The High Priestess vs The Moon

elena_jaymz

So if the HPS advice is generally listen to you inner voice, what's The Moon one? Be careful, because it's not as it seems? But what is not as it seems? Does that mean unfounded fears of yours perhaps?

Sorry if I ask again, but The Moon is very tricky to understand here for me..
 

Laurelle

The Pope/Hierophant outranks even the Emperor. But she sits between the lower orders and the nobility. She is separated from the Pope, not part of a pair like the Empress and Emperor. Making her into a "High Priestess" gives her a status she may not in fact have. Again, Renaissance Italy was a political battlefield, and two of the major players were the Pope and the (Holy Roman) Emperor. The authority of either of these parties was subject to local dispute throughout the area where the deck was invented.

She is part of the Magician. The magician is conscious energy and she is subconscious. Those two are actually more partnered than the HP and the Hierophant. She is also part of the Empress and represents the virginal side of a woman, whereas the Empress represents the fertile side of a woman. As woman, both are equal and needed. Neither "outrank" either one.

They are all connected. You can't think of tarot as linear. From what I'm gathering you think that the number 2 is less important than the number 5?

Also, I've heard that the Emperor doesn't take orders from anyone, not even the Hierophant. So the Emperor actually outranks the Hierophant. The Emperor is the number 4, which is much more stable.

On the tree of life, she does not sit on the lower order either. She's right in the middle, radiating outward.
 

Laurelle

So if the HPS advice is generally listen to you inner voice, what's The Moon one? Be careful, because it's not as it seems? But what is not as it seems? Does that mean unfounded fears of yours perhaps?

Sorry if I ask again, but The Moon is very tricky to understand here for me..

My advice is the listen to your dreams. The moon rules the back of the head where all dreams and healing take place. So sleep. Advice could be as easy as sleep. This is where all your cells can recuperate. I would also include organization because you body and mind can organize at night and process all the subconscious and conscious information that you amassed during the day. Or write a symphony at night or use your creative energies at night.

As far as the deceptive part, yes, that can be the moon, so be careful signing documents. Read the fine print.

Or even take a meditative journey. When I meditate on the moon card, sometimes instead of the path leading towards the towers, I imagine it's a river and I float down the river to find answers to my past lives or subconscious issues. The Moon will show me.

On the other hand, the HP says, "I only lift the veil when you are ready." So she may not ever show you (or me, or anyone...lol) As you can see there isn't a path you can go down. The only way is through her robes, which are turn into water. So you'll have to take the entire journey through the major arcana. Flow down her robes, into the Empress's waterfall, down to the Emperors small creek...etc. It's a much longer subconscious journey.

But advice as HP would be do nothing. Be passive. Wait. Let things germinate on their own and trust in the divine operation of things. Be single for a while.

I would associate the Star more with fishing for information in a meditative state.
 

Thirteen

Listen to the Music of the Night

Hi Thirteen, thank you so much. I prefer the HPS now :D The Moon lesson is trickier, you have to deal also with the "scary stuff" as you say. Annoying...So if the HPS advice is generally listen to you inner voice, what's The Moon one?
My advice is the listen to your dreams.
^THIS! Laurelle is wise :D The HPS might, like an analyst, help you to understand the meaning of your dreams. But while she can lead you step by step through a waking vision, she can't lead you into a nighttime dream, where your most powerful feelings and visions can be found. That kind of dreaming comes only by surrendering to the Moon. In addition, the Moon card is also "listen to your creativity" or "listen to your primal self."

If I might quote:
"Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination
Silently the senses abandon their defenses
...Turn your face away from cold, unfeeling light
And listen to the music of the night."

So, while the HPS does seem preferable to the Moon, she has her negatives, too. She can be overly cautious, cool and distant. Between the pillars, she about that pause before you commit to anything. And while that pause (moment of reflection) allows for clarity of vision, it doesn't allow for any further action or development (putting it another way: it's good for editing the poem...but not for writing it).

The Moon, on the other hand, is all about feeling *very strongly* about something. And acting on those pure, raw, intense, and primal feelings (writing the poem). And thank heavens for that, or else you wouldn't jump back in fear from a danger you sense but can't see. Wouldn't throw off your clothes and join your friends skinny-dipping in the ocean. Wouldn't say "YES! YES! YES!" when your lover suddenly proposes marriage to you. :D

In Animated Disney terms: Elsa (from Frozen) is the HPS, and Anna is the Moon :joke:

To know yourself, know what you want, know what matters deeply to you, know what helps you to create and take emotional chances, you have to go with the "music of the Night" (aka: The Moon Card)...even when it's scary. If you just stick with the HPS, you stay "frozen" in-between, and never give yourself permission to feel all you ought to feel, and be all you are.
 

ravenest

The Moon can be seen as representing those range of energies that the HP balances controls and utilises .

She is a High Priestess of the Moon .... not the Goddess of the Moon.
 

elena_jaymz

Thank you again for your help Thirteen :)
^THIS! Laurelle is wise :D The HPS might, like an analyst, help you to understand the meaning of your dreams. But while she can lead you step by step through a waking vision, she can't lead you into a nighttime dream, where your most powerful feelings and visions can be found. That kind of dreaming comes only by surrendering to the Moon. In addition, the Moon card is also "listen to your creativity" or "listen to your primal self."
I like this comparison between the HPS and an analyst, she does so indeed.

If I might quote:
"Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination
Silently the senses abandon their defenses
...Turn your face away from cold, unfeeling light
And listen to the music of the night."

So, while the HPS does seem preferable to the Moon, she has her negatives, too. She can be overly cautious, cool and distant. Between the pillars, she about that pause before you commit to anything. And while that pause (moment of reflection) allows for clarity of vision, it doesn't allow for any further action or development (putting it another way: it's good for editing the poem...but not for writing it).
Yes, the HPS has negatives too (all cards have negative as we know :D) and they are mainly being cold, distant and probably too secretive as well and yes, she's about a moment of reflection, no other kind of action is implied with her.

The Moon, on the other hand, is all about feeling *very strongly* about something. And acting on those pure, raw, intense, and primal feelings (writing the poem). And thank heavens for that, or else you wouldn't jump back in fear from a danger you sense but can't see. Wouldn't throw off your clothes and join your friends skinny-dipping in the ocean. Wouldn't say "YES! YES! YES!" when your lover suddenly proposes marriage to you. :D
That's cool, I wasn't aware of this aspect of "feeling strongly about something". Anyway I agree, thanks God for that, otherwise you wouldn't do anything :D

To know yourself, know what you want, know what matters deeply to you, know what helps you to create and take emotional chances, you have to go with the "music of the Night" (aka: The Moon Card)...even when it's scary. If you just stick with the HPS, you stay "frozen" in-between, and never give yourself permission to feel all you ought to feel, and be all you are.
I find this advise great, this is the message I needed. I need to know, or better to feel what I want and then act upon that, although all of this may scare me. Thanks Thirteen, now I got it :)
 

elena_jaymz

Hi Laurelle, thank you!
My advice is the listen to your dreams. The moon rules the back of the head where all dreams and healing take place. So sleep. Advice could be as easy as sleep. This is where all your cells can recuperate. I would also include organization because you body and mind can organize at night and process all the subconscious and conscious information that you amassed during the day. Or write a symphony at night or use your creative energies at night.
Oh yes, The Moon is about our dreams as well. I play the guitar indeed :D I should try to write something at night :D anyway I'm with you on this description.

As far as the deceptive part, yes, that can be the moon, so be careful signing documents. Read the fine print.
I'll take this into account as well!

Or even take a meditative journey. When I meditate on the moon card, sometimes instead of the path leading towards the towers, I imagine it's a river and I float down the river to find answers to my past lives or subconscious issues. The Moon will show me.
That's interesting, such visualizations can help me indeed.

On the other hand, the HP says, "I only lift the veil when you are ready." So she may not ever show you (or me, or anyone...lol) As you can see there isn't a path you can go down. The only way is through her robes, which are turn into water. So you'll have to take the entire journey through the major arcana. Flow down her robes, into the Empress's waterfall, down to the Emperors small creek...etc. It's a much longer subconscious journey.
Oh, I see, but I agree, that's true, she's about that!

But advice as HP would be do nothing. Be passive. Wait. Let things germinate on their own and trust in the divine operation of things. Be single for a while.
I'm with you on this, there's the need to wait with the HPS.
 

elena_jaymz

The Moon can be seen as representing those range of energies that the HP balances controls and utilises.

She is a High Priestess of the Moon .... not the Goddess of the Moon.
Hi ravenest, thanks! Never thought about that, but it makes sense!
 

Barleywine

The Moon has been considered an inferior (or less pure) expression of the High Priestess, "on a lower arc," as the expression goes. In practical terms I think they can both deliver revelations (perhaps in the form of "surprises"), but those of the High Priestess are less likely to be unpleasant. I'm more in the Crowley camp when it comes to the nature of the Moon card. I'm not sure how far either one should be trusted, though: the High Priestess can have a hidden agenda, the Moon hidden motives. Neither one necessarily has the best interests of the querent at heart.
 

elena_jaymz

The Moon has been considered an inferior (or less pure) expression of the High Priestess, "on a lower arc," as the expression goes. In practical terms I think they can both deliver revelations (perhaps in the form of "surprises"), but those of the High Priestess are less likely to be unpleasant. I'm more in the Crowley camp when it comes to the nature of the Moon card. I'm not sure how far either one should be trusted, though: the High Priestess can have a hidden agenda, the Moon hidden motives. Neither one necessarily has the best interests of the querent at heart.

Hi Barleywine, thank you. Yes, both can have "negative" aspects as well and those you've just mentioned do fit to me. I also agree that they can deliver revelations, maybe unpleasant :D