Hermetic Tarot - The High Priestess II

caridwen

The High Priestess: http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qA-HqSo4w3Q/SxGiKPQHpFI/AAAAAAAACBI/olSLlnwZqxc/2_The_High_Priestess.jpg

This site has all the cards: http://picasaweb.google.com/Galoregnum/HermeticTarot

The Priestess of the Silver Star is looking to her right which right away I find odd as this is supposed to be the Priestess of Intuition and 'Feminine Mysteries' and she should be looking to her left...

From the Tableau of Tarot by Windover she is associated with the Principles:

Gimel/Camel - Uniting I. - Memory - Subjective Mind - Moon - Peace and Strife
http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4uhvM4r8BQ0/TfDR1pW-I5I/AAAAAAAAAAA/ZtLJmyXqu0s/s1600/img082.jpg

The description according to Soror:

THE HIGH PRIESTESS
The High Priestess rules the long path uniting Kether to Tiphareth, crossing the reciprocal Paths of Venus and Leo. She is the great feminine force controlling the very source of life, gathering into herself all the energizing forces and holding them in solution until the time of release.
http://www.tarot.org.il/Library/Misc/The Tarot Trumps.html

According to Regardie her magical title is Daughter of the Mighty Ones however he goes on to say:

The Priestess of the Silver Star is her honorary title, and thus is the means whereby entry is gained into the invisible Third or Highest Order within the Order.

I'm assuming that she wears the horns of Hathor. There is more of a description of the High Priestess in Soror's description of the Empress:

The Egyptian trilogy, Isis, Hathor and Nephthys, symbolized by the crescent, full moon, and gibbous moon are represented in the Tarot by the High Priestess, Hathor...while Hathor is rather the Mystic, the full moon reflecting the Sun of Tiphareth while in Yesod, transmitting the rays of the Sun in her path Gimel. In interpreting a practical Tarot it is often admissible to regard the Empress as standing for Occultism. The High Priestess for religion, the Church as distinguished from the Order.
http://www.tarot.org.il/Library/Misc/The Tarot Trumps.html

(A gibbous moon is one of the phases of the Moon, when the size of the illuminated portion is greater than half but not a full Moon. The period between a first quarter moon and a full moon is known as a waxing gibbous moon, because the illuminated region of the Moon is increasing from day to day. After it becomes a full moon, but hasn’t reached the last quarter, the Moon is called a waning gibbous moon.)

Crowley says:

The card represents the most spiritual form of Isis the Eternal Virgin; the
Artemis of the Greeks...Upon her knees is the bow of Artemis, which is also a musical
instrument, for she is huntress, and hunts by enchantment.

I'm assuming that the Hermetic High Priestess also holds the musical instrument or the bow of Artemis.

Crowley goes on to explain her sub title:

Thus far concerning this path, considered as issuing downwards from the
Crown; but to the aspirant, that is, to the adept who is already in Tiphareth, to
him who has attained to the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian
Angel, this is the path which leads upwards; and this card, in one system
entitled the Priestess of the Silver Star, is symbolic of the thought (or rather of
the intelligible radiance) of that Angel. It is, in short, a symbol of the highest
Initiation.

Crowley goes on to say:

It is important to reflect that this card is wholly feminine, wholly virginal, for it
represents the influence and the means of manifestation (or, from below, of
attainment) in itself. It represents possibility in its second stage without any
beginning of consummation.

Unlike most High Priestesses, this High Priestess looks to her right. Her posture is unlike any High Priestess I have seen as she has her sleeves rolled up, she has bare feet with her ankles crossed. Her knees are wide apart like other depictions of the Queen of Wands and although she sits between two pillars, they are not the usual pillars of Jachin and Boaz from the Temple of Solomon. These pillars are usually important in Free Masonary as they guard 'the mysteries' and feature on most Masonic buildings and are all built in the same way as described by Eliphas Levi in Dogme et Rituel for example.

These pillars however are different and have pointed tops. There are 9 balls featured. Six either side of the Priestess and three at her feet. As far as I am aware the two pillars represent the twin pillars of the Sepiroth: Justice and Mercy. The third or the middle pillar is beauty which is supposed to be perfected humankind. I can only assume that the three balls at either side refer to Wisdom, Justice, Splendor on her right and to which she looks and on her left: Intelligence, Mercy, Firmness. I'm not sure what the three at her feet refer to. If the moon above her head is the Crown then the three at her feet are possibly: Beauty, Foundation, Kingdom.

I know that the globes have masculine and feminine potencies:

The column on the right, which is called Jachin, has its foundation on Chochmah, the outpouring Wisdom of God; the three globes suspended from it are all masculine potencies. The column at the left is called Boaz. The three globes upon it are feminine and receptive potencies, for it is founded in Understanding, a receptive and maternal potency. Wisdom, it will be noted, is considered as radiant or outpouring, and Understanding as receptive, or something which is filled by the flowing of Wisdom. The three pillars are ultimately united in Malchuth, in which all the powers of the superior worlds are manifested.
http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/secret_teachings_of_all_ages/tree_of_the_sephiroth.htm

The crescent moon I guess is a reference to Isis. Instead of the usual scroll she seems to be holding a (locked) book in her right hand. Four steps lead up to her throne and there doesn't seem to be a veil separating her or us from the mysteries either.

Not having the LWB I don't know what the Hebrew above her says.
 

Chiska

I am replying so it will show up later - I will check the LWB when I get home. :)
 

Elendil

The Hebrew letters are a rendition of GABRIEL
 

caridwen

The Hebrew letters are a rendition of GABRIEL

Thank you. Now that I know they are names I can find info quicker:)

I have been doing some digging and it seems as though they are referencing the Enchonian Tablets. I'm not sure so someone with more knowledge can hopefully correct me.

From my research on these tablets they are Watchtower Tablets and Mathers adapted them or translated them.

There are three secret holy names of god which can be extracted from each tablet. There are four tablets so twelve names in all.

These names are invoked during Golden Dawn ceremonies in order to form a link with initiates. This link can be formed over thousands of miles and the initiates do not have to be physically present.

The Elemental Kings
The Elemental Kings' names can be found via a spiral around the central cross of each tablet. When the three secret names of god are said the King is automatically initiated.

Seniors
There are six seniors on each tablet so there are 24 in all. The Seniors follow the King in order of hierarchy. The Seniors act as a channel for the energy of a particular planet/tablet element.

Every time the King is invoked so are the Seniors. There are certain rituals where the Seniors are called in order to charge a tool with energy. Later when needed, that tool can be used by an adept in magick workings.

Now we come to the Angels
The Sephirotic Cross or Calvary Cross is present on each tablet so there are four crosses. Each tablet is an element so there are Fire Crosses, Water Crosses, Air Crosses and Earth Crosses. There are two angels per cross, one subservient to the other. These angels are only invoked when an adept wants to work with a subservient angel. The higher angel is there to control/command the subservient angel.

Kerubic Angels
There is one Angel per cross. The Kerubic Angels' names are to be found above each cross in four sections above each letter of the cross. These angels work under the Sephirotic Angels in order to balance energies employed. They can be used for pyramid workings and other elemental considerations.

Tablet of Union
I'm wondering if the Tablet of Union can be seen within the magic circle in the Magician Card. EHNB is the name of the Spirit in this Tablet and is used to empower the initiate from the direct force of spirit.

The Tablet of Union acts as a central hub from which the Elemental Tablets are spokes. It is usually placed in the centre of the Alter. In the Magician card there is a tablet central to the Magician or initiate.

The Elemental Tablets are introduced one at a time to the initiate. The Tablet of Union is introduced during the Portal Initiation and acts as a glue to bind the other Tablets together. It can be found at the top point of the Pentagram which is Spirit.