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The Rider-Waite-Smith-key 2-High Priestess card emphasizes this Goddess Sophia of Wisdom. The blue color of the card RWS card also emphasizes the element of Water and the blue lotus that represents Sophia.

On the RWS Key 2 The Moon is also shown quite plainly as a crescent at her feet and a glowing orb, as in full moon, on her head, with the Waxing and Waning moon represented on either side, forming a crown.

On her breast is the equal armed solar cross that implies she is the unifying and balancing agent between the Two pillars, one dark, one light as represented in the Temple of Solomon.

The Scroll in her lap is the "Scroll of Law" established by the High Priestess, the Torah. Torah is also a manipulation of the Latin word Rota, meaning "wheel". Implying that Tarot is the Law, as well as the very Wheel of Life.

The Animal Totem Tarot-Key 2-The High Priestess displays a black widow under a crescent moon, weaving her web of mystery. Both the Moon and the black widow spider are wrongly accused of femme fatale roles. In truth, she is a solitary individual who loves solitude and moon lit nights where she can practice her magic(k) without interruption. Just as the High Priestess, she has transcended the manmade limits of restrictive boundaries, and labels.

Just as the identity of woman is profaned in the misogynistic egregore of our culture, so has the black widow been profaned. However, she isn't concerned with the opinion of others, she knows herself and is confidently proficient in her mysterious work.

The Black Widow spider is the perfect image for the Feminine Mysteries and Sacred Feminine Power and a deep connection to the feminine mysteries, whether in terms of intuition, creation, and destruction, or the cycles of life.

The Black Widow Spider as a totem animal, spirit guide, and power animal holds a potent blend of symbolism rooted in themes of mystery, power, life cycles, and transformation. This archetype aligns well with those seeking deeper understanding of their own strength, creativity, and shadow aspects.

Black Widow Spider as a Totem Animal

As a totem animal, the black widow represents resilience, survival, and the profound mysteries of the feminine force. Known for its distinctive dark color and hourglass marking, the black widow teaches the power of patience and precision. Individuals with this totem may have a strong sense of personal boundaries, an inclination towards solitary work or spiritual practices, and an intuitive nature. The black widow is associated with the cycle of life and death, as well as the creation and destruction inherent in the universe. Those who resonate with the black widow totem often embody a delicate balance between light and dark aspects of life.

Black Widow Spider as a Spirit Guide

As a spirit guide, the black widow spider encourages introspection, transformation, and the reclamation of hidden power. It may appear in times of profound personal transformation or when one is being called to confront deeply buried fears. The black widow teaches us to weave our own fate consciously, respecting the connections and choices that create our life’s web. Those guided by the black widow are often reminded of the strength that comes from embracing the unknown and facing their inner shadows.

In addition, the black widow spider as a spirit guide encourages a cautious approach to relationships, signaling the need to maintain personal boundaries and protect one's energy. It can also signify the need to draw on inner reserves of patience and endurance, especially when embarking on new ventures or spiritual paths.

Black Widow Spider as a Power Animal

As a power animal, the black widow spider is an emblem of feminine strength, independence, and the hidden aspects of power. Those who call on this power animal often seek to tap into their deep inner strength, wisdom, and adaptability. The black widow’s venom and web are symbols of potent transformation: the venom represents the power of shedding what no longer serves, while the web embodies the ability to create beauty and order from chaos.

The black widow spider as a power animal emphasizes self-reliance and the ability to be discerning, strategic, and calculated in actions. It’s a symbol of standing firmly in one's power and wielding it responsibly, echoing the idea that true strength often lies in subtlety and restraint. Those who work with this power animal are often encouraged to cultivate their own power without fear, understanding the balance between assertiveness and compassion.

Key Themes and Symbols

The black widow spider brings with it symbols of:

• Feminine Mysteries and Sacred Feminine Power: A deep connection to the feminine mysteries, whether in terms of intuition, creation, and destruction, or the cycles of life.
• Transformation and Shadow Work: Encouragement to face fears, embrace transformation, and honor the shadow aspects of self.
• Independence and Boundaries: A reminder to be mindful of one’s personal space and energy, maintaining healthy boundaries.
• Strength in Solitude: Resilience and the strength found within one’s inner resources, showing the beauty of independence.

In essence, the black widow spider as a totem, spirit guide, and power animal brings a message of empowerment through self-discovery, introspection, and mastery over one's destiny. For those open to its wisdom, it teaches the path of the spiritual warrior, balancing light and dark and creating meaning within the complex web of life.

The Tarot High Priestess is the purest essence of consciousness, which is symbolized as the element Water in the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck her robe becomes water as it flows over the crescent moon. She is the very essence of Water/consciousness making blue and the moon appropriate symbols. The Moon controls fluctuations, tides of the water-like flow of consciousness being controlled by hot and cold emotions. The High Priestess is the idea behind the idea of form.

Now I know this concept of High Priestess is an impossibly difficult one to understand for fear of the dark indoctrinated beings and the most descriptive of Qabalistic terms may seem nonsensical, but the High Priestess is the Womb of Consciousness, but she is both Male and Female.......much like a Hermaphrodite (Hermes-Aphrodite) that can present both genders as itself.

The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot- High Priestess sits before a tapestry that illustrates both the "Garden of inherited knowledge" and the veils of light that hide her face. The Palms on the Tapestry suggest Male force and the Pomegranates on the tapestry suggest female womb. However, the Pomegranates also indicate the Elysian Mysteries and Persephone, Greek Goddess of Spring; I suggest research on these. Using the book, The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets: by Barbra Walker.

The Tarot- The High Priestess, is called the Anima, by Carl Jung. She is the eternal woman who represents the ultimate secrets of the Unconscious (another meaning for the black cat and/or the black widow spider), as often shown as water, Ocean or Moon and even the black widow exhibited on this card.

She is shown as the Moon, for she controls the tides of consciousness. She also sits between the Shadow pillar and the White light pillar as a balance between the invisible and visible. Black is not ignorantly considered a bad thing, for Wisdom is neither good nor bad when balanced with white it is often the "grey area" as shown by the grey color of the 2nd Sephiroth-Chokmah-Wisdom. The High Priestess represents unseen wisdom that resides in the Universal Collective Unconsciousness.

The Moon is a powerful and ancient symbol for the Goddess and the High Priestess, embodying the qualities of intuition, mystery, and the cyclical rhythms of nature and human experience. In various spiritual traditions, the Moon represents the Divine Feminine and aligns with the High Priestess’s role as the bridge between the conscious and subconscious, the known and the unknown.

The Moon as a Symbol for the Goddess

The Moon has long been connected to feminine deities in many cultures, such as Diana, Selene, Hecate, and Isis, each embodying aspects of the Goddess linked to intuition, night, and transformation. The Moon’s changing phases—waxing, full, and waning—mirror the life cycles of birth, growth, and decay, paralleling the archetypal cycles of womanhood: maiden, mother, and crone. This makes the Moon a natural symbol for the Goddess, who represents creation, nurturing, and the mysterious forces that guide and transform life.

In the Goddess traditions, the Moon also signifies connection to the spiritual and unseen realms, aligning with qualities of intuition, emotional insight, and a deep connection to nature. Its light, which reflects rather than generates, suggests a quieter, receptive wisdom that sees beyond ordinary reality—a feminine wisdom rooted in empathy, connection, and the mysteries of the heart.

The Moon and the High Priestess in Tarot

The High Priestess card in the Tarot deck often features a prominent depiction of the Moon, reinforcing her alignment with lunar energy. In Tarot symbolism, the High Priestess embodies the mystery, insight, and spiritual guidance associated with the Moon. She is seated between two pillars, often with the Moon under her feet or as a central feature in her imagery, symbolizing her role as a mediator between opposites: conscious and unconscious, light and dark, known and unknown.

The Moon also aligns with the High Priestess’s role as the keeper of sacred wisdom, emphasizing the need for reflection, patience, and receptivity to access spiritual knowledge. The High Priestess encourages seekers to tap into their intuition and to trust in the cycles of their own inner knowing, just as the Moon cycles through phases without haste or force. This reflects the High Priestess’s unique guidance: wisdom that unfolds in its own time and is accessed through silence, introspection, and a deep connection to one's inner life.

Key Themes of the Moon in Relation to the Goddess and High Priestess

The Moon symbolizes several core attributes that resonate deeply with the Goddess and the High Priestess:

• Intuition and Inner Knowing: The Moon represents intuition, psychic awareness, and the ability to sense subtle energies. Just as the Moon’s light is reflective, so too is intuition a reflection of the unconscious. This aligns with the High Priestess’s call to trust one’s inner guidance.

• Cycles and Phases: The Moon’s phases—waxing, full, and waning—are reminders of life’s inherent cycles and the constant evolution within the feminine. These phases echo the stages of life and the cycles of inner growth, reflecting the Goddess’s role in birth, transformation, and renewal.

• Shadow and Mystery: The Moon, especially the New Moon phase, symbolizes the mysteries of the unseen and the wisdom of the shadow. The High Priestess, like the Goddess, invites us to embrace and explore our shadows, recognizing that true insight often lies within what is hidden or obscured.

• Reflection and Receptivity: Unlike the Sun’s direct light, the Moon’s light is receptive, reflecting the Sun’s energy and embodying the qualities of receptivity and introspection. The High Priestess encourages a reflective approach, urging seekers to be still, listen, and embrace silence as a pathway to deeper understanding.

In Summary

The Moon as a symbol for the Goddess and the High Priestess encapsulates the essence of the Divine Feminine’s intuitive, cyclical, and mysterious nature. It serves as a reminder of the power found in stillness, reflection, and honoring the rhythms of life and spirit. Both the Goddess and the High Priestess invite us to connect with these deeper aspects of ourselves, guided by the Moon’s quiet wisdom to explore the mysteries within.

The pomegranates and their blooms on the Rider-Waite-Smith key 2 representing the "womb" are also shown along with the Tora scroll on her lap. She also wears the equal arm cross of the 4 universal elements. The palm trees in the background represent the masculine force.

The pomegranate holds deep symbolic resonance with the High Priestess and the Divine Feminine across various mystical traditions, particularly within Tarot, mythology, and ancient religions. Its associations with fertility, mystery, and sacred knowledge make it a potent emblem of the High Priestess’s qualities and the Divine Feminine archetype.

Pomegranate Symbolism and the Divine Feminine

The pomegranate has long represented the mysteries of life, death, and rebirth—themes that are central to the Divine Feminine and the High Priestess. The fruit’s exterior, with its hard, unassuming skin, conceals hundreds of vibrant red seeds within, symbolizing hidden truths and inner mysteries. This quality speaks to the Divine Feminine’s role as a vessel of wisdom, intuition, and creation.

In ancient cultures, the pomegranate was often associated with goddesses of fertility and the underworld, such as Persephone in Greek mythology, whose journey to the underworld marked the cycle of seasons. The fruit was both life-giving and deadly, embodying the paradoxes within the feminine archetype: the bringer of life and the initiator of transformation through death. For the Divine Feminine, the pomegranate represents the cycle of creation and regeneration, honoring both light and dark aspects within.

The Pomegranate and the High Priestess in Tarot

In Tarot, the High Priestess is often depicted with pomegranates as part of her imagery, typically on a veil behind her or incorporated into her surroundings. This choice is deeply significant, as it ties her to the concept of hidden knowledge, spiritual secrets, and initiation into mystical truths. Just as the fruit’s seeds are enclosed and only accessible through deliberate effort, so too is the knowledge the High Priestess holds—a reminder that true wisdom often requires inner work and receptivity to be unlocked.

The pomegranate’s symbolic ties to Persephone reinforce the High Priestess’s role as a guide between worlds. Like Persephone, the High Priestess stands at the threshold of conscious and unconscious realms, holding space for seekers who wish to delve into hidden dimensions of their psyche and spirit. The pomegranate, then, emphasizes her role as a keeper of sacred mysteries, whose secrets are accessible only to those willing to journey inward.

Key Themes and Attributes of the Pomegranate in Relation to the Divine Feminine and High Priestess

The pomegranate embodies several characteristics that resonate with the Divine Feminine and the High Priestess:

• Fertility and Creation: Representing potential and growth, the pomegranate’s many seeds symbolize the abundance and creative power inherent in the Divine Feminine. This quality speaks to the High Priestess’s ability to nurture and bring forth spiritual insights from within.

• Life-Death-Rebirth Cycle: A key symbol in the pomegranate is its role in myths that speak of descent and return, echoing the eternal cycles that the Divine Feminine governs. The High Priestess’s connection to this cycle reminds us that spiritual evolution often requires periods of withdrawal and transformation.

• Hidden Knowledge and Mysteries: The structure of the pomegranate—containing seeds within its hidden core—reflects the High Priestess’s association with esoteric wisdom and sacred truths that lie beyond the surface. This is mirrored in the Divine Feminine’s role as a keeper of intuitive, often hidden knowledge.

• Duality and Balance: The pomegranate’s association with life and death speaks to the Divine Feminine’s balancing of opposites, a core aspect of the High Priestess. She embodies the dualities of conscious and unconscious, light and dark, showing that true wisdom honors all facets of existence.

In Summary

The pomegranate’s connection to the High Priestess and the Divine Feminine archetype is a celebration of life, mystery, and the transformational powers of feminine energy. It stands as a symbol of the depth, mystery, and intuitive knowledge that lie at the heart of both the Divine Feminine and the High Priestess, encouraging seekers to journey within to uncover sacred truths and to honor the cycles of life in their own spiritual evolution.

In all men is a High Priestess (Anima) and in all Women is a High Priest (Animus). It is accepted that the inner and outer personalities are complimentary: However, a very methodical and scientific masculine persona usually suggests an emotional and often irrational inner being.

As before stated, the encounter of the Anima by the Animus, especially in dreams, is a very genuine experience. Her activity as antagonist brought on by social programing, always at work in a man as compassion and brings many qualities that the culture has given to the feminine: gentleness, softness, emotionality, love of home and beautiful things, empathy, etc. However, one may rightly assume that a culture's and/or society's perceptions of male and female shall evolve, as will the individual's personality when in interaction with the Anima and Animus becomes inseparable within the brain.

To a Christian, the High Priestess, may appear as the Stella Maris and/or the Mother Mary. or the Papist (female Pope). Hence, the starry sky. However, she is best represented as a more ancient Goddess, like the sky goddess Nuit of the ancient Egyptians pantheon. For sure, she is all phase of Woman, the Mother Hera, the Virgin Diana, the hag Hecate, and/or the Trinity Goddess that is Maid, Mother and Crone. Therefore, she can be charming, loving, and supportive or deceptive, very arbitrary, and cruel which in this state would be called the "ice queen" by the ancient Norse. Which is a very revealing image of manmade fear of the Goddess who is both Life and Death of all created forms. She isn't considerate of individual desires, for She is Life itself, and our desires are often so self-Centered they have nothing to do with the expansion and liberation of Life itself. Hence, she is the fear of ambitious men who want to control life. I personally, am the leopard she holds dear.

As one progresses in the mysteries, one begins to understand that every archetype has a Positive and Negative side (Light Angelic and Shadow-Animal survival mind), both of which must be encountered for true self-knowledge. This is shown as the twin pillars on the RWS High Priestess and the black widow High Priestess card.

However, the High Priestess may appear through active imagination (Meditation), this archetype is invoked, and a conversation begun, the effect is immensely powerful. However, the contents of the Unconscious are often brought to the surface, and these can be unpredictable. For we have a shadow side to the Universal Collective Unconscious as well as an enlightened side. Each of us must balance the 2 sides of one mind-trinity of subconscious, awake consciousness and unconscious, within ourselves (Maid-Mother-Crone). For we are the Spirit that is "Will-to-be" and have willed our earthly presence.

THE HIGH PRIESTESS/PRIESTESS acts upon the First Matter of the MAGUS, causing it to function in the pattern of a figure eight lying on its side: the lemniscate. This represents a total unified energy cycle of both opposed and duplicated vibration (Anima and Animus). This holding, enclosing, and duplicating function is that of the first female quality on the Tree of Life. An works well as the web of dreams that the black widow weaves.

THE HIGH PRIESTESS represents what Carl Jung called the "virgin anima", related to "virgin milk" which he called the "life giving power of the unconscious."

To the inquiring mind, I really recommend one gets the book: THE WOMAN'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MYTHS AND SECRETS, by Barbara G. Walker and looks up the Moon Goddess Myths. THE HIGH PRIESTESS relates a concept so subjective, that much repetition of information, in differentiating perspectives is required. The Divine Creatrix is a mystery worth investigating as she lies deep within the underworld of the subconscious and weaves dreams into life! She is as Ereshkigal of the Inanna and her sister Ereshkigal of the Sumerian myth.

When the HIGH PRIESTESS, is thrown during a reading for the non-initiated, the querent is experiencing:

• The principle of self-trust indicates an easily working state of harmony and inner independence.
•  A self-knowing. 
• Accessing hidden Knowledge from the unconscious. 
• Self-sufficiency, self-trust, and intuition. 
• It's not time to make decisions now. Meditate on it.
• You've come up against the Truth, and more self-knowledge is needed. It's time to reflect on how to grow.

To the aspirant male, she represents the Spiritual Bride of the Just man (The Animus, no longer of this world) When he reads the Law, she gives the Divine Meaning to this law. The Arcana is revealed, the Mystery is unfolded, futures are seen.

To the aspirant Female, she is the Papess associated with St. Mary Magdalene, or the Great Shakti of the triple Hindu Goddess Kali, or the Greek Gnostic Sophia, the original Mother of the Holy Trinity. Considered one of the Highest and Holiest of the Major Arcana. Complete development of Feminine Powers that go deeper in meaning than the words, intuition, or insight, can convey. She is the Law of inherited Wisdom.

When this card is reversed:

• Your concentration on your "inner life" has become an addiction, causing many problems in your outer life.
• Lost interest in ordinary life, loss of friends, and connection to family. 
• Lack of self-knowledge.

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