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Long before Dan Brown went in search of the Holy Grail, A. E. Waite connected his High Priestess to the “Secret Church”, the “Second Marriage of the Prince who is no longer of this world”, and the “Spiritual Bride and Mother”. She is the balancing counterpart to the more terrestrial and dogmatic Hierophant card, the yin to his yang, and thus can be called the divine feminine. If we call our Priests “Father” would it not make sense that the High Priestess might represent the Mother, be it the Mother Church or something else? Although one may be hard pressed to find a cup (or grail) in any representation of the High Priestess, its influence is still evident.
The suit of cups in the Tarot is associated with the element of water and the emotional state of man. If one starts looking for this energy in the Major Arcana the High Priestess stands out as one of the more obvious examples. Like the suit of cups, the High Priestess is passive, reflective and contemplative. She follows the advice given through this suit by waiting, listening and considering. Some will find her frustrating in a time of crisis due to her reluctance to act, but she’s not worried. In Waite’s deck this association with cups is made obvious through the pool of water partially hidden behind her. Many decks take this imagery further by draping her in blue robes that ripple and flow into the ground.
Another way this influence manifests itself is through the High Priestess’ astrological association with the moon. Since the Rider-Waite Tarot deck grabbed the world’s attention early in the last century it has become fashionable to include some representation of the Moon in a High Priestess card, and with good reason. In some decks the lunar imagery on the second trump beats even that of the eighteenth. The Moon is directly connected to the element of water through the ebb and flow of the Earth’s tides, and its 28 day cycle has special significance for women. The Moon, as one can see through the generic divinatory interpretations of the Moon card, often represents mystery and secrecy, also elements related to the High Priestess. The Moon’s influence on the High Priestess can be found not only in traditional divinatory meanings, but in the various debates among scholars about whom or what she might represent. She has been attributed to the Egyptian goddesses Isis and Hathor, the mythical and controversial Pope Joan, and even a heretical relative of the Visconti family. It is unlikely that anyone will definitively pin down the inspiration for her, but all of the theories about where she came from can play a role in better understanding her.
Whether or not you believe that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married it is nice to see that the role of women in the Christian Church has become such a popular topic of conversation. Mary Magdalene’s part in the drama of the Holy Grail, whether literal or figurative, is very important. Women have, from the very beginning, been instrumental in the spread of the “Jesus Cult”, but have unfortunately received little credit in the historical records. King Arthur and his knights were in search of an actual drinking vessel, but the Grail has lately evolved into a metaphor for the feminine side of the church. Diverting briefly to Waite’s Ace of Cups one can find (or at least speculate about) connections to the High Priestess. Waite’s first cup is most likely a depiction of the Holy Grail. Inscribed on the chalice is a “W” which some scholars contend is actually an upside down “M”. If that is the case, does it stand for Mary, either Jesus’ companion or his mother? Or (if one wanted to make a crazy leap) could it stand for Manfreda, the black sheep of the Visconti family, who was elected Popess by her obscure sect and subsequently burned at the stake? Behind Waite’s High Priestess is a veil hiding a body of water. I, for one, would not be surprised to pull back that veil and find that same scene from the Ace of Cups.
In a deck of cards that is no stranger to controversy, the High Priestess stands out as one of the most contentious cards. She is intimidating and not very forthcoming to new readers and still manages to exasperate professionals. The question of whom and what she might represent has led some to rename the card or even replace her in some decks. With all of the mystery and debate surrounding the High Priestess, she is one of the more difficult Tarot Trumps to understand, but also one of the most fulfilling when studied.
(c) April Wagner 2008