The High Priestess (Card of the Day)

The High Priestess was yesterday’s card. I’ve spoken already about how I aspire to be more like this card, but this post will be all about The High Priestess card chosen from the Robin Wood Tarot. I love this deck—it was my go-to deck for the longest time—however, I have found myself gravitating away from it which isn’t a bad thing, people grow and evolve.

In the card from the Robin Wood Tarot, the High Priestess is a young woman with flowing black hair skyclad (naked), but covered with a robe, at night, and holding a crystal ball in her right hand and a book in her left. I notice the crescent Moon headband because the High Priestess is seen as the Crone (remember the Triple Goddess mentioned in The Empress?) which is associated with the waning Moon. It’s interesting to note the Moon in the night sky in this card is a full Moon (associated with the Mother). Also in this picture are two trees, one black and one white, instead of the pillars that are in many other iterations of this card.

The High Priestess is numbered two in the Major Arcana, the number of duality, but there are combination and understanding of differences rather than competition in this card. She knows the light and the dark (darkness is not evil), masculine and feminine, activity and passivity, and she can reconcile them. I like that the full Moon in the sky is partially covered by a cloud because it shows the mystique she has within her is not always on display.

This card is astrologically associated with the Moon. The Moon is regarded as a planet in Astrology even though it is a luminary, and it is considered a luminary even though it does not give off light. Astrology makes sense like that… It makes even more sense when you realize that The Moon card in the Major Arcana is associated with the sign of Pisces, but I digress. I, personally, really relate to the Moon (probably because I’m on the cusp of Cancer which is ruled by the Moon). This luminary is closely associated with emotions and behavior (see the etymology of lunatic). There are people who will swear there are more “weirdos” out and about during the full Moon, and the menstrual cycle is, on average, 28 days just like the lunar cycle.

Peace and balance,

Erin