Llewellyn Tarot-The Priestess

[easternsunrise]

Ceridwen sits in a wood showing both dark and light. Looking at her both sides of nature can be seen, youth/spring on the right and winter/age on the left. The duality of this card depicts the goddess light side of the inner spiritual self and the dark crone side. This woman does seem to be hiding a hidden deeper meaning that can only be found in finding your true spiritual self. I love the greenery that wraps around her right side and the bright glow given to her left. The spring that runs in front of her makes me think of the mystery found in water.

[PolarBear]

I too like the way that nature is such a big part of this card. I have always been confused by the fact that the High Priestess stands for intuitive wisdom, when she is pictured with a book (which, for me, suggests book learning and study). In this depiction, though, the book is seen as only half the game – in fact less than half given that the rest of the card has so much greenery. Not for this lady, the rather sterile surrounds of the traditional RW depiction.

I do find the greenery side of Ceridwen a little scary – but this probably says something about my attitude to instincts. Perhaps the card will grow on me :)

[Ambrosia]

I find the rich greenery of this image perfect for the high priestess. I get the feeling that inner wisdom is all about searching the wild places that reside within. The cobweb above her is related to the spider which represents wisdom, and the spring/winter of her dual sides show that things work in cycles, based on the maiden/crone where we start out as innocent and work our way up to wisdom. And of course we cant forget the water at her feet which is a symbol of the unconscious and intuitive knowledge. Beautiful image, and one of my all time favourite depictions of this card. Love it!

[PolarBear]

Ambrosia, I love the idea of the greenery being linked to searching the wild places within.
I think I could get to really appreciate this card as a much more intuitive representation of the meaning beheind the High Priestess than the traditional RW image.

[Ann Yu]

Yes, I think this Priestess is much more mysterious than another Priestess in some decks. She's sitting in the green wood which is an untouched place. It's wild, untouched, mysterious just like she is. The wood always has secrets inside.