THE PRIESTESS
Meaning and description
The priestess is also known as Persephone, Isis and Artemis. She sits at the door before the great mystery, as indicated by the tree of life in the background. She sits between darkness and light, represented by those in Solomon's temple, suggesting that she is the mediator of the passage into the depths of reality. The tapestry hung between the pillars keeps onlookers casual and allows only the initiated to enter. The pomegranates in the tapestry are sacred to Persephone. They are a symbol of rights (because Persephone ate a pomegranate seed in the underworld that forced her to return every year). The priestess's blue robe bears a symbol of knowledge. She wears the crown of Isis which symbolizes the Triple Goddess. The solar cross on the chest is a symbol of balance between men and women.
In her lap, she holds the half revealed and half hidden Torah, representative of exoteric and esoteric teachings and higher knowledge. The moon under his left foot shows his mastery over pure intuition. The palm indicates the fertility of the mind and the cube on which it sits is the earth. The planet associated with High Priestess on the moon.
Meaning in a spread
The Priestess represents wisdom, serenity, knowledge and understanding. She is often described as the guardian of the unconscious. She sits in front of the thin veil of consciousness, which is the only thing that separates us from our inner being. The Priestess knows the secret of how to access these realms. She represents spiritual enlightenment and inner illumination, divine knowledge and wisdom. She has a deep intuitive knowledge of the Universe and uses this knowledge to teach rather than trying to control others. She usually shows up at a Tarot reading when you need to listen to and trust your inner voice.
The Priestess Tarot card represents a link to the subconscious mind, which cannot be accessed through the everyday world, but only through dreams and symbols. When this Tarot card appears in a Tarot reading, pay attention to your dreams and intuition. Look for areas of your life that may be out of balance or that require greater forethought and wisdom. The knowledge of how to solve it will not come through logic or intellect but through your intuition. Let it set aside for a moment when you can meditate and listen to your own inner voice. Your sense of intuition right now is providing you with useful and helpful information, and is helping you become more in touch with your subconscious mind.
For a man especially, the Tarot Priestess card indicates that he must learn from his «anima» or feminine side, or he will stop growing. For a woman, the High Priestess suggests that she must learn to trust herself and be truly feminine, rather than succumbing to the pressures of having to act more like her male counterparts.
The Priestess in a Tarot reading can also point to the unknown and may indicate that your life is changing. Things that once seemed true can no longer be taken for granted. Some puzzling mysteries become clearer, but are not yet revealed at this point. On the positive side, you will find that your intuitive powers are increasing and you may be inspired to be creative. Therefore, the High Priestess of the Tarot is a particularly good card for poets and writers.
The inverted priestess
The Priestess reversed may mean that you are not listening to your inner voice and that you need to take time for reflection and meditation. It's like your intuition is calling you, but for some reason you have turned it off and don't really hear what your subconscious is trying to tell you. Think of the Priestess as the center of calm within you that is touched by your external world and you know that she is always there when you need her. She is a part of you that you haven't had much time to connect with, but she is an important part of you. Whenever you feel like things are just too crazy and you are faced with impossible decisions, find a quiet space and listen to your inner voice. If you stop thinking about your problems or just give yourself some space and time out of «nothing», the answer will come to you without having to think about it. Therefore, try to listen to «nothingness» and see what comes to you. There are some very important answers to be found within that can be accessed right now.
The Reverse Priestess also suggests in a Tarot reading that you are normally an intuitive person who is connected to your inner self, but in recent times has lost this connection. It is possible that rushing and worrying excessively about external issues and other problems of people who have lost focus on their own needs. You are not listening to your inner guidance more and this is leading you to be more lost. The strong message here is that you need to take some time for yourself and yourself, so that you can tune into your inner voice and reconnect with your subconscious mind. Meditation or spiritual study can help.
This Tarot card can also represent repressed feelings, an overconfidence in the opinions of others, and an excessive need for approval and validation. What is needed is greater self-confidence and a deeper «knowing» that you have the answers already within you and do not need validation from others.
If the Priestess appears reversed in your Tarot reading, it may indicate that you have been gaining occult knowledge on a superficial level without any understanding of its true meaning, perhaps simply to impress others. It may also indicate that you haven't been listening to your intuition or have been trying to ignore something that you know deep down is true. In any case this will cause problems for you. On a deeper level, the Priestess inverts meanings that you have not been able to come to terms with yourself as a woman. If you are a man, it may indicate a detrimental refusal to accept the emotional, feminine, intuitive side of yourself.
Finally, the secretive nature of the Priestess can be turned into the negative with the reversal of this Tarot card, which indicates that there may be gossip, agendas, and hidden issues that go beneath the surface. Demand to know the truth and prevent other people from 'spinning' and keeping secrets and other information from you.
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