The Fool realizes the secret power within himself…
As the Fool travels through the Major Arcana, he encounters the High Priestess. She protects the secrets of the Temple of Solomon and teaches the Fool about the inner workings of his mind and soul. There are two pillars on either side of her. One is the letter B, Boaz, meaning “in his strength,” the other the letter J, Joachim, meaning “he will establish.” Knowledge of the High Priestess’ secrets come from within as opposed to outside forces or institutions.
As the Magician, the Fool realizes that he can manipulate his environment. Now he discovers the secrets of his inner self. This is his responsibility alone— the High Priestess can only point him in the right direction. Our childish Fool realizes that he has a unique experience of the world set apart from others. The Fool begins to follow his intuition and gut instinct, a force within all humans that both unites and differentiates us. Subjective experience and intuition can differ from person to person, yet we all have this ability.
The High Priestess also guards the secrets of the underworld, as represented by the pomegranate seeds. In Greek mythology, Persephone is tied to the lord of the underworld, Hades, through eating pomegranate seeds. When the High Priestess enters a reading, you are more in tune with your intuitive powers and paranormal experiences. This is why many people claim children are more receptive to the afterlife. Free from the beliefs imposed by society, they can still access their intuition.
The High Priestess uses her intuition to reflect and act upon the energy of Spirit. Because of this, the High Priestess is the archetype of the Tarot reader or the psychic medium. If the High Priestess appears in a reading, divination arts such as the Tarot have captured your interest. You may be questioning dreams, visions, and altered states of consciousness. It is a good time to listen to yourself through whatever means works for you. Go within to solve the issue at hand instead of gathering the opinions of others.
The High Priestess’s Advice for a reading:
Listen to your heart space. Do not look to others for answers as you will only end up disappointed. Take some quiet time and find out what you want out of life. Now is a good time for reflective practices such as the Tarot, journaling, art, psychotherapy, and spending time in nature.
Keywords and Phrases:
Intuition, follow your gut, listen to your dreams, seek help from a spiritual guide or therapist, studies such as psychology and the divinatory arts
