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Major arcana · II
The High Priestess: tarot card meaning
Keywords: Intuition, mystery, inner knowing. Sit with the quiet. The Priestess guards the veil between what is spoken and what is sensed; your inner voice already knows.
Upright meaning
Sit with the quiet. The Priestess guards the veil between what is spoken and what is sensed; your inner voice already knows.
Reversed meaning
Secrets, or ignoring your intuition. Noise may be drowning out the still small voice. Step back and listen inward.
Symbolism
A seated woman between a black and a white pillar, a scroll in her lap and a crescent moon at her feet.
Its place in the Fool's journey
After learning to act, the Fool learns to be still and listen.
Questions to reflect on
- Where in my life does "intuition, mystery, inner knowing" feel true right now?
- What would the upright meaning ask me to do this week?
- If the card felt reversed, what is blocking or delaying it?
Draw it yourself
Draw a free one-card, three-card or Celtic Cross reading in the Tarot Room. Traditional pairings for this card: Moonstone sphere, Jasmine incense and All crystals.
Tarot decks and accessories
The High Priestess: questions
What does The High Priestess mean upright?
Sit with the quiet. The Priestess guards the veil between what is spoken and what is sensed; your inner voice already knows.
What does The High Priestess mean reversed?
Secrets, or ignoring your intuition. Noise may be drowning out the still small voice. Step back and listen inward.
Is The High Priestess a yes or no card?
Tarot isn't a yes/no oracle, but readers who use it that way usually read The High Priestess upright as a gentle yes and reversed as 'wait'. Treat it as a prompt for reflection.
What number is The High Priestess in the major arcana?
The High Priestess is card II of the 22 major arcana. After learning to act, the Fool learns to be still and listen.