Upright
The wisdom of intuition, mystery, spirituality, secrets.
2. The High Priestess
The magical mystery tour…
Reversed
Secrets in a bad way, going against intuition, remaining passive.
Element: Water
The High Priestess is a Water card, and boy does she ever have that Cups energy. The High Priestess, whose robe appears to flow into a rippling puddle of water at her feet, represents the wisdom of intuition. This is a card that speaks to mystery, hidden knowledge, spirituality, and secrets. If Cups energy is the spiritual fullness we feel when spending time communing with others, the High Priestess is the leader and source of that feeling. It seems to come from nowhere, and yet everywhere. It can be channeled by a spiritual or artistic leader, but its true source is a mystery.
The High Priestess is shown between two pillars. The dark pillar represents the passive and unconscious. The light pillar represents action and consciousness. When we meditate on our problems, we manifest as the High Priestess, allowing our minds to sit between the conscious and unconscious, so that our intuition can get to work.
When reversed, The High Priestess represents secrets, but in a bad way. Deceit, bad advice, or bad mentors can be a problem when this card is reversed. It can also be a sign that you are going against your intuition, or that you are remaining passive for too long. Like all cards with Water/Cups energy, it is possible for the water to get stagnant if it cannot flow. Unblock the High Priestess by turning her upright to regain balance.