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![]() XVI – The Tower |
The Full Moon![]() XX – Judgement |
The Waning Moon![]() XIV – Temperance |
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Significator #1![]() III – The Empress |
Significator #2![]() XXI – The World |
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The Dark![]() VI – The Lovers |
The Secret of the High Priestess![]() XIX – The Sun |
The Light![]() XIII – Death |
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The Next Step![]() VII – The Chariot |
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Significator #1
III – The Empress
The Empress indicates you carrying your ideas and projects to full term, abundantly bringing them to fruition. Feel the stability in the depth of your character as you orchestrate the crucial last gestures and finishing touches.
This is a wonderful time to fully bring things to life!
A creative or physical birth of some kind is indicated.
* A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasise rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.
Significator #2
XXI – The World
The World indicates that you are right back where you started and the journey is complete. A complete cycle is indicated. Look to new dreams, bigger ones. See the world IN The World card! View up through the looking glass of the obelisk from its base as if you are inside the obelisk looking up. See the point of its top right in front of you. Visualise the vanishing point of the top as a portal to infinity. Step smoothly through the doorway of your next iteration remembering this one.
The World indicates a powerful completion! Indicates a powerful completion cycle in The Fool's journey, YOUR journey!
Enjoy this time as you seamlessly segue into the next.
The Waning Moon is the influence that you are putting behind you, as it moves into the past.
XIV – Temperance
Temperance indicates seeming impossible opposites mixing and working together. See the man and beast joined in the centaur is a uniquely complete being. See a bow and arrow. One is moving, one stationary. Feel the mixing of things working together to point your way.
A strong sequence is indicated where... unity incorporates into your identity, your identity transforms to point the direction, and your direction transforms to support you with agile balance. The elements of your actions are powerfully expansive and pulsing. Striking a balance is indicated. Take everything in moderation at this time... including moderation. Moderation may simply be a well-balanced and harmonious blending appropriate to the time.
Enjoy this strong time, where your biggest ideas and dreams and your daily grind and rush-rush activities may feel just right together! * A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasize rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.
The Full Moon is the current influence at this time.
XX – Judgement
Judgment indicates a weightlessness of memory in mind that exacts a heavy toll or provides one with a breadth of self-born experience. It is indicated to not dig in your dirt at this time in respect for your own dead. In respectful remembrance forget them to sprouting and flowering naturally as you simply amend your soil.
It is indicated that you alone carry your memories into the present, no more at the mercy of your past, than you are of old photo albums. Take more pictures! Judgment indicates the respectful remembrance of perennials poking their noses up in newly amended soil.
Now is indicated to be a time where the cycles of your memories will flourish.
The Waxing Moon indicates what is on the horizon; the approaching influence.
XVI – The Tower
The Tower indicates your pond turning over, a major change. Resistance to change has already been torn down and renewal is at hand. It is indicated that the smoke is clearing on this your new playing field! False structures and beliefs are dramatically tumbling down! Tumbling down suddenly, violently, and all at once.
Grief may be present but be mindful not to re-hydrate old fears as they fall of their own accord. Breathe in the change. Enjoy and take in what remains first. You may have just dismissed single-mindedness!
No-one said this one's gonna be easy, but smile. This is you. . .only NEW!
* A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasise rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.
The Light is what is clearly recognized.
XIII – Death
Death indicates transformation. It is indicated to sacrifice unnecessary preconceptions you hold. The old you is evolving. A Phoenix is rising as a birth's introduction. Visualize a winter garden where things are resting for renewal. Patience is in fact a virtue of the Death card. Your perennial ideas and actions may naturalize to come back in different places more vibrantly.
If you are distressed at this time, mind your timing and placement. Do not trample on the new things in your life that appear small. Renewal and awakening may begin subtly. More is present than meets the eye.
Haste is not indicated. Slow your pace to be patiently present. * A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasize rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.
The Dark shows what is there but not fully perceived, though it has been noticed on a deeper level of consciousness.
VI – The Lovers
The Lovers indicate vibrant joineries embedded in a mutual harmony. Indicates a coming together of lovers, of ideas, of energies. Feel the vibrancy of your confidence and purpose. Feel your wholehearted respect in powerful witness with your love. There is vitality at every scale for you at this time! Now is a grand time for enhancing and strengthening partnerships in your personal and business realms.
The Next Step is the near future, where this journey will take you.
VII – The Chariot
The Chariot indicates you are bringing powerfully diverse, internal forces into harmony. Indicates agility at speed in your process. Take note of your strategies as chariots typically engage from the side rather than head on. Look to the powerful forces in your life to feel where strain needs to be tuned back in to balance. The embodiment of stand-alone, self-nourishing connections is indicated in the agility of your actions. Shift and corner! This is a great time to feel the agility of your responsiveness! * A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasise rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.
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.
XIX – The Sun
The Sun indicates who you really are but forgot when you entered life. Smiling, you reconcile opposites. You have your own inner light serving to illuminate the way on your path. This will always come and go like the Sun. Remember, though, even when it is gone, it is soon to return. . . .like the sun!
Visualise dawn and dusk. Note the marked difference between them, the powerful changes present between night and day, between day and night.
Here it is indicated that you meet your inner light in a way that moves you to shine more brightly with the truth of the purpose you feel. Shining brightly, feeling who you are, be refreshed both inside and out! The Sun card indicates that you will experience your own glory and respect what you have to offer. Honour and utilise your own gains, feel your pleasures, experience your triumphs. With your refreshed brightness enthusiastically reap your success!
This is a time where you are more visible, and your way feels bright.
* A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasise rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.
