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High Priestess

With Card Number II of the major arcana, the theme of polarity and duality is addressed. The High Priestess sits between two worlds, the external phenomenal environment and the interior subjective one. She has the psychic or intuitive capacity to mediate between these two worlds.

She also has the power of choice, although it is limited by the fact that she apparently has only two choices, and this condition often generates dilemmas about how to proceed. Still, she is able to reveal two clear choices for the reader.

She also has the power of receptivity, whereas the Magician is generally assertive in his actions. The High Priestess reflects the capacity to listen to other people, to pay attention to her own mind, and to perceive the subtle psychic or intuitive information that comes to her through all her senses.

Finally she suggests the very real potential of the subconscious mind. Her magic is hidden deep within her being, and generally you only see the outer manifestation of something that is far greater than it seems at first.

"The High Priestess is almost rooted in place, passively seated, immobile. One feels that she had been sitting there always and will continue to do so until the end of time.

"Her power is water: cool, dark, fluid, moon power. She rules by slow persistence, love and feminine patience.

"The High Priestess's magic is veiled and hidden, like her hair. Wherever it is concealed, woman's secret, like nature's, will always remain hidden from penetration of masculine consciousness."

- Sallie Nichols

"Mysteries are revealed only in solitude, to the sage who meditates in silence in the full and calm possession of Self."

- C. C. Zain

"Remember now that I myself am the pure knowing
Whence all manifestation ariseth.
Recall to mind that my superior nature is the Primal Will, the Eternal Watcher,
Under whose regard the steam of creation floweth.
The substance of the stream is the inferior nature,
Wherein I see innumerable images of myself."

- Paul Foster Case

Attitudes toward the feminine in western society have changed dramatically over time. But even the Church has not been able to obscure the power of the feminine. We need to understand this power now, perhaps more than ever before, as it is the power of change, the power of birth and rebirth Without the Magician, the High Priestess is incomplete. Without the High Priestess, the Magician experiences nothing.

Sources

Zain, C. C., The Sacred Tarot. Los Angeles, The Church of Light, 1936.

Nichols, Sallie, Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey. York Beach, Maine, Samuel Weiser, 1980.

Case, Paul Foster, The Book of Tokens: 22 Meditations on the Ageless Wisdom. Los Angeles, Builder of the Adytum, 1968. Quoted with permission from Builders of the Adytum, 5101 North Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA. 90042; http://www.bota.org/. Permission to use Builders of the Adytum images in no way constitutes endorsement of the material on this site.

De Angelis, Roberto, Universal Tarot Deck. Torino, Italy: Lo Scarabeo, 2003. Lo Scarabeo has graciously granted permission for the use of the Tarot images on this site. Copying the images without their permission wuld be a violation of copyright law.

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