II. The High Priestess. Taurus

General Book of the Tarot, by A. E. Thierens, [1930], at sacred-texts.com

II. The High Priestess. Taurus.

The second stage in macrocosmic evolution is the polarity of the omnipotent might of Self, omnipotent possibility of the field of manifestation, universal passive richness, the Kamaduk or Most Beloved Wish-Cow of the Hindus. This macrocosmic field is the Temple of the Great Magician or Architect, in potency at least. It is the Bull, Taurus, of astrology, the house of sound, art, faith and richness. To speak truly, it is not so much sound as the principle of the soundbox, sound itself having its origin in the next step. Therefore Papus may well compare this card with the hieroglyphic meaning of the Hebrew letter Beth, which relates to "the mouth of man as the organ of speech." But it is not "God the Son" as he says elsewhere. It might be called 'God the Woman,' the Divine Mother, the 'Eternal Feminine.' As the passive richness of the Universe awaiting him that will be able to see it and appreciate

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it, this principle may well be symbolised by the image of the High Priestess, sitting in an attitude of waiting, between the pillars of the Temple, B and J, standing for the Two, from which will spring the worlds of spirit and of matter. Being Supreme Objectivity, it is the symbol of receiving, of possessing, of cult and adoration. It symbolises womanhood in general, as the first card symbolised manhood.

Mr. Waite has restored in his images the original picture of Isis, reposing on the crescent moon, which indeed I should say must be regarded as the best representative of the goddess of Taurus, in which sign the moon is 'exalted,' as astrology teaches. But Isis is not so much to be regarded as representing "Science, Wisdom, Knowledge" (M.)--as the goddess "of Nature, whose veil must not be raised before the profane." (P.) and of supreme consciousness, because 'consciousness' is the faculty committed by Earth.

W. calls her "Second Marriage of the Prince" and says, that in divination she stands for the querent if female. Now I should say, this cannot be altogether true, as in the horoscope the first house indicates the personal temperament, etc., for a man as well as for a female querent. So in cards the Magician must always bear the meaning of the querent personally, but if a female she will be largely influenced by the High Priestess, as this is the representative of the feminine in general and female properties. It may be true, more or less, that for a man this card represents "the woman who interests the querent" (W.), just as on the other hand the Magician represents the man who interests the querent if this happens to be a woman.

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The High Priestess symbolises constancy, fidelity, repose, stability, but also dumbness, laziness, resistance, endurance as well as passive opposition. It rules everything in connection with art and the artistic abilities, with wealth and with the masonic lodge.