All Hail the High Priestess: A Look at the Impact of Major Arcana Card Two

What if you woke up tomorrow morning and were exactly who you are? Not the you that your partner gets or your mother sees or your neighbor knows. The you that is really truly you — the good, the bad, the ugly, the angry, the kind, the complex. The YOU you. The human behind the curtain, the face behind the mask?

For me, this prompt alone gives me hives. It’s not that I think I’m inauthentic or fake, but I certainly put a whole lot of effort into presenting the best version of Karli every damn day. I don’t like to share a lot of my inner world, and I’m not about to reveal it to just anyone. I’m also a little scared of how real the real Karli is. She’s a lot more direct. I’m not sure she’s equipped to handle the reactions of others when she’s speaking the full force of her truth.

But where I cringe and hide, The High Priestess thrives. A woman of intrigue, mystery and divine feminine power, The High Priestess is the tarot deck’s baddest bitch. She is secrets revealed, intuition embraced and the very embodiment of that friend who will silently give you side eye until you stop fooling yourself and get real. She’s a confident powerhouse, and my goodness, she is not fucking around.

Today, I’m here to invite you take a similar approach. This blog series is designed to help you find the truth hidden in the cards. It is being written in conjunction with the Cup of Sugar tarot series newsletter. If you’re not getting the series currently, you can still sign up here. To see the first blog post on The Fool, click here. The Magician post is right here.

This post is focused on The High Priestess, and to demonstrate Major Arcana Card Two’s impact, I share four different spreads below. Each one is what I’d consider a “general energy reading,” which means that the cards come together to tell an overarching story about what might be going on for an individual or group. These spreads are not answering a specific question.

In each example, I detail what The High Priestess represents within the context of herself and the other cards. The sections are written as if I were reading these cards especially for you. Let’s get after it…

Spread 1: Clinging To Ego Muddles a Hopeful Future

In reverse, The High Priestess indicates that things are purposefully not as they seem. You are hiding something even from yourself. It is something that feels shameful, a tie to your identity that you prefer remain below the surface. Two forces are at play.

The Hanged Man reversed presents a precarious position. He must work to remain upright, effort is required. This indicates that you have a tendency to cling to your identity, the one your ego has developed over time. It’s good to know who you are, but not at the detriment of surrendering to what could be or taking the time to self-examine.

The reversed Six of Coins provides some additional context. You may be experiencing feelings of greed and selfishness, but this seems to stem from a fractured relationship with your finances. Operating from a place of scarcity is leaving you wanting—and ashamed for being in such a position. When we feel we are lacking, it is hard to be generous.

Hope, however, is on the horizon. Normally a card of mourning the past, in reverse the Five of Cups is indicative of an abundant future. By going deep into your feelings of unworthiness, you have the opportunity to cultivate emotional growth. This is where the turning point exists, but you must put in the work. Explore the depths of your darkest insecurities. The High Priestess will help you once you invite her in. From this place, you will be able to find equilibrium and move forward with joy.

Spread 2: All Power and No Focus Makes for Continual Chaos

A spread crowded with royalty can feel a bit imbalanced. Queens represent the divine feminine in a suit, Kings the divine masculine. They are the extremes because their energies are turned up to maximum volume. In the Major Arcana, The High Priestess reads like a queen herself, tapping into the intuition, seduction and lunar vibes that are representative of the archetype.

All this is to say that there’s a lot going on here! If we read The High Priestess as a queen energy, we have balance: A queen upright and reversed, a king upright and reversed. The two reversed swords cards, however, indicate a troubled and chaotic mind. Thoughts are coming from all directions, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remain focused.

The High Priestess offers a solution: Stop thinking so much and go within. Your intuition is being blocked by an onslaught of mental gymnastics. Quiet your mind and see clearly. This will require effort. The surrender that accompanies The High Priestess’ request is coupled by a powerful call to action from the King of Wands. If you truly want to see the reality of a situation, you must put in the effort.

Sitting around thinking about things never got anyone very far. You’ve spent so much time in your head that it’s beginning to create cyclical conversations that ultimately keep you paralyzed. Wade through the useless thoughts toward deeper waters. Once cleansed in the waves of your intuition, gather yourself up, renewed and refreshed. Come prepared with a plan of action and go forth. The King of Wands is on your side. Riding on the power of your determination, he will help you succeed in whatever you seek to achieve.

Spread 3: From Darkness to Light, Fortune is in Your Favor

It’s interesting to see The High Priestess and The Moon in the same orientation. It indicates that there is a lot happening below the surface, a lot of depth hidden in the darkness. But why do you feel the need to hide from the sun, to draw away from the world? Your shadow self is you, too. By disconnecting from your intuition, you’re cutting yourself off from the beauty that lives within. You are more than meets the eye. It’s OK to let others in.

The Queen of Wands is encouraging you to step into the light. Her warm generosity is welcoming. She believes in you. She will help you succeed in whatever you put your efforts behind, but you need to trust her. She is graceful but vivacious, and she is calling you out to play. Her concern for you is genuine. Darkness without the light is a crippling imbalance. Light without acknowledging the darkness is equally troublesome.

The good news is that putting yourself out there will be a fortunate move. The Wheel is upright meaning good luck is yours to enjoy. Forever spinning, the wheel shows up in different ways at different times. When it is upright, it’s time to take advantage, to make progress, to bask in the joy that accompanies abundance. But you must show up in order to receive. Leave the comfort of your hiding place. The world outside is waiting for your light.

Spread 4: Justice Follows Failure, Intuition Feeds Desire

Your intuition is speaking to you clearly. Are you listening? The High Priestess is letting you know that you’ve stopped making progress. Your attempts to move forward have stalled. The Chariot reversed is a visual reminder that unresolved conflict and a failure to harness forces results in collapse. Failure may feel disheartening, but it is information nonetheless. It is from this place that you can learn and begin again.

The reversed Seven of Swords indicates that justice is coming. You’ve not been greedy with your time or energy. That conservation will serve you in the wake of a situation stalled. Your waiting period is coming to an end soon. Your intuition is providing good counsel. Take these downloads and messages into the next stage of forward momentum. Be mindful of your progress.

In this reading, the Devil is not the scary hell-spawn he may sometimes seem. Here, he’s inviting you to harness your desires and be extremely honest about what it is that you really want. Be a bit indulgent but don’t lose yourself in the pleasure. There is a tendency to drown when we go too far down the path of giving ourselves everything we think we need.

Your intuition is helpful here, too. You know whether your fantasies seek to bind you to your current situation or provide the necessary push to continue the journey free from past disappointments. Let The High Priestess be your trusty guide.