Discussion on Tarot; The Priestess

[Mithrea]

I hope no one minds me doing this. I'm bored so I thought I would start the next discussion as no one has posted on the magician in a few days and I haven't found a discussion posted on The Priestess yet.

In the Renaissance Deck she is called The Priestess (la papessa) and in The Witches Tarot she is called The High Priestess. The artwork on both is perhaps the most simplistic of any in either deck. By that I mean that there are not alot of external symbols around the figure. (Probably because she represents a more internal type of wisdom and the need to look inside rather than outside for answers) In the Renaissance deck she carries a Lotus flower with eyes for leaves. The border of the card holds a cat and Demeter, symbols for feminine wisdom and fertility.

The Witches Tarot holds her arm outstretched and her legs are wide apart giving her a very firm looking stance. Her eyes are closed because she does not need to see with her eyes. She is framed by a large white tower on one side and a large black tower on the other. Above her is a white semicircle and below her a yellow one. I will have to think more on that yellow one. I would say that these are the moon and the sun but I am not sure why she seems to almost be standing on the sun.

To me, this is one of the most powerful feminine cards. When I think of this card I imagine ancient wise women sitting on the ground drawing knowledge to herself by simply willing it. She does not have to actively seek knowledge. It comes to her. She signifies waiting patiently for events to unfold as they will. She also represents extreme faith and confidence because it is only a very confident person who can be patient and not act when things are going awry around them.

She may also signify the need for meditation on the problem. Sometimes working out a problem in your mind first is better than immediately jumping to action. Our mind can reveal what is hidden to us better than the eyes can. She also tells us to trust our instincts and trust that we have all the resources we need inside us.

[Emy]

Thanks for starting off the next card Mithrea :)

The high priestess (I am attaching a photo of the high priestess from my favourite deck, Jolanda the thirds tarot deck)

This is one of my favourite cards, and I am always happy to see her when she shows up in a reading. To me she symbolizes the night, inner wisdom, intuition, fertility. She gives me a sense of someone who knows the unknown and someone who sees the unseen... She speaks through dreams and when I draw this card it often seems to tell me of a person who has lots of intuition. When I see this card it also gives me a feeling of someone who is free and independant. The high priestess also directs energy and to me that is what the arrow in my card stands for... I love the way the high priestess is portrayed in my deck. It is so different then any other decks I've seen. I mean, look at the card, there is a camel there!? And some peas... I have no idea what they are doing there but I like it nevertheless. :) Perhaps someone here could tell me what the camel and the other symbols in this card might stand for? :)

Blessings

[ditto]

Your high priestess card looks to represent the Egyption Goddess Isis in her headress, daughter of heaven and earth. On her head, the crescent moon and inbetween, the sun. The great mistress of magik. The Great mother of the God horus, she is my lady. The egyption camel and the peas in the pod, the womb that bears fruit . Nice card (love their faces :) .

[Arduinna]

I really love the High Priestess card. One of my favorite decks is the Sacred Circle, where she represents the witch or wise woman. A person who relys on their inner knowing. She also represents change and enlightenment.

In the Goddess Tarot she is the Wisdom card and is represented by the Goddess Sarasvati a hindu deity. She also represents wisom and enlightenment.

I'm always happy to see this card in a spread.

[Mithrea]

Emy, I am really liking your cards! :D

Also, I forgot to mention that I associate this card with Hecate though I am not sure I can fully articulate the reasons :o

[Silver Venus]

Originally posted by Mithrea
Emy, I am really liking your cards! :D


Hey dont you a picutre that is very like Emy card! ;)

I havent got time to comment on the HP at the moment but will do soon :)

[Mithrea]

Why yes, Silver Venus I do ;)

I will post it when I get home tonight :D

[Silver Venus]

;) Funny how these things come up

[Flaire-FireStar]

Aah.. :) Finally got around to doing one (Dragon Tarot...:D I love the High Priestess in this deck)...It may sound a bit jumbled, but here it goes anyway.

She is standing in front of the 2 pillsars - one on the left is black; a lone (dead/dying) tree stands in front of it as well.. On the right is the white pillar. Growing up both of them are small flowers. On the "ceiling" above the High Priestess (I have a feeling she's standing in some sort of ancient building) is what looks like a paining of the night sky - with a bunch of stars on it. On that, and right above the pillars are 2 orbs - one above the white pillar is the yin~yang symbol, above the black pillar is the Earth.

The Priestess, herself, stands behind a large cauldron which has vapours coming up from it. In her left hand, she holds a scroll with the runes (in order from left to right) Teiwaz, Othila, Raido and one that looks much like Ansuz. (see the attached image) While in the other hand is a rainbow which is coming up from, or going down into the cauldron.


Overall, the card says mystery and knowledge to me. She doesn't appear to be trying to tell what she knows, rather, giving an air of mystery like "if you ask the correct questions, you'll find your answers"

[Flaire-FireStar]

It took me awhile to find it, but here's a pic of the High Priestess from the Dragon Tarot. It's kinda small and such (you can't read the runes on it)... arg.

[Mithrea]

I hope this pic isn't too big. I can't resize it because I don't have the original disk at the moment.

I took this picture while I was in Salem. There was a store called The Witch Village and this was painted directly on to one of their windows (theirs a maiden and crone also)

I think this sort of looks like a cross between the Priestess and the Empress . . . you be the judge :thumbsup: hehehe

[Myst]

Originally posted by Mithrea
I think this sort of looks like a cross between the Priestess and the Empress . . . you be the judge

I was just going to say that :)

[Mithrea]

And that's the next card! So . . . hope no one minds if I move on. I'm really bored ;) I have no life right now. :)

[Flaire-FireStar]

So we're on to the Empress already? :) I'll have to get my cards out tonight then

[Azure]

I think the relationship between the High Priestess and the Empress is actually a close one. I don't buy into the High Priestess = maiden, Empress = mother philosophy. To me, the Priestess is also a sexualized woman - because I don't buy into what seems to me an essentially Christian idea of the need for virginity as an expression of spirituality. But while the Empress' possesses a sexuality that implies many varieties of fecundity, the Priestess' sexuality is a spiritual one. Does that make sense?

The Priestess for me symbolizes intuition, knowledge, intuitive wisdom and archetypally, she is more Isis or Inanna, Brid, Circe, or Persephone than Hera, Demeter, Ishtar, Hathor - all of which have Empress imagery for me. For those familiar with Froud's Faeries Oracle, she is a parallel with the Dark Lady.

She is the representative of the kind of wild female sexuality that men both desire and fear. She is the oracle, she is the seer, and the weaver of dreams and visions, which connects her with the Star.

When she shows up in readings, she offten reminds me that I should trust my intuition, and that I should drop out of the rational world and into one of archetype, myth and the collective unconscious. She walks both in the Underworld and the sunlight, and can function as both.

She is the one who can pass through the veil, speak with the spirits, and just as easily advise those around her. She is the psychic and also the one who can unravel the riddles posed by ordinary life.

Several of my versions of the Priestess show her with a cut pomegranate - symbol of Persephone, and also of fertility. She is very aware of her potential as seductress and to become the Empress - but to her, knowledge and vision is more important than power and fertility. She is perhaps water, where the Empress is earth, if one uses the typical elemental tarot correspondences.

I like my Robin Wood deck version, where she looks to me like Circe or Morgan Le Fay.

[Faery-Wings]

Bumping for the Celtic Dragon High Priestess:

This Priestess is more "active" than the U. Waite Priestess, who to me, sits very passively. She is in control of her power as she holds a glowing crystal wand and ball. The two dragons represent conscious and subconscious thought. These are balanced within the priestess and she knows how to utilize them both as she gazes into the crystal ball which holds knowledge. She can see both future and past and looks at them clearly. This card says to me- look inside yourself- the information you need is there. It needs to be seen on both levels of consciousness- full consciousness as well as subconsciousness. But use your powers to look at it clearly.

[Xander67]

here is what I see

She stands, in the sky, between darkness and light, in her hand glows a ball of light, and she can see her subordinates below, and from her staff.. she sends down darn energy or light, as it is needed... and there is an abundant supply of it

[Faery-Wings]

she can see her subordinates below, and from her staff.. she sends down darn energy or light, as it is needed

Interesting! I hadn't thought about it that way. :)

Keep posting on the other cards, K?