II. The High Priestess

Reversed: ignorance, slow response, extremism, weak sense of right and wrong, arrogance, overexposure, inability to control desires, nervousness.

In the stillness of night, she wears a flowing black gown and sits gracefully by the shimmering water, reading a scroll. A bright crescent moon rises behind her, reflecting the full moon and another version of herself dressed in white. The reflection holds the other end of the scroll, and under the dark night sky, it becomes impossible to tell which one is real. She wanders between black and white, good and evil, as if walking along the edge of a blade. It is through this unique experience that she has gained extraordinary insight and profound wisdom. She perceives the weaknesses of human nature and understands the balance between virtue and vice.

In readings, the High Priestess can represent someone with strong intuition who seldom takes action, or a person who appears overly reserved and emotionally distant. Like every card, she holds both positive and negative meanings — interpretation depends on surrounding cards and the reader’s intuition.