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 5 of Cups	The Full Moon Queen of Coins		The Waning Moon 8 of Coins
	Significator #1 Queen of Cups	Significator #2 4 of Swords
The Dark The Magician	The Secret of the High Priestess 9 of Cups		The Light Queen of Wands
	The Next Step Strength

Significator #1 

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.

Significator #2 

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

Four pentacles are already completed and are standing under the table. They are the pentacles from the first four Pentacle cards.

The hour-glass shows that time is still needed for the work. The handle of the tool looks like a wand and indicates that, with the necessary commitment (small flame), success will slowly develop (leaf). The storm announces the future success.

The Full Moon is the current influence at this time. 

The queen has made her and her family home very comfortable. Everything has been arranged beautifully, there are flowers on the table, delicious food is prepared, and as well as this she is carrying a new-born baby in her arms. You would think she would need four hands to accomplish it all.

She looks rather discontented and the red colour in the picture suggests a banked-down fire. The four precious stones on the crown refer to the element earth.

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

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 Light is what is clearly recognized. 

The orangey-yellow colour of the picture symbolises fire; the green colour portrays fertility and growth. The sunflowers also testify a connection between energy and growth.

The throne gives the impression of a sun-queen; the creases on her skirt point to sexual energy, her red hair is tied back. The black cat, with its back to us, stands for independence and magic powers. There is a precious stone on the queen's crown, this connects her to the magician's figure one.

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

The symbols of all the elements are shown on the picture as possibilities. The eye, with its triangular shape, refers to the Holy Trinity. It seems as though it has just opened and one can recognise the spokes of the Wheel of Fortune in its iris.

The ribbon of eternity shows us how all possibilities can develop in waves out of the one item. The red background supports the energy of the illustration.

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

A sceptre and a sword seem to be fighting. Water and fire, portrayed in striking red, stand for subconscious strength. They are kept under control by the symbols of earth and air, the conscious elements, portrayed by the sword (clarity), the house (stability) and the wall (limits, firmness). The violet colour of the wall also shows a penetration of the colours red and blue.

The trees also contain this mixture of the elements, but they are growing cautiously as well as the clouds, water, which so to speak, becomes air (gaseous). They also stand for integration, which on the one hand makes us more flexible but on the other hand obscures things. The lemniscates, which can be seen clearly in magic, can be found in the two trees in the top left corner. It illustrates swinging into the next bend.

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 content of the nine cups is being poured over the picture and meets in a whirlpool in the middle. Three colours refer to the number three, out of which the number nine (3x3) exists. Notes (music/art), grapes (food/drink) and a heart (love/friendship) stand for areas which contain pleasure and well-being.

The colour red points to warmth, blue symbolises refreshment. The colour green can be understood as referring to a negative aspect on the card e.g., exaggerated personal pleasure.