The High Priestess

The High Priestess reminds us of the connection between our physical and spiritual lives. While her imagery often evokes hidden knowledge and ancient wisdeom, she also challenges the dualistic view of body and soul that has been integral to much of Western thought since the Orphics, Pythagoreans, and Platonists. Instead of suggesting that the soul is entirely separate from the body, the High Priestess embodies the idea that consciousness, intuition, and spirituality arise from the physical reality of our existence.

Her symbolism reminds us that understanding life’s mysteries is not distant or unreachable, but woven into our lived experience. By understanding this, we can enhance our spiritual lives, personal journeys, and character development. Through the lens of Jewish tradition and the imagery of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, we can see how the High Priestess guides us toward a deeper understanding of the unity between body and soul.

Symbolism and Imagery

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the High Priestess sits serenely on a cubical stone, symbolizing the material world that grounds her spiritual wisdom. Behind her, a veil embroidered with pomegranates hangs between two pillars, suggesting a gateway between realms. Beyond the veil lies a body of water, an emblem of the unconscious mind, flowing toward the distant horizon.

The veil and pillars evoke the First Temple, referencing sacred mysteries and the duality of human nature: body and soul, conscious and unconscious, good and evil. The High Priestess, positioned between these dualities, acts as a mediator, embodying the central pillar of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Her serene presence invites us to approach these mysteries not by rejecting the physical world, but by embracing its integral role in our spiritual development.

The Apparent Dualities of Human Nature

The celestial symbols on the High Priestess—a lunar crown representing the moon’s phases and a cross representing the sun’s cycles—remind us of the Jewish solar-lunar calendar and the cyclical nature of life. These symbols emphasize that human experience is deeply rooted in physicality. Our bodies are not obstacles to enlightenment but vessels through which intuition, emotion, and divine wisdom flow.

Jewish tradition underscores this unity. Deuteronomy 30:11–19 urges us to “choose life” and recognize that divine wisdom is neither hidden nor distant:

“It is not in the heavens... nor is it beyond the sea... The word is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.”

This teaching aligns with the High Priestess’s scroll, which reveals all but one letter of the Torah. Her flowing robes, which fall to the crescent moon at her feet, suggest that divine wisdom arises from within our physical nature. The High Priestess reminds us that holiness is not achieved by escaping the body but by embracing it and choosing life in all its fullness.

Connections to Jewish Tradition

In Jewish tradition, our two inclinations—the yetzer tov (good inclination) and yetzer hara (evil inclination)—are natural parts of our being. The High Priestess, seated between the black and white pillars, symbolizes the balance between these forces. She teaches that both are essential for survival and growth.

Her role contrasts with the Devil card, which depicts chains and entrapment. While the Devil represents our inclinations as burdens, the High Priestess shows us how to integrate them into a life of freedom and purpose. Freedom, she teaches, is not an absence of constraint but a harmonious relationship with the currents of life, much like a bird soaring on the wind or a canoe navigating a river.

The cubical seats of The Priestess and The Devil reflect the message of Deuteronomy with its images of two stones, freestanding pillars, one placed on Mount Gerizim and the other on Mount Ebal, representing life and death, good and evil, respectively. Just as the Israelites were instructed to choose life, so too does the High Priestess urge us to choose wisely from within the framework of our physical existence.

Personal Insight

I have often seen an empty canoe in the water behind the High Priestess—a personal symbol from my shamanic journeys. To me, this canoe represents the unguided spirit traveling through the bloodstream, a poignant reminder of the connection between body and soul. It also serves as a metaphor for navigating life’s mysteries: our journey is guided by intuition, which arises from our physical nature.

Modern Perspectives

Modern tarot scholars offer rich insights into the High Priestess’s symbolism. Norma Cowie emphasizes the pillars as representing the contrasts within us—unconscious negativity and conscious striving for goodness. Laura Tempest Zakroff likens the High Priestess to the heart, pumping life through the body while symbolizing the hidden depths of consciousness.

Robin Wood’s depiction of the High Priestess places her outdoors, surrounded by nature. Her pentacle necklace underscores the harmony of body and spirit, while her open book suggests that wisdom is accessible to all who seek it. These interpretations align with Doreen Valiente’s Charge of the Star Goddess:

“If that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you shall never find it without.”

The High Priestess challenges us to trust our intuition and embrace the path that flows from within.

Conclusion

The High Priestess teaches us that spiritual growth comes not from denying our physical nature but from understanding and embracing it. She reminds us that wisdom and guidance are not distant or hidden but arise from the union of body and soul, of heart and mind. Her invitation to “choose life” calls us to explore the depths of our nature and act with awareness, balance, and purpose.

By contemplating her symbolism, we learn that freedom and growth are not found in rejecting the physical world but in mastering it. Through her, we see that the mysteries of life are already within us, waiting to be discovered.

The High Priestess invites us to choose life, not by ignoring the body but by recognizing that our consciousness and spirituality arise from it. She encourages us to explore the depths of our nature while embracing our physical life. We can balance the various aspects of our minds and choose a path of growth and wisdom. The High Priestess encourages us to seek spiritual maturity and the mastery of our physical life.

Memories... my first trip to Katzrin

Tarot Insights on the Attempted Assassination of President Trump

After the attempted assassination of President Trump on Saturday 13 July 2024, I decided to pull two tarot cards to gain insight into the situation. As my reading skills have become rusty, I hope that practicing on public figures may help me redevelop those skills.

For my first question, I asked how Mr. Trump was feeling after the experience. The card I drew was The Hanged Man. This card, with its figure suspended upside down and the figure's reddish-blonde hair hanging loose, immediately caught my attention. The Hanged Man typically signifies gaining a new perspective and can also symbolize a sacrifice for a greater good. The halo around the figure's head is meant to emphasize enlightenment and a shift in perception, but I couldn't help thinking of it as "Orange Man's" halo.

In this context, The Hanged Man suggests that the attempted assassination may have caused President Trump to experience a profound change in how he views his role and responsibilities. The ordeal could be prompting him to reconsider the motivations for his actions and decisions from a new vantage point, possibly coming to see his position as requiring a sacrifice or struggle primarily for the benefit of the nation.

This card also suggests the experience of being suspended in time and powerless to affect external events. After the shooter fired his weapon, there were a few seconds in which everything might have changed for Mr. Trump, his audience, and perhaps the whole nation. There was also a period of suspense for the audience who waited to see if Mr. Trump was still alive. From now on, the Hanged Man will suggest to me a pivotal moment, in which the future hangs in the balance.

The second question I posed was how Mr. Trump experienced that terrifying moment. The card drawn was the Seven of Wands, which depicts a figure standing strong and resolute against adversity. In the Morgan-Greer deck, the figure appears determined and unbowed, reflecting fearlessness and resilience.

I recalled that in the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Pamela Colman Smith portrayed the figure with mismatched shoes, a small but significant detail. The Erenberg Tarot highlights this peculiarity, which adds an amusing coincidence to my reading. When the Secret Service agents threw themselves over President Trump, they knocked off his shoes, and after they helped him up, we heard Mr. Trump say, "Let me get my shoes."

The Seven of Wands, therefore, not only indicates a person standing firm in the face of danger but also aligns with the actual events in a strikingly literal way. This card suggests that in that chaotic moment, President Trump was resilient, focused, prepared to assert his leadership, and concerned for his mission and his supporters.

These two cards, The Hanged Man and the Seven of Wands, offer intriguing insights into President Trump's experience and state of mind during and after the attempted assassination. The Hanged Man points to a shift in perspective as a result of the event, while the Seven of Wands highlights his strength and determination in the face of immediate danger. Through these cards, we can glimpse the complex interplay of resilience and reflection in his response to that brief but momentous event.