My mother, who was born in 1925, always emphasized that abortion was my most important right. Growing up, I accepted this belief without question. My confidence in this “right” shifted during paralegal school when I decided to read Roe v. Wade. I was shocked by the poor legal reasoning of the decision and realized it was only a matter of time before it would be overturned.
The recent overturning of Roe and the ensuing debate have prompted me to examine the issue more deeply.
Before the advent of modern medicine and contraceptives, women often valued chastity before marriage not because of societal or patriarchal control but out of necessity. Childbirth was dangerous, sometimes fatal, and unmarried women who died in childbirth left no one to care for their children. This grim reality profoundly shaped women’s behavior and choices.
Before the judicial legalization of abortion, even married women sometimes risked their lives to obtain abortions in unsanitary and unsafe conditions. The issue has never been a simple debate between "life" and "choice." It’s a deeply complex matter of survival, autonomy, supporting existing children, and moral gray areas.
The necessity for unsafe, illegal abortions diminished with the introduction of reliable contraceptives. Contraceptives transformed society, giving women control over when they gave birth and enabling them to shape their economic futures-- and also enabling families to acquire more wealth. This empowerment significantly contributed to equality of the sexes. (It had other, less fortunate consequences that are less black and white, but I won't address those now.)
Yet many who identify as "pro-life" also oppose contraceptives, creating a contradiction in their stance. If the goal is to reduce abortions, accessible contraception should be a shared priority. Limiting access to contraceptives undermines the very foundation of women’s autonomy and progress.
I’ve never thought the pro-life side was entirely pro-life, as many within the movement don't support childcare while also oposing contraceptives. Today, I don’t believe the pro-choice side is entirely pro-choice either. While I still support the right to choose, I’ve become disillusioned by the radicalism of some pro-choice rhetoric.
A few years ago, there was a campaign to “advertise your abortion.” The intention was to reduce stigma and normalize abortion by encouraging women to share their stories openly. While well-meaning, I found the campaign counterproductive. Abortion is a deeply personal and often painful decision. Making it public may increase awareness of the number of women who have abortions, but it doesn’t necessarily foster acceptance of those choices.
I had a friend in college who realized she was pregnant early (apparently, morning sickness occurs immediately) and decided to have an abortion without hesitation. Nonetheless, she kept her decision private, reflecting what many women felt then: abortion should be safe, legal, and private.
More recently, I’ve seen statements from trans women in which they express the aspiration to have abortions as a validation of their womanhood. Vocalizing this aspiration often alienates people from the pro-choice argument. Most people, male and female don't believe that abortion should be a goal, and for many women, motherhood is a goal.
It’s hard to argue that a newly formed embryo is not a life. At the same time, I cannot say with certainty that a woman must carry and give birth to it. This is where some of the tension lies: balancing the value of life with the value of a woman's autonomy.
I don’t believe there are simple answers to this debate. Both extremes—opposing abortion entirely and glorifying it—fail to address the complexity of the issue.
The abortion debate isn’t just about life or choice; it’s also about autonomy, family values, and the profound human questions that arise when these values conflict. To move forward, we must approach the issue with empathy and nuance, rejecting the extremes that dominate the discourse. For me, and I suspect, for many others, the ideal is for abortion to remain "legal, safe, and rare," limited to the first trimester except in cases of medical necessity.
Monday, January 13, 2025
Monday, July 29, 2024
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.
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.
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.
“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.
Monday, July 22, 2024
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