The High Priestess is usually depicted as a young woman, positioned between two pillars. Oftentimes one pillar is depicted as black and the other as white. Behind her, there is a curtain, cloth, or veil. This is meant to have the viewers think of the phrase “beyond the veil.” The High Priestess is a seer, with the ability to see into realms hidden from our physical senses. There will sometimes be a scroll or book of wisdom near her as well.
Where the Magician is very outwardly focused, the High Priestess is adept at turning inward. This is a card that is very at home in the world of intuition and mysticism. The aunts from the movie Practical Magic are a wonderful example of the energy of this card. When you see this card in a reading, check-in with whatever it is your intuition is trying to tell you. It might also mean this is a good time to pay attention to or develop any latent intuitive skills or dive deeper into metaphysical interests. Perhaps it is time to seek our wisdom from an unusual place.
The High Priestess Upright Keywords: Intuitive, metaphysically minded, mysterious, otherworldly, a wise woman
There is such a thing as being too inward-focused. You miss out on a lot of life when that happens. While you are on your quest for enlightenment, don’t forget that you need to eat! Check in on yourself too, to make sure your imagination isn’t running away with you or you aren’t focused so heavily on the worst-case scenario. If you are an empath, this is a sign to put some shields or boundaries up and do a little self-care. You may be getting hit too hard by outside emotional static that interferes with your ability to function. Phoebe from Friends sometimes veered into High Priestess reversed territory.
The High Priestess Reversed Keywords: Impractical, oblivious to reality, anxious, oversensitive, flaky
