon

Third Pillar: The High Priestess sits between two pillars suggesting that she acts as an inter-dimensional mediator between the thin veil. It is said that her physical body symbolizes the third pillar or the path of neutrality. She believes there is knowledge to be learned from both the world of shadow and light — the material and spiritual worlds.


Horned Diadem & Blue Robe: The blue robes and horned diadem or crown donned by the High Priestess signify her divine knowledge and position as a godly monarch. Her attire also references mythology in which she was known as Athena or Minerva (goddess of wisdom). However, she is known as Isis, Persephone, Hecate, or The Morrigan in occult science.

Solar Cross: The cross on her robe represents the four directions and balances the four selves: body, heart, mind, and spirit. The High Priestess carries this cross to represent her internalization of power. The previous tarot card, the Magician, is seen externalizing these same four aspects on his table. That's also why she's holding the scroll and not reading it: she already knows its contents, symbolizing God's power. Finally, the solar cross represents the sun and the four directions and seasons we experience.


The Moon: The crescent moon at her feet symbolizes divine feminine energy, intuition, the moon cycles, and the subconscious mind.

A line art drawing of the astrology zodiac symbol of Cancer

Pomegranate Seed: The pomegranates on the thin veil symbolize fertility and abundance as well as the sacred connection to the divine feminine goddess Persephone.


Thin Veil: The veil represents what is seen and unseen in our world and is symbolic of the connection between the conscious and subconscious realms that keeps casual onlookers out. Only the initiated may enter.

Questions About The High Priestess Tarot Card

The High Priestess as a Person or Personality

The High Priestess can be a sign of an intuitive woman who is psychic or clairvoyant. This card represents the feminine form – motherhood, fertility, and creation. It's time to tap into your inner strength and use knowledge to guide you toward what is proper.


Is the High Priestess tarot card Positive, Negative, or Neutral?

I would say that the High Priestess card is neutral. The outcome of situations depends on whether or not someone follows their divine feminine inner knowing toward the result. If they do, the effect will be positive; if not, perhaps it will be more challenging.

The astrology symbol for the Water element.

The High Priestess Tarot Card as a Yes or No

The High Priestess is a traditional symbol of a yes in most tarot card spreads as long as you follow your divine feminine inner wisdom regarding a situation.


The High Priestess Tarot Card as an Outcome

Your higher power or spirit guides are not giving you further information as they ened you to rely on the power within. As an outcome, the high priestess recommends you trust your inner voice and do whatever feels correct.

The astrology symbol for the Cardinal modality.

Wishing you love & light,
Victoria

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Free Printable Cheat Sheet: The High Priestess Tarot Card Meanings - Major Arcana (Rider Waite Tarot Deck)

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