The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love & Yes or No

Upright meaning

Keywords: Intuition · Secrets · Patience · Inner wisdom · Quiet observation

The High Priestess sits between two pillars, holding a scroll that's partly hidden from view. She stands for truths that haven't fully come to light yet, and for the kind of wisdom that sees past the surface. This isn't a time to rush. Watch quietly and listen to the voice inside you.

Love

There are quiet feelings here that haven't surfaced yet. It could be a secret crush, or feelings that haven't been confessed. Don't rush. Get to know this person slowly, and a moment will come when you understand each other without saying a word.

Relationships

Something between you two hasn't been said yet. You both feel a lot for each other, but you're careful about showing it. Rather than pressing for answers, give the other person time to open up on their own.

Career & study

Your talent for gathering information and reading a situation really shines right now. It's a good time for study, research, planning, or any work that takes deep thought. For big decisions, trust your gut over what things look like on the surface.

Money

Watching and waiting will serve you better than making big moves. There may be information you don't have yet, so hold off on investments or large purchases until you feel sure.

Mind & wellbeing

This is a sign that you need some time to yourself. Try journaling or going for a quiet walk to sort through your thoughts, and the answer will start to show itself.

As a person

Someone calm with real depth. They don't talk much, but they read people well. There's something mysterious about them, and they don't open up easily.

As someone's feelings

They're quietly thinking about you. They're careful about showing their feelings, though, so even if they seem indifferent on the outside, there's a lot going on inside.

What to do

Wait one more day before deciding, and listen to what your heart is telling you. With the other person, skip the questions for now and make it easy for them to talk to you.

Watch out for

Be careful about guessing in your head and reaching conclusions on your own. When it matters, say something, even just a few words, so misunderstandings don't take root.

Reversed meaning

Keywords: Hidden truths · Ignoring intuition · Shutting down emotions · Gossip

You may be tuning out your inner voice, or feeling confused because something is being kept from you. A secret could be about to come out. Or you've held your feelings down for so long that you're no longer sure what you really feel.

Love

Their feelings may be hard to read, or there may be something going on that you don't know about. Instead of letting worry feed your guesses, start with the facts you can actually check.

Relationships

You're both hiding what you really feel, and it's created distance between you. There may be unspoken hurt building up. Without blaming anyone, start by honestly sharing how you feel.

Career & study

You may not have the full picture, or someone may be holding back important information. Don't get swept up in office gossip. Trust only what you've confirmed for yourself.

Money

Watch out for hidden fees and fine print. If you don't fully understand a product, ask for it to be explained again, and always double-check before you sign anything.

Mind & wellbeing

Keeping your feelings bottled up can leave you frustrated or on edge. Talking to someone you trust, or writing it all down, can make things feel much lighter.

As a person

Someone who's hard to read. They tend to hide their feelings or leave important things unsaid, which easily leads to misunderstandings.

As someone's feelings

They either haven't figured out their own feelings for you or are deliberately hiding them. Part of them wants to get closer, and part of them wants to keep their distance.

What to do

Don't leave the unknowns alone. Look into them one at a time. And don't ignore the uneasy signals your gut is sending you.

Watch out for

Be careful not to draw conclusions from gossip or guesswork, and don't hold your feelings in until they all burst out at once.

Symbols in the picture

The High Priestess sits quietly between two pillars, holding a scroll close. This card asks you to trust your intuition over words, and to look beneath the surface.

• The Black and White Pillars. On the left stands a black pillar marked B, and on the right a white pillar marked J. These are the two pillars of Solomon's Temple. They stand for opposing forces, like dark and light or hidden and revealed. The High Priestess sits right between them. Don't listen to just one side. Take in both.
  Reversed: You're looking at only one of the two pillars. Ask yourself whether you're only believing the side that tells you what you want to hear.
• The Scroll in Her Lap. On her lap she holds a scroll marked TORA, partly hidden from view. Knowledge that hasn't fully come to light, and a secret whose time hasn't come yet. You can't know everything right now, so don't rush to a conclusion.
  Reversed: You've read only the visible lines of a half-hidden scroll and think you know the whole story. Things start to untangle once you admit you only know part of it.
• The Pomegranate Veil. The veil behind her is covered in pomegranates. Abundance, hidden life force, and a world that lies concealed beyond it. There's more going on behind what you can see, things you don't know yet.
  Reversed: You're looking straight ahead without wondering what's behind the veil. The other person has reasons they haven't shared, so don't take their words at face value. Quietly pay attention.
• The Moon Crown. She wears a crown that combines the waxing, full, and waning moon. The flow of emotion and intuition, which grows and fades like the moon. Right now, your gut feeling is more accurate than your head.
  Reversed: You're overthinking the feelings the crown sends you and pushing them down. If something keeps nagging at you, don't brush it off.
• The Crescent Moon at Her Feet. A crescent moon rests at the hem of her robe, by her feet. Keeping emotions and the unconscious underfoot and calmly in check. Once your restless heart settles, the answer will come into view.
  Reversed: The feelings once kept calmly underfoot are bubbling up and clouding your judgment. Let the excitement cool down first. It won't be too late to decide then.