For a long time, I associated the High Priestess with intuition - just, a broad sweeping faculty that spoke to one's ability to access something out of the ordinary.

The more I sit with this archetype though, the more nuanced my understanding of intuition has become. I have discovered, and probably you have as well, that intuition isn't intuition isn't intuition. There are levels, degrees and types - and we think this may be why many of us have a hard time discerning between the voices in our head. 

The pillared cards in tarot are among the most fascinating. They act as gateways or portals to elsewhere...but where do they lead? What lies beyond their veil? In what way should we approach them? And how may we be granted access?

When we first decided we would write about the pillared cards in tarot, we did so with the intention of producing one article with our speculations and explorations. But we've realized that there is more to say than can be contained in a single post and so this will be at least a 5 part series, starting with this one, an introduction to the whole scheme.

What are the pillared cards in tarot? Simply put, they are the Major Arcana cards which feature a central figure sitting between 2 pillars. There are 3 which are obvious - The High Priestess, The Hierophant, and Justice. But examining these 3 cards, the set feels incomplete. A reliable structure, after all, is typically defined by its 4 posts. As well, we have only 3 of the 4 elements represented, so it stands to reason we’re missing a fourth. The elements so far accounted for are water, earth, and air - so, where’s the fire?

Last week I shared a new collaborative project I’ve been working on with my partner Tim and my dad, combining tarot and meditation. The purpose of the tracks we are creating is to bring the listener into alignment with the Major Arcana card they are wishing to focus upon. Last week we shared our piece for The Magician, and today we bring you The High Priestess!

While you may opt to simply enjoy the track on its own, we have also provided some suggestions should you want to incorporate it into a fuller ritual. We do hope you enjoy the sounds! We will be updating the YouTube page regularly as we add more tracks. Feel free to follow along - we’ll likely use the space for other content as well. I also plan on storing all meditations on a separate page of this site, so they are easy to find! Keep reading to learn more about connecting with The High Priestess.

Preface: If you've found this article (or others) helpful, or have enjoyed the resources that I create, please consider joining me on Patreon. Even at $1 a month you are helping me sustain my work here while also unlocking access to content that has never been and will never be published in this space. Thanks!

Full disclosure - I am of the camp that believes Justice has found it's proper place as the 11th Arcana, though I know there are many who prefer it as the 8th and I am sure there are plenty of valid reasons why that makes sense. However, I'm here to discuss one of the reasons why the latter resonates more with me, and that is because in the 11th spot, based on numerology, it vibrates in line with The High Priestess.

While on the surface, Justice and The High Priestess appear to have little in common, I actually consider these cards to be two sides of the same coin and the secret to reading the tarot. A bit of a bold claim I suppose, but stay with me and we'll get to that...before we do though, let's explore the visual similarities and differences.