Ivy Rhiannon
Picture: http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd443/TrinityQueen/5-TheHighPriest-Ganesha.jpg
First Impression: Such a pretty card! I think the elephant god is a wonderful pick for the High Priest. We don't see the serious magician here we see the laughing, fortuitous Ganesha. The card is very bright and I love the mandala in the background.
Description: Ganesha sits hovering in the air (or so it seems to me) his many hands occupied. He holds an orb for clear sight, his broken tusk for a writing utensil, and another holds a wand for directing power. His mouse companion holds his place in his book of shadows that is filled with mystical symbols. A beautiful aura surrounds him in the shape of mandalas. On his stomach is a glowing sun shines. He wears many jewels and on his third eye is a gemstone.
Gender: Masculine
Colors: Aqua Blue, Rose Pink, Golden Yellow, Milk Chocolate Browns, Grey, White, & Black.
Senses: I feel a breeze stirring from the immense power in the room. I am focused on the ritual I am creating, sensing the power grow within me. I can see my mouse companion as he holds open the ritual book for me to see the magical symbols. I can hear a humming...it is my own chanting! I taste a sweetness in my mouth like honey, and the air around me is charged, bright and warm.
Symbols: Ganesha, Mandalas, Mouse, Book, Jewels, Orb, Wand, Tusk, Sun, Snake Belt, the Light in the room.
Story [Intuitive]: Mischief, my favorite brown field mouse scurries across the room to my book. "Squeak, squeaker, squeaken!" he says excitedly. Lucky for me my elephant ears can understand his intricate mouse tongue. "Yes the time for the ritual has begun!" I announce in my loud booming voice. My trunk twitches with excitement as Mischief gentle turns through the delicate pages with his gentle touch. He knows that this ancient text contains much knowledge and wisdom. I grasp the orb in one hand staring deeply within and letting my breath focus my gaze. Vibrations begin in my throat as I start the chant a tingling that flows throughout my whole being. A warm swirling energy gathers in my abdomen at my Solar Plexus. Here is where I state my will aloud to the universe. Raising my wand high and my tusk in my other hand as a sacrifice, I ask for the power to create change, the understanding of the universal mysteries, and the clarity of mind to see all things with wisdom. My aura expands filling with love and warmth. Mischief squats on the page timidly holding down the fragile paper in the swirling breeze. "As I will, so be it!" I let out in a throaty call, and then the room fills with the sound of my shaking belly and genuine laughter. Harder and harder I giggles and smile until the energy intensifies and exaggerates. Feeling the ritual is complete I clap my hands together and release my focus. Wiping a small tear from my eye, I begin to breath deeply and calm myself. "Squeaky, squeaker?" Mischief asked confused as to what could be so funny. "Ah it tis nothing dear friend, just all that power makes me giggle with glee!" The mouse shrugs, shaking his head at the joyous Ganesha. Who really understands the gods anyway?
My Experience as the High Priest: This card for me isn't just about the quest for knowledge but also includes a playfulness that I find very powerful in the craft of magic. If we can play than we can truly enjoy ourselves. We can play at work, play at being ourselves, play at being a juggler, scientist, or parent. Playing involves laughter and a lightheartedness that lets you look at life with the fresh eyes and a free mind. Ganesha reminds me to play at being great, and someday I will be exactly what I dreamed!
Astrological Reference: Zodiac - Taurus
Cultural Reference: Ganesha is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshiped in the Hindu pantheon. Ganesha is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles and more generally as Lord of Beginnings. He is the patron of arts and sciences, and the deva of intellect and wisdom. Ganesha has been represented with the head of an elephant since the early stages of his appearance in Indian art. While some texts say that Ganesha was born with an elephant head, in most stories he acquires the head later. The most recurrent motif is that Ganesha was born with a human head and body and that Shiva beheaded him when Ganesha came between Shiva and Parvati. Shiva then replaced Ganesha's original head with that of an elephant. In another story, when Ganesha was born, his mother, Parvati, showed off her new baby to the other gods. Unfortunately, the god Shani (Saturn), who is said to have the evil eye, looked at him, causing the baby's head to be burned to ashes. The god Vishnu came to the rescue and replaced the missing head with that of an elephant. Another story says that Ganesha was created directly by Shiva's laughter. Because Shiva considered Ganesha too alluring, he gave him the head of an elephant and a protruding belly. Ganesha's earliest name was Ekadanta (One Tusked), referring to his single whole tusk. The broken tusk of Ganesha signifies the readiness for Sacrifice to complete any accepted task. Ganesha is identified with the Hindu mantra Aum and the first chakra. [source Wikipedia]
Elemental Reference: This card has a very airy presence to me with the sun, energy, and light in the card. I think this also goes with the association for air = knowledge.
Numerology Reference: 5 - Force, conflict, change, courage, strength
Keywords: Knowledge, Power, Insight, Curiosity, Focus, Playfulness
Possible Meanings: Questing for knowledge, being more curious than afraid to face the unknown, Focusing your will, Gaining power through practice and study, using one's mental strength to remove obstacles.
Reversed: Restraining ones power, being too serious or close-minded, being conflicted and indecisive about one's goals, not using ones knowledge or fulfilling one's potential, a lack of motivation for study.
Quote: "I rise in the morning torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savor the world. That makes it hard to plan the day." ~ E.B. White
First Impression: Such a pretty card! I think the elephant god is a wonderful pick for the High Priest. We don't see the serious magician here we see the laughing, fortuitous Ganesha. The card is very bright and I love the mandala in the background.
Description: Ganesha sits hovering in the air (or so it seems to me) his many hands occupied. He holds an orb for clear sight, his broken tusk for a writing utensil, and another holds a wand for directing power. His mouse companion holds his place in his book of shadows that is filled with mystical symbols. A beautiful aura surrounds him in the shape of mandalas. On his stomach is a glowing sun shines. He wears many jewels and on his third eye is a gemstone.
Gender: Masculine
Colors: Aqua Blue, Rose Pink, Golden Yellow, Milk Chocolate Browns, Grey, White, & Black.
Senses: I feel a breeze stirring from the immense power in the room. I am focused on the ritual I am creating, sensing the power grow within me. I can see my mouse companion as he holds open the ritual book for me to see the magical symbols. I can hear a humming...it is my own chanting! I taste a sweetness in my mouth like honey, and the air around me is charged, bright and warm.
Symbols: Ganesha, Mandalas, Mouse, Book, Jewels, Orb, Wand, Tusk, Sun, Snake Belt, the Light in the room.
Story [Intuitive]: Mischief, my favorite brown field mouse scurries across the room to my book. "Squeak, squeaker, squeaken!" he says excitedly. Lucky for me my elephant ears can understand his intricate mouse tongue. "Yes the time for the ritual has begun!" I announce in my loud booming voice. My trunk twitches with excitement as Mischief gentle turns through the delicate pages with his gentle touch. He knows that this ancient text contains much knowledge and wisdom. I grasp the orb in one hand staring deeply within and letting my breath focus my gaze. Vibrations begin in my throat as I start the chant a tingling that flows throughout my whole being. A warm swirling energy gathers in my abdomen at my Solar Plexus. Here is where I state my will aloud to the universe. Raising my wand high and my tusk in my other hand as a sacrifice, I ask for the power to create change, the understanding of the universal mysteries, and the clarity of mind to see all things with wisdom. My aura expands filling with love and warmth. Mischief squats on the page timidly holding down the fragile paper in the swirling breeze. "As I will, so be it!" I let out in a throaty call, and then the room fills with the sound of my shaking belly and genuine laughter. Harder and harder I giggles and smile until the energy intensifies and exaggerates. Feeling the ritual is complete I clap my hands together and release my focus. Wiping a small tear from my eye, I begin to breath deeply and calm myself. "Squeaky, squeaker?" Mischief asked confused as to what could be so funny. "Ah it tis nothing dear friend, just all that power makes me giggle with glee!" The mouse shrugs, shaking his head at the joyous Ganesha. Who really understands the gods anyway?
My Experience as the High Priest: This card for me isn't just about the quest for knowledge but also includes a playfulness that I find very powerful in the craft of magic. If we can play than we can truly enjoy ourselves. We can play at work, play at being ourselves, play at being a juggler, scientist, or parent. Playing involves laughter and a lightheartedness that lets you look at life with the fresh eyes and a free mind. Ganesha reminds me to play at being great, and someday I will be exactly what I dreamed!
Astrological Reference: Zodiac - Taurus
Cultural Reference: Ganesha is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshiped in the Hindu pantheon. Ganesha is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles and more generally as Lord of Beginnings. He is the patron of arts and sciences, and the deva of intellect and wisdom. Ganesha has been represented with the head of an elephant since the early stages of his appearance in Indian art. While some texts say that Ganesha was born with an elephant head, in most stories he acquires the head later. The most recurrent motif is that Ganesha was born with a human head and body and that Shiva beheaded him when Ganesha came between Shiva and Parvati. Shiva then replaced Ganesha's original head with that of an elephant. In another story, when Ganesha was born, his mother, Parvati, showed off her new baby to the other gods. Unfortunately, the god Shani (Saturn), who is said to have the evil eye, looked at him, causing the baby's head to be burned to ashes. The god Vishnu came to the rescue and replaced the missing head with that of an elephant. Another story says that Ganesha was created directly by Shiva's laughter. Because Shiva considered Ganesha too alluring, he gave him the head of an elephant and a protruding belly. Ganesha's earliest name was Ekadanta (One Tusked), referring to his single whole tusk. The broken tusk of Ganesha signifies the readiness for Sacrifice to complete any accepted task. Ganesha is identified with the Hindu mantra Aum and the first chakra. [source Wikipedia]
Elemental Reference: This card has a very airy presence to me with the sun, energy, and light in the card. I think this also goes with the association for air = knowledge.
Numerology Reference: 5 - Force, conflict, change, courage, strength
Keywords: Knowledge, Power, Insight, Curiosity, Focus, Playfulness
Possible Meanings: Questing for knowledge, being more curious than afraid to face the unknown, Focusing your will, Gaining power through practice and study, using one's mental strength to remove obstacles.
Reversed: Restraining ones power, being too serious or close-minded, being conflicted and indecisive about one's goals, not using ones knowledge or fulfilling one's potential, a lack of motivation for study.
Quote: "I rise in the morning torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savor the world. That makes it hard to plan the day." ~ E.B. White