So i had some friends over yesterday afternoon, for some more life drawing classes.  And these two particular ladies are a blast to hang out with!  Turns out they both have journals (which i can't post links to until i get permission), so we had a moment of show and tell journaling.  i found the following on one of theirs:

I Am

Which tarot card are you?

     The High Priestess? me?  Who knew?  And what does that mean exactly?  i managed to find this (using the trusty google search!):

THE HIGH PRIESTESS

Basic symbols

Blue, white and black colors, pomegranates, Isis moon crown, veil, solar cross, crescent moon. Black & white lotus, pillars (B stands for Boaz, signifying negation, J stands for Jachin, meaning beginning). Scroll with the word Tora on it (either the Jewish Torah or an anagram of Tarot, where the final letter is left unseen).

Basic Story

Continuing his journey, the Fool comes upon a beautiful and mysterious veiled lady enthroned between two pillars. She is the opposite of the Magician, quiet where he was loquacious, still where he was in motion, sitting while he stood, shrouded in the night where he was out in the bright of day. She is the High Priestess and she astonishes the Fool by knowing everything about him. More, she knows what tools he carries in his pack. She lets the Fool know that she knows how to use these items. She could teach him, if he's willing. Respectfully he asks her to pass on her wisdom, which she does in the form of archaic scrolls and soft whispers. Informed enough now to make initial decisions about what he wants, where he will go, and what he will do, the Fool pushes the pomegranate curtain aside and steps between the two pillars toward his future.

Basic Meaning

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know in order to make a decision about a problem or a job, an investment, love, career, family, etc.

And, finally, behind her is the curtain to the future; the pomegranates that decorate it remind us of Persephone, who was taken down into the land of the dead, ate its fruit, and became the only goddess allowed to travel to and from that strange land. Which indicates that when you get the High Priestess, you're going to be learning some very odd things. Very odd.

Thirteen's Observations

If there is a card that symbolizes the tarot reader it is the High Priestess. A woman (or man!) of psychic powers, intuition and secret knowledge. She can stand for the Querent, who might be discovering (or about to discover) psychic powers or a deep, dark secret or who might be studying spiritual texts.

If she stands for someone else, she might well be a spiritual woman, a nun or astrologer, a teacher of archaic knowledge, or just a reclusive relative who knows a lot of family secrets. In the negative, she can be a woman prone to passive aggressive acts, or one with a cold, unpredictable, moody, even scary personality (We're all thinking it so let's just say it: pre-menstrual.

What I think is most important to remember about the High Priestess is that she is the one who can lead you through the darkest part of yourself or life to the other side. She sits between the pillars of dark and light, existence and negation, wax and wane, because she, alone, knows the way. She has visited the land of the dead and returned; all secret knowledge is hers. 

      Well we can count out the pre-menstrual part - i definitely don't have that problem - not with my daily measured dose of estrogen.  But this was all interesting none the less - and reminded me of a few years ago, when a gentleman of the "tarot arts and anything pagan" told me i had an old soul.  i think he was right.  i wasn't given the advantage of higher education, but often i "feel" older and wiser.  Not physically.  Just in my mind.  And of the two ladies that were here yesterday, in spite of both of them being younger than me, it seemed to me that one of them has an "old soul" as well. 

      Anyway, i had fun with them - got a bit of sketching in - lots of chit chats and hugs.  Himself was surprised when He got home and found me still dressed - but i've assured the ladies that next time i will pose.

     Later on j and E came for dinner and we were finally able to give them their Christmas present.. it took forever to get, but we really wanted to give them the same type of teapot that we have.  There's nothing like a good piece of Paderno in the kitchen - it's high quality, survives the dishwasher and hard to break.  Perfect.  

     That's one thing with all the work upheavals lately - not only am i never home, but i'm also in a different location to do my job - so i'm missing out on the chatty lunches i had with j.  Bummer.  i miss that part.  We did have a bit of a chance to catch up though - and since i have to go in to work today, i'm hoping i'll be more organized this week to actually take some lunches with her.  How did life get so hectic all of a sudden?  i'm still constantly baffled about that :-)

     “Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it.”
       --Salvador Dali           

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