By Tatiara
I entered the outer court of the Temple.
The first veil fell away, and the light was dim, neither day nor night. Meaning seemed to hover, unfinished, in the liminal half-darkness.
Before me, an enigmatic woman sat upon a throne, poised between two pillars. One white, one black. The air felt charged… mystical.
A mystery radiated from her. Unseen, it stirred an ancient awareness within me.
She wore a robe adorned with sacred signs, older than time. Upon her brow rested a golden crown, and the crescent moon.
Across her knees lay an open book. She held two crossed keys, one silver, one gold.
Behind her, suspended between the pillars, hung another veil. It was embroidered with leaves and ripe pomegranates. It seemed to speak of the mysteries of abundance and promise. And of peril, and descent.
Then a voice arose, coming from a space within my own heart:
“To pass beyond this place, you must lift the second veil. You must claim the keys, read the book, and learn to perceive the symbols. Can you do this?”
“I’d like to be able to,” I answered, uncertain, yet sincere.
At this, the woman turned her face towards me. She did not speak.
Her gaze was strong, and I shivered. It felt as if a wave of molten gold passed through every layer of my being. My thoughts rang with unknown tones. A fire kindled in my heart. And without words, I understood that she was speaking.
“This is the Hall of Wisdom,” her presence conveyed. “The Wisdom cannot be given, nor can it be taken away. It cannot be shown, nor concealed. Like a flower, it must grow and bloom within your soul.
Remember… The Temple is within. Within you… is the gate. Within you… are the mystery and the initiation.”
And in that knowing, I understood that I had not entered a place at all.
I had crossed a threshold within myself.
The High Priestess appears when movement slows down and listening begins. She is a figure of deep awareness. Seated between two pillars, one light and one dark, she holds the tension of opposites without needing to resolve them. This is her first lesson. Wisdom is not found in black and white thinking. It is found by staying present with uncertainty, and with a both/and consciousness, allowing the truth to reveal itself. The High Priestess teaches that clarity arrives through patience. It can’t be forced.
In her lap rests an open book. The gold and silver keys she holds mirror the opposites of the two pillars. These are tools of ancient memory. The knowledge she guards cannot be taken or earned in the usual way. It must be remembered. The book is read through intuition, pattern, and inner resonance. The keys unlock deep insight when the seeker is ready to trust their soul’s inner authority.
The veil behind her guards the threshold between the visible and the unseen world. It is alive with growth, fertility, and mystery. To approach the High Priestess is to accept that understanding often requires descent. Insight comes from the “illumination” a descent can bring, and also, from the willingness to sit with what is unformed, uncomfortable, or unknown.
When the High Priestess enters a reading, she signals that something essential is unfolding beneath the surface, beyond the reach of logic, or urgency.
Practical advice of this card: Embrace stillness. This card suggests pausing before making decisions, especially when the pressure to act feels strong. The High Priestess advises turning inward for guidance rather than seeking constant validation from others. Journaling, meditation, peaceful walks, and dream work become powerful tools under her influence. She favors practices that deepen self-trust and sharpen discernment.
She brings attention to boundaries, and reminds the querant that not everything needs to be shared. Not every process benefits from being spoken aloud. The High Priestess honors privacy and inner containment. She reminds the seeker that protecting one’s inner life is about reverence, born of respect. Not secrecy born of fear.
Above all, she reveals that the true temple is internal. The pillars stand within the psyche. The veil hangs within the heart. The initiation she offers is not bestowed from outside, but awakened from within.
Nicki Ojeda (Tatiara) is a past-life and tarot reader, herbal artisan, and drum circle leader. On The Mystic Witch’s Journey, she shares rituals, archetypes, and plant magic to help you embody your soul truth and walk your unique mystical path. You can reach her here ==> Nicki Ojeda (Tatiara) | Substack
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