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Read Associated Blog Post – High Priestess – Relationships, Love & Sex

Disclaimer – (Important Information – Please Read Carefully)

The information provided below is not a definitive guide to relationships, love and sex. It is not to be used  in place of professional, medical or legal advice. If  you are having issues you should seek counselling or speak to your GP. The appearance of this card in your tarot spread does not automatically mean any one of these interpretations apply to you. The are used for study and exploration of cards, not for making sweeping judgments or for major decision making. The are based on theory, speculation and association, designed to promote debate and further analysis.  The cards are very subjective and no one card alone can suitably portray anyone’s life or personal circumstances. Neither can any reader, irrespective of how gifted they claim to be, accurately predict anyone’s future or the actions of third parties involved. Tarot cards should be read collectively and not separately, as better insight can be gained by observing connections and repetition between cards in a spread.

The High Priestess appearing in your reading can mean one of several hundred interpretations and there will always be the temptation to pick the one that suits your desired outcome, or to be dramatic and seek the worst case scenario. Therefore, they cannot be relied upon. They are not an exact science, and no interpretation absolute or guaranteed. Should you decide to read only negative associations attached to this card, that is your own business, but if reading for others, you should be mindful of the possible consequences of such action. You are dealing with relationships, people’s lives intricately linked with others, perhaps children involved too. Paranoia or suspicion can taint your perspective when reading tarot for highly emotive issues, when partners or spouses are involved. When this happens, you cannot trust the impressions you receive. What you believe is an intuitive response, could just be a symptom of paranoia. A word of warning – I get many enquiries from site viewers whose friend did a love reading for them or vice versa, surrounding a particular relationship or love drama that was going on. The interpretation given is often biased and plays right into the hands of the friend’s desires, attitude or suspicions. Do not be tempted to get involved in reading for friends’ love lives when you are too closely involved and know too much of the story. Your interpretation is likely to further fan the flames and not offer any constructive advice. You might tell them what they want to hear or project your own attitude onto them. Of course, there will always be exceptions. Refer friends on to another reader, someone who can remain impartial and objective.

Regardless of how you live your life by the advice tarot gives, it would be very unwise to make major decisions or take drastic action in your relationship based on the fall of tarot cards in a spread. Over-reliance on tarot is an addiction and something that should be avoided. I see it all the time, people absolutely convinced of their accuracy, generally when it suits their needs, but sometimes when it causes real harm. It can be similar to brain washing if a particular reader claims great powers of accuracy and exerts strong influence over a client. The suggestions implanted by the reader can be very hard to alter. If you are having problems in your relationship, go through the proper channels of communication and resolution. Remember, you cannot use tarot to pry into the life of a third party and then draw conclusions based on your findings. It breaks spiritual law and goes against the ethical use of tarot. Err on the side of caution at all times. It is better to dismiss or disbelieve a tarot reading then to blindly accept it as fact. Your predictions could be grossly inaccurate which could cause distress to those affected. Be responsible with your interpretations at all times. Never let the cards or an outcome own you, because at the end of the day, they are only cards. It is you who gives them power. You can choose that power to be positive or negative.

**Please Note I have given many interpretations related to pregnancy, both Upright and Reversed. Again, these are absolutely not intended for diagnosis, fertility issues, confirmation of a pregnancy, birth, miscarriage or termination. They are purely based on speculation and would need several supporting cards to to hold any weight.  Should you think you might be pregnant, you will need to take a pregnancy test or go to our GP, not the tarot.

At the end of the day, Tarot is meant as a form of entertainment only. Responsible individuals can derive great wisdom and guidance from them which promotes personal development and spiritual growth. The choice is yours.

Mature Content

In exploring the many sides of the High Priestess I have touched on topics that some site viewers may consider explicit or risque. I approach tarot writing in the same manner I approach tarot reading in that I am candid and direct. I do not avoid awkward issues or get embarrassed discussing intimate details with my clients. My clients appreciate being allowed to speak freely and to visit any topic without fear of my disdain or shock. In the same manner, many of the High Priestess Tarot images shown are sexual or erotic in nature. Some include nudity. It is not my intention to be deliberately explicit, shock or  sensationalise. The subject of the article relates to the High Priestess – relationships, love and sex and therefore the material is relevant to the content. There would be little point in writing a completely sterile version for this topic. More than anything else in life, relationships, love, and sex can be messy and need to addressed in a  meaningful way without being over the top or deliberately coarse.

You are welcome to view the content at your own discretion and take responsibility for what you do thereafter with any knowledge gained from the study of it.

Read Associated Blog Post – High Priestess – Relationships, Love & Sex

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The High Priestess

The High Priestess

2 -Masculine/feminine, yin/yang,  attraction, co-operation, peace, harmony, balance, communication, guidance, service, duty, spiritual, Intuitive,  diplomacy, tact, Insightful, sensitive, modest, sensual, graceful, poise, cautious, the subconscious, receptivity, placidity

Outcome Is Unknown (deep within you probably have a good idea)

The Outcome of the relationship in question is unknown or indeterminable at this stage. It is unclear how it will work out. Certain things, or life events, must first happen before any real light can be shone on this area. You may be asking questions of the relationship or a partner you already know the answers to, yet hope that someone will tell you different. Deep down you know what is happening. Reflect on your feelings. The High Priestess could suggest you have the foresight to see what is coming which could mean good or bad things. You should be able to sense how things are going and not look to others for their opinion. Neither should you seek reassurance from others when you know otherwise. The High Priestess must always know what is going on. Others will assume she does too. If those around you suspect issues, they will assume you are very aware of them too. In this manner, you may not be informed on certain matters as it will be expected you already know. Should you be ignorant of any goings on, the opinion of those around you will be that you must have known, couldn’t have missed it, but were probably in denial.

Tarot Of Delphi – High Priestess

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Nothing Will Come Of It

The High Priestess appearing in a love interest reading can suggest, that yes, there may be an attraction or some feeling but it will not be acted upon. It may be you who takes this stance or the person you are drawn to. Someone is practicing restraint and there may be particular reasons for this. The relationship may be viewed as problematic, bad timing, inappropriate, or logistically challenging. An example of this might be someone you clicked with at work or while out socially. You may have gone so far as to make an arrangement to meet up. The person either doesn’t turn up and you don’t hear from them again, or they contact you to say they have changed their mind or some other excuse. They have thought about this in their own time and decided against pursuing anything further with you. However, it may be they discovered things about you in the interim, stuff you didn’t mention that could be a game changer for them. In the cold light of day, they could be unsure of how they feel about you.  The High Priestess can suggest that even though you are highly attracted to someone, you are not yet ready to get involved.

You Will Never Know Why

Both the Upright and Reversed High Priestess can highlight a scenario that many of us have experienced. The reason behind the failure of a relationship, why our partner  left, what went wrong, what we did wrong? The High Priestess can represent a partner who for reasons only known to them self, walk away from what appeared to be a very happy and successful relationship without any form of explanation. If pushed on the subject, we may be told we ‘would not understand’, that is is ‘me, not you’. This unfortunately leaves us even more puzzled and confused. It can stay with us for years. Friends can ask what happened, but we just don’t know. It was the last thing we expected.

Take A Step Back

The High Priestess appearing in a new relationship reading for you might be telling you to be careful or cautious. Try not become too dependent on, or overly involved with the other person. Maintain your own sovereignty. Continue to indulge in ‘me time’ and protect your personal space. She could act as a reminder to stop focusing so heavily on the other person and spend more time focusing on yourself.

Sarah Wheatley- Asherah Tarot – High Priestess – Luxurious Cards. http://sarahwheatley.com/ – https://www.facebook.com/AsherahTarot/

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Infatuation

Obsession, infatuation, and a compelling attraction can be highlighted by the High Priestess. You may not be able to put your finger on what it is that draws you to this person, but they are having a strange effect on you. It could be someone who rides your bus at night, someone who shops in the same grocery store as you, works on the floor below you or walks their dog past your door everyday. You just have to find out who they are. This person will invade your mind.

A Relationship Best Left In The Head

The High Priestess can highlight a craving for someone you cannot have or even one that’s best not to have. You may, as in the above interpretation, be infatuated with someone, think them the person of your dreams, and imagine a perfect relationship and life with them. You believe this person would fulfill all your dreams and make you the happiest person on the planet. It is possible you have never spoken to this person, or even being in their company, yet have conjured up an idealistic impression of them. You may even begin to believe you have a connection because the feelings you have for them go beyond what you would normally experience. This may find you trotting off to visit a psychic, tarot reader or astrologist to determine what is going on, or to seek confirmation that this person must be your soul mate. You may even pull cards for yourself.

So the High Priestess appears and you immediately jump to the conclusion that yes, there is definitely a karmic or spiritual connection between you. However, your tarot reader might think otherwise, especially if the surrounding cards do not back up this theory. They may see the High Priestess as a signal to stop right in your tracks. What she is really trying to tell you is that you think you know this person just from observation, believe you can see into their soul and find it a perfect match for yours, see hope of a relationship and grand passion, but at the end of the day, it is all in your head. None of it is real except for the strong feelings it has generated in you. The idea of this person, the imagined persona, has resonated with you on a deep level, triggering all sorts of responses and urges which lead you to believe they must feel the same about you. Unless surrounding cards say otherwise, it would be best to let the whole thing drop. The hoped for relationship is a non-runner, but also, because you actually don’t know the true ins and outs of this person, the reality of them is unlikely to live up to the imagined version you cling to. The High Priestess may not be who you think and believe she is. She probably has her own troubles and crosses to bear in life, annoying personality traits, and hang-ups, just like the rest of us. She could be appearing to tell you that contrary to what you believe and wish for, it is likely you wouldn’t put up with her for very long. She may feel flattered by the attention and interest, but this relationship is best left in the head, in your imagination. The High Priestess could represent wishing for a certain someone, which if granted, may leave you full of regret. She is not who you think she is.

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Make No Promises

The High Priestess is linked with high principles, morals and a healthy conscience. In this manner, she is known to hold back her feelings and thoughts because she is conscious of not wanting to build up your hopes with promises she may not be able, or want, to keep. She does not want to lead you astray or let you get carried away. She asks you to make plans that do not include her as she may not be able to fit in with them. Don’t start painting her into the picture of your life, as she may have other plans that do not include you. This may be frustrating if you are keen to move a relationship forward. You know it is what you want, and that you seem the perfect couple, so you may not understand her hesitance. You are asking of her a simple indication that allows you to hope, but she will not give it and begs you not to push her on it.  Should you go ahead anyway, and begin to act on your plans in the belief she will fall in with them when she sees how ardent  you are, she may get clinical and remind you that you act alone and not on any indications or sign she has given. She explains how she warned you not to get ahead of yourself, how she never led you to believe there could be anything more between you, to not place all your hopes in her. She may not want what you want and her reluctance could indicate she cannot give what you are looking for. It will be up to her to choose and you must abide by it when she does. Unless other cards suggest otherwise, this is not a game she is playing.

Getting Vibes

The High Priestess appearing in a love or relationship reading can indicate you are getting vibes from someone who is of interest to you. It may be why you sought a reading as you are unsure if it is all in your head. All you know is that there is something mighty unusual or mysterious going on and you want to discover what it might mean for you. These vibes may be preoccupying your thoughts. It may be something or nothing. Surrounding cards should tell you if there is any point in taking them seriously or not. However, if you are beginning to invest in the notion that these vibes are in earnest, you may taint the draw of cards to comply with your desires. If surrounding cards show absolutely no indication of any true source for these vibes, they may be imagined, or you are simply picking up the strong energy field of another. You might also find this person fascinating and are naturally drawn to them. You could mistake this for something else.

Tarot Of The Cat People- High Priestess

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Opposites Attract

The High Priestess can suggest an attraction between two very different personalities. The black and white pillars can represent the childhood rhyme scenario of ‘Jack Sprat could eat no meat, his wife could eat no lean, and so between the two of them they licked the whole plate clean’. Their very different characters complement each other and it works for them. She has what he hasn’t and he has what she hasn’t, with a need on both sides for each other’s energy. In this interpretation we find people surprised or startled when they are introduced to a colleague’s or friend’s partner or spouse as they would have imagined someone totally different. That is, they cannot understand where the attraction lies. It is clear that for all their apparent differences, they saw something in each other that outsiders cannot understand. This can come down to actually celebrating the differences, being drawn to them and happily accepting them in each other. The masculine respects the feminine traits and vice versa. They see much deeper than surface appearances. He plays the Magician to her High Priestess and it works nicely both ways. They do not attempt to change each other.

One-Sided Attraction

One-sided attraction or desire might also be an issue when the High Priestess appears. It can suggest the subject of your heart’s desire, infatuation, or attraction is totally unaware of your feelings, and if they were, would not reciprocate them. They may not even notice you exist. You fancy them, but they do not share the same feelings for you. Understanding and accepting this may or may not be an issue. You may be resigned to the fact it will never be, or you could hold out unrealistic expectations for an eventual union. When the High Priestess Reverses, it can point to a situation as such getting out of hand. Infatuation can turn into obsession or a fatal attraction leading you to lose all sense of logic and reason.  Any signs or vibes you pick up from the other person are all in your head and no where else. Should you go so far as to declare your feelings for them or make out you have felt some interest coming from them, you may be confronted with a blank stare, gasp of laughter, embarrassment and incredulous denial of having the faintest notion of what you are talking about. They might be quite taken aback about the whole thing.

Mythic Tarot – High Priestess

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Out of Your League Or Depth

The High Priestess can represent someone who is unapproachable, unattainable, or out of your league. They give off very definite vibes that mark your cards for you. It is unlikely anything will happen here. She can suggest having nothing in common, being from different planets or galaxies. You are not seen as relationship material.

An Outsider

The High Priestess can suggest you are a bit of an outsider. You may find it hard to fit in, or perhaps don’t want to. You seem to be on the periphery of everything. You either choose to be this way, or are excluded from cliques and groups because you are different. Most people are unsure of how to deal with you, so often don’t bother. You may be a bit of a loner or home-bird who does not get out a lot. You might lack friends and spend too much time on your own.

Difficulty In Fully Loving Someone

Following on from this, the High Priestess can have a problem understanding the notion of love and romance, and how it should present in a relationship. She can lack a true connection or grasp of it. Unlike the Empress whose love is on the earthly plane, very physical and demonstrative, with an enormous capacity for emotion, the High Priestess may never have experienced a full-on relationship.  She still has a lot to learn about love and what constitutes a proper relationship. Love for her is very much in the head. Hers is not a romantic type of love and she may not be able to give you what you are looking for in this capacity. Her presence in your reading could be highlighting a difficulty in becoming emotionally or physically connected with your partner or in relationships in general. There may be a disconnect. She might find that she can do one but not the other, so she may struggle to have both.  You can be in a relationship with The High Priestess but never quite feel it’s a proper one, or even a relationship at all. The High Priestess can imply a partner that is not easy to be or live with. They may not be very giving. They could come and go as they please leaving you in a constant state of uncertainty. The High Priestess can suggest you are in love with the idea of love but not the reality of it. You may crave it, but when you get it, tire of it or cannot deal with the expectations of it.

Dreaming Way Tarot – High Priestess

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Unaware Of The Presence Of Someone Who Will Become Important In Your Life

The High Priestess can highlight someone in your acquaintance who may come to mean more to you than you expect. She marks an important figure in your life that has not yet revealed their self to you in a romantic manner. At present you do not see them in this light, have discounted them as unsuitable or not your type. They likewise may not see you as partner material either, or are concealing their attraction to you. This person may grow on you in time, or something will happen to throw you into each other’s presence. All will be revealed in time, you are not there just yet. You may have to cut ties with another relationship, love interest or attitude, before the High Priestess can declare herself.

Pampered Princess

The High Priestess both Upright and Reversed can highlight a pampered princess. She thinks she is special because people keep treating her so.  She can sit expecting to be adored, waited on and catered to. She expects to be treated like a goddess. It can be all about her with very little time or attention thrown your way. She can block you out whenever she wants to. She is the china doll kept in a glass case. The High Priestess can sometimes highlight an individual waiting for their prince charming to come and rescue them, presuming he will materialise without effort on their part.

Deva Tarot – High Priestess

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Answering Questions With Questions

The High Priestess will want to know and learn everything about you, but you will discover little about her. She may appear self-absorbed, but is strangely reluctant to talk about herself. You will notice she answers a question with a question. She very cleverly steers the conversation away from her and back to you or other things, rather than disclose any personal details about herself.

Blocking You

The High Priestess can represent  a stony front, the refusal to back down, compromise, or enter into any form of discussion when there is a problem. She may also refuse to talk about a worrying problem she has. No amount of coaxing will get her to off-load her troubles. She may think no one will understand, or that her case is very different from others. She may feel a sense of personal betrayal should she open up and share what she has carefully guarded for so long. As long as she keeps it locked within, no one can use it against her or judge her. She has full control of it. At times you may think you are getting close, that she is getting ready to confide in you, but she will quickly remember herself and pull back. She will be loathe to allow emotions surface in public. To her, that would amount to weakness, letting herself down, or making a scene. As Susanne Vega Sang in her song ‘The Soldier and The Queen’

“the young queen, she fixed him with an arrogant eye,

she said you won’t understand, and you may as well not try,

but her face was a child’s, and he thought she would cry,

but she closed herself up like a fan.” 

The High Priestess in this manner will be hard to break or get through to. She either can’t or won’t cooperate. She can sit it out an inordinately long time. It is likely you will be the first to cave or give in as she most definitely will be the last one standing, or in this case, sitting.

Don’t Want To Know Or Deal With It

The High Priestess’s rigid pose could suggest there is an issue but you do not want to deal with it. You are aware of something happening or going on right under your nose, but you have decided not to act or react, to not comment. You may have been approached by others with certain information, but have insisted you ‘do not want to know’, or ‘don’t care’. Asked for what your opinion might be, your response could be that you ‘have none’.  It could suggest that you really don’t care, or perhaps you don’t have the time for it right now.

Tarot Of Reflections – High Priestess

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Enjoy Being Single – Love Can Wait – Know Thyself First

The High Priestess often turns up when you are investing too much of your time and energy focusing on meeting someone when you really need to understand yourself better. You want to get to know another before knowing yourself. You need to get a grip and drop the ‘I need a partner’ bit. The High Priestess could be telling  you it’s the very last thing you need right now. Can you not enjoy being single and stop the frantic search for love? You should be making the most of this time and developing as a person rather than obsessing about love. Don’t look for love right now. Let it go.

Choosing Singledom

Staying with the single theme, the High Priestess in your reading could be making a very definite statement about you, or the one you are interested in. She may be informing you that her current single status is not just a passing phase, that it has nothing to do with a lack of suitable love interests, or that she is waiting to be rescued from her spinster-like existence. She is single because she chooses to be, because she wants to be, because it suits her. Maybe she has had bad experiences in the past, managed to escape from the grips of a bad relationship. It might be a case of ‘never again’ for her. Her lack of uptake on your advances, may not be because she doesn’t want to be in a relationship with you, but because she does not want to be in any relationship, not now, not next week, not ever.

The Osborne Tarot – High Priestess

The Spinister/The Nun

Depending on which cards surround the High Priestess, her presence could highlight being single, but not in the same manner as above. This time the choice may not have been hers, or perhaps circumstances led to her being alone. The universe or fate may have conspired to thwart her chances in a relationship with the love of her life. Something has happened resulting in the High Priestess becoming trapped in her status or realm. For most, The High Priestess is a transient experience where love is concerned, before evolving into the Empress and further still.  This High Priestess may not have had the choice and is forced to remain in her isolated existence, never to experience the psychical touch of a lover or the intimacy of a close relationship. She remains the intact High Priestess as she gets older, and others may feel sorry for her lonely existence, curious about the story behind it. The presence of the Hermit may find her presenting as the Crone, suggesting arriving at senior years without the experiences of The Empress or The Lovers. She may feel a void or emptiness inside, a sense of having missed out on something special, or perhaps melancholy and wistful. Instead of building a life for herself and venturing out to the world, she may have stayed at home to mind ill an ill or ageing parent/s, sacrificing her own life for the needs of another. The presence of the Hanged Man could explain why she never moved on from her High Priestess stage. She may have been the sibling offered up by her family to make such sacrifices, the one who had no attachments at the time, or children, and no long-established career to worry about. Perhaps the choice was fully hers, her conscience and sense of duty facilitating such a selfless act.  The Six of Cups could suggest she was needed at home and had to stay.

The Three of Swords traditionally was associated with nuns, vows and religious orders. If it appears, it may suggest she stayed out of religious duty. She may also have entered a convent, or if not, has lived her life as if she had. She may appear quite nun-like in herself and appearance. She might also have left an order after years of devout service but continues to live in a similar manner. If we see the Hierophant close by, she could live her life closely connected to the church. Here we might find her arranging flowers in the church, maintaining the altar cloths or keeping house for the parish priest. This is where she finds happiness, where she chooses to go for social activity. Indeed many will say she missed her vocation, that she would have made the perfect nun or missionary.

Not so common these days is the possibility the High Priestess is presenting in her strongly religious aspect. She may indeed be choosing to become a nun, a bride of Jesus. Check for the Three of Swords, Hierophant, Hanged Man, Judgement etc. She might feel it is her calling. This may be the only love and relationship she truly desires.

The presence of The Hermit with the High Priestess could simply point to the High Priestess presenting in her Crone aspect. She may no longer be in her youth, perhaps middle-age or senior. She may be seeking love or a relationship for any number of reasons. Her needs in a relationship may be very different to what they were as a maiden. If the Moon lies close by too, we might be looking at transitioning through menopause or post-menopause. Her advancing years do not rule her out from needing or wanting love, romance, intimacy and sex. Love is not just for the young.

Compelling Attraction

The High Priestess often conjures up the impression of an elegant and sophisticated woman. She may be a real living entity or possibly your fantasy ideal woman – alluring on all levels. We are looking at someone who is sexy and very attractive, but not in a ‘in your face’ sort of way. In fact, if you were asked why you find her so compelling, you might be at pains to explain why. Her appeal is not born out of her friendliness or warm engaging spirit. You won’t find the High Priestess going out of her way to make you feel comfortable or put you at ease. She does not have the hospitable nature of the Empress. She won’t aim to break uncomfortable silences by making conversation with you. She might come across as rude at times. She will only speak if she has something important to say, not because it is expected of her. She can sit in what most would consider uncomfortable silence for long periods of time. There may even be an intriguing strange sense of danger about her. If The Magician was James Bond, the High Priestess would be his leading lady, his love interest – the cool and enigmatic Russian spy whose every heavily-accented word (she speaks only few of them) smolders with powerful sexual vibration. Still,  she is a hard nut to crack, clinical, quite elusive and could snap your neck with one flick of her wrist if she so decided. Perhaps only James Bond has what it takes to capture her attention. I couldn’t imagine James Bond being drawn to the Empress. I don’t think she fits the bill. The High Priestess would be perfect.

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Please Don’t Bore Me!

The High Priestess can suggest a need to be intellectually stimulated in a relationship. Forget throwing your all into wooing her with romance and sweet nothings as this will bore her to tears. The way to her heart is through her mind. She needs to find you interesting, not just good looking or sexy. Stimulating conversation that is deep and profound will keep her engrossed and focused on you. You will easily notice when the High Priestess has tired of you, or finds your conversation tedious. She will completely zone out as her mind departs for more interesting pastures.  In a similar manner, she can get bored in a relationship quite easily. She is not comfortable with the everyday aspect of things and would feel a need for remarkable living to equate it with a successful relationship. She might be more drawn to off-center or unusual relationships.  When asked by others why she can’t or won’t settle into a certain relationship, her answer is often that ‘it’s not that simple’. She doesn’t seem to attract ‘simple’ style relationships. Coming back to James Bond and his leading lady, one could never quite imagine them getting any more involved then they already are. You just can’t see her cooking the dinner at home or James mowing the lawn, watching box sets together, or pushing a shopping trolley around the local supermarket. It just doesn’t fit the type of relationship they have because it is not exactly real or built on the hum-drum everyday world the rest of us occupy. The High Priestess would find it hard to relate to, or settle into the domestic role the Empress so loves.

The Fantasy Woman

The High Priestess can be the woman of most men’s dreams, the fantasy partner – goddess in the kitchen and whore in the bedroom. She could be the image they conjure up when having sex or masturbating. However it tends to be The Empress they wake up with or go home to. The Empress is also who they cuddle into and seek comfort from. The High Priestess is not the cuddly type. The High Priestess’s very ethereal and intangible nature lends itself well to being but a figment of most imaginations. There is something  not quite real about her. She lacks the flesh and bones of The Empress. She is often judged remotely by others who may or may not have had any interaction with her. This is because she is different from most and that always sparks criticism and controversy. Everyone will have an opinion on her. They don’t know her, but assume they know her and what she is about. She stands out from the crowd even though she does not seek the spotlight.

Avalon tarot – High Priestess

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A Threat To Women

The High Priestess doesn’t need to flirt or flaunt as she has natural sex appeal. She doesn’t have to make much of an effort as one way or another, they all flock to her presence or get caught in her magnetic force field. Even women find her attractive and sexy, and can become quite fixated with her. However, most are nervous of her potent drawing power, and may feel threatened by her presence. They can worry about their partner or spouse falling under her spell and succumbing to temptation. There is a strong sense of ‘look but don’t touch’, and ‘no handling the goods’ about the High Priestess, which seems to make her even more captivating. Most women will warn their partners away from her, giving them scathing looks if they are found to be showing any interest in her when out socially. When caught, they will of course reassure them that ‘there is no harm in looking’, that they are  ‘simply window shopping’ but you are not a fool, and didn’t come down in the last shower. Others will laugh and agree that their partner may as well dream here as in their bed, or jibe them with, ‘in your dreams pal’.  The High Priestess is often at the center of fiery rows between couples where accusations and denials are both ranted over. Should you discover a High Priestess as a work colleague of your partner, you may not feel comfortable about it. The High Priestess can represent the ‘other woman’ whether she is an actual presence or just a fear or suspicion. You just get the sense there is something going on. If she is just a suspicion, you may attribute great power and qualities to her that could leave you feeling inadequate or insecure. She may not exist at all and you are running with assumed facts that are baseless. In this manner, the High Priestess can get into your head and consume your thoughts.

A Covert Sexuality

You won’t find the High Priestess kitted out in overtly sexy clothing or draped in bling. Rather her sexuality is far more covert, oozing a natural sensuality that clothes cannot make up for. She can be seductive in a little black dress with simple diamond earrings or beguiling in a more reserved look, covered up, or when hiding her figure behind shapeless garments.  There is just something about her that is compelling.

Occult Detective Skra Tarot – High Priestess

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Decorum and Modesty

The High Priestess advises that ‘less, is more’. She promotes an understated look that veers strongly away from flash and tat. She suggests your personality is what should shine through regardless of what you are wearing. You should wear your clothes, not your clothes wear you. She believes in a subtle approach when dressing, nothing that attempts to make a loud statement or designed to grab attention. You should be comfortable in your clothes, dress for yourself, not for attention, and not for others expectations. The High Priestess reveals little about herself. Neither does she believe in being too revealing in her dress. She likes to leave some things to the imagination. Falling out of a low-cut top, or wearing skirts that would serve better as belts to her is vulgar and totally unnecessary. Irrespective of how prudently she dresses, she rarely goes unnoticed and can attract more attention than those intent on wearing as little as possible. It adds to her mysterious nature.

Matt Hughes -Ethereal Visions Tarot – High Priestess – New Tarot Project Beginning Feb 2018 – Art Nouveau Oracle Deck

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Decorum and modesty can also be reflected in behaviour, manner of speech and actions. She asks you to be conscious of making the right impression everywhere you go, and in leaving that good impression behind when you depart. Be remembered for your sophistication, grace and poise, not your loud mouth, aggression or negative attitude. You will not find the High Priestess drunk in a corner, falling over on the dance floor, or getting sick in a taxi cab on her way home from a club. That is not the way to gain admirers. She is a promoter of drinking in moderation and takes a dim view of drunken females who she sees as very unladylike and brash. She asks you to become aware of the tipping point when drinking, to not cross that line. The moment you do, you will lose all the wonderful mystery and allure that is part of being feminine. You will also lose control of your faculties and much prized personal space which could leave you at a vulnerable disadvantage.  Others may disrespect you. Many head out for the night looking to all intents and purposes the High Priestess, only to return in a pitiful state. She is the protectress of morals, values and reputations. She would ask you to guard yours.

The High Priestess generally is slow to make a scene, believing it distasteful and a sign of poor breeding. Neither will you find her airing her dirty laundry in public.

The High Priestess if excessively decorous or prudish can be particularly sensitive to her environment and those she must deal with. She operates by certain protocol she expects others to adhere to.  She may feel affronted or take offense too rapidly, her senses easily rattled. She can become outraged or piqued by what she observes as people taking liberties or forgetting their position. She expects to be treated in a certain manner and will be disgruntled if her expectations are not met. She can be prickly and difficult to deal with.

In Awe of Women

The High Priestess can represent the mystery woman, or the mysteries of women. You may be trying to work out how women think, how to impress or attract them. Your observations or experience of women may have you convinced they are indeed from Venus and men from Mars. However, it could also imply your love of women, of the female species and enjoy being in their company. The Three of Cups, along with the High Priestess could find you seeking out the company of women in general or having many female friends. You might be in awe of women.  For women, the High Priestess could suggest it might be time to work your magic on someone in a very subtle manner.  You could also be using your womanly wiles to get what you want in a relationship.

Maat Tarot – Julie Cuccia Watts – High Priestess

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The True Holder Of Power

Make no mistake, when the High Priestess appears, she declares herself to have the true power in her relationship. Regardless of what or who her partner is, it is she who holds the authority. People may see her as quiet, not obviously involved or interested in what is going on, but she sees and hears everything and exerts much influence over her partner. She will sit and listen to many offer advice to her partner, those not aware of how much weight she can bring to bear. Regardless of what others may say or push for, it is the High Priestess who will whisper her thoughts and opinions to her partner when all are gone and they alone. It is her voice he hears loudest. She can instantly undo the efforts of all others who believe they have succeeded. One must go through the High Priestess first, run things by her and gain her approval if they hope to get any further. She stands on guard at the doorway of her relationship. Nothing happens unless she says so. Her partner will defer to her because she has proven herself right on so many occasions. Her partner may not ask why she thinks a particular way, what she has against a certain person, or why she is so set against a course of action. It is enough for him that she feels or thinks it. He has seen her gut instincts and intuitive impulses in action before.

Nendil – Harry Potter Tarot – High Priestess – Deviant Art

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Keep It To Yourself!

Privacy and prudence are essential when the High Priestess appears. Don’ tell others right now – keep it to yourself. A relationship may only be in its infancy, at a very delicate stage and you could be jumping the gun by broadcasting your news to all and sundry. Be very sure before you say anything. If there is someone you have taken a shine to, tell no one until you have sussed out their feelings for you. Otherwise gossip could spread it around leading to embarrassing encounters or humiliation. She advises you to be discreet and private – no kiss and tell. Celebrities often aim to keep news of their new relationship a secret and will go to great lengths to conceal it, even openly denying there is anything going on when confronted. If you are asked by a friend to keep quiet about their relationship or love life, then do so. If the High Priestess indicates the ‘other woman’ in an affair, discretion will be essential if you do not wish to blow your cover. This is too major a secret to let slip.

Book of Shadows Tarot – High Priestess

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Not Ready To Share

The High Priestess could also suggest you are not declaring your true feelings for one reason or another. You may be saying one thing, yet feeling something totally different – insisting you are fine when you are anything but. You would rather say nothing until you have worked out how you feel. It is not something you are ready to share yet.

The High Priestess may also indicate that you are not yet ready to share your life, home or bed with someone full-time. It may have been suggested by your partner, but you have given it some thought and do not feel it is something you want to jump into just yet. It’s a doorway you aren’t quite excited about walking through. You would rather maintain the veil that keeps your lives separate. You don’t fancy an access-all-areas arrangement.

Labyrinth Tarot -High Priestess

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Secrets

In a relationship reading, the High Priestess could highlight keeping a secret from your partner, or a partner acting mysteriously or secretively. There is something you should say or confess to, but you choose to keep quiet about it. You wonder if they really need to know and what is to be gained by telling them? In the Upright High Priestess you may seek to protect or shield your partner by not divulging certain matters that might hurt or offend them. You act out of kindness, not malice. Rather than lie to your partner, you choose to omit certain details. Sometimes the truth hurts and if it is not essential the person should know, then perhaps it best kept under wraps. Of course, it is not nice to have others decide what we should and shouldn’t know. However, you may also be protecting yourself.  The High Priestess generally points to significant information being withheld. Check surrounding cards for further insight. She can if necessary take secrets to the grave with her.

Blind Date – An Unknown Quantity

Should The High Priestess and Two of Swords appear in a love reading, it may suggest you are going on a blind date. The High Priestess is generally an unknown quantity, the mystery date that holds you in suspense. On her own, her presence may suggest you open your mind to allowing friends arrange a blind date for you or even a simple introduction. Remember, this is how Meghan Markle met her Prince!

Arthurian Tarot – High Priestess

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Something Is Beginning To Stir (Don’t get too excited just yet)

Sewing the seeds for love. The waxing moon could suggest a much sought after relationship is eventually beginning to develop. It may seem as if it is static or stalled, but beneath the surface there is movement and progress. Your persistence might be paying off. A relationship could be slowly developing when the High Priestess appears but surrounding cards would need to support this. You may have believed it to be a platonic relationship, but it could be growing into more. Do not rush it. Reflect or meditate on your needs in this relationship. Know yourself, understand what it is you want and why.

Self-Sufficient/Self-Reliant – I Can Manage Fine On My Own

The High Priestess can suggest the person you are drawn or attracted to is possibly unavailable or perhaps not seeking a relationship right now. And if she does open to a relationship, she will continue to be self-sufficient and self-reliant. Check for Nine of Pentacles. She does not want to be under any obligation to you and may get irritated if you try to do too much for her. You may think you are being kind and loving, but she will see it as unnecessary interference. She is well able to manage without you. This card may represent someone who insists on paying their way, splitting bills and picking up the tab more times than not. She does not want to be owned by anyone.  You may not get the reaction you expect when attempting to give gifts or indulging her. She could fight against it, show little or no interest in your grand gesture, or even demand you return it. Her attitude is that she didn’t ask for it. She can buy her own. She doesn’t need minding.

Paulina Tarot – High Priestess

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I Want To Be Alone / Leave Me Alone

The High Priestess as we know is the mistress of concealment and the occult. She lets nothing slip, doesn’t give the game away and remains impassive and impervious to attempts to draw her out. Therefore it is hard to tell if she even likes you, let alone loves you. She could be actively keeping you/love at arm’s length. She is a creature of fluctuating moods and emotions that can be hard to keep up with. Her dual nature could cause her to blow hot and cold. The High Priestess could indicate you do not need to be in a relationship to feel fulfilled. You may be acting withdrawn or aloof and desire to be alone. She marks a time of keeping to yourself, or wanting some time to yourself. Privacy is important to you right now and you may not be keen to share your space with anyone. This could find you keeping your distance from those who venture too close for comfort. You may be sending out signals for others to keep their distance or back off from you. You do not wish to encourage closeness. The High Priestess can represent the woman who lives alone or never goes out. She may find it hard to get to know people, but she could also be unapproachable if she does not want people to get close to her. When she does venture out, it is likely she will not stay long. She likes to leave early and is eager to get home. She is not the type who will want to keep the party going or head onto a club.

Setting Tests For Suitors

The High Priestess could be implying you are playing hard to get. You might be putting someone through the mill in their attempts to woo you. You certainly will not make it easy for them. In a way, your suitor must prove his worth. You may have set subtle tests which they will not be aware of, certain deal breakers that decide whether they should be kept or dismissed.

High Priestess TAROT APOKALYPSIS

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Holding Back

You may be emotionally distancing yourself from your partner or holding back when the High Priestess appears. It will be difficult to read this person. They may be a closed book and hard to get close to. There is definitely more to this than meets the eye.  You could be withholding aspects of your personality or life from your partner. You might be keeping your guard up, being cagey, won’t give the game away or reveal your true feelings. A particularly guarded personality is often highlighted by The High Priestess. She can suggest you do not want others to know the real you. In a relationship with the High Priestess? She may not allow you get close to her. You could be in a constant state of wondering if you have done something wrong, annoyed or upset her in some way as she can give the impression you have. You may be wondering if you actually know this person at all. You might feel she is holding back, not telling you the full story and is impervious to your attempts to draw her out. The High Priestess could imply you are keeping issues to yourself. You could be dwelling on relationship concerns and are not ready to talk about them.

Tarot Illuminati-high-priestess

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Cyclical Relationships

The waxing, full, and waning moon aspects of the High Priestess’s crown could highlight a relationship or affair that is on and off or goes through cycles of intensity or involvement. Just when it appears to come into fullness, it begins to fade. A relationship can go on for years, or even a lifetime, in this manner. Individuals could be involved with other partners or married, but cannot seem to cut loose from this involvement with another. It is almost an addiction with both knowing it should end, but being unable to bring it about (check for the Devil). It is there in the background all the time. At times, there is little activity or even communication, yet it flares up again, possibly when needed, called upon or invoked. It holds a powerful influence over those involved who may wonder why it never fully manifests, remaining transient or fleeting instead. It is a relationship that should be moved on from for it is not based in reality. There may be an understanding between these two partners that although they desperately need each other, they could never fully commit to, or live with each other. Their type of relationship would not be suitable for that. They may also believe that pushing for anything more than they already have might potentially burst the magic bubble and illusion they have of each other.

Karmic Connections

If looking for love, her presence implies you are seeking a spiritual connection. If you have already met someone, you might feel a spiritual or psychic connection with them, that there is something more profound than just basic attraction. You may believe there is a karmic bond between you and your partner, or that you knew them in a previous life. You feel you are meant for each each other. The High Priestess could imply you are not interested in the superficial trappings of relationships and love but looking for something deeper.

Transformational Tarot – High Priestess

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Seeking External Advice – The Wise Woman

The High Priestess is famed for being the Wise Woman. Her presence may suggest you are seeking counselling or advice about a relationship. She could also represent a mediator, an impartial adviser who will listen carefully to both sides of a story. Someone is giving you good advice about your relationship and love, or you are seeking it. You may be visiting psychics and tarot readers to find answers on love, consulting astrology charts, invoking love spells or working with crystals to draw love into your life. You might be looking for signs of love in everything, avidly reading your daily horoscope and consulting online oracles. The High Priestess can suggest a fascination with the occult and metaphysics when seeking a partner or soul mate. She carries a warning of not becoming too reliant on such practices to the extent they rob you of basic common sense and personal intuition.

Do Not Act!

Whereas The Magician is a man of action and doing, the High Priestess prefers a more passive approach. The Magician needs to go out and make things happen. The High Priestess often sees no need. Force should not be applied. Certain things will come about in their own time, or not at all. She may just sit and watch it unfold before her. Her presence can indicate that now is not a time for action. Indeed, any interference by you could be counter-productive. Don’t make any major decisions about a relationship right now. Hold back and allow it settle. Rushing now could lead to mistakes and regret. If someone is waiting for an answer from you, do not give it straight away or succumb to pressure. It will wait irrespective of what others tell you. Do not be hurried into making a decision or taking a course of action until you have thought it through and are very comfortable with it. Access your intuition to determine the worth of a relationship. You may be very perceptive right now, can feel or sense what is going on. Follow your own guidance or heart in this matter. You will know what to do.  Retreat, go away for a few days to get your head clear if you are surrounded by distraction.  Turn off your phone and hang out the ‘do not disturb’ sign.

Tarot of the Spirit World

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A Decision Needs To Be Made

The High Priestess being a 2 card can suggest choice, options or a decision. You might need to make a decision about your relationship, choose between two partners, to stay or go, to commit or not. You must consult both your head and heart in this matter and do what is right for you. However, from where you sit, it may seem either black or white to you with nothing in between. However, you may be asked to take the in-between approach, to select the grey, to give it a go,  but it will probably be all or nothing with you. You might not be interested in selecting the grey, as that is where mediocre dwells, making do, and settling for less than you should. You really need to feel something strong and it’s just not there for you. You may need a break from the relationship. The High Priestess appearing in this manner could be encouraging you to be happy alone, to be at peace in your own company. You may not need a relationship at this point in time. It could be an important time for personal development. You are your own person when the High Priestess appears. Also, do not put up with shit from anyone.

You Do Not Have All The Facts

The High Priestess holds the partially revealed scroll in her hands and suggests you do not have all the facts about your issue at present. You may strongly want to react to something, but it is important not to run with half-baked facts or snippets of third-hand information. It could be wrong. Something may be hidden and you will need to dig deeper to find out what is going on. Someone may be concealing information or holding a secret that has the potential to affect your relationship or future happiness. Demanding answers or explanations of others will be counter-productive. Use your own deductive skills to get to the bottom of issues in love, relationships, or with your partner.

Cosmic Tarot – High Priestess

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Suspicious? – Wait And See – You May Have It All Wrong!

Sometimes a situation can occur where everything points to a certain conclusion or person, even without direct proof. For example, you may have a suspicion about your partner or spouse and it all adds up. You have heard them on the phone speaking privately. He has hung up or pretended to be speaking to someone else when you walk in. You could step forward and confront him, make a scene, call the other person out and hurl accusations. Indeed, many around you could be encouraging of such action, but The High Priestess asks you to exercise restraint, to wait and see for yourself as it may not be what you and others think. And so, you sit on it and watch. In time, it reveals itself. Your partner was organising a surprise for you and needed a collaborator to help with the detail and cover, hence the secret phone calls. There was nothing to worry about. No one was doing anything untoward or devious, except organising a nice surprise for you. Could you imagine the disaster if you had launched in with accusations and the rest. Your lovely surprise would have been ruined, and possibly your relationship with it. You feel so relieved and thankful for not making a scene. This does not imply you allow everything to slip by on the basis that it is probably nothing. Sometimes it is something, and yes, the High Priestess could be concealing the facts from you but you need to be sure. In any event,  you must act prudently and take a cautious approach before making any accusation. Even when we believe there is overwhelming evidence stacked against someone, we might have it all wrong.

High Priestess – Book of Thoth

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Memories – Something Feels Familiar

The High Priestess can indicate memories surfacing, or the need to remember something important. In relationships this could imply the situation you find yourself in may have happened to you before. Does anything strike you as familiar? Have you felt or thought this way in the past? Has this happened to you before? Ty to remember. Reflect on past experiences, relationships and love. The answer to your issues lies within, with you, or in your past. Check for the Moon in  your spread as it would reinforce this interpretation. Trust your gut instincts on this one. The Six of Cups could point to casting your memory back to childhood and formative years to explain ongoing relationship issues. You may need to ask questions of your family if your memory is cloudy.

Shrouded In Veils Of Mystery  – A Riddle

As part of the triple goddess, The High Priestess can represent all aspects of sexuality, but more so the Maiden and Crone. She can manifest as the chaste and virginal or sex bomb Maiden, The expectant Mother (not yet given birth), and the more reserved or sexually retired Crone. The Maiden plays a strong part in her chaste virginal role, and the Crone can also be responsible for her more nun-like, moralistic side. Her various aspects are reflected at she evolves. The veil that hangs behind her and the flowing rippling gowns that drape her form can be several layers deep. Each layer or veil when revealed, presents a different aspect of The High Priestess. This makes the High Priestess quite complex and often a mystery to divine in relationships and love. She is the riddle that needs to be patiently solved.

Every Day Witch Tarot – High Priestess

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The Seed Has Been Sewn But You Do Not Yet Know

In her mother-in-waiting aspect, I associate The High Priestess with conception, the initial fertilisation of the seed. She is the first stirrings within, the time before conscious awareness of pregnancy. She can suggest the very, very early stage of pregnancy as the seed of The Magician fertilises the egg of the High Priestess. Nothing yet is noticed, the pregnancy even a secret to the High Priestess herself and the Magician. Yes, she may feel different in herself, not the norm, off form, but she does not yet know why. Her presence in a relationship, love or sex reading, could suggest you are pregnant but do not know it as this point in time.

Transitioning From Maiden To Mother – Early Pregnancy

The High Priestess I feel can represent the first trimester of a pregnancy, from the very moment of conception up to the 12 week marker when you can release your breath and begin to believe you are going to have a baby. The first trimester can be a nerve wracking time when it is unsure whether you will successfully carry the baby through it. The majority of miscarriages occur in the first trimester, so many women choose not to tempt fate by dwelling on it too much, or talking openly about it for fear of jinxing. It is too dangerous to fully consider your pregnancy during this time, so you remain as the High Priestess until further notice. Therefore, the maiden aspect of the High Priestess continues to operate and those outside her inner-circle may not notice any change in her other than her not drinking, which of course could be for health reasons alone. Once safely past the first trimester, I see her slowly evolve into the Empress as the bump appears and it becomes all about the baby and she blooms into the radiant expectant mother. As her body changes and fills out, she loses her maidenly appearance and becomes the matronly Empress instead. The High Priestess will nonetheless escort her throughout the rest of pregnancy (as Goddess Isis, she is the protector of motherhood and birthing), ensuring the safety of the unborn through the gestation process. After all, it is where the seed first took hold, when she knew of the conception before the conscious mind did.

Archeon Tarot – High Priestess

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The Midwife

When the time comes, the High Priestess will withdraw into confinement with The Empress and tend to her needs as only another female can. Her connection to the birthing process can see her represented as the midwife or maternity nurse. In medieval times, the Queen withdrew into confinement for the last month of her pregnancy. Surrounded by her closest ladies-in-waiting, she retreated into her quarters where all the windows remained closed and curtains drawn for the duration. Fires were lit and food was brought to her room, but other than her ladies in waiting, no one else could enter, not even the King. Once the baby was delivered and the King was notified, should he insist on coming to see her, he could not look directly upon her, but had to communicate with her through a veil, cloth or screen, thus preserving from men the female mystery of birthing. Only female energy was permitted at this time. The High Priestess is connected to the Egyptian Goddess Isis. Isis’s priestesses were trained in the art of midwifery.

Reassurance In Pregnancy

If you are wondering about how your pregnancy is progressing, The High Priestess appearing can act as reassurance. Nature is doing what it is supposed to. She is sitting guard over the pregnancy and incubating the fetus. It is in safe hands. Everything is progressing as it should with no need to fret. Her stillness alerts you to the slow passage of time. Even though she appears to remain static, there is much growth occurring. The fetus is growing bit by bit and all is well. You must be patient and wait for the birth. Relax into your time as Empress and let the High Priestess do her work in the background. Her presence could also indicate you are on the brink. Any day now. You are waiting to get a sign the baby is on its way. You might also be overdue (check Four of Pentacles). If you are pregnant and worried about how good a mother you will be, the High Priestess insists you are ready for this, your natural maternal instincts will kick in and you will know what to do. She provides the intuitive skills you need to mind and rear baby. You can buy all the books on pregnancy and childcare, watch endless tutorial videos online, but they cannot offer the instinctive knowledge of The High Priestess. Before the dawn of the internet and the prolific release of ‘How To Guides’ for pregnancy, childbirth and child rearing, women had just themselves to turn to, had to get on with it. They managed to get pregnant, carry their babies, give birth and then care for baby without any support other than the advice and experience of other females in family. If you think you will not be able to get through it all, The High Priestess says, Yes, You Can. Your body on all levels is designed to do so and has done it effectively since the dawn of time. All the knowledge you need is within you.  The High Priestess will be with you every step of the way.

Sulamith Wulfing Art

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Pregnancy Test

I remember reading online some time ago of a woman who was enquiring of the tarot as to whether she was pregnant or not and drew the High Priestess. Her focus was drawn to the two lines of her card number II along with the two lines formed by the pillars.  She saw a connection between these and the lines that appear in a pregnancy test kit. She believed The High Priestess was confirming that yes, she was pregnant, and would find out if she decided to check. It was very early days and the woman did not believe her test at that stage could be relied on. She believed the High Priestess knew more than she did though, was aware of her conception, had been present for it and was now guarding her secret until she could share it with the woman herself. The woman decided to get a test and lo and behold the two lines appeared and she was over the moon.

Birth Control

The High Priestess can imply birth control. You are taking the necessary steps to avoid pregnancy. You wish to retain your maiden status. The veil in the background now acting as a barrier between her and the seed of the Magician, effectively blocking nature in taking its course. The High Priestess can also suggest your monthly cycle if it significantly effects you. You may feel too tired and listless to go anywhere and so remain resting behind your veil until you feel sufficiently returned to normal. Abstaining from sex during your period is also hinted at. The High Priestess could imply you are waiting for your period to arrive. You may be concerned about a possible pregnancy that was not planned and sit counting the days down until your period is due. You may wonder if the sensations or symptoms you have are a sign of the imminent arrival of your period, or pregnancy. You feel it is any day now, so just want it to arrive and let you off the hook.

Sulamith Wulfing – The Crystal

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Thinking About Having A Baby

The High Priestess is strongly connected to the spiritual plane. She can be abstract and non-physical, creating an intangible presence. We might wonder if she is real or just a figment of our imagination or mental processes. Where conception and pregnancy are concerned, The High Priestess could be implying your desire for one is not fully manifest. You might be thinking about having a baby, contemplating what sort of parent you might be, what it would be like, but haven’t done anything about it yet. You may attempt to conjure up, or imagine how life with a baby would work for you. At this stage, the seed is only being planted in your mind, not in your womb. Mentally you are preparing yourself for possible pregnancy, trying it out in your mind to see what it is like. You have made no commitment to it yet, but are dwelling on it, possibly bordering on broodiness. With the Upright High Priestess, no decision has yet being made. The line has not been stepped over yet. You can prepare to become the Empress or remain as the maiden. Should you decide to go for it, your days as maiden will come to an end. This is a very major life change, and rightly so, the High Priestess gives it much consideration. As High Priestess, you may find aspects of The Empress’ status enviable and be keen to move towards her, or you could decide you prefer to stay as you are. Many rush through the High Priestess stage, eager to be an Empress, only to look back at her longingly and wistfully, regretful of not taking full advantage of that time. As High Priestess you may be preparing to spiritually align for potential conception. You may be bringing your mind into a heightened state of awareness in preparation for pregnancy. You could be connecting with the Universe and your maternal instincts, focusing on the womb for the work it must do. You might be quite pensive during this time as you prepare for the transition.

My Body, My Decision!

If the High Priestess has discovered a pregnancy, she is not obliged to reveal it to anyone. She can take the necessary steps that will prevent her from becoming The Empress. She can still choose to stay as Maiden. Should she choose to stay as Maiden, this will be a decision that has been given much consideration and will not be treated lightly. She may keep it to herself on the basis she does not want to be pressurised or judged by anyone. It will be her that must carry and care for the baby, her body, and her ultimate decision.

World Spirit Tarot – High Priestess

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Sensing Pregnancy

Hormones and high fertility accompany the High Priestess and if you are not ready to become the Empress or Emperor, you must take care as conception is very possible. The High Priestess is highly tuned and accutely sensitive to changing vibrations and energy fluctuations. In this manner she is hyper-aware of subtle changes around and within her. Her presence could highlight emerging feelings you are having in connection with pregnancy. You might feel you are pregnant without any proof to back it up with. You could be sensing pregnancy through subtle changes within you – being able to read the signs. In the same manner you could sense the pregnancy of another before it becomes visible or public knowledge. Sensing it and saying it are two different things. It is just an internal feeling, a gut feeling, a hunch, and you might prefer to keep it to yourself. You could be keeping a pregnancy secret or concealed. You may not want to tell anyone of your pregnancy until the first trimester has passed. You may also be able to accurately sense the sex of a baby you or another is carrying.

Preparing For Confinement – The Lying In

If you are pregnant, birth may be imminent when the High Priestess appears as she can herald the moment of withdrawing into confinement, the lying-in. The imagery gives us the impression she is waiting to give birth, possibly wondering if the baby is ‘ever going to arrive’. She may be in the labour ward, embarking on the birthing process. During this time you may want to surround yourself with females who are tuned into you – the support of female friends during pregnancy or labor.

The Great Mother ( High Priestess) – Tarot of the Origin

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Hormones And PMT

Cyclical hormonal Moods could be colouring your perception of a relationship or disturbing its equilibrium when the High Priestess appears. Pre-Menstrual Tension could be an issue (check for Moon). You might feel disconnected or detached from normal life, or forced to retreat due to problematic monthly cycles.

Sex

Are The Emperor and Empress The Only Ones Having Sex? -Allowing The High Priestess A Sex Life!

Many Taroists make very definite distinctions between the High Priestess and The Empress, with the former being a virgin, chaste with no sexual experience, and the latter being sexually active and procreating. They do not connect the High Priestess with the state of pregnancy. If pregnant at all, it is the immaculate conception. The High Priestess is often associated with Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Empress is pregnancy, the mother figure, sexually active for procreation. However, this holds fast to the old tradition of a non-married woman staying pure until her wedding night when she loses her virginity and can legitimately become pregnant. We live in a modern society and tarot must reflect that.  If we only single out the Empress as the sexual expression of womanhood, as in conception and motherhood, and the High Priestess as the virginal sexually inactive female archetype waiting to be made an honest woman of, where does that leave all the females who are sexually active but single, or the single mums? The Emperor and Empress symbolise married sex, settled sex, procreation and all that goes with it. That leaves out a whole bunch of others who are having sex but do not fall into this category. What are they up to, and which Major represents them? The Magician, the masculine archetype and male counterpart to the High Priestess is not associated with celibacy and pureness. The Hierophant is, and I believe he represents both men and women in this regard. Far from celibacy, The Magician is out sowing his wild oats and having a good time before he evolves into the Emperor and is expected to conform and commit. Why then should the High Priestess be expected to stay chaste and pure? She too will evolve into her role as the Empress, but until then she has a bit of living to do. The Magician and High Priestess are viewed in abstract form. They represent the Masculine and Feminine Principle, but not in the flesh and blood sense. They are the spirit of Masculine and Feminine. It is the Emperor and Empress who act these roles in the physical. When studying tarot we are often instructed not to put any sexual associations with The High Priestess as a result. Should this not also apply to the Magician then? Not so. When he appears in a relationship reading he is interpreted as a powerful man and lover. He holds the Wand – a phallic symbol, in his hand for all to see. He is broadcasting his virility, letting us know he is sexually active. So, if only the Emperor is having sex with the Empress, who is the Magician having sex with in his non-married state?

Arcanum Tarot – High Priestess

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Virginity

It depends on the status of The High Priestess as to whether she is having sex or not. In her young virginal pure state, her presence in a reading could imply virginity, the hymen still intact (veil in background). This person hasn’t had sex, is not sexually active or is not ready for sex. They probably won’t be interested in a relationship where sex is a requirement. They will have strong views on their virginity, so you must respect this.

Don’t Give Away The Goods Too Soon! – Virginity

In her virginal, chaste or pure aspect, The High Priestess could be advising you not to give away the goods too soon. To hold onto it a bit longer.  You may be saving yourself for the right one or marriage. You could be placing a high value on your virginity. You consider your body to be a sacred temple, are respecting it and your sexuality. You are being protective of your virtues. She suggests a moralistic and conscientious attitude to love and sex. There may be religious elements to a relationship or your approach to it.  The High Priestess can embody a virginal, pure, or modest approach in her Maiden aspect. You may be preparing yourself for marriage or placing great importance on the spiritual, religious or cultural aspect of courtship or marriage. The veil in the imagery may symbolically represent the intact hymen, and act as proof of her virginity. Her virginity may be highly-prized in certain cultures and religions, thus attracting only the most eligible of suitors.

The Elemental Tarot – High Priestess

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There’s Just Something About You!

If she is not protecting her virtue and maidenhood, The High Priestess will possess a cool sexuality- an ethereal quality. Your slightest move, gesture, turn of head, flick of hair, how you walk, how you talk, the way you dress, the way you smell, is a turn-on and having a very powerful affect on someone, or several, whether you know it or not. The High Priestess is trained in the art of love-making, she is the vagina that attracts the phallus of the  Magician. Her presence can hint at the potential for powerful orgasm. As High Priestess you are probably deeply aware of your powers of attraction. This could puzzle you as much as it puzzles those who are drawn to you as you will claim you do nothing to encourage it. Those who pursue you may find you a little scary, even if they do fantasise about you sexually. You are not viewed as a mortal being, but something otherworldly. Your sheer presence alone has the power to tongue-tie many a would-be suitor.   They are captivated with you, but you may be considered out of the average suitor’s league, unattainable or unapproachable, not intended for mortal beings. People entertain idealistic and unrealistic notions about you.  This could be an isolating issue and might lead to loneliness if you are placed on too high a pedestal by everyone.  You don’t want people making out you are something you are not, but what can you do? You may have little power over this as it is happening naturally and not being encouraged on your part. You will need to work hard to dispel people’s impression of you if that is what you want. However, you may place yourself sexually out of reach if you have raised the bar in your search for love. You might be waiting for the perfect Magician to turn up. The High Priestess understands the sexual needs of The Magician and knows how to play to him. They perfectly compliment each other, yet remain polar opposites. James Bond would not be so interesting if he flew solo without his High Priestess.

The High Priestess – Yoshitaka Amano Tarot Art

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Sexually Withdrawn

The High Priestess also embodies the power of abstinence and chastity. You could be sexually withdrawing from your partner or withholding sex for some reason. Maybe you are not interested in sex right now, or in general. There is the potential to be sexually cold or indifferent.  You might be abstaining or withdrawing from sex for one reason or another. If pregnant, the birth may be imminent and you are focusing on that. A vestal virgin, you could be keeping yourself chaste or pure. You may have taken a vow of celibacy.

The High Priestess can suggest a virtuous or saintly personality. You might be saving yourself for the right one or marriage. You see sex as a spiritual act between two committed loving individuals, not as something to casually indulge in. You are discreet and private about your sex life – do not kiss and tell. You will of course, expect your partner to be equally discreet.

Sex Is Not On The Cards

Depending on surrounding cards, sex may not be forthcoming which could leave you confused when The High Priestess appears. Do not force the issue – you may have to wait a while for sex in this relationship. You will know when the time is right. Rushing now will cause this person to back off. You must build trust as they are looking for something more than sex. If you are simply seeking sex with this person, your motives are very transparent and you are wasting your time. Your normal chat up lines will not work as they are immune to this type of approach. Spend time getting to know them first, if that is possible for you. A slow approach is necessary here. You will be amply rewarded for your patience as this relationship may be worth waiting for.  Likewise, do not be rushed into sex until you are ready. If sex does occur, there may be a reluctance to stay the night or hang around for breakfast the next morning. There may be a need to to retreat and figure it out. They may be reluctant to see you again if sex happens too soon. This person does not like to lose control. They will feel they have acted out of character and will need time to come around. They need to know the person before becoming intimate.

The Female Touch / Solo Sex

The High Priestess’s connection to covens and  female temples of worship could suggest lesbian relationships. Like the Magician, single sex may also be hinted at, as in masturbation. Although part of the dual archetypes needed for procreation, both High Priestess and Magician possess autonomy and sovereignty in their private realms.  They can operate independently of each other, but when they come together, it is pure magic.

A Simmering Passion

The High Priestess could suggest a simmering passion that is coming to the boil. It is becoming more difficult to contain or deny it. When it does reach fever pitch, all inhibition will be thrown to the wind as the Magician and High Priestess fall upon each other. You may be sitting patiently waiting for such a union, or on the brink of it. Check surrounding cards for signs of change, action and passion.

Karma Sutra – Mind Blowing Sex

For all her virginal appearance and association, the High Priestess is linked to great sex, mind-blowing sex, up there with the best sex ever sex. She can help you transcend sexual boundaries and inhibitions, leading to a profound spiritual experience. Sex with this aspect of The High Priestess can take you to another level and be deeply symbolic and intense. We may be looking at a Karma Sutra adept. It will be hard to shake off the memory of it – like nothing you experienced before.

There is also a suggestion of non-married sex which can be very different in nature to married sex. I would see the sex associated with The High Priestess as early relationship, before it has matured into long-term or marriage.

Julie Cuccia Watts – The Journey Into Egypt Tarot – High Priestess

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How He/She sees me

Feels a connection to you which may be hard to define. They may feel they met you before in another life, that you have a karmic or spiritual tie. There is something very special about you. They see you as someone who gives unbiased advice, as very wise and perceptive. That you are great to talk to, but entertain no romantic feelings for you. They may have fluctuating feelings towards or for you, and vice versa. That you blow hot and cold and don’t know where they stand with you. They see you as independent, not an easy target and won’t be jumping into bed with them anytime soon. Not open to a bit of flirtation.  As someone not to try any funny moves on. Can’t take a joke. As a cool customer, someone who keeps to them self, or is standoffish. They could see you as withdrawn from them, avoiding intimacy or personal interaction. That you want to be left alone.  That you are hard to get to know and best left to yourself. That you are playing your cards very close to your chest. Not letting anything slip. Hard to read how you feel about them. That you are guarded or closed. You might be seen as  secretive, withholding information from them or concealing something. Perhaps you are seen as lonely, cut off, friendless, with no social outlet.  They may see you as unavailable, unapproachable or unattainable. They may think you prudish, modest or shy, sanctimonious or saintly. They may view you as virginal, sexually inexperienced, or not available sexually. They may feel an attraction for you that is hard to define. They could fantasise about you, wonder what it would be like to have sex with you. As the ideal partner in theory. They may stare at you, but not venture to talk to you. That they have little in common with you, that you live on separate planets. Might think you are a bit uptight or stuck up. You would be seen as someone who needs to be intellectually stimulated and only have time for intelligent people. They might think you look down your nose at them. That you are too good for them. That you would not be interested in them, not relationship material. That you find them boring. That they will look but go no further. That nothing is likely to happen between you. That you might be high maintenance, or that a relationship with you might be hard work.

Yes/No – Hard to say. The attraction may be one-sided. Not a straight forward relationship, could be quite complicated. You are being kept at arm’s length or being given the cold shoulder. This is a 2 card. It might feel like yes, one day, and a definite no the next. The answer is not straightforward. It is not clear what she wants, or perhaps what you want. Deep down you already know the answer. Trust your gut instinct on this one. The Outcome is unsure or cannot be revealed. Sit on it. Don’t do anything yet. No it cannot happen between you at this point in time. You are not ready or vice versa. Something is being hidden at present and you must wait. You do not have the full picture on  this person or relationship yet. It may be all in your head. Are you reading signals that are not there? May only be a platonic relationship on offer. Are you misinterpreting a friendship for something more? Nothing happening.  You may be better off on your own at present. This relationship will not fulfill you. Not the best sign for a true flesh and blood relationship. Keep your feelings to your self right now, declare nothing. Black/white pillars. Could be yes or no. He/she has not yet decided about you.

The High Priestess Reversed

The High Priestess Reversed

Read Associated Blog Post – High Priestess – Relationships, Love & Sex

2 rx – Duplicity, repulsion, masculine/feminine Imbalances, unemotional, unloving, resistance, disagreeable, tactless, insensitive, inconsiderate, indecisive, inflexible, unsteady, unpredictable, irresponsible, disruptive, superficial, shallow, vindictive, fearful.

Coming Out Of Isolation

The Reversed High Priestess can imply the end of a period of isolation for you on the relationship front. After spending much time on your own, being single out of circumstance or by design, you actively seek interaction, companionship or intimacy with another. You are looking for action in the romance department and people may be surprised to see you about and about again and enquire as to where you have been all this time. You are definitely not as aloof as you have been and are spending more time with friends, accepting invitations, returning calls and texts and wanting to hang out. After taking a break from social media you become actively involved once again.

The High Priestess

Coming Out Of Your Shell

You may be undergoing a transformation of sorts. Your personality may be maturing. Whereas once you were quiet a shy and introvert person you have become more open and engaging. You may also have changed in appearance, dressing a little more daring or revamping your look. Gone is the stereotypical librarian look and many may not instantly recognise you. They will also be quite surprised by the new you that may have changed considerably. You now seek out company and feel comfortable talking to others and even sharing some personal info. Where relationships are concerned, you may have decided to emancipate yourself from the tight control you have kept on your life, or perhaps you have begun to trust someone enough to allow them closer. A suitor may have proven them-self more than worthy of your affection, which has allowed you open the door a fraction. You may have moved away from a strict religious environment or background, and now feel independent and free to live live as you choose. You may have had a sexual encounter that has totally liberated you. It may have changed your whole perspective on things. Returning to the Fool, you are less hung up and self-absorbed. You seem to be going with the flow for a change instead of resisting it.

Depression 

The Reversed High Priestess’s withdrawn and solitude state may not be for the same reasons as her Upright Aspect. She may have originally taken a step back or retreated to make sense of a situation but has stayed removed from mainstream life, her friends and social activities too long. It is time for her to return to the world she left behind and take her rightful place among the rest of humanity, but she has disappeared further into a private world of her own making. Depending on surrounding cards, the Reversed High Priestess could point to a level of depression or the blues.  There is apathy and possible chronic fatigue. This could have set in after a failed relationship, a broken heart, the betrayal of a lover, or a bereavement. She is disappearing slowly but surely and both friends and family will need to intervene. The presence of the Nine or Eight of Swords and Reversed Courts could highlight the darkness of depression. Now when she says she wants to be alone, or left alone, it is not wise to comply with her request. However, forcing her out into the world is not the answer either. The presence of the Hermit or Temperance could be advising counselling. Her GP would be the best place to start. The longer she remains withdrawn, the harder it will be to get her back. She could develop social anxiety. She has lost interest in life and needs it to be rekindled.

Can’t Shut Her Up

Instead of being quiet, withdrawn and pensive, the Reversed High Priestess could have a lot to say. She may be positively gushing when she meets you, talking non-stop, telling you things about her you hadn’t dreamed of asking or even desire to know. She could even say things that might embarrass you, leaving you speechless. Conversation with her may be compared with her reading her Resume out loud to all who will listen. She is eager to showcase herself. It might be hard to shut her up. Embarrassment, or inability to deal with silences could be to blame. She may have to fill any gaps in conversation with gabble if she feels uneasy saying nothing. When introduced to friends or brought home to meet parents for the first time, nerves could have her say the silliest things, or she could embarrass people by asking very pointed or direct questions. She may want to divulge private details about herself, but others may not. She could adopt an attitude of ‘so I have given you all the gory details about me, now you turn’. She may try to force revelations from you.

On the contrary, The Reversed High Priestess could act as a warning when meeting potential suitors or when going on dates, that you are not asking enough pertinent questions to determine the personality of the person you are dealing with. You are doing all the talking and giving them little opportunity to talk about them self. They may get to hear all about you, but you do not venture to ask anything of them. The person may feel you have little interest in getting to know them better. The may see you as self-absorbed. You do no want to come across as intrusive or nosey. You do not have to ask for intimate details but you should extract basic details.

Priestess by neshad on DeviantArt

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Painfully Shy

Instead of coming out of her shell, the Reversed High Priestess may go into an extreme version of her Upright Aspect by becoming painfully shy. She feels ill at ease or uncomfortable being around others, her inability to converse not a sign of composure but of self-consciousness. She thinks everyone is looking at her, talking about her, laughing at her. She shuns attention. Her natural aloofness and detachment could turn into social anxiety when she finds it impossible to move outside her domain. She might develop agoraphobia if she retreats too far into her shell.  Instead of feeling secure in her personal space, she is trapped in it and cannot permit anyone come close. It has all gotten out of hand. The Reversed High Priestess may have been removed or shielded from the world by the hands of others and is not Au-fait with the workings of it, or her fellow human being.

They’re All In Love With Me

When it comes to the male species, The High Priestess might fall apart if she has been shielded from interaction with them or had her impressions coloured by an other’s influence. She does not have a proper understanding of males because she has been kept separated from them. She may only see them in a romantic light, not as potential friends or acquaintances. Then again, depending on cultural or religious rules, she may not be encouraged or permitted to form friendships with males other than brothers she may have  In this manner she can become skittish and childish when males enter her vicinity.  She cannot relate to them and finds it impossible to form friendships with them.

To the Reversed High Priestess, a male in her vicinity  suggests someone looking for love, a potential partner. She may only consider men on this level, mistaking any interest in her as love, not friendship. She might think all men who talk to her are in love with her or entertain romantic notions about her. She lacks the social skills of dealing and interacting with males.

Conflicted

The High Priestess can suggest you are torn between doing the right thing, and doing what you want. You are faced with a decision which will bring your morals and values into question should you take a certain course of action. For example, the Lovers Reversed may appear in your reading to suggest you are struggling with temptations of the flesh. There is the potential for an affair, something that normally you loathe in another. You have seen the devastation caused by affairs within your own family or circle of friends, yet here you are, on the brink of entering one yourself. You are shocked by your strength of feeling for this person and wonder if you can continue to resist. At present you have not stepped over the line, but you are thinking about it.  You are dreadfully conflicted for this is not who you thought you were or professed to be. Should you elect to go with the affair you can no longer claim to be the virtuous High Priestess.

Fear Of Being Left On The Shelf

The Upright High Priestess is very self-sufficient and comfortable in her own company. She does not need a relationship to feel fulfilled as all her needs are supplied from within. She is content and independent. Her Reversed Aspect can go into a bit of panic when left single for too long. She fears being alone, spending time on her own and not having a partner hanging on her arm or to lean on. Indeed, she might be fearful of many things and could suffer a bit of anxiety. She places far too much importance on having a partner. She equates being on her own with being lonely or unlovable. She might think there is something wrong with her if she is the only one in her circle without a partner.

When Upright, The High Priestess can spend much time contemplating the suitability of a potential suitor, or the wisdom in pursuing a certain relationship at all, but when Reversed, her deep fear of being alone may find her rushing into relationships without due consideration. It is better to have someone, anyone, rather than be on her own. Instead of valuing and cherishing her single status and independence, she is keen to be rid of it, to be part of a couple, someone’s other half.

Sama-Sama Studio – Deviant Art – High Priestess

Sama-Sama Studio – Deviant Art – High Priestess

Action Is Required

If you have been sitting back waiting for something to happen with a certain person, or if keen to pursue a relationship, it may never happen unless you begin to take some action. Now is not the time for passivity. Time to move things forward. If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, Muhammad will have to go to the mountain. Otherwise nothing will happen.

Act Now, Save Your Relationship

In a similar manner, The Reversed High Priestess may be roaring at you in an attempt to get your attention. If there is something wrong in your relationship sitting back and doing nothing about it or waiting for your partner to sort it out won’t work. Now is not the time for passivity.  It has reached a tipping point and action must be taken if you value this relationship. Acting to save your relationship could entail you making moves, doing and saying things that may knock you out of your comfort zone, but it is now or never.

Trying To Force A Relationship

The Reversed High Priestess could find you impatient, trying to rush or force a relationship that is either moving too slow or lacks sufficient depth. You are making it out to be something it is not. It is either on the brink of awakening or is dead in the water. The High Priestess is distant enough when upright, but can appear to be on another planet to you when Reversed. Depending on surrounding cards, she may be getting ready to make a move, to allow things happen, or has so many veils wrapped around her, you have no chance of getting close. You may be fascinated with her and want to will a relationship into life, but may have to accept it is going nowhere. The same applies with hoping for a sexual encounter with her. Forget it, you have no hope here. She is not being coy or restrained when you make sexual advances towards her, she is just not interested. She doesn’t see you in a sexual light.

The Wandering Polymath, Eric Tecce – High Priestess.

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Lack Of Spiritual Connection

The Reversed High Priestess could highlight a lack of spiritual connection between you and your partner. You sense there is something missing, that the relationship lacks depth and true feeling. You believe you should feel more of a connection to your partner but it’s not there. You now see no connection at all, more like chalk and cheese really. Sensed karmic or psychic connections are now viewed in an unwelcome or unsettling manner. It is not the positive connection you had hoped for, yet you feel some history between you that must be worked through. This could point to a problematic or challenging relationship, one that brings more grief than joy.

In the Upright High Priestess we explored the possibility of opposites attracting each other, but when Reversed, this could lead to repulsion. You see nothing in this person that would remotely interest you, they really aren’t your type. In fact you may hate their type, find them shallow, superficial, insincere and very one-dimensional. The only thing you are sure of is that you would never get on.

Intuition Is Not Required Here – Accept It At Face Value

When the Reversed High Priestess appears in a relationship or love interest reading, there is no need to employ any great intuition to determine where it is heading and what the outcome might be. It won’t require much analysis or debate. Don’t waste your time wondering what her absence/silence/retreat might mean. It means exactly what it is presenting as. It will be quite clear what is going on and does not need much deduction. Your intuition may be playing tricks on you, or perhaps it is wishful thinking or desperation that leads you to believe it is intuition. The Upright High Priestess in a love interest reading often encourages you to look deeper to find real meaning, that not all is revealed to you at present, to wait. When she reverses, what you see it what you get. If she does not show any signs of interest in you, or of coming back to you, then that is what she is trying to tell you. She is not playing hard to get, or waiting for you to solve her riddle. In essence she warns you not to read anything into what you consider are signals or vibes she is sending as they are only in your own imagination and not coming from her. This is easily worked out, just do the maths or join the dots. There is no mystery to solve.

On the contrary, you may dismiss true signals she sends on the basis it is all in your imagination and best ignored. You may not feel worthy of her and hence look for nothing from her.

Emily Lubanko – High Priestess

Product Link – Emily Lubanko – High Priestess – Print

Ignoring Your Intuition

On the other hand, she could be warning of the perils of not listening to your intuition, not paying attention to your gut instincts or feelings. You are allowing your conscious mind dictate and override any doubts you have about a certain person. As soon as you experience the slightest unease your conscious mind is too quick to dismiss or make excuses for it. Deep down you sense that all is not in order but will not acknowledge or act upon it. You may go against your better judgement or instinct and deliberately turn a blind eye to something, allowing incidents slip under the radar. You may not want to deal with the situation and so let it drift in the belief any involvement from you will make it worse. Then again, doubts and suspicion you have fought hard against by applying logic and reason refuse to go away. How much longer are you expected to sit and do nothing about it? The Reversed High Priestess could be telling you the time has come for to very definitely react and take action.  Have some self-respect. You owe it to yourself to clear this up once and for all. You either have it all wrong or there is something to be worried about.

No Secrets Here -Nothing Going On

Likewise, if you have been drawn into gossip or speculation about a certain person’s involvement with another, or their actions, the Reversed High Priestess could be telling you there is nothing going on, nothing to see and suggests you move on.

Steampunk Tarot – The High Priestess

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Seeking Advice From The Wrong People

Where advice or counsel is suggested, The Reversed High Priestess could suggest you are receiving wise advice about your relationship from someone, but choose to ignore it and do your own thing. Friends’ warnings could go unheeded. Alternatively, you may be seeking advice from all the wrong people. Many are quick to project their own insecurities and attitudes when dishing out advice. The Mystic side of the High Priestess becomes more charlatan in nature when she Reverses. She enters the realm of those who abuse their natural psychic powers, make sensational claims of their abilities and, with just superficial knowledge of the occult, trade their services to the easily influenced or needy. Cross their palm with silver and all will be revealed. Travel to any psychic fair and you will find people who go from one reader to another in search of the right answer, which of course is the answer according to them.

The High Priestess is quick to point out that your future is not set in stone, that it is not possible to know exactly what the outcome might be, that certain life events may need to happen before finding true love or happiness. She also reminds you that not everything has a happy ending. Contrary to this approach, her Reversed High Priestess counterpart will give guarantees, make specific predictions about your love life, confirm the presence of a soul mate in whoever your current interest might be. Her forecasts can be catastrophic or happy ever after for love, depending on how she feels and what best suits the purpose. She is neither selective nor responsible with the advice she dishes out, preying on the desperate and vulnerable who will part with large sums of money just to be told what they want to hear. Her presence in a love reading could be highlighting an over-reliance on psychics, mystics, tarot readers or astrologists and casting spells when it comes to finding love. You are spending too much of your time and money seeking answers which may be scant in accuracy. You are prepared to believe anything you are told. You take readings literally and see only what you want to see. You are overly-attached to a particular outcome in your readings and therefore cause them to be tainted. You also place readers under pressure to deliver a reading that matches your expectations. If not, you can become irritated and dismiss the reader as incompetent or useless.

If reading for yourself, you are consulting the cards too often, or pulling card after card until you get the ones you want. You are looking for answers externally and do not trust your own counsel, or it’s perhaps warped or biased. The High Priestess Reversed can find you obsessing about love, the need for a partner and finding a soulmate as you traipse from one reader to another. You are not prepared to let things happen naturally, to use your own power to draw love into your life. You would rather give away your power and pay someone who will tell you lots of wonderful things about a ‘certain other’ who is out there waiting to unite with you. However, you only believe them when their readings match your own set beliefs.

The Reversed High Priestess will also indulge in entrapment spells in the hope of securing a certain love match. This leads her into highly questionable metaphysical practices. Instead of sending out positive energy and invoking the laws of attraction naturally, she will attempt to control the outcome, by using dubious occult arts to force the affections of another against their will or knowledge. She can also punish partners, exes or love rivals through the use of black magic should they cross her.

The Witch’s Tarot – High Priestess

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Female Influence

The Reversed High Priestess can suggest a lack of female friends or missing a female opinion or viewpoint. You may be surround by males and feel they do not fully understand you. You may lack a sisterly or motherly influence. As a man, you might not be familiar with females if you have not grown up around them. You could feel awkward in their presence and unsure of how to approach them. You may see them as exotic creatures or high maintenance and find it hard to relate to them.  For women, The Reversed High Priestess could imply you prefer the company of males to females. You may feel you have more in common with the guys than you do the girls, disliking the competitive energy that can build when women group together and form cliques. As a woman you understand the mysterious workings of the female species, find it tedious, and prefer the more direct nature of males.

Misogyny v Man-Hater

Depending on surrounding cards, the Reversed High Priestess could suggest misogyny. She very much embodies the essence of woman, the feminine principal, which can sometimes be feared by men on a personal, cultural or religious basis. Her Reversed presence in your reading could suggest a partner or suitor who sees women as lesser beings or holds them in contempt. He may also see women in a purely sexual way, not assigning any other importance to them, only good for one thing. You may be on the receiving end of sexist remarks or sexual harassment. There may be an attitude of wanting to put women in their place when the Reversed High Priestess appears.  Equally so, the Reversed High Priestess could veer so much to her feminine side, she becomes a die-hard feminist, a man-hater who aims to convert as many women to her side as possible. She believes a world rid of men would solve all problems. She finds  fault in everything they do.

High Priestess – ChristineMarieArt.deviantart.com on @DeviantArt

Giving Up On Men

The Reversed High Priestess can equally find you vowing off men, and choosing to stay single. You may have grown tired of the dating game or had a series of bad experiences and have taken a step back. You might be focusing on developing friendships rather than getting romantically involved with another.

Just Friends / Friends With Benefits

Her Reversed presence in your reading could be letting you know the one you are interested in only views you as a friend and seeks no more. They may seek a platonic relationship and nothing else. This you may not realise and believe their friendliness to be something more, especially when they seek out your company so often. You get on really well and feel very comfortable with each other, but this is more like a sibling relationship than romantic. Those who do realise the nature of this type of relationship may be quite happy. The Reversed High Priestess could also highlight the very often close friendships or relationships that develop between females and gay men.

Another twist on the friend aspect could relate to the one you have your heart set on wanting a ‘Friend with Benefits’ type of relationship with you. Perhaps it suits you both. They like the idea of having you around, someone to go places with or date as they please, and a partner to have good sex with. What they don’t want is for you to read any more than that into it. Neither of you are under any further obligation to each other. Both of you may have started off in this manner, but there is a chance one will lose their heart.

Sulamith Wulfing – High Priestess

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Please, I Will Be Fine On My Own!

The Reversed High Priestess could highlight a desperate need to be left alone or spend time alone, but it is denied you. After a failed relationship or love disappointment, you may want to retreat into your corner, to cry and lick your wounds but friends may prefer to circle their wagons around you in offer of support. You may want the space to think everything through and come to terms with your true feelings on the matter, to meditate on what it means, but they seek to take your mind off it with their constant presence and distraction. You might feel your heart break is on public display. Everyone is determined to save you from yourself. You may have to throw them all out and declare you ‘want to be alone’. On the other hand, you might benefit from spending time alone, but actively avoid it. You seek out company for fear of facing yourself. You avoid dealing with things by keeping on the go and moving. You are not comfortable sitting with your problems or issues and would rather avoid them. Then again, you may be totally wrapped up in your issues and have withdrawn into yourself giving rise to concern from family and friends. You are feeling things too deeply, too intensely and are not helping yourself by staying so removed or cut off from life.

Duplicity

The High Priestess is linked to The Moon in both its light and dark aspects. When Upright we align her with the bright side of the moon where she uses its light to navigate through her depths of feelings. She is as mysterious as the moon but works with its powerful energies for her higher good. When she Reverses, she aligns with the dark side of the moon, its unpredictable side where its forceful energies take over and control her. In the dark, she cannot find her way, and we cannot see what she gets up to. These shifting energies in the moon, both the light and dark side can complicate matters by causing duality in her. Her mood and disposition can change from day to day. She can be friendly one moment and clinical the next. She can be madly in love in the morning and declare hatred by the evening. She can be involved and engaged one day, but distant and aloof the next. She can show kindness and compassion but can be equally cruel and uncaring too. It is when she Reverses we find the dark side of her nature emerge. Both sides belong to her, the light and shadow aspects. This dual nature makes it hard to fathom her at times, to work out what it going on. She can be complex, intriguing, compelling and frustrating all at the one time. She fluctuates between the conscientious and highly spiritual High Priestess,  The Good Witch and The Hag or Bitch. It may be hard to accept that this person is too good to be true. You have believed yourself blessed with luck in securing the Reversed High Priestess’s attention and interest but it may be something you come to regret. It is hard to believe that someone so innocent and pure looking can be a living nightmare when they want.

Jungian Tarot – High Priestess

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Hypocrisy

The Upright High Priestess is beyond reproach, her piety and virtue part and parcel of her persona. However, her Reversed Self might claim to be all these things, to be in possession of high standards and morals, but it is all false.

Not Getting The Vibes/ Vibing Someone Out Of It!

The Reversed High Priestess could suggest the vibes you are sending out to a love interest are not working or are not strong enough. You may have to turn up the volume to get their attention. You cannot expect them to be a mind-reader. You may be so conscious of your feelings for someone, you think they must be feeling them too, picking up on the vibes, but not so. You will need to be more proactive.

On the contrary, your attempts to let someone know you like them could be too intense. Instead of sending romantic interest vibes, you might be vibing them out. You might be overdoing it with the staring or following them around. You don’t want to freak them out!

Disagreeable

The Upright High Priestess may be a paragon of virtue and a minefield of wisdom yet she doesn’t venture forth with her opinion or advice unless asked for it. She won’t force her ideals or beliefs on you, but if you prove interested enough, she will be willing to share a little. When Reversed you may find you cannot get a word in edge-ways and she can become very disagreeable in conversation when you oppose her ideas or opinions. She can have a cruel and cutting tongue which is quick off the mark. When she has set her mind on a course of action, nothing you say or do will have any effect. You will notice the shutters go down in her mind when you try to reason with her. She can talk in circles and jump from one topic to another at alarming rate. She will do her own thing regardless.

Mind Games

Whereas the Upright High Priestess did not intentionally give you hope or false promises, her Reversed Aspect is not so conscientious. She can indulge in mind games and seriously mess you about. She can be very cruel and vindictive when crossed. She may not want a full committed relationship with you, but that does not mean she does not want to control you, or allow you form a relationship with another. She can mess a hankering, would-be partner around by picking him up when she needs someone or senses a rival on the scene, only to drop him when she tires and there is no one else sniffing around. She can be very territorial with an on/off partner or pursuing suitor, but will not want to yield any of her territory to  him. She is the sorceress who keeps him under her spell, not offering him anything substantial of herself, yet not allowing him to pursue happiness with another. His infatuation along with her reluctance to set him straight and free allows him to perpetually hold out for her. He will wait in vain. She can be dismissive of his attentions when no one else is interested in him, but will swoop in when any threats appear on the horizon, allowing him to believe her renewed interest means something.

Laying Traps – The Head-Wrecker

The Reversed High Priestess can be the ultimate head wrecker as she now uses her powers in a negative or dysfunctional manner. She can be the ultimate head-wrecker in love. Instead of setting tests to validate the worthiness of potential suitors, she could be laying traps, watching and waiting to see if they will walk into them. She may even lure them in if they seem unsure. It could prove exhausting trying to keep up with her ways. The Reversed High Priestess could represent a powerful influence you cannot say no to. Regardless of hard you try to pull away, it only takes one call to have you running back. You are putty in this person’s hands.

Krist Mort – High Priestess – http://www.kristmort.com/ & https://www.patreon.com/kristmort

Witchery Afoot!

The Reversed High Priestess can warn of the presence of witchery afoot in your love life or relationship. Someone is casting a spell over you or your partner in the hope of ensnaring one of you. During this time, you may feel powerless to control a situation. Perhaps you cannot help yourself where a certain person is concerned even though  you know the dangers. You find the influence of this person irresistible, have become spell-bound or fascinated, totally in their power. This obsession has the capacity to bring down your relationship. The Reversed High Priestess can sometimes be seen as a homewrecker. Both the Magician and High Priestess stand alone, they are not viewed as committed to each other even though they are intrinsically linked, or domesticated and bound to each other till death us do part as in the Emperor and Empress. Neither the Magician nor High Priestess have yet settled with another and roam freely. They can link up, enjoy each other’s company, and then merrily go on their way.  They do not stand accountable to each other. The Magician is the phallus and The High Priestess, the receiving vagina. Their combined energy is necessary for the Emperor and Empress to manifest. Without them it will not happen. They are drawn to each other but do not enjoy exclusive rights of each other. The Magician may have several encounters with different High Priestesses, and likewise the High Priestess may have knowledge of many Magicians. This makes them both a threat to the unified and committed Emperor and Empress who expect exclusivity of each other. What if the Reversed Magician begins to take an interest in the Emperor’s Empress, or The Reversed High Priestess gets too close to the Empress’s Emperor? The Emperor and Empress are expected to be intimate only with each other. They too started off as the independent Magician and High Priestess, so understand the potency and appeal of  their status, charm and allure. They know what  can happen when they get together. Can the phallus or vagina be trusted to behave, to understand what is off limits to them? They are now afraid of what they too once were. The Empress may view the presence of a Reversed High Priestess as a siren or femme-fatale, a man-eater or husband stealer.  The Emperor may see the Magician as a lady-killer, womaniser, seducer or major threat.   The Reversed High Priestess in this aspect can be viewed as someone with no morals, scruples or conscience, someone who is out to take another woman’s partner.

Dark Souls Tarot By Stef Tastan – High Pirestess – View Cards from Deck at http://www.artstation.com/artwork/WbkOv

The Other Woman

The Reversed High Priestess can represent the ‘other woman’ in a relationship. When upright, she may simply represent a fear or worry about there being someone else, or a suspicion about a certain person. You might be worrying about nothing. When Reversed, we could be looking at her being a stark reality, but it might also suggest the other extreme, as in total paranoia on your part. If she is a reality, your concerns and suspicions have been validated. Her energy and scent have invaded your territory leaving you feeling distressed and running scared. This woman, or person, exerts a power or influence over your partner that may be very hard to break. She is likely to be very different from you in many ways. Her life will appear far superior to yours, her looks more fabulous, her body a work of art, and her lifestyle, fascinating. She will most likely be childless and probably much younger than you. You will wear yourself out comparing yourself to her, and will always feel so low after doing so. She is the woman you will come to hate and abhor, the very sound of her name causes your stomach to churn and your heart rate increase with anxiety. The Reversed High Priestess has the power to take your partner away and strip you of all that is yours. If you have children involved, they will either fall under her spell and become enthralled with her, or loathe her as the person responsible for ruining their lives. She will offer them things that you will struggle to match. Her success in the demise of your relationship or marriage will appear effortless, it all falling into her perfect lap. While you struggle and rage, she will not bat an eyelid, break a sweat or allow a hair fall out of place. Remaining calm and composed, she can come across as flawless in comparison to your total disarray. You won’t be able to stop yourself stalking her on social media, where any images you find of her only seek to confirm her undeniable beauty and allure.  How do you stand a chance against the Reversed High Priestess, who can appear to have no scruples, morals or conscience as she bull dozes through your life? The only thing that consoles you is the hope of her becoming bored or tired with your partner. Indeed, her Reversed presence might imply, that yes, something was going on with this person and your partner, but is now over. Someone like her will eventually look for more, and when she does, will shut your partner out and wash her hands of him. When he comes home contrite and remorseful, asking to be forgiven, you will regain your power.

Trust, But Verify/Check

On the other hand, you may be lulled into a false sense of security by The Reversed High Priestess who may portray herself as her pure and chaste Upright Version. She may be the last person you would suspect, the least likely candidate for she comes across all principled and demure. It is often those we are least suspicious of that are guilty of the crime. The presumed virginal, holy Mary type, may be having the best sex of all. Check for deceit cards such as the Seven of Swords and the betrayal of The Reversed Three of Cups. The Russian leader, Stalin’s protocol was to ‘trust, but check’ (another version being ‘trust, but verify’). Stalin assumed everyone was guilty, even when they were proven innocent. The Reversed High Priestess may symbolically represent the unveiling of someone, the revealing of their true character.

Tabula Mundi Tarot – High Priestess – http://www.tabulamundi.com/

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A Mystery To Herself

The Reversed High Priestess can be the home-wrecker, the adulteress, the siren who takes what she wants, but she does not always get to keep her catch. Either she lets it go, or the spell breaks and fantasy ends, her catch swimming away at the first opportunity. The Reversed High Priestess may seem to have it all, but she may not find happiness in love. It can be a feast or famine, and she a very complex creature to live with. When upright she is a mystery to many, to those who sought to discover a way to her heart, to understand that which motivates and drives her, to unravel what she wants from them, but when Reversed, she can become a mystery to herself. She seeks love, closeness, companionship, friendship and commitment, but it is as if she has set herself a riddle that can prove impossible to unravel.  She can lack the softness, warmth and genuine intimacy of the Empress and will not be able to explain why it is she cannot fully realise love with another. She will be at pains to understand why anyone would choose the Empress over her. Hated and mistrusted by women, and actively avoided by conscientious, god-fearing men, she can end up on her own.

Tas Limur Photographer – The High Priestess

The Other Woman Paranoia

We must also look at the other extreme where the ‘other woman’ is concerned when reversed. A suspicion or idea you had about the motives or influence of another where your partner is concerned, has run out of control. Somewhere along the way you have convinced yourself that something is going on between them or that this other person is out to lead your partner astray. You have based your suspicions on pure speculation, wild imaginings and deep personal insecurity. Paranoia has taken over and you have become certain of foul play. Check for The Nine of Swords and Nine of Wands. The subject of your suspicion is likely very beautiful and captivating. She may work with your partner, go to college with him, attend the same gym as him, play sport with him or could be a neighbor on the road he chats to when putting the bins out. You conjure up all kinds of scenarios about them and watch your partner like a hawk, noting what he wears, how often he checks his phone and his mood after being in this person’s company. You probably have checked his phone, email messages and possibly followed him on occasion just to see what he got up to. You will drive yourself insane over this person and could destroy your relationship in the process. If you are confrontational over this matter with your partner and refuse to accept his denial of any wrong doing, you may eventually drive him into her arms, or totally away from you. If he is going to hung for a lamb, he may as well make it a sheep.

What Am I Getting Involved In?

You may be asking what you are getting yourself into when the High Priestess appears Reversed in a love reading. You are aware that this relationship comes with certain apprehension and trepidation, even danger. You may have been reluctant to get involved, but now cannot help yourself. You have no idea where it will lead to and how it will all work out. There may be huge issues to deal with, massive differences or objections to overcome, incompatibilities to work through. You know that it does not stand much of a chance as the odds are stacked against it. You know you should walk away but you wouldn’t know where to start.

Confused About What You Want

The Reversed High Priestess can suggest confusion and uncertainty about what it is you want in a relationship or how you feel about someone. You are not connected to your inner guidance or are actively avoiding it. You are not giving enough thought to your situation, not accessing your inner-wisdom, and just hoping for the best. This causes you to swing from one extreme to the other as emotional whims control your attitudes and actions. If dating, or in a relationship, your partner won’ t know whether they are coming or going with you as your attitude towards them changes from day to day. You can blow hot and cold, wanting to be close one moment, and then actively avoiding them the next. You may be caught up in a cycle of breaking up, only to make up again as you  just can’t decide what to do.

Spiral Tarot – High Priestess

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Refusing To Let The Seeds Of Love Take Hold

The Reversed High Priestess can suggest you are not allowing the seed of love to germinate and take hold. At the first sight of tenuous growth, you move quickly to rip it out or trample on it. No, you don’t want any of that messy stuff happening. As soon as you start to feel something you are up and off. Fear of heart break may be the driving factor, especially if you were badly hurt in the past.

Alternatively, you might be sowing too many seeds, scattering them willy-nilly, falling in love here, there and everywhere. You could have several love interests and do not wish to choose between them or commit to any. You are not very discerning in your selection. In the mix may be some fine specimens, along with bad seeds that could threaten to destroy everything you have.

Faulty Radar

Walking into all sorts of troublesome relationships and situations can be a problem for the Reversed High Priestess. Her radar or antennae are not tuned into the right frequency or her signals are crossed. She begins to act like the Reversed Fool, careless about where she is going and of the consequences of her actions. She accepts lifts from strangers, is too trusting, takes people she just met at face value, is careless with her personal safety and brings home all sorts of odd characters. She is confident that someone will come to her rescue should she screw up. Perhaps they always do.

Star Child Tarot – High Priestess

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Cannot Make Up Your Mind/Decision Made

A decision needs to be made about a relationship or potential suitor but you may prefer to rely on the opinion of others rather than seek your own counsel. If you are the partner of a Reversed High Priestess, you will be at pains to know what is going on. You might confront her over her true feelings for you if she has been distant or indifferent to your efforts. You may ask her ‘what is it you want from me?’ or ‘what have I done now?’ She may claim she does not know what you are talking about, but this is just a delay tactic, as she can’t yet decide if she holds any true feelings for you or not. She likes or loves you one day, but is not so sure the next. Detachment is part of her personality and this may frustrate her just as much as it frustrates you cause love is not straight forward for her. Sometimes she just needs to be on her own, to not see or hear from you for a while.  During this time, she may not even think of you as she becomes caught up in her own things – she can cut off. Then just when you think it all over, she makes contact and is eager to reconnect. Regular absences can often make her heart grow fonder. It is impossible to figure her out. On/Off relationships are quite common with the High Priestess Reversed when she cannot make up her mind. She may also stumble or falter at the commitment stage due to confusion over how deep her feelings are. She may also be torn between wanting to be part of a couple and wanting to enjoy the benefits of being single. The Reversed High Priestess either likes to draw attention to herself or to shy from it. She can be a wallflower or siren. Committing to one when she is an attention seeker will not work out and can lead to dreadful rows down the line as her magnetic allure will draw many to to her. This may be attention that she enjoys but will bother the hell out of you.

Alternatively, check surrounding cards as they may indicate a definite decision has eventually being made. It no longer needs to be dwelt or reflected upon. It is clear what you must do.

Nigh Sun Tarot – High Priestess

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A Waning Relationship

A relationship may be fading when the High Priestess Reverses. The crescent moon in the imagery is now in its waning aspect. It is becoming less tangible, the High Priestess more remote and unreachable. Phone calls, texts and emails begin to peter out. You are losing your hold on this person and even though you may retain your desire and fascination, it is likely over. The relationship could be one-sided, or all in your imagination. It is important you reflect on your relationship now. The Reversed High Priestess may not want a sexual relationship with you, preferring to keep things on a platonic level. All the warning signs are there and you should have the foresight to see what is coming next.

Playing The Tease

In the Upright High Priestess we found her to be unapproachable or unattainable. She made it very clear that you could look (she can’t stop you looking), but you certainly cannot touch, or attempt to handle the goods in any way. She is not a touchy-feely type of person and abhors anyone invading her personal space. She has very clearly defined no-go borders around her.  When she Reverses, she can play this to the extreme, becoming aggressive with those who get too close, or she can be the one guilty of invading the personal space of others without invite or enticement. In this aspect she becomes the flirt, the tease who likes to play games. She is walking temptation and knows it. However, she may lead you up the garden path, allowing you to believe it will go somewhere out of this world. This is rarely the case. She likes to play and see how far she can push before she gets the desired reaction. Once the individual feels comfortable enough to respond to her flirtation, she can withdraw rapidly, show disdain or disgust and insist you got it all wrong. You may be left to feel like a fool. This game can get dangerous and the Reversed High Priestess in this aspect needs to understand that she cannot expect to constantly get away with such teasing. She will come up against someone one day who will expect her to follow through and won’t take to kindly to being messed around.

Londa Tarot – High Priestess

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Feminine/Masculine Extremes

The black and white pillars in the imagery of the High Priestess represent duality – the masculine and feminine principal. Both are accepting of each other and understand the role they play in each others continued existence on a physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and sexual level. In their purest form, they respect each others differences as part of the natural law of things. They do not consider one to be superior or inferior to the other. It is only in the human aspect we find inequality of the sexes. Therefore, they perfectly complement each other, the masculine being the yang to the feminine yin. When the High Priestess Reverses this delicate balance may be lost. The Feminine principle can become overly-dominant or it could be the masculine principle that seeks control. In this manner we may find extremes of masculinity or femininity.  You are either on one side or the other. It is all black and white, with no grey in between. You may be too aggressive or too passive. We may find women who are die hard feminists or men haters, and men who are misogynists and sexist . We can also find a preference for your same sex. Females seek out females for relationships, love and sex, while males are drawn to other males in the same manner.

At Odds With Yourself

The Reversed High Priestess can appear when you are feeling very low in yourself, and unhappy with your appearance. Feeling dowdy, dull, unattractive, or out of shape, there is a perception of having no sex appeal whatsoever. The Reversed High Priestess could point to you actively avoiding or having difficulty with intimacy because of this. This is especially true if someone in your group or a new-comer, looks particularly well and is getting all the attention. Any compliments you receive may be rejected outright or dismissed as lies, or an attempt to make you feel better about yourself. It is unlikely you will want to be out and about or active on the social scene during this time, as you just can’t stand the way you feel about yourself. This attitude could come down to the superficial aspect of The High Priestess when Reversed; not having anything new to wear, or not being able to spend on pampering treatments. She could think it a big deal if her roots are a week overdue, or if she hasn’t managed to get her fake tan on. She can feel ugly very easily without all her trappings. However, we have all experienced those times when we feel devoid of any sex appeal, when we think our bum is big in everything. Of course, as the Reversed High Priestess ages, she can associate it with the loss of her sex appeal. The Upright High Priestess looks sexy in all her stages. We think of the beautiful Audrey Hepburn and Lauren Bacall as perfect examples of gracefully ageing High Priestesses. Never did they lose their allure, attractiveness, elegance and sophistication to advancing years.

Yoshitaka Amano – High Priestess

Amano Tarot Deck: Finding Happiness with Tarot Fortune-Telling (Shiwase o Tsukamu Tarot Uranai: Amano Yoshitaka Originaru Kaado 78 Mai) (in Japanese)

Gilding The Lily

Then there is the Reversed High Priestess who is disconnected from her natural beauty, believing it needs additions and embellishing. She thinks she needs to work hard at being sexy, that it involves sexy clothes, sexy shoes and lots of bling. Instead of allowing her natural attracting powers draw attention to her in a subtle manner, she thinks it needs assistance and encouragement. She forgets that being a woman is a thing of beauty and awe in itself, that owning her femininity is the most powerful elixir of all. She doesn’t understand that her sex appeal radiates from within and not from external trappings. Thus she flaunts her sexy look in a very affected manner. It’s as if she is screaming ‘look at me, ain’t I the sexiest thing you have seen?’ Sadly it is the very opposite of sexy. Her clothes tend to be too short, too tight, too low cut. Her tan, too orange, her make-up too much and accessories over the top. Shallow, superficial and insipid, she lacks the sophistication, grace and elegance of the Upright High Priestess. She wants desperately to be seen as a High Priestess but cannot pull it off. The Reversed High Priestess is very loud in comparison to her Upright version who needs no bells and whistles, no theatrics or circus to announce her presence. The Reversed High Priestess tries too hard to be sexy and alluring, pulling poses and pouting furiously. She draws attention to her for all the wrong reasons. This version of the High Priestess trades very much on her looks. She likes to create an illusion about herself that she believes others will be infatuated with. The Upright High Priestess is very aware of herself and the power she exudes, but the Reversed is so aware of herself, she ruins the potential of it. It all looks contrived, too much of an effort or hard work.  She typically resorts to cosmetic surgery from an early age in an attempt to retain her looks. The Upright High Priestess would be loathe to go under the knife, her natural beauty prized above anything artificial. She is held in high regard by all for this. If the Reversed High Priestess trades on her looks alone, she can become the lonely old hag in her Crone stage.

A Love That Cannot Be

The Reversed High Priestess could highlight lesbian tendencies or a lesbian relationship. However, it can also reveal feelings for someone that can go no further. You may be drawn to or infatuated with someone of your own sex, but know they are not that way inclined and do not feel the same about you. They are out of your reach, unattainable. Declaring your feelings would ruin everything. It is a love that can go nowhere, the pain carried deep within your heart.

Tarot of Vampyres – High Priestess

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Dangerous Adversary

The High Priestess could be calculating and manipulative. Don’t be fooled by an apparent calm or passive exterior. Their is  a power house of activity going on behind the scenes where she can plot and scheme your demise or downfall. She can be particularly cruel and self-obsessed when she wants. If you have messed up with her in your relationship, taken her for granted, or being disloyal to her, don’t expect an open attack or major scene. She will prefer to retaliate in a far more subtle manner but with alarming precision. You may not see it coming, but when it does, you will know exactly where it has come from, who sent it, and why. She can wait years to find the perfect moment for revenge

Loose Lips – Betrayal

The Upright High Priestess is the guardian of secrets, both hers and yours, but when she Reverses she may not be so trustworthy. She is known to kiss and tell, break confidences by secretly telling others. She engages in gossip and speculation, believing most things she hears on the grapevine. Betrayal is common when she Reverses, and the betrayal traditionally is associated with a woman. Keep things to yourself and do not be tempted to confide in those who enthusiastically assure you of their ability to keep a secret.

Laziness

In the Reversed High Priestess we can find a  lazy and apathetic approach to finding love or when in a relationship. Your passivity and inactivity has nothing to do with contemplation or reflection, but merely demonstrates your lack of interest. There may be issues in your relationship you are responsible for but make no effort to address them. Instead of making an effort to sort them out with your partner, or apologise for bad behaviour or moodiness, you sit around waiting for him to come to you. You  need to be painstakingly coaxed out of your attitude. You may have a problem admitting when you are wrong, instead adopting a stony silence as if everyone else is to blame.

Laziness may stretch to not pulling your weight at home. You might leave all the work and chores for your partner, considering such tasks beneath you, or too tedious. There is an underlying selfish steak and self-important attitude.

Laziness in your approach to finding love is also a problem. You are not great at returning calls, texts or emails. Neither are you great at meeting a potential suitor half-way when wooing. You make them do all the running and work, putting little effort into the proceedings. Somehow or other you seem to end up with a partner you really don’t deserve. They obviously see something in you that makes them slavishly worship at your thankless feet. Neither will they have a word said against you when others advise you could do better.

Give & Give/Take & Take

Relationships are all about give and take and numerous compromises. When the High Priestess Reverses, she can go into extreme with with her dual nature. She is either giving too much of herself, telling too much about herself, making too many sacrifices and putting her needs low on the list of importance, or she is constantly on the take. She expects everything to go her way, for her partner to defer to her wishes at all times. She does not comprise. She expects the sun, moon and stars to be bestowed upon her, but gives nothing back in return. She can operate from a position of assumed entitlement. She can be cruel and nasty in her speech. However, her partner can be so much under her spell, he happily obliges.

Unladylike

The Upright High Priestess is very refined, reserved and sophisticated. She behaves with dignity and decorum at all times. She has standards and principles that need to be maintained. When she Reverses, she can become coarse and brash in her manner. She might act and behave in a very undignified and unladylike like manner. She stands out from the crowd for all the wrong reasons. This may be an acquired persona, adopted to create a look, to appear cool or to conform to peer pressure particularly if she is still young. In this manner we might find the Reversed High Priestess acting out, spitting on the street, peppering her speech with strong expletives, being rude, bad mannered and disrespectful. She works hard to be as unladylike as can be. She may believe she is a devotee of feminism, giving two fingers to society and its expectations of her.

Then again, you may be bursting at the seams and fed up to the gills with having to behave in a ladylike manner. You might crave a bit of wild living but your position or status in life rules it out. You must conform to a certain image of you that has perhaps been set by others. Child and teen actors from family shows must often show a squeeky-clean image to impress their audience and to keep show producers and sponsors happy. Young adolescent pop stars must act in a way that makes them appeal not to their young fan base (they will love them anyway) but to their parents, those with the money, who might censor their viewing and interest. For many of these young celebrities, having to say and do the right thing and dress in a certain manner, eventually wears thin. As they begin to mature, they rebel against their studio fabricated image. Some hit the headlines after a drunken brawl or shoplifting spree that ends in police involvement. Others behave aggressively when pursued by fans, maybe lashing out, verbal abuse and smashing phones or cameras. Paparazzi shots of the young wholesome TV star snorting a line of coke, knickers on view etc. ruin the perceived image of the supposed goody-goody two shoes. The normally controlled High Priestess has had enough and gone on a bender. The outcry will be heard far and wide, the media columns unforgiving in their vicious coverage. The High Priestess has spectacularly fallen from grace. The Reversed High Priestess may be remorseful, but she might also be ecstatically relieved.

In relationships, this could indicate a radical change in behaviour from controlled and polite, to wild or undignified. Your partner and others are bound to see a whole new side to you. Some may be shocked. This may have been triggered by a particular incident, or after years of resentful constraint. Your behaviour will be the talk of the town and people will think you have lost your marbles. Do you really care?

A Woman’s Needs

In the Upright High Priestess she is very aware of her femininity and takes care of it. When Reversed she may suggest you at not tending to that side of you. A woman has needs so they say, but you may be neglecting yours. You may be making do so that others are looked after first. When was the last time you bought anything nice or treated yourself? Are your basic needs covered? The Empress Reversed can have similar associations, but hers are more to do with the lack of  luxuries, spoiling or pampering. They are not really essential, but important nonetheless. In the Reversed High Priestess, the lack of luxuries is not the issue, she goes without the basic stuff that most women take for granted. In this manner she can lose sight of her femininity. She needs to start paying more attention to herself. She may think she is being gracious and self-less, but no one will thank her for it.

Concealed Or Covered Up Pregnancy

The High Priestess is associated with concealment and secrets. In her Reversed Aspect, she may be attempting to conceal a pregnancy, not because it is too early to tell anyone, but because it is wrong or inappropriate and must remain a secret. The pregnancy in this instance is not one she wants the world to know about. There may be many reasons for this. In her young virginal, pure aspect, she may have had an unplanned sexual encounter which has led to a unwanted pregnancy. It may cause shock and scandal should it get out. She may have been led astray by a persuasive Magician and now is left to deal with the fallout. There may have been an affair. She may have been violated, by persons known or unknown to her, the result being a pregnancy of shame and contempt.  There may be an underage pregnancy, a straight forward unplanned pregnancy or pregnancy as the result of rape or sexual abuse. one way or another, no one must find out. The Reversed High Priestess can become even more remote and withdrawn if this occurs. She will feel very isolated in her plight and mistrustful of everyone. However, this may be a secret guarded closely by family or certain individuals who will warn her of the perils of revealing it. Those involved will go to great lengths to cover it up. The Reversed High Priestess may also carry the secret of past sexual experiences she has told no one about. These may be incidents she chooses to keep private, or secrets of past sexual abuse.

Popess – Paul Mendeller – Kourete

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A Surprise Pregnancy

A surprise pregnancy can be highlighted by the Reversed High Priestess. You haven’t been paying attention to the signs. Your body has been changing without your knowledge. You have been caught off guard and could feel mystified at how it happened. Upright, The High Priestess can suggest the practice of birth control, thus being in control of whether conception occurs or not. Reverse her and it may point to the failure of the method of birth control you use. The veil that prevents conception occurring has been breached, the egg already fertilised. You will have to decide if this was deliberate or not. Alternatively, you may be avoiding a pregnancy that is expected of you, by secretly using contraception.

Not Pregnant/Unlikely

Your period is on the way which may be good or bad news depending on how you feel and what you hoped for. You may have suspected pregnancy, but it hasn’t happened this time. You might have been playing with the idea of being pregnant and becoming The Empress but you are still the Maiden. For those who worried about pregnancy, a return to the Fool and his freedom is what you have hoped for. The Reversed High Priestess is taking you safely away from the energy of the Empress.

Conception Issues

The Reversed High Priestess could signal issues with getting pregnant. You may desperately desire to transform into the Empress but are being held back.  You continue to enjoy the freedom of the Fool, but would gladly sacrifice it for the chance of having a baby. It is all you want, but just can’t get there. The reasons for the difficulty in conceiving could be many, but you feel you are being denied the right to fulfill your role as a woman, or that your reproduction organs and their processes are blocked from working as they should.

Susan Seldon Boulet Art – High Priestess

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Unsuspected Miscarriage

The Reversed High Priestess could point to a miscarriage early on in the pregnancy. It may not even be recognised as a miscarriage if it is mistaken for a heavy period. I see the Upright High Priestess symbolically as the womb, even the spiritual womb. She is gestation, the incubator that protects the fetus. When Reversed, this energy is disturbed and can no longer offer the protection the fetus needs for survival.

Early Termination

Depending on surrounding cards, especially the Three/Seven of Swords or Nine of Pentacles Reversed, Three of Cups/Wands Reversed, her Reversed Presence could indicate a termination. Her status hovers between maiden and mother until after the procedure. She then returns to a perception or impression of her Upright Maiden status. She has had a short-lived brush with pregnancy, with impending motherhood, but has pulled back. Externally she will not have changed, but internally she will be a different person as she carries her secret.

Miscellaneous

In  a pregnancy, the High Priestess is often associated with imminent birth. When she reverses this could suggest the early stages of pregnancy, or perhaps being overdue. She is left waiting, sitting, watching for a sign. She might also suggest false labour – you must still wait. The High Priestess can also highlight difficulties in bonding with a pregnancy.

Sex

Tarot of Metamorphosis by Massimiliano – High Priestess

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The High Priestess covers a broad spectrum of sex associations due to her triple goddess aspect, especially maiden and crone. She can behave as the Maiden, Mother–in-Waiting or Crone in varying levels of sexual interest and activity. As Maiden she can still retain her virginity, has already experimented with sex or is happily sexually active, but definitely not married and generally (but not always) childless. Virgin may only imply she has not yet fully committed or married. She could also be the single mother. As Mother-in-planning, her sex life takes on a new meaning as she seeks more than enjoyment from the act of sex. As mother-in-waiting, her egg has just been fertilised, the seed sown by the Magician. As yet, she cannot quite embody the status of The Empress until the baby is fully born. She still retains her maiden appearance, yet to learn the skills of motherhood. She is in transition. If a  baby is desired, this will change her sex life for the foreseeable future.  The Mother stage typically puts her with a consistent or regular sex partner, unlike the Maiden who may have several, or a series of short to medium length relationships. As Mother, she will transition to the Empress, her sexual role very much tied up with procreation and never is she more beautiful and sexy. Appearing in her Crone aspect, her interest in sex is either rekindled, born out of a new-found freedom that often occurs after separation, divorce or menopause, or has sadly diminished with the approaching years.

The High Priestess is linked to the Moon, another extremely feminine card. If the moon is in reversal alongside the Reversed High Priestess, menopause can mark this period of her life, where hormonal fluctuations seize control of her emotions and body irrespective of what she wants or sexually needs. However, in menopause, she can rediscover her sexual side and feel liberated and uninhibited. She can enjoy some of the best sex of her life in her Crone stage. However, the pendulum can also swing the other way if she associates ageing and menopause with the end of her sex life and begins to identify with the Hermit. She may have hang ups about modesty and decorum at this age, feeling in someway impure for wanting or even thinking about sex. In this manner she allows herself to grow old and can adopt the hag-like attitude of being too old and too ugly to be of interest to anyone. She can sign herself out from sexual experience, deeming it wrong and improper. It depends on where she finds herself as Crone. She may be secure in a loving relationship, starting over again, or perhaps cast aside for her Mother or Maiden version. When a card reverses we find extremes, but when it is also a 2 card, these extremes can be more obvious or swing from one to the other at alarming rates.

Tarot of Casanova – High Priestess

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Tired Of Being A Good Girl

The Reversed High Priestess could indicate  a desire to shake off your goody-goody wholesome image in favour of something a little more exciting or risque. You may seek to disconnect from earlier puritan values as your impression of life changes. You are tired of doing the right thing, of saving yourself for god knows who and missing out on all the fun. You now seek a little action and others will notice a change in your persona. You may have reached a point where you don’t give a damn about what people think of you and are going to go for it anyway. Your sexual curiosity has got the better of you and you are keen to see what all the fuss is about. A song by Amy Lavere, (Last Rock And Roll Boy To Dance) amply demonstrates this feeling of ‘so what’ and ‘who cares what they think’ as a young girl very openly departs a dance-hall with a young man while everyone stares and spreads the word on their phones. She wants to know ‘who are we saving our broken hearts for?’ She is tired saving herself and is ready to let go. She knows exactly what the boy is looking for. It is what she is looking for too. Everyone in the dance hall can see what is going down and will be quick to judge. There is a small town vibe in their attitude.

Last Rock And Roll Boy To Dance – Amy LaVere (Extract)

I see clearly he’s a thief
But he can take what he likes
Cuz he’s given me some feeling
That’s worth anything that he could be stealing

Damn these rules we carved in stone
I wanna bust em into pieces on the dance floor
There shouldn’t be rules in rock n roll
And who are we saving our broken hearts for?

Damn these wallflower faces of stone
Dead and blue in the light of their cellular phones
I don’t care if they laugh when we walk out this door
Who are we saving our broken hearts for?

The Reversed High Priestess can also highlight a situation of ‘you really know you shouldn’t, but you will anyway’. This could lead you to doing things that you would normally deem wrong or would cast negative judgement on others if they were to. Now here you are on the brink of doing it yourself, and to hell with the consequences.

Penny Dreadful Tarot by Bohemian Weasal

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Sex Clouding Judgment

You could be allowing your judgment to blur due to a sexual attraction you have for someone when the High Priestess Reverses. You have lost your powers of discernment and perception and it is imperative you make no major decisions under this influence.

The Gothic Tarot – High Priestess

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Fatal Attraction

The Reversed High Priestess can develop a penchant for married men, or those who already have a partner. Her association with virginity does not necessarily imply she has never had sex, but rather she has not committed solely to one nor married. She very much owns her own body and uses it as she chooses. Her inability to develop a deep and meaningful relationship can lead her into a string of affairs where she can enjoy a semblance of romance, intimacy and connection with another for at least a while. She knows herself that it will not last. She must also flex her magnetism. Extremely aware of the effect she has on others, drawing selected candidates to her can become an amusing game. She doesn’t have to do much for them to fall under her spell and be at her command. She can turn even the most devout husband or partner, leading them astray and vulnerable to her influence.

Those who are observant and wise, will see what she is about and be aware of the potential danger of becoming entangled with her. They will knock it on the head before it has a chance to go anywhere. If they have any sense, they will keep their distance, avoid being alone in her company, stay clear of her at social occasions, and allow no opportunity arise that may lead to anything. Neither do they wish to be accused of anything, as being in the proximity of the Reversed High Priestess will set off alarm bells for their partners, who may not accept their version of events. Those who allow themselves get caught up in the High Priestess’s force-field, believe themselves to be unique in her life, that no one has felt about her before in this manner, that they possibly are the one to make her happy, to claim her for their own. They may ignore the advice and counsel of good friends who attempt to warn them off, to not threaten that which they have with another for the sake of a high risk gamble with The Reversed High Priestess.

You Have Been Seen

If you have been involved in a secret liaison or affair, the Reversed High Priestess could warn of your discovery. Your secret is no longer a secret. Someone has seen you and they may be eager to tell others or blow the whistle on you. Be wary of the Reversed High Priestess. If you have informed her of your desire to return to the life of the Magician, she may threaten to reveal all if you leave her.

Urban Tarot – High Priestess

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Sexual Tension And Frustration

The Reversed High Priestess can suggest sexual tension and frustration. You may not be getting sex often enough, or perhaps the quality of it is not great. When Upright she implies great sex, but when Reversed, it may not be up to much. You may have a problem reaching orgasm, or perhaps the partner you are with does not know how to facilitate you in this matter. Often with the Reversed High Priestess she may desire sex more when her partner is not around or totally gone. She may have a take or leave it attitude when she has access to a real live body beside her. Now that it is not freely available to her, her desire for it increases. She may become fixated with the need for sexual release and fantasize about her partner or make up one. She may be frustrated with her increased arousal when she has no one around to relieve it. This will lead her to indulge in pleasuring herself for sexual release. The Reversed High Priestess sometimes can only achieve orgasm by her own devices. She may not experience it with a partner.

Deviant Moon Tarot High Priestess

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Sexual Repression

Sexual repression is also highlighted, especially if The Reversed High Priestess is appearing in her highly religious, moralistic and vestal virgin aspect. Her need to stay chaste and pure may be the will of others and not hers. From deep within, sexual urges may seek release, but she sees them as dangerous or sinful. Each time they try to surface, she pushes them back down, possibly chastising herself and feeling soiled by her impure thoughts. Because she is aware of sexual urges within herself, she can easily recognise them in other High Priestess’s. Adopting her nun-like stance, she could attempt to beat it out of others too. It may be a taboo subject and considered the worst sin of all. In this mode we might find her as the vindictive, bitter nun or enthusiastically involved in Sharia Law Policing.

Giving The Goods Away Too Easily

The Reversed High Priestess could be warning of allowing yourself to be used sexually, and suggests that somewhere in your past you have been in this situation before. It might also suggest you are confused as to why you cannot hold onto a lover or partner. You certainly attract a lot of attention, but you may be too quick to become sexually involved, thinking it’s what’s expected of you. You may fear losing the one you are interested in if you don’t give yourself sexually at an early stage. However, this approach may backfire in an indirect manner. Once the mystery of you and what might be is gone, so too might your suitor. If this is the case, then good riddance to them, but you should also reflect on the underlying issues connected to it.

Uninspiring Sex – No Sexual Attraction

As the High Priestess can be associated with good sex and amazing orgasms when Upright, her Reversed version can imply bad sex, lack of orgasm or lack of feeling during sex. Sex may leave you cold, unimpressed and unfulfilled. Sex could also repulse you. This may all come down to having the wrong partner, not being attracted to or turned on by who you are having, or obliged to have, sex with. Sex could be purely functional. It could also imply that sex is a means to an end, something that must be endured to achieve a certain aim. When Reversed there could be many reasons for this, but one area we must look at associates sex with unpleasantness, duty or force. Sex might be something you must do, is part of your job or duty. It might also have monetary gain.

Odalisca – Harem Girl -Francisco Masriera i Manovens

Cashing In On Sex Appeal

The Upright High Priestess has a natural sexual allure and can be exotic in her appearance. When Reversed, she uses her natural sex appeal to her gain. She plays on it and understands how to use it to her advantage. On one level she can be the provocative burlesque dancer or stripper who plays on the fantasy of men, the lap dancer who knows the right moves to attract the highest tips. On a another level, she can turn her knowledge of sex and what men want into a lucrative business. She can be found as the Madam of a brothel, or working in one. She could be the beguiling geisha girl who is trained in the art of sophisticated entertainment. The true Geisha girl carries the mystery and enigma of the Upright High Priestess but they are often confused with sex workers. That was not part of their role, although some did venture into this territory. It took many years to train a Geisha and a lot of money. They were highly respected.  During the second world war, many prostitutes in Japan referred to themselves as Geisha to attract American Military men. These would more so reflect the Reversed High Priestess. It is hard to associate the Reversed High Priestess with basic prostitution or street-walking, as even in her Reversed state, she retains certain standards. The highly paid call girl for example.

Tarot of Sexual Magic – High Priestess

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Playing The Part  – Sex Act

The black and white pillars in the Reversed High Priestess demonstrate her ability to turn it on or off for sex on demand. She can go through the motions and make it seem as if she is fully engaged in the act, enjoying and desiring it. In this manner she can become involved in the porn industry. Teamed up with the Reversed Magician they can become highly sought after porn stars. This aspect of the Reversed High Priestess is what most women fear and feel they cannot compete with. Should their partner or spouse fall under her tempting sexual spell with all its promise of erotic delights and breaking of taboos, it will take much effort to draw him away. She is the mistress of seduction and will offer things, and do things for him that you would not dream of. She has no inhibitions when it comes to sex and will act out her role to the minutest detail. However, she may dance the dance of the seven veils to great applause and acclaim, but manages to maintain a very definite detachment from her audience. In a way, she is only physically present when performing, her spiritual or private self safely encased in a protective shield where no mortal can venture. She is the dance of the seven veils, erotic and tantalising, yet otherworldly, not quite real. The French poet Mallarmé, in his description of Salome who purportedly performed the dance of the seven veils for Herod, defines her as being inscrutable: “the veil always remains.” So too does the veil always remain for the Reversed High Priestess if she so chooses. Rarely does she reveal her true self or vulnerability.

Dark Angels – High Priestess

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The Little Black Book

The Reversed High Priestess holds the secrets of many a sexual partner, especially those who are married, committed to another or hold high position or rank. She listens to them bleat their little hearts out about how their wife or partner does not understand them, how they feel unappreciated and taken for granted. She stores all their secrets in the vaults of her mind, or in her little black book. In general she is loyal and understands that a big part of her attraction is in how different she is from the norm, how she allows them to be who they want to be without criticism or judgement. Keeping their secrets is part of her allure and she will encourage each one to believe that their relationship with her is unique, different from all the rest. The Reversed High Priestess makes the perfect courtesan or highly paid escort. She carries out her work flawlessly and professionally. However, one would be a fool to underestimate her true disconnect from the emotions of those she might service. She will play her part, but only up to a point. Should the mood change or her circumstances, she is in possession of great secrets she will not hesitate to disclose if it suits her purpose. She can become a lethal adversary so it is best not to mess her about. The Reversed High Priestess could encourage the disclosure of secrets or classified information into her trusted keeping. She can enjoy compiling a portfolio on all her acquaintances or clients. Should it fall into the hands of the wrong person, many lives or reputations can be taken down. Barbara Moore (Gilded Tarot) in her description of The High Priestess suggests ‘she beguiles, she promises knowledge; she can be dangerous.’

Veuliahzg Deviant Art – High Priestess

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Ritual Sex/Cults/Sects – Being Drawn To The Dark Side

When Reversed, The High Priestess’s morals, values and purity can take a severe nose dive. She can swing into extreme, becoming promiscuous and vulnerable to being preyed on by cults and sects that use sex in many of their initiations and practices. Indeed, the Reversed High Priestess often finds her way into the heart of cults, follows dubious gurus and other unorthodox organisations.  Sex associated with black magick or occult organisations can be hinted at in the Reversed High Priestess, especially if the Devil accompanies her along with Reversed Pentacles and Cups Reversed (3,7, 9).  The Reversed Six of Pentacles could find her being shared among a group for ritual sex purposes. Sexual initiation into secret societies could also be hinted at.

Dark Tarot by WhiteFenrril – High Priestess – https://whitefenrril.deviantart.com/art/Dark-Tarot-The-High-Priestess-62206992

Promiscuity

Promiscuity can be a problem with the High Priestess and she may gain a reputation for her overt sexual behaviour. She can engage in uncontrolled sexual acts, take her clothes off in public and resort to sexual exhibitionism.

A Dark Horse – A Sexual Surprise!

On the brighter side, the Reversed High Priestess is either flaunting herself, or acting prim and proper. She could be quite conservatively dressed and the least likely person you would consider a demon in the bedroom. However, she could turn out to be a dark horse. The stereotypical reserved librarian with the thick rimmed spectacles and plain comfortable shoes who loses herself to wild abandonment as she shakes her bun loose and rips off her clothes. Underneath all the straight laced exterior beats a wild sexual being with a voracious appetite. Who would have thought it? Isn’t it your lucky day! The Reversed High Priestess turning up in a sex reading could be advising you to loosen up a little, to let your hair down and let go of sexual inhibition. You worry about how you might be judged by others if you release your wild side. Go for it!

The High Priestess -misstoffalees-d5ikzpt- Deviant Art

Danger – Underage – Fake ID’s

We might also be looking at implications of sexual inexperience in the Reversed High Priestess who still holds ties to the innocent Fool. She is also dangerous in this aspect as she may be seeking a sexual experience, but could be underage. The Upright High Priestess may not have had sex yet, and is in no rush to start. When Reversed, the first part may also hold, yet the difference is she wishes to change the status. She might look older than her years and is open to being seduced. She may want to lose her virginity and may conceal her age to do so. She could have a fake ID and several made up stories. Check for The Reversed Fool, Pages and the Seven of Swords as they may give her away. The Reversed High Priestess could turn up if you are experiencing deep regret about losing your virginity to a certain person or under certain circumstances. You wish you could turn back the clock and return to the innocent Fool, but the deed is done and you cannot.

High Priestess by Xibxib – Deviant Art – http://fav.me/d67r07d

Sexual Dysfunction And Fear

Female sexual dysfunction can be highlighted with The Reversed High Priestess. You may be too uptight about sex, dwell on it too much, give too much importance to it and therefore are not relaxed about it.  You might be fretting over your looks and figure or feel self-conscious about your appearance or certain body part. Instead of going with the flow in sex, you obsess about these issues which can be off-putting for you and any partner you are with. Sexual dysfunction could come down to tension or pain associated with sex. If you have had  a negative experience in the past, were treated roughly, aggressively or abusively, you might anticipate pain or distress when you attempt to have sex again. This can lead to conditions such as vaginismus where penetration is restricted by spasming muscles.  Anorgasmia – inability to orgasm is also a common problem. The integral sexual femininity of the High Priestess is denied her and she may retreat or withdraw from physical contact or affection as her self-esteem and self-worth plummet. The Reversed High Priestess could indicate a fear of sex, if you have heard stories of pain on losing your virginity. You may experience great shyness and nervousness about sex and nudity. You may feel too embarrassed to talk about sex.

Aversion To Sex – Tainted By Sexual Urges

The Religious and moralistic associations of The High Priestess could result in her associating sex with sin, thinking it dirty or being repulsed by it. Your upbringing, conditioning, culture and religion may view sex only as a means for procreation, and not for enjoyment. You could be wracked with feelings of guilt over wicked thoughts and desires. The nun aspect of the High Priestess could influence you to be prudish and sanctimonious about sex. Sex is not a subject that is broached or discussed. You may get easily embarrassed or shocked by nudity and the likes. Regardless of the impact this High Priestess has on others, how attractive or alluring her demeanor, how sexy her external packaging, she will not be open to your advances. She may even report you for harassment. You may neither look nor touch and it would be wise to understand and accept this.

Dame Darcy Mermaid Tarot – High Priestess

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Saints And Sinners

If the Upright High Priestess is connected with chastity and saintly behaviour, her Reversed version may be deemed a sinner depending on those who stand in judgment. The Reversed High Priestess’s attitude could be as Cindy Lauper sang, that she ‘just wants to have fun’. She may be high-spirited and attracts a lot of attention. She may side with the Fool and wish to be footloose and fancy free. She may even commit the greatest crime of all and be so good looking that men stare at her and desire her. Those who judge her are very different from her, and may see her as someone who needs to be taught a lesson, chastised or stopped in her tracks. They may see her as having too much fun which they believe is not good for her or her sorry soul. They may tar her with a bad reputation and in some cases take steps to remove her from their immediate vicinity into a home run by  nuns, where she will be forced to repent and atone for her wicked ways. Not too long ago in Ireland, many, many young girls and women were sent by family, or parish priest, into places such as the Magdalene Laundries where they were effectively prisoners. They had no rights, no access to the outside world and were treated abominably by cruel, savage, violent and vindictive nuns. They were forced to work long hours in the laundries under horrific conditions. Many died under the harsh regime and even then they were not afforded a proper burial, but dumped into a hole in the ground out back. Incest was often the cause for these young girls being sent away. They often arrived pregnant by their own father, uncle, and yes, even the parish priest. They were blamed and punished for their wicked ways and sinful pregnancies. Their babies, if they survived, were taken from them and sent away. Many babies died and were also dumped by the nuns into shallow graves, even disused septic tanks, their deaths never recorded. These girls were labelled immoral sinners and shunned by society. They had no one to turn to, not the law, not the government as they were all in on it. The Reversed High Priestess is not necessarily one or the other – saint or sinner.

A Born Again Virgin

Staying with the chaste or nun-like aspect of the Reversed High Priestess,  you may be abstaining from sex, taking a break from it, or learning to control a craving for it. Sex may have become a problem for you, in that you were engaging in too many sexual encounters, giving the goods away too easily, displaying possible nymphomania tendencies. You might have found yourself in worrying situations, with strangers, or in danger, all of which has made you realise there is a problem you need to deal with. You may experience a complete turnabout, take a vow of chastity, become a born again virgin, or even enter a religious order or convent. She could also suggest you are trying to pass yourself off as a virgin when you are not. Whereas the Upright High Priestess’s veil might suggest an intact hymen, the reverse could point to the opposite.

Shifting Sexual Orientation

The Reversed High Priestess could see you withdraw from male attention and heterosexual relationships in favour of female ones. Her connection to Covens and female temples of worship can suggest lesbian relationships, or the desire for one. You may be discovering a growing interest and sexual attraction for female acquaintances. When The High Priestess Reverses, the distinction between the black and white pillar, the feminine and masculine, the yin and yang can blur. She may feel drawn to both which could signal bi-sexuality.

The Reversed High Priestess could also point to being asexual. You may have very little interest in sex and could take it or leave it. This presents a problem for you in that a lack of interest in sex does not mean you have no interest in romance and a close relationship with someone. Depending on your level of disinterest, it will take a very understanding partner to accept a sex life with you may be severely restricted. You could feel isolated in your preferences, and suffer loneliness in your search for the right partner.

Tarot Of The Silicon Dawn – High Priestess

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Fending Off Unsolicited Attention

Unwanted, or unsolicited attention/sexual attention is associated with the Reversed High Priestess. You may be drawing to you unwanted advances, either romantically or sexually which disturb you. You do not believe you are doing anything to encourage this attention, but it is happening nonetheless. It is the same everywhere you go. You are being hit on constantly when trying to mind your own business or have some quiet time alone. There is something about you that fascinates so many. You might make changes to your appearance in an attempt to deflect this unwanted attention such as dressing down, covering yourself up, and going out of your way to look plain. It may or may not work and you feel outraged.

Tarot Of The Hidden Realm – High Priestess

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How He/She See Me – As someone who is open to a relationship but that it may not be straight forward. You are beginning to warm to them, to allow them closer. That it is no longer out of the question. That sex may be on the cards after all. You are seen as more engaging, more sociable than you have been of late. That you have come out of your shell a lot and are friendlier. As quite changed, more relaxed in yourself and ready to go with the flow. As someone who is looking for a bit of fun and action, or frivolity. Perhaps they notice a new look you are sporting. However, you may be seen as painfully shy and hard to strike up a conversation with. They may think you are too quick to read something into a situation that is not there, that you mistake friendliness for romantic interest. That you are trying to push a connection or relationship that does not exist. You may be rushing a relationship faster than it can go – in too much of a hurry. Then again, they may see you as blocking love from developing, refusing to let the seeds of love take hold, preferring to keep things as they are. However, you may be seen as someone who prefers to be single, who likes their own company, is set in their ways.

You may be seen as very distant or detached, that you are totally disinterested in them. They see you either as a sexual interest or potential friend. That there is no connection between you either spiritually or psychically, that there is little in common. That you are so different it couldn’t possibly work. If there is a connection, it may be seen as a negative karmic one. Opposing personalities may repulse instead of attract – not workable, that you would never get on. You may be seen as someone who cannot accept things at face value, that you are constantly searching for hidden meaning or intentions that are not there. They may see you as transparent, shallow or superficial. That you can be pretty clueless, act irresponsibly and disregard any advice that is given to you. That you are overly-suspicious or even paranoid about things. They may see you as someone who is quite gullible and easily influenced. That you spend too much time and money visiting psychics and tarot readers. That you are too easily impressed by all the hocus-pocus. You might be seen as lazy, lethargic, sitting around all day expecting them to wait on you. They may see you as overly pampered and spoiled, thinking you are better than everyone else.

That you can be duplicitous at times; kind and considerate, yet can turn cruel and vindictive when things don’t go your way. Like picking up mercury with a fork. That you have subtle ways of getting back at them or punishing them. That you enjoy playing mind games and wrecking their head. That you are messing them around and leading them a merry dance. They are wary of you – they might see you as a bit of a witch or bitch at times, or hag when you get really bad. That you don’t like men, maybe hate them. That you are an out and out feminist and constantly on the attack and defense.

That you might prefer your own sex. Then again, they may see you as one of the boys, someone who prefers the company of men to women. You might be seen as someone who is disagreeable, that once you have your mind set on something there is no talking you out of it. That you cannot make up your mind whether you want them or not, yet don’t want anyone else to have them either. That you are messing them around, stringing them along when you have no intention of committing to them.

You may be seen as someone who has the potential to have an affair, that you will not think twice about taking someone else’s partner or spouse. That you are a bit of a siren with no scruples or conscience. That you are trouble, or have high risk attached to you. That they could throw everything away to be with you, but that you will probably get bored with them in the long run. They may believe you do not know what you want and they never get it right with you, that they are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t. That you draw a lot of attention to yourself. Even though you claim you are not encouraging it, they doubt it very much. They see you as a flirt or tease, that you are very aware of the power you hold and get a kick out of it. They may see their relationship with you is beginning to wane. They may feel they cannot trust you, or that you will betray them or reveal knowledge about them. That you are not very discreet and will probably kiss and tell.

Sexually, you may be seen as either an out and out virgin, a no-go area or open to sexual encounters. If you are seen as a virgin, you may be held in high regard and respect. They may admire these qualities in you. If you are seen as sexually unavailable, this may be a deal breaker for any relationship you had hoped for, or just what they are seeking in a partner. They may share similar values to you which will work, but if not, will likely move on when they get impatient. They may see you as highly principled and admire this, but it might not be for them. They may see your virginity as a challenge to conquer which adds to your attraction and appeal. It may not be you they want, just your virginity. They may see you as someone who they can use and manipulate sexually. You may be seen as dreadfully moody and difficult, a nightmare to be or live with.

Sexually, they may see you as easy, that you won’t hold out too long and might even be interested in a no-strings attached relationship. That you might be promiscuous, a good time girl. That there is little mystery about you, what they see is what they get. You might be seen as someone who flaunts their sexuality, possibly overdoing it at times. They can sum you up quite quickly. You may have a reputation for sleeping around or that you have had many partners. They might see a dark side to you sexually. You might be seen as a dark horse, sexually a pleasant surprise not expected. Then again, they may see or feel no sexual attraction for you. They might like you, but are not drawn to you in that manner.

They may feel you are too young for them or even underage. That you are pretending to be older than you are. Where sex is concerned, you might also be seen as hung up, inhibited, tense, and even frigid if you have issues about sex. They may view you as nun like, old-fashioned or repressed in your attitude to sex.That you are too old for them.

Sensual Wicca Tarot – High Priestess

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Yes/No – 

Similar to her Upright Aspect, the potentials for both Yes and No are numerous and all will depend on the surrounding cards. The High Priestess is  2 card which will give extremes both Upright and Reversed. She will be more open to love and forming a relationship when Reversed, but she may not offer the same quality of the Upright High Priestess you hanker after.

The Outcome is pretty clear without any hidden issues or stuff to be revealed. It is as it is, nothing more, and there is no point trying to determine there is more to it than meets the eye. What you see is what you get. What that is, very much depends on the cards that surround it. If they are positive then it could signal a breakthrough for a relationship you have hankered after as the subject of your heart’s desire begins to warm towards you. Your persistence and patience have won the day. It has all worked out. You may have believed you stood no chance with a certain person, but will be very surprised when they return an interest in you. You have landed the partner of your dreams, the fantasy. Happy Days! The Other Woman never existed or has faded into the background.

Yes, time to get out and about, to make a move to act.  Yes- to loosening up and not being so uptight. Yes – to not worrying about what others think of you. Yes – to sexual freedom and expression.

However it could all to a definite No, when it becomes painfully clear there is nothing going on between you. The attraction was only one-sided or in your head. You’re differences will not marry well. Perhaps, the person is not how you thought them to be. You might have discovered they are not virtuous and pure after all. The person in question might not be discreet, they may be looking for a no-strings attached relationship. Thy might only be interested in sex. No -The relationship you are in is waning, your partner, or you becoming more distant. No – you are not being guided by your intuition, or are being dismissive of what it is trying to communicate. You are ignoring gut feelings and not taking heed of good advice. No – You are trying to force something that is not there. No – You are being messed about and head-wrecked. No – You are too young to get heavily involved.

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Read Associated Blog Post – High Priestess – Relationships, Love & Sex

Major Arcana  –

• The Fool – Love, Romance, Sex Associations
• The Magician – Love, Romance, Sex Associations
• The High Priestess – Love, Romance, Sex Associations
• The Empress – Love, Romance, Sex Associations

Minor Arcana –

• Wands – Love and Romance Associations
• Cups – Love and Romance Associations
• Swords – Love and Romance Associations
• Pentacles – Love and Romance Associations

Collections –

• Wands’ Encyclopedia of Love & Sex – Five of Wands  – Free PDF Download Available
• Wands’ Encyclopedia of Love & Sex – Five of Wands Reversed – Free PDF Download Available
• Wands’ Encyclopedia of Love & Sex (Extract Installment II) – Three & Four Wands