The High Priestess

In review:
In the beginning was The Fool, the beginner's mind, new experiences, birth and rebirth.

Tara, the Tibetan goddess of compassion and protection, symbolizes New Beginnings in Kris Waldherr's Goddess Deck. If she appears, she will keep the questioner safe from harm as they begin their new adventure. In fact, Tara translates to "She who causes one to cross." So, the first step of the Tarot Major Arcana journey is one of getting the courage and security to set out on your adventure.

Next is gaining mastery over the self and the environment, represented by the Magician:

And now, after there is self-control and external power, the adventurer becomes introspective, and looks to the abstract.

And we have moved from the Magician to the High Priestess. While the Magician is about skills, the High Priestess is about knowledge, especially knowledge of the Self, and knowledge of the Spirit.   Kris Waldherr chose Sarasvati for the High Priestess of the Goddess Deck, and called the card itself Wisdom.  Sarasvati is the Hindu goddess of wisdom, music, education, spiritual knowledge, and the arts.  She floats on a lotus, a flower that symbolizes resilience. The lotus can grow out of the murkiest depths, and knowledge and enlightenment can occur in the most unlikely places.

Kris Waldherr added many wonderful details to her illustration. Look closely at Sarasvati's arms, of which she has four. This shows the reach of wisdom; enlightenment can be found in all four corners of the earth. Also, to connect her to the Magician, I would say that the four arms can symbolize the four elements, of which the High Priestess would also have mastery. The four limbs can be spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional well being and balance, as well. The book is education and commitment to learning. The beads represent spiritual commitment and ritual, and the lute she strums symbolizes music, the marriage of both the left and right brain, showing both emotional and logical balance.

The Celtic Deck's High Priestess is shown standing in front of the moon, a symbol of feminine intuition, wisdom, and the subconscious. The moon is full to show the fertility of her imagination. Her robes are those of a priestess, someone who has been initiated onto the path. The inside of her robes is dark blue, the color of the night and the subconscious. Her sash is gold, the color of solar or male energy, showing her ability to translate this knowledge from subconscious to conscious, abstract to concrete.  She stands on a verdant green lawn, vines climbing up the bricks. This is a place of mystery.  If the High Priestess comes into a spread, secrets may be revealed.
Since The High Priestess is shown outdoors, she shows an understanding and a closeness to nature, a potent source of wisdom, and a source as beloved and valuable to the High Priestess as any book.

Robin Wood's High Priestess shows a woman wearing a robe in shades of blue and green, the colors of night and of water, both associated with the feminine, the subconscious, and dreams. She holds a book, to show her devotion to study, and a crystal ball, to show her sharp intuition. Her hair is black, in keeping with the mysterious colors of night, and is highlighted with silver, a feminine color because of its association with the moon (gold and the sun are masculine).  Her necklace is, if you look closely, a pentacle. She also has mastery over the four elements.  Her headband has a crescent moon, which is a symbol of rebirth and regeneration, as well as the cyclical nature of life, as the moon wanes or "dies" and then waxes, or is "reborn."
In a reading, the season depicted in the card may seem to be autumn/early winter, or early spring.  The beauty of the Robin Wood deck is the careful detailing. One detail may stick out to you out of all the others on the card.  What does this detail tell you? What does it mean to you? Why does it stick out?

Barbara G. Walker's Papess is also full of exquisite detail. What stands out to me, right now, are the Alpha and Omega symbols on the pillars behind the Papess. Her knowledge is the beginning, the end, and everything in between. She studies the book in her lap, calm and alert, flanked by the ivory towers of accomplishment. These ivory towers may mean something else to you. On the ground in front of the Papess are two keys, which allow insights, foresights, and treasures of the subconscious to be yielded to the questioner.

At first glance, the Papess may appear to be wearing a Devo hat. This is actually meant to represent a beehive, and at the top is a crescent moon, the symbol of cycles and regeneration.  The High Priestess/Papess, because of her wisdom, understands and accepts the cycles of life. The beehive is symbolic of devotion, for she is as intent on gathering wisdom as the bees are at gathering nectar. Just as bees instinctively go to the best flowers, she uses her intuition to guide her. She is wearing purple, the color of royalty, and the other dominant colors of the card are red and white--red is commonly associated with passion, and white with purity. What do these colors mean to you?

If the questioner receives this card,  it could represent aspects of the questioner. The questioner may be going through a period where they feel passionate about learning. They may be having very intense, even prophetic dreams. They may be feeling very close to nature, or may have had a transcendent experience in a sacred place.

The High Priestess/Papess may also represent someone in the questioner's life.  This person may be very encouraging, intuitive, and/or intelligent. This may be a female teacher, therapist, or mentor, especially in a spiritual capacity, a mother in an initiator role, or a friend who gives good advice.

The archetype of a High Priestess, which can also be found in a male, is that of an intuitive, wise, spiritual woman, a woman who perhaps is close to nature.  She may be mysterious, but nurturing.

In its reversed aspect, the High Priestess could indicate a stinginess with wisdom--the questioner or a person in the questioner's life is choosing not to help a someone seeking answers.  It can also indicate someone who thinks he or she is wise but is actually not experienced enough to give accurate counsel. It can also mean an estrangement from one's own intuition or subconscious, or a refusal to follow one's gut feelings. The High Priestess in reverse can also show that the questioner, or someone close, is having a full-blown spiritual crisis.

The Fiery Daredevil

The Knights (sometimes Princes) of the suits in Tarot most often represent an aspect of the questioner's personality, or a person in the questioner's life. They may also be symbolic of an event in the person's life.

Knights/Princes can sometimes symbolize male sexual potency and virility, or they may symbolize a young man, age 14-40 (hopefully, if your gut is saying both sexuality and a 14 year old in the questioner's life, it is because it is a mother concerned that her son is taking it too fast with his girlfriend, and not some Mary Kay LeTourneau).  The questioner himself (or herself!) may also be feeling rather sexy. If a Knight shows up in a reading, especially one about whether a seduction will be successful, you should probably stack up on the Trojans.

Which is a lovely segue into the Knights themselves! Most Knights are shown on horseback, and our Knight of Wands (or Staves, or Clubs) is no exception. The horse itself is a symbol of power, bravery, and virility, and, ridden by the Knight of Wands, there is a swiftness and energy that may be hard to contain. This could mean a very healthy libido, or a hot temper. Also, beware of those who start strong and then burn out, if you know what I'm saying.

Robin Wood's Knight of Wands has got it goin' on. 

But the Knight of Wands isn't just a flaming-hot sex monkey. He is also quite potent (there I go again!) in matters of business and creativity. He is the spark of an idea. He is the fire under your seat that motivates you to get up and go. If you've been having writer's block, and the Knight of Wands shows up, you can look forward to some inspiration and the courage to put that inspiration on paper.

Courage is another hallmark of the Knight of Wands. In a reading about a future significant other, he could be telling you to keep an eye out for paramedics or firefighters, or just one of those guys who isn't afraid to bungee jump, ATV, or cruise 90 miles per hour on a Harley. Just make sure the Knight is cooled with a little common sense, and you won't have to spend Valentine's Day holding your heartthrob's brain inside his skull.

The Knight of Wands may also be telling you that you are braver than you think. Probably sexier, too.

The Celtic deck has a Prince, illustrated by Mary Guinan. 

Let's get back on the horse, shall we? (sorry) The horse is also a messenger--think the Pony Express.  Because of this, Knights are associated with messages. The exact message depends on the suit and the surrounding cards. Let's say you pull the Knight of Wands when asking about whether or not you'll get a raise. A possible interpretation (and let's stress possible, as you must go with your gut on these things) is that you will get that raise, but you have to be brave, put yourself out there, and ask for it.  If asking about whether you'll get engaged, the Knight of Wands is a very good sign of your loved one's passion.

Kris Waldherr's Prince of Staves

As can be seen in Kris Waldherr's and Robin Wood's decks, Wands/Staves/Clubs are associated with fire colors--colors of passion, lust, rage, and vitality. Also, the Wands themselves are important, as they symbolize the phallus. Now, many people immediately jump to conclusions with that word, which is natural, but phallus is not necessarily always the male member.  It is masculinity in general, a driving force, an active, subjective energy.

This guy knows what I'm talking about.

Barbara G. Walker's Prince of Wands is Dagon, an ancient Babylonian god. I believe she made a good choice appointing him as the Prince of Wands because he is a bull (an animal associated with both young male masculinity and fire; remember The Last Unicorn?), but that is not the only reason. Dagon is both land and sea--he has a fish tail and a bull's head--and carries both the wand for fire and masculine energy and the cauldron of feminine energy. On his altar are both sun and moon. The combination of fish and bovine is irrational and illogical--just think of the Wuzzles from the '80s--and that, according to Barbara G. Walker, is another aspect of the Prince/Knight of Wands (Walker 30). Like the lightning bolt that cleaves a tree in two, or a ember popping from a bonfire into a puddle of gasoline, the Prince/Knight of wands is unpredictable and hard to pin down.  If it represents an aspect of the reader or questioner, it might signify those intense emotions that she is afraid of--the lust, rage, passion, love--that may very well consume her.

Source: Walker, Barbara G. Barbara Walker Tarot: Instructions. Stamford,CT: U.S. Game Systems, Inc. 1986. Print.

The Sixes

The number six, in numerology, is associated with harmony, calm, recovery, recuperation, the past, acceptance, serenity, and family. It is an others oriented number, and is the number of service and community.
The keyword for the Six of Pentacles is generosity. Either the querent (the person the reading is for) is generous himself, or someone else will be generous to them.

Barbara G. Walker's Six of Pentacles, shown here, shows a lounging woman donating to a musician who has come to beg her favors. She gives him a coin like it ain't no thang.  The Six of Pentacles shows the opportunity to give in a way that makes the giver feel good, or receive with no strings attached.

The Six of Pentacles can also indicate the receiving of an honor or an award, as seen here in the Celtic deck.

The generosity of the Six of Pentacles is fair and just, which is why Robin Wood chose to show her benefactor holding the scales.

The Six of Pentacles is also generous with knowledge and friendship, as demonstrated by the Hindu goddess of luck, Lakshmi.

The Six of Swords is a card of flight, of respite, and of travel. It isn't really a card of rest, more like a lull in the action where you can regroup.

This respite may not exactly be relaxing, as you can see in the Celtic deck. Some days you feel like the warrior carrying off the spoils of war, and sometimes you feel like you are the spoils. Either way, there won't be a lot of resting going on. There may be some desperate scrambling, like the lady here who is trying to grab a sword. This may be a tense time, even though nothing may appear to be happening. Swords are mental, so other people may not see the struggle.

Here, the people in the golden boat look like they're going to have to confront the Sphinx. Again, this may be a mental challenge, not a physical one, and may not be external, but internal. Life is full of riddles, and you may be stagnant unless you take a risk and answer one of your "riddles." What riddles are in your life?

Isis, the representative of the Swords in the Goddess deck, is forlorn as she cruises the Nile. Perhaps she's looking for pieces of her husband, Osirus, so she can put him back together. Have you ever had to "pick up the pieces" in your life? It sucks, but at least the worst is over.

Robin Wood's Six of Swords is the most soothing. The ghostly figure can be a guardian spirit, or an angel, or a returning loved one. The swan is a symbol of grace, and the swan's wings fold protectively around the figure as the swan floats him toward a new life. This reminds us that we are not alone.
I'm kind of going through a Six of Swords time of my life right now, so I'm going to focus on them.

The Six of Wands (Staves, in Kris Waldherr's Goddess deck) represent victory and glory. However, it should be remembered that it is not the last stage of the 1-10 cycle of the minor arcanas. There is more joy and adventure coming up! Be sure to enjoy this Six of Wands energy!

This fiery redhead is Freyja, the Norse goddess of beauty and creativity. In Norse culture, the foundry was a font of fiery creative power.  Iron works were not only useful, but works of pride.

This Robin Wood card is full of details. Perhaps you are drawn to the horse, one of the children in the background, or one of the crystals on top of a wand. What draws you to this detail? Pretend you are the object. What does it mean to you?

The Six of Wands is full of joy and power!

The sun motif on Barbara G. Walker's card is no accident.
Reversed, Six of Wands is a sign of "a dream deferred," delays, even humiliation.

Six of Cups is the card of nostalgia, childhood, and happy family life. It tends to show up when daydreaming about the past, or when a childhood buddy is about to come a-calling.

Robin Wood's Six of Cups makes me smile whenever I see it. Look at how cute it is! It suggests a happy, idyllic time with a loved one, where you're just having innocent fun.

In the Celtic deck, an older couple looks happily at the six cups floating. It is a card of reminiscing of good times.

This card is quite simple. It's a lovely cottage and six cups full of flowers. What kind of flowers do you think they are? Are they rosemary for remembrance? Little daisies for innocence?

Now we've all had our sunshine and flowers, and Barbara G. Walker wants to throw in some nightmare fuel. Here Six of Cups reminds us of vulnerability, and of being small, and how scary grown-ups can be. Is the mother towering over the child in this picture benevolent? It's 9 o'clock--do you know where your inner child is?

The Pot of Gold Princess

Today's card is the Page (Princess) of Pentacles.  She is the harbinger of opportunities, particularly economic ones.

In Kris Waldherr's Goddess deck, the Pentacles are represented by the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi. Pentacles are luck, finances, comfort, and security, which are all in Lakshmi's domain. In the Goddess deck, Lakshmi also graces the Wheel of Fortune card. This is fitting, as finances can bloom and vanish at the drop of a hat.  There certainly is good fortune and bad fortune involved, but Pentacles, being aligned with the practical element of Earth, is quick to remind us that we can also create our fortunes, good or bad. Laziness, besides leading to no progress, also leads to no luck.

The Celtic Princess of Pentacles and the Robin Wood Page of Pentacles are both young girls. This is what the page/princess cards of any suit usually represent, if they are to represent a person. You must follow your instincts while reading these cards. They may represent the querent (the person the cards are being read for, including if you're reading for yourself), a person in the querent's life or about to come into the querent's life; events in the past, present, or future; or an abstract psychological quality or energy.

In the Celtic Princess of Pentacles card, drawn by Mary Guinan, the warmth and energy possible in this card are apparent. There is a glow about the card, and the girl's expression is one of excitement. She is dressed in fine clothes (the style is Roman, so she is probably a noble during the Roman occupation of the British aisles) and jewelry, showing her security and wealth.  If a Princess or Page of Pentacles shows up in your spread, you have opportunities for increase your wealth, or you may be enjoying it right now! Because of the happiness in these cards, I like to think the querent is going to make the money doing something he/she loves to do.

Robin Wood's Page of Pentacles is a great bridge to the Barbara G. Walker card. The girl in Robin Wood's Page of Pentacles is studious, as shown by the little book at her side, and is standing still and strong. This underscores the importance of hard work and learning to this suit, as well as steadfastness and reliability, all qualities of Earth. If the Page/Princess in your spread represents someone in your life, you're quite lucky. You have someone you can trust in your corner. If she represents you, you have a lot of potential!

I also think of healing with the Pentacles or Coins, as they are associated with the Earth, which is the element of physical strength and fertility (as seen by all the greenery in the Robin Wood card).  The person in question, or the questioner himself, may have the potential for being a healer, or being healed. This healing may be physical or psychological. 

Study and knowledge, though possibly of a different kind, are also evident in Barbara G. Walker's Princess of Pentacles. For this card, Barbara G. Walker chose Nimue, the consort of Merlin and a sorceress in her own right.  This card reminds us that Earth is a feminine element, and knowledge of the esoteric (dreamwork, magic, anything to do with the subconscious, intuition) were all the realm of the female. While Earth is practical, the choice of Nimue reminds us that luck also comes with knowledge of the self.

Archetypes and people associated with the Princess/Page of Coins, or Pentacles (Upright): 

Positive: 

A kind, down- to -earth young person 

A gentle soul who is loving to animals

A studious child who works hard

The Nature Child 

Negative Associations (reversed)

A crude young person 

a slow wit 

a stubborn child 

a gluttonous person 

What to look for in your dreams: A child, especially a girl child, out in nature, or one that has a soothing presence. 

Look out for green and brown colors. These are earth colors.