The High Priestess is one of the most mysterious and powerful cards in the tarot deck. She represents feminine energy, intuition, sacred knowledge and inner wisdom.
This card often appears when you need to tune into your intuition and trust your inner voice to guide you. The High Priestess encourages you to nurture your spirituality, embrace solitude to connect with your higher self, and seek out hidden truths.
In this complete guide to the High Priestess tarot card, we’ll explore:
- The key facts and symbolism of this Major Arcana card
- The upright and reversed the High Priestess card meanings
- This card in love, work, finances, health and spirituality
- How to interpret the High Priestess in yes/no questions
- The High Priestess associations with numerology, astrology and tarot combinations
- The varied designs and artwork on this card
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a much deeper understanding of the secrets and lessons of this mystical Major Arcana card.
The High Priestess Key Facts
| Upright Meaning | Intuition, inner wisdom, sacred knowledge, mystery, passivity |
| – | – |
| Reversed Meaning | Lack of center, lost inner voice, repressed feelings, disconnected from intuition |
| Yes or No | Yes, but proceed cautiously |
| Numerology | 2 |
| Element | Water |
| Planet | Moon |
| Astrological Sign | Cancer |
The High Priestess Tarot Card Description
The Rider-Waite Smith High Priestess sits between two pillars marked B and J, representing Boaz and Jachin, two pillars that stood at the entrance to King Solomon’s Temple. One pillar is black, the other white to represent opposing forces and the High Priestess’s role in balancing them.
She holds a scroll half covered by her mantle, representing esoteric knowledge and wisdom. The crescent moon crown on her head is a lunar symbol representing intuition. She sits before a black and white curtain hung between the pillars, with the visible pomegranates symbolizing fertility of the mind and soul.
The High Priestess herself represents the feminine connection to the subconscious mind. Her role is to go within to discover hidden truths rather than analyze information intellectually. She represents the veil that separates the known from the unknown.
The Upright High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning
When the High Priestess tarot card is upright in a reading, its overarching meaning is to connect with your inner wisdom, intuition and subconscious. You may need to withdraw from the outside world temporarily to tap into your higher self and discover concealed truths.
Love Relationships
The upright High Priestess signals it’s time to retreat inward and reflect on your romantic partnerships and connections. Pay attention to your intuition, gut feelings and recurring dreams around relationships. They may reveal hidden truths about a partner or your own subconscious patterns in love.
If single, the High Priestess suggests proceeding slowly in new relationships. Take time for self-reflection first so you choose a partner aligned with your higher self. Avoid jumping into situations impulsively. Vet potential partners carefully and heed any intuitive red flags.
Career
In career, the High Priestess is a sign to nurture your creative gifts, connect with your purpose and explore new possibilities. You may feel stuck in a routine that’s stifling your potential.
Brainstorm new career paths that align with your inner wisdom. Or use meditation, journaling or artistic hobbies to unlock innovative ideas within your current job. Finding work-life balance and a spiritual practice can help you hear your inner voice clearly.
Finances
Around finances, the High Priestess reminds you money isn’t everything. Nurture abundance in other areas of life like love, creativity, spirituality and health. Don’t neglect aspects of self-care for material gain.
Review investments carefully as not everything is as it seems. Avoid get-rich quick schemes in favor of slow, steady growth. Let intuition guide financial decisions versus irrational impulses.
Health
The High Priestess upright in health indicates a need to tune into your body’s signals. Don’t ignore symptoms or push yourself too hard. Slow down, rest and reflect. Tap into your inner wisdom around nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. Journal, meditate and listen to your body.
Alternative or holistic therapies like Reiki, acupuncture and energy healing can be highly beneficial now. Overall, focus more on preventative self-care versus quick fixes.
Spirituality
The spiritual domain is the High Priestess’s highest expression. She urges you to make spirituality a priority through meditation, ritual, spellwork, retreats or joining a spiritual community.
Spend time alone reflecting inward. Explore your psychic senses, lucid dreaming and astral projection. Allow your intuition to guide you to hidden metaphysical truths and synchronicities.
The Reversed High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning
In the reversed position, the High Priestess tarot card suggests you’ve lost touch with your inner wisdom and intuition. You may feel off-balance, anxious, disconnected and doubtful of yourself and spirituality.
Love Relationships
When reversed in love, the High Priestess can indicate relationship problems caused by poor communication, repressed emotions and lack of vulnerability. One or both partners may have shut down emotionally.
Alternatively, it can signal an overly passionate, impatient approach to romance that ignores red flags and warning signs. Take a step back and reflect before pursuing new relationships. Listen to your intuition.
Career
For career, a reversed High Priestess suggests creative stagnation and lack of work satisfaction. You may feel stuck on autopilot in an unfulfilling job. Or you’re overworked, scattered and struggling to tap into your talents.
Reconnect with your passions. Make time for rest, play and creative pursuits. Listen to intuition around next career steps versus acting rashly. Change is ahead but allow it to unfold organically.
Finances
Around money matters, the reversed High Priestess cautions against poor financial decisions made in haste or frustration. Don’t ignore problems hoping they’ll fix themselves. Seek professional advice.
Avoid risky investments or get-rich-quick schemes promising easy money. Let logic balance impractical financial intuition. Make a budget and review expenditures carefully.
Health
In health, this reversed card flags ignoring your body’s needs and physical or emotional symptoms. You may push yourself too hard then feel depleted. Or escape into unhealthy habits, relationships or addictions.
Make your well-being a priority, not an afterthought. Listen to your body’s signals. Seek professional help if needed. Balance activity with rest and employ healthy stress relief. This is a time for patience and self-care.
Spirituality
A reversed High Priestess in spiritual matters can represent a crisis of faith, disconnected from the Divine Feminine or struggling with organized religion. You may have suppressed intuition and psychic senses.
Renew your spiritual practice through study, mentors, classes or solitary rituals. Spend time in nature or creative activities. Reconnect to your inner truth versus rigid dogma. Have faith in your spiritual path.
The High Priestess in Yes or No Tarot Readings
The High Priestess upright is generally a positive when asking yes or no questions, but her message is to proceed cautiously, slowly and deliberately versus jumping ahead impulsively. Pay close attention to your intuition and inner guidance.
An upright High Priestess for “Will this relationship work out?” suggests yes, if you build intimacy gradually and listen to warning signs. For “Should I take this new job?” she indicates yes, but carefully weigh all options and get clear on your goals first.
However, a reversed High Priestess in yes or no spreads is less favorable. Around relationships, her warning is no or at least not now – additional self-work is needed first. For career, she signals no or wait – more planning and reflection is required before major changes.
Overall, the High Priestess reminds us that outer knowledge must be balanced with inner wisdom. Tune into your intuition as well as facts to make clear decisions. Weigh both head and heart.
The High Priestess Tarot Card Numerology
In numerology, the High Priestess tarot card resonates with the number 2. Twos represent duality, choices, partnerships and the feminine aspect. As the second Major Arcana card, the High Priestess exemplifies these traits.
She sits between the two pillars of dark and light, balancing opposing forces. Two also symbolizes her role as mediator between the conscious and subconscious mind.
The High Priestess asks you to make discerning choices by integrating intuition and reason. Consider both sides – light and shadow, masculine and feminine, action and inaction. Find balance through inner wisdom.
The High Priestess Tarot Card Astrology
Astrologically, the High Priestess is linked to the Moon and Cancer. The Moon governs intuition, rhythm, emotions and the unconscious realm – all High Priestess themes.
Cancer is a feminine water sign ruled by the Moon. Cancers are nurturing, sensitive and family-oriented. But their moods can shift like tidal waters. The crab symbolizes their strong exterior protecting a vulnerable inner self.
The Moon and Cancer remind us to honor our needs, express emotions healthfully and follow intuition. By tuning into our inner tides versus forcing outcomes, we gain the High Priestess’s wisdom.
The High Priestess Tarot Card Combinations
Combined with other cards, the High Priestess brings an added layer of spiritual meaning to any reading. Here are a few insightful combinations:
High Priestess + The Hermit: Spending time alone to deeply reflect, meditate and spiritually recharge. Looking inward for answers.
High Priestess + The Moon: Prophetic visions, dreams and intuitive downloads requiring interpretation. Exploring the mystical unknown. Facing inner demons.
High Priestess + The Chariot: Mastering self-discipline to achieve spiritual goals. Balancing willpower and intuition. Learning to move forward mindfully.
High Priestess + Strength: Having compassion and patience while pursuing enlightenment. Controlling impulses and anger. Developing inner fortitude.
High Priestess + Three of Cups: Bonding with spiritually-aligned friendships. Cultivating sisterhood and feminine community. Supporting each other’s growth.
The High Priestess Tarot Card Designs
The High Priestess appears in a variety of styles across tarot decks, though generally incorporating an enigmatic, mystical look. Some features to watch for include:
- Crescent moon headpiece
- Blue and white robes
- Pillars of Boaz and Jachin
- Scroll or book of hidden knowledge
- Veil or curtain
- Pomegranates
- Flowing water
Well-known tarot decks featuring unique High Priestess designs include the Linestrider Tarot, Spacious Tarot, Light Seer’s Tarot and Wild Unknown Tarot.
Exploring different artistic decks can help you discover new shades of meaning in the High Priestess card.
FAQs About the High Priestess Tarot Card
What does an upright High Priestess mean?
Upright, the High Priestess represents tapping into inner wisdom, intuition and the subconscious mind. She signifies mysteries being revealed by looking within.
What if the High Priestess is reversed?
When reversed, the High Priestess can indicate blocked intuition and emotions, spiritual disconnection and creative stagnation. You’ve lost touch with your inner self.
What sphere of life does this card represent?
The High Priestess mainly represents one’s spiritual life, intuition and connection to the Divine Feminine. She can also signify the need for solitude.
Is the High Priestess positive or negative?
Generally positive when upright, the High Priestess does warn against being too passive or withdrawn. When reversed, she has a more negative or blocked meaning. Context matters in interpreting outcomes.
What numerology number is the High Priestess?
The High Priestess is associated with the number 2 in numerology, representing duality, choices, partnerships and feminine energy.
Key Takeaways About the High Priestess Tarot Card
- The High Priestess represents spiritual connection, intuition, mystery and the subconscious mind.
- Upright, her meaning includes tuning into inner wisdom, embracing solitude, nurturing creativity, trusting intuition over logic, and not ignoring subconscious signals.
- Reversed, she can indicate lost inner voice, creative blocks, spiritual confusion, and disconnect between thoughts and feelings.
- She reminds us to balance intuition and reason through inner reflection and stillness.
- Associated with the number 2, moon, Cancer and feminine energy.
- In readings, she advises proceeding cautiously and deliberatively.
Conclusion
The High Priestess is one of tarot’s most powerful and multi-layered Major Arcana cards. She urges us inward to explore our deepest selves and Higher connection.
By learning to trust intuition, spend time alone, nurture creativity and welcome the mystical unknown, we can unlock the High Priestess’s magic in our lives.
Next time this mysterious veiled lady appears in your tarot readings, reflect on aligning with your highest inner wisdom and truth. Let her sacred knowledge and spiritual connection guide you forward.
