Favorite High Priestess Card

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 29 Dec 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Ophiel	29 Dec 2002
My two "favorite" cards in most any deck are THE HERMIT and THE HIGH PRIESTESS. Whenever I check a deck, those are the two cards I check first. Well, okay, THE HANGED MAN and MOON draw me in, too. Those are 3rd and 4th. I wonder if I'd even buy a new deck, if these 2(4) cards did not pull me into the deck. Probably not. Do you have a favorite HP card? If so, please post the deck name, and if you know why, what appeals to you in this particular card. Thanks...Ophiel

MeeWah	29 Dec 2002
My favorite High Priestess cards are those of the Ancient Egyptian, RSW, Robin Wood & Templar. The combination of their colours & artwork are what do it for me.

DeLani	29 Dec 2002
My favorite HP is the one on the Ancestral Path, even though I don't own that deck. It just seems to be perfect, to me. A priestess of Isis. The Robin Wood HP comes in second for me.

Sulis	29 Dec 2002
My favorite High Priestess is the one from World Spirit, she`s naked within a stone circle and has the shaddow of the horned God. I also love the HP from the Gill, her gown flows into a watery pool and she looks so wise. Love and light Crystalmynx xx

allibee	29 Dec 2002
the one I'm painting :D

Macavity	29 Dec 2002
I rather like Robin Wood's High Priestess - though I don't have the deck. Slightly tongue in cheek, I'd say the Nun-like person from the Bosch Tarot. I'm sure we've all had days like she appears to have had! :D

wavebreaker	29 Dec 2002
There are many High Priestesses I like... Those of the World Spirit, the Tarot of the Old Path, the Glastonbury and the Legend Arthurian are all beautiful!

bec	29 Dec 2002
shapeshifter's Sorceress

MystiqueMoonlight	29 Dec 2002
Being my Soul Card the High Priestess has particular purpose for me. My two favourites are the Thoth and Robin Wood.

MeeWah	29 Dec 2002
O--Mystique's post reminds me: the Thoth High Priestess is a recent addition to my favorite HP lineup, having recently begun delving into Thoth. For the same reasons.

raeanne	29 Dec 2002
Hi all, I think my favorite High Priestess card would be the one from the Cosmic Tribe Tarot! She is gorgeous. I love the way the multiple arms bring energy into her solar plexus. Very nice image!

Trish	29 Dec 2002
Hm ... I don't have that many decks, but out of the ones I do have ... I like the High Priestess from my Cat People deck because she looks regal and wise -- like a High Priestess! ;) -- and because the card has some very lovely ancient Egyptian influence. I also like the High Priestess in my Goddess deck, who, like I meantioned in the Beauty Pageant thread, is depicted by the Hindu goddess Sarasvati. It shows her sitting on a lotus blossom holding beads, a book, and an Indian lute. It's very lovely. :D

Pollux	30 Dec 2002
I love Sarasvati from the Goddess too - I have a thing for Hindu goddesses... *LOL Even if untraditional, the image has got all it needs, and despite the lack of nocturnal feels she's so charming and watery! I think one of these days I'll make a poster with that card. I also love the Cosmic Tarot Priestess. Actually I am not using this deck anymore... Oops! *LOL* And probably I have grown to dislike the artwork in some cases - like most of the courts and the pentacle cards. But the Majors are ver ygood, and the BEST ever is the blueskinned HP. I don't think there's any commentary to do, she's got all she needs to be crowned Queen of the Priestesses... look at her here: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cosmic/index.html And lastly, mh... Yeah The World Spirit one - the image s so beaufitul! She's blue skinned too, and I like the setting of the scene, the circle of stones, the horned shadow... It's mysterious, and primeval to a certain extent. Probably she's not as heavy woth symbolism as the cosmic one, but I think she's my fav anyway. (I didn't mention the Aquarian HP cos everyone is sick of it... *LOL*)

temperlyne	30 Dec 2002
Personally I just love Haindl's HP. It's a fairly simple picture, but I love the feel of it. The colors are just right and the buble keeps me fascinated every time I gaze upon her. (And of course, to me, my own version of the HP feels very powerfull since I created her myself and she really is a part of me)

Major Tom	30 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by temperlyne (And of course, to me, my own version of the HP feels very powerfull since I created her myself and she really is a part of me) I've got to say this too! :laugh: I think anyone who takes the time to create a card for themselves is going to feel this way about the card they create. }) Edited to add: I particularly like the High Priestess from the Mountain Dream Tarot. She looks so genuine - I feel like I know her. ;)

WolfSpirit	30 Dec 2002
I too vote for the HP of the cosmic ! One of the most gorgeous tarot cards ever.

Trogon	30 Dec 2002
Well... right now I have a couple of favorite Hight Priestesses... First is in the Röhrig Tarot (now theres a surprise, huh ;) ), she's beautiful, instrospective and kind looking... besides, she kind of reminds me of someone I know. Next is the Rider-Waite HP. Just something about her that has always caught my attention. Finally, is the HP in The Dragon Tarot. A dragon standing over a cauldron.... I love that one.

Maan	30 Dec 2002
Robin wood's high priestess is beatiful. The one in the spiral tarot is beautiful too and ofcourse the highpriestess in the arthurian although i never use that deck.

Ursula	30 Dec 2002
i haven't actually found a HP card that i like overmuch. they're all just sort of ok. too bad since i LOVE the meaning & symbolism of the card. the one in Gendron is ok, but again... just ok! i LOVE the Hermit card in the Enchanted (ZF) deck. it came up as my past in a reading and suited me to a T, i thought. the interpretation in the book described the flowers that the hermit is looking at in the picture as being more vivid because of the perspective of the hermit, because of the way he appreciates them. i love that and feel that way about so many of the things i myself view and appreciate. i guess i love it because i see myself in it so much... but fondly & nostalgically, because it's a phase i want to move beyond, while still maintaining that individualism and sense of wonder. ~Urs :OL

Kissa	30 Dec 2002
Of all my decks, I like the "Songs for the Journey Home" HP the most. This is a self-published deck from New Zealand, and YES it is round and has some changed names but altogether remains very close to the traditional RW meanings with a strong buddhist orientation, but nothing like the Osho (that's another story ...). Check it out here : http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/songsjourneyhome/index.html or here : http://www.tarotpassages.com/song3.htm (bigger picture of HP) On Aeclectics picture, the HP is the middle card in the second row (or the fifth card), it represents a woman whose hair is the tree roots. The next card, the Empress, shows the trunk and the leaves of the same tree. I like very much the idea that from the calm and mysterious HP grows a beautiful pregnant Empress. Here a pic of the Empress : http://www.tarotpassages.com/emprs.jpg more info about this deck on : http://www.themysticeye.com/pics/songs.htm http://www.tarotpassages.com/sftjh.htm http://www.tarotpassages.com/songs2.htm and the creators' site : http://www.tarotjourney.co.nz/ I hope this answers your question, Ophiel ! As you see, I have quite aeclectic tastes in addition to the common interest we share about Tarot de Marseille ;-) Kissa

jema	30 Dec 2002
i am a bit boring perhaps, i think the waite-smith HP is one of the best ones. when i think about the high priestess - that is the image i see before me. or the Gill one. i really love her too. but then i do love all the cards in that deck the third one is from the spiral. i actually think of the spiral as one in between of the waite-smith and the gill. she sits between the pillars - but have the night sky as the Gill and the associations to the Pythia as the Gill too.

cjtarot	30 Dec 2002
Hi all, Check out the High Priestest from the Sacred Circle Deck. She is amazing and the card speeks volumes to me. Blessings, CJ Take a look see: http://www.learntarot.com/scdesc.htm

brennamor	03 Jan 2003
Hmm, this is a tough one. There are so many lovely ones out there. I love the strength and wisdom of the High Priestess in the Matthew's Hallowquest Arthurian Tarot. I also love the Merlin Tarot's High Priestess (even if the rest of the deck doesn't "click" for me). I love the High Priestess in Tarot of Northern Shadows too. The Animal Tarot High Priestess is charming too http://www.tarotpassages.com/images/ANIMALHP.jpg And I find this one intriguing too http://www.tarotpassages.com/images2/CTCollab2HP.jpg I'm sure there are others I'm missing but these are the ones I came up with off the top of my head.

lawguy51	03 Jan 2003
Haindl's High Priestess.....subtle yet powerful and chalk full of symbols for the esoterically minded. LG51

catboxer	04 Jan 2003
I like the cards that use the original name, La Papesse, especially the Marseilles versions. The Lady Pope is looking off to one side. If she looked us in the eye, we might find out too much about her, and as guardian of the subconscious she needs to preserve the mystery. There's an open book in her lap. Be careful in her presence; your name is in that book. She was a female pope from the mid-1400's until the 1800's, when French occultists turned her into a High Priestess. In the Marseilles decks she always holds an open book. Interestingly enough, in the Visconti-Sforza deck, the earliest almost-complete deck, she still is holding the book, but it's closed.

Liliana	04 Jan 2003
I thought I was your favorite High Priestess Pollux ;) Well my favorite has to be my avatar kayne made me, with my second favorite being the Psychologist from his 21st Century Tarot that he really NEEDS to work on hehe Ok all brown nosing aside, I think Gill is ne of my favorite High Priestesses )how dare you not mention it Pollux hehe) I love the totally watery feel. Im a fan of the classic image as well, more in the Universal Waited than the standard Rider. And any deck willing to make Mary Magdalene the High Priestess, I have almost as much a fondness for Magdalene as for the High Priestess herself, I especially like Templars rendition. The Russian Magick Tarot also has an amazing High Priestess. I wonder if the one I do for the SACT project will become my favorite, probably not, Im too hard on myself lol. That and its likely to have snow, not my original idea but it may work lol :THP

Scorpion	04 Jan 2003
In my no.1 slot I have to vote for the Ancient Egyptian HP: as mentioned in another thread she's so serene and regal and I just love Egyptian art. In second place I'd place the Haindl HP as beautifully dreamy and subtle. My third choice would be the Cosmic Tribe's HP - she's so beautiful and delicate yet drawing so much power into herself.

Keslynn	04 Jan 2003
I love the Sacred Circle High Priestess. She's so mysterious and wise and still quietly energetic. Overall, she's just cool. ;) :) Kes

tigerlily 6563	04 Jan 2003
Mine would bee the Thoth. The picture seems to express the mystery of the High Priestess

Diana	04 Jan 2003
My favourite High Priestess is Liliana. :D

Summerdream	04 Jan 2003
Interesting question!! Actually I pulled out all the high priestesses from all my decks today (quite a feat) and laid them all out. I'd have to say my favorites were the High Priestess from Ancestral Path and Osho Zen. My husband's favorite was from Rhorig. Blessings, Momof3girls

Pollux	05 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Diana My favourite High Priestess is Liliana. :D Now we have even Swiss Copy Cats... is it a new species made with clonation? :P *LOL*

zorya	05 Jan 2003
my favorite (so far) is the popess from the medieval scapini. unfortunately this deck does not photograph well, so the picture does not come close to doing it justice. http://www.wicce.com/scapini.jpg

genna	05 Jan 2003
The High Priestess from Winged Spirit Tarot.

Pollux	06 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by genna The High Priestess from Winged Spirit Tarot. GENNA? FROM SWEDEN??? :confused: THAT GENNA??? YAY!!! WELCOME BACK!!! I'll tell Jema you are back! :D *LOL* :D :D :D *happy dance*

genna	06 Jan 2003
Hi Pollux!Glad to see you again!!!Thank you so much for your warm welcome!

pozt	07 Jan 2003
my favourites are The Moon and The Star.

dangerdork	07 Jan 2003
Pick me! Pick Me! http://www.geocities.com/dangerdorx (bottom left)

lupo138	14 Jan 2003
Ellen Cannon Reed: "The Witches´Tarot" - XIV Temperance; best HPS card ever !

IsisUnveiled	16 Jan 2003
The Universal Waite It looks like my mom when she was younger. She was so beautiful.

Centaur	16 Jan 2003
I love the High-Priestess in the Mythic Tarot. There is something really mysterious about her, and also something quite melancholic. It's all to do with the way that those flowers are falling out of her hand. Lovely! Also, the High-Priestess in the Hanson-Roberts deck looks sort of like Princess Leah from Star Wars??!! Any comments? Centaur

firemaiden	17 Jan 2003
That's interesting MeeWah. Yes, I think the Thoth High Priestess is one of the most beautifully thought out while still being artistic. What I like best is her paradoxical "veil of light" . I also really love the High Priestess of the Gaudenzi "Hidden Folk" deck, (that's current new name, it's been renamed at least twice, I hope you know the one I am talking about. I call it the "mermaid-as-temperance deck") She is sitting on a kind of squash, has butterfly wings, a book, a scroll at her feet, and five candles burning in the background. She is making a magic sign with her fingers, (at least I hope it is a magic sign and not some kind of insult in Italian :D) and her face looks very wise and kind, with a glint of humor.

Khatruman	18 Jan 2003
I just looked at this thread since I am going day by day over the Portal majors. Today's is The Priestess. Since it is such an abstract deck, i wanted to see comments on the high priestess of other decks. I love the blue and green colorings on the card, and it has that aloofness and mystery I associate with the High Priestess. The swirls of the water and the orb at its center just draw me in. Ohh, and I am not really responding to the initial "What's your favorite HP" question. I have an aversion to any favorite question, since my favorites tend to shift with my mood. One of the reasons that I have several decks...*s*... plus that this place has contributed to my tarotholicism...}) Peace!

MeeWah	20 Jan 2003
Centaur20: I have thought the same--that the Hanson-Roberts High Priestess reminds me of Star Wars' Princess Leia. The demeanor, hair style, expression.

Trogon	21 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by centaur20 Also, the High-Priestess in the Hanson-Roberts deck looks sort of like Princess Leah from Star Wars??!! Any comments? It took me some searching to find the image on line, but I finally found her at: http://michele.readers.com/hanson.htm She does look somewhat like Princess Leah... LOL Wonder if it was intentional on Ms. Hanson-Roberts' part, or if we're just making a connection that wasn't intended?

Silverlotus	21 Jan 2003
I think my favorite High Preistess card would have to be Robin Wood's, followed closely by the one from the Tarot of the Old Path. I love Wiccan/Pagan imagery, so both these cards speak to me. One of the reasons I bought one of Scott Cunningham's Wicca books was for the picture on the cover (lol! I was young!), and imagine my surprise years later when I discovered it was drawn by Ms. Wood in the style of her HPS card. At that time I didn't have the deck, but I have since bought it and I love it! :-)

Madonna	23 Jan 2003
The High Preistess in the Mythic is my favorite too. I like the Greek Myth that goes with it but the picture is indeed melancholy & feels as well as looks approachable.

The Favorite High Priestess Card thread was originally posted on 29 Dec 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.