Secret of the High Priestess Spread

Difficulty: Average

This spread makes a nice alternative to the Celtic Cross, which covers basically the same ground. It is useful when a question doesn't quite call for the Ankh spread. This tarot spread is helpful for looking into a current trend. The High Priestess may or may not present a mysterious secret to be analysed after the rest of the spread.

1. & 2. Main impulses representing the topic at hand. They may compliment or oppose one another.

3. This is the current influence at this time.

5. The Waning Moon is the influence that is moving into the past.

4. The Waxing Moon indicates what is on the horizon, or the approaching influence. This is the immediate future.

7. The Light is what is clearly recognized, consciously.

6. The Dark indicates what is there but not fully perceived, though noticed on a deeper level of consciousness.

8. The Next Step is the near future, where this journey leads.

9. The final tarot card, only if it happens to be of the Major Arcana, reveals the Secret of the High Priestess. This is a special message that should be given added weight.

Your Secret of the High Priestess Reading

The Waxing Moon 4 of Swords	The Full Moon 5 of Cups		The Waning Moon Ace of Wands
	Significator #1 5 of Coins	Significator #2 Ace of Swords
The Dark Death	The Secret of the High Priestess 3 of Swords		The Light King of Coins
	The Next Step Queen of Cups

Significator #1 

Wealth and poverty are separated by a wall. The rich man is wearing white gloves. He doesn't want to get his fingers dirty. The poor man has a missing middle-finger, the centre has been lost. His stick is brittle.

The colour blue separates the colours red and yellow from brown and green. The yellow is similar to gold. Red used to belong to the most expensive colours. Green is also the colour of mould and brown is the colour which at first appears to be inert.

The candle is helping the poor man to find sense and the distant path, as far as he is aware of them.

Significator #2 

The sword is rising out of the water. The blue colour in the picture symbolises clarity. The three different coloured butterflies indicate different thoughts and the perception of difference. One butterfly is sitting on the tip of the sword, a symbol of decision. The halo supports the impression of clarification and purification.

The Waning Moon is the influence that you are putting behind you, as it moves into the past. 

The orangey yellow colour of the picture emphasises energy and liveliness. A wand is growing out of the ground. Liveliness grows out of stability, which gives security and nutrition.

The leaf indicates slow change, but the fire indicates a definite basic change and dissolving of processes. The heart, which seems to be inside the flame, pronounces love' passion. Energy-rays are hinted at through the wand's aura. The field of corn in the background gives a further reference to growth and fertility.

The Full Moon is the current influence at this time. 

Three cups are spilling their contents. The other two are collecting what is lost, suggesting that nothing can really be lost. Nevertheless, the spill is important so that a change can take place.

The tower and the star refer to the cards, which are following the devil, which is related to the five cups. The flames in the tower can be understood as a heart. If the observer turns round, he will take the path in the right direction and will not look back.

The Waxing Moon indicates what is on the horizon; the approaching influence. 

Three swords are holding a violet cauldron, under which a fire is burning. Something is being "extracted". The violet colour indicates a spiritual process. The sun is setting; nothing more will happen today. To sleep on it will help.

Tomorrow it might be possible to grasp the fourth sword and to take the right path in further conflicts. The path past the white flag is also possible.

The Light is what is clearly recognized. 

The king is sitting in front of his magnificent castle with its well-kept but simple park. He is proud of it and feels confident. He is aware of what he has achieved and he knows how to manage his estate.

The Dark shows what is there but not fully perceived, though it has been noticed on a deeper level of consciousness. 

The circuit of coming and going is symbolised by the serpent, which frames the picture and bites its own tail. The red background portrays sunset, or as the case may be, sunrise. The house and the tree, representatives for the element earth, have fallen into decay and are bare. The three tombstones show the headgear of the pope, the king and the farmer. At death there is no difference.

The skeleton's hand comes from the left and holds a blue scythe, which seems to be a mixture between a sceptre and a sword. The leaf, which is growing out of it, shows that death, due to its quality allowing old things to fade away, makes new growth possible.

The water symbolises the river Styx, which has to be crossed at death so as to reach the next world. The colour blue in the picture stands for disconnection and purification. Like its younger brother sleep, death also has a cleansing property, which is particularly emphasised by the whiteness of the skeleton's hand and the blade of the scythe. What is interesting (I only realised later) is that the scythe's blade itself gives the hint of a crescent moon.

The Next Step is the near future, where this journey will take you. 

The world seems to be a wallowing in the emotions for the queen. The waves in the background seem to be carrying her throne, which she clearly seems to be enjoying. The moon and the stars portray the light that she intuitively or indirectly sees.

The instrument she is holding under her right arm allows her to express her inspirations and to hand them on to others. She could also be an artist.

The Secret of the High Priestess - if, and only if, this card a Major Arcana, it reveals the Secret of the High Priestess. This is a special spiritual message that you should pay extra special attention to. If it is not a trump, the Priestess has revealed no secret. 

The colours red, blue and gray are all mixed together in this scene. Clarity fills the whole picture, but the emotions also play a role. The ten wands in the background are all mixed up.

A cloud obscures or overshadows the scene. The two drops of water show condensation, as the cloud is being influenced by the sword. These drops also represent tears.

The three swords point to a spot on the heart. It is unclear whether they are damaging it, yet one can see a drop of blood.