The High Priestess card is about trusting your intuition and listening to your inner guides and wisdom. This requires shutting up and listening. 😉
Stillness is not something I'm great at. I've been learning to practice, but it doesn't come as naturally to me as it does to a lot of people. Perhaps it's my ADHD and my crazy always-on-fire autistic brain, but I resonate much more with cards that encourage me to take action.
High Priestess Card Meaning
Knowing this, and knowing the meaning of the High Priestess, it feels like an important message for me to learn: chill tf out and be still; listen. Do you struggle with this, too?
The High Priestess represents the deeper, more subtle aspect of femininity: passive, but powerful and filled with knowledge itching to come to the surface.
Passivity is often viewed as weakness, but in those moments of being passive, your mind gets a chance to work in a powerful way. We must withdraw into quietness to listen to our inner wisdom.
I like to combine tarot with common sense and action steps. When I talk about what tarot cards mean in relation to your business, it's based on intuition and experience. What I really want is for you to learn how to trust and rely on your own intuition; my interpretations are merely a starting point.
Message from the card: Be still and listen. You have the answers you seek; follow them and you will find the truth. Now is not the time to make big decisions. Seeking deeper knowledge to make a better choice in the future is key.
Background of the High Priestess
While reading 78 Degrees of Wisdom, I learned a bit more about the background of the High Priestess card. She was originally called The Papess, as well as Veiled Isis. During the eighteenth century, the name was changed to the High Priestess.
Imagery
Looking at the original Rider-Waite card is very different than looking at newer renditions, which is why I include three different card decks in my images when possible. In its original form, the symbolism in this card has a heavy focus on the subconcious: the scroll, the moon, the water in the background.
From 78 Degrees of Wisdom:
The letters B and J stand for Boaz and Jakin, the names given to the two main pillars of the temple in Jerusalem. Boaz stands for passitivity and mystery while Jakin symbolizes action and consciousness. The letters signify that duality is an illusion, and each extreme carries the others embedded inside it.
The cards across the board do have some similarities: femininity, power, peace. I love that in the Modern Witch's deck, the High Priestess is holding a laptop.
And I also love that all decks have the moon symbolism. My middle child has been obsessed with “harnessing the power of the moon” since he could talk; this was something he started at a young age, not something I turned him onto.
Over the years, I got more into manifesting based on moon cycles – especially in Arizona because where we lived there was no light pollution so we could see the moon so clearly almost every night.
From Intuitive Tarot:
The moon is a feminine astrological symbol of the subsconcious mind. It can also reflect hidden influences and forces present in our lives, just as the moon moves the seas and oceans through the tide.
Numerology
The number 2 is all about balance, peace, and partnerships.
The concept of duality inherent in the number 2 shows adaptability and the ability to see and integrate different perspectives or approaches. In regards to your business, this might mean being adaptable in strategy, being open to different viewpoints, or managing diverse business interests.
The number two can also be in regards to conflict resolution or decision making, weighing the pros and cons.
Is the High Priestess a Yes or No?
Because of the duality of the number 2, the High Priestess is a “maybe” card: weighing the pros and cons means seeing both sides.
Upright Meaning
The High Priestess urges you to listen closely to your inner voice when making business and financial decisions. Have a gut feeling about an investment or business partnership? Follow it.
Looking beyond the surface: not all is as it seems, especially in the business world. It's so important for you to look beyond the obvious and dig deeper to collect all the facts. But don't let fear prevent you from taking action.
Lay all the cards on the table, so to speak: what are the pros? What are the cons? What's your gut saying is the best decision?
The High Priestess is about seeking deeper knowledge and understanding by doing research and balancing that with allowing your intuition to guide you. I'm the type of person who dives in head first into almost everything I do.
I trust my gut and don't always do the research required to make sound business and financial decisions. Most of the time, this works out great. Sometimes, though, I miss something that I could've seen (and been warned about) had I taken the time to list out the pros and cons and weigh the situation at hand.
Our subconscious thoughts and personal beliefs can significantly influence our financial and business decisions, and with good reason: no amount of money in the world makes up for lack of a moral compass.
Upright Keywords
- intuition
- wisdom
- strategic planning
- inner knowledge
- reflection
- patience
- unrealized potential
- the power of the moon
Reversed Meaning
Most of the time if you understand the upright meaning of a card, you can flip it on its head and you've got the reversed meaning. Look at the imagery when the card is upright vs upside down. What changes? Is it a different vibe? Tap into your intuition on this.
The High Priestess is a powerful card; it can warn us that we are stuck in a passive state of inaction. Reversed, the card can point to being afraid to open up, afraid to be seen. This can be harmful, especially when you're trying to grow a business online.
This card in its reversed state shows a pivot towards diving into your passion project. What have you been holding back on? Tap into the power of the High Priestess, gather all the facts, and then go all in.
Remember, reversed tarot cards are not just indicators of challenges but also guides for reflection and improvement. By understanding these signals, you can take proactive steps to address the issues at hand.
Reversed Keywords
- ignored intuition
- lack of insight
- impatience
- secrecy and distrust
- poor strategic planning
- inaction due to fear
- overlooked details
Business & Finances
Take on the energy of the High Priestess by practicing stillness as a way of tapping into your inner wisdom.
Are you scared to put the work in to go past the surface level of your knowledge and become a true expert? A period of passive withdrawal can allow knowledge inside of us to awaken; it gives us the time to dig deeper and step into becoming an expert instead of staying in the shadows.
Often times, especially as women, we are afraid to use our voices. Even when we do, they may be shaky – until we find our stride. We've been beaten down in so many ways, there's so many layers to it… but that's why we need to learn to trust our intuition, so when it's time to rely on it, we can stand ten toes down and shout our message from the rooftops without a doubt in our mind.
Past, Present, Future
The meaning of the High Priestess varies based on the cards it's surrounded by, as well as the position it lands in a reading.
High Priestess in Past Position
- Intuition and Insight: In the past, you may have relied heavily on your intuition to make critical business decisions. Or, you missed opportunities because you didn't.
- Foundational Knowledge: The High Priestess in this position points to a period of learning and gaining deep knowledge that laid the foundation for your current financial situation. Reversed, it can mean you rushed through and did not lay a strong foundation.
- Secrets or Hidden Factors: Undisclosed elements or secrets in your business past significantly influenced your financial journey. This card suggests that these hidden factors played a crucial role in shaping your current circumstances, good or bad.
High Priestess in Present Position
- Current Intuition and Insight: Right now, you may be realizing that your intuition is a valuable asset in your business. This is a period where tapping into your inner wisdom is crucial for financial decision-making. Don't jump in hastily, but don't second-guess yourself, either. Listen to your inner guides.
- Need for Deeper Understanding: The High Priestess teaches that it's important to look beyond the surface in your current business. There might be underlying trends or patterns that you need to understand to grow.
- Patience and Timing: Patience is needed in regards to your current financial situation. This is not the time for rushed decisions, but for careful consideration and strategic planning.
High Priestess in Future Position
- Future Guided by Intuition: Your intuition will play a significant role in your future. Trusting your gut feelings will be key to navigating any future business challenges and financial decisions.
- Hidden Knowledge Revealed: Discovering critical information or insights that were previously hidden or unknown. These revelations could have a substantial impact on your business growth and financial success.
- Greater Depth and Understanding: The card forecasts a period where deeper understanding and insight into the market, your business, and financial matters will lead to growth and prosperity. A more profound knowledge of your business environment will be your key to success.
This is one of the tarot journals I purchased (circa 2018) that was too pretty for me to use. It lives on my bookshelf next to my crystals. 🙂 My current tarot journal is a mix of notebook pages, but I'm moving them all to a binder in the near future.
Journal Prompts & Questions
Let the High Priestess guide you through answering these journal prompts and questions.
Intuitive Insights: How can I reflect on a past business decision where my intuition played a key role? What were my instincts telling me, and what was the outcome?
Hidden Knowledge: In what areas of my business do I feel there's more information beneath the surface? How can I uncover this deeper knowledge?
Balancing Logic and Intuition: In my recent financial decisions, how have I balanced logical analysis with intuitive understanding?
Learning from Silence: When have I found clarity in my business journey by being still and quiet? What did I learn from this experience?
Subconscious Influences: What subconscious beliefs or fears might be influencing my financial decisions? How can I address these to empower my choices?
Trust in Intuition: What does trusting my intuition in business and finance look like for me? How can I develop more trust in my inner guidance?
Messages in Dreams: Have I ever received business or financial insights through dreams or meditation? What was the experience and its impact on my decisions?
The Power of Patience: Can I recall a time when patience benefited my financial or business endeavors? What lessons did this experience teach me about timing?
Seeking Deeper Meaning: How can I seek deeper understanding or meaning in my current business model or financial strategy?
Intuition vs. Fear: Can I identify a situation where I had to distinguish between my intuitive voice and fear-based thinking in business?
Reflecting on Advice: How did my intuition respond to a piece of business or financial advice I received, and what was the outcome?
Non-Verbal Cues: Reflecting on a business meeting or negotiation, how did I interpret the non-verbal cues, and how did it affect my approach?
Intuitive Goals: What intuitive goals can I set for my business or finances? What is my inner wisdom guiding me to strive for in the upcoming months?
Learning from the Past: Looking back at a financial loss or business failure, can I identify any intuitive signs I might have missed at the time?
The High Priestess’s Lesson: What is the most significant lesson The High Priestess card offers me in my current business and financial situation?
Before You Go:
Choose the image(s) that resonate with you to pin to your tarot board on Pinterest!
