Wisdom of the House of Night - High Priestesses

ana luisa

Moderators, please re-direct this thread in case I misplaced it. I recently got The Wisdom of The House of Night Oracle and have been really satisfied with it. Quality and readings have been superb. However, I'm still at a loss with the High Priestesses cards. I do not intend to read the novels because that's not up my alley. I wonder if anyone has a good interpretation for those cards apart from the ones given in the booklet. I have been trying to associate Air, Fire, Water and Earth with the equivalent Tarot energies. But still, there's the SPIRIT High Priestess ! Any suggestions or input will be GREATLY appreciated :)
 

Glass Owl

I have been trying to associate Air, Fire, Water and Earth with the equivalent Tarot energies. But still, there's the SPIRIT High Priestess ! Any suggestions or input will be GREATLY appreciated :)

In the House of Night books, vampyres and fledglings cast magic circles to communicate with their female Goddess Nyx or to harness the power of the elements: air, fire, water, earth, and spirit. The rituals usually involve five participates. Each one has a different elemental infinity/power (this isn't something they choose, it is a gift given to them by Nyx) so all elements are represented. When each element is called out during circle casting, the element is often a tangible force that can be felt, seen, etc. (ie they smell earth, feel the wind, etc.)

In the books, Zoey's various friends represent air, fire, water, and earth. Zoey's spirit affinity is what links the other elements together.

I have read on the internet that deck Colette Baron-Reid worked with author P.C. Cast (the creator of the House of Night series) to created this deck and that it was inspired by a number of divination systems, such as the Tarot, Norse runes, and the I-Ching. With that in mind, I see the elements being included not just because they are in the books but because they relate to Tarot as well. Even while reading the books, I have found myself linking up the elements with the Tarot suits.

By the way, the main character of the series, Zoey, actually has affinities for all five elements, air, fire, earth, water, and spirit. Zoey Redbird is the only fledging or vampyre in history to be given that magnitude of power by the Goddess Nyx.

In case you are interested, here are a few fun tests you can take to see what element (and therefore which High Priestess card) you may have an affinity for:

http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/aUIn7qk/What-House-of-Night-affinity-do-you-have
http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/bYgGzGq/Whats-your-element-from-the-House-of-Night
http://quizilla.teennick.com/quizzes/16992185/what-house-of-night-affinity-do-you-have
 

Glass Owl

While browsing through Lucy Cavendish's website, I found an article she wrote called "Casting The Magickal Circle" and there was a brief section that made me think back to the House of Night book series and this deck's high priestess cards.

Lucy Cavendish said:
Witches consider that there are five sacred elements, these being earth, air, fire, water and spirit. Each element has a particular quality. After casting circle we welcome each element to the circle to support us in our spellcasting, meditation and sacred work. Some of us simply welcome them in, others “invoke” the elements, some say they “summon” them. What is most important is that we treat each element with love, respect and honour.

How she explains a circle casting is very much how it happens in the books.

Lucy Cavendish said:
It’s important to note that the five element system is by no means universal – some Witches work with earth, air, fire and water only. Some who work strongly in the Celtic traditions tend to work with earth, sea and sky. However most commonly we work with earth, air, fire, water and spirit, spirit being the unifying force, the element in which all the others are unified, and thus the element where transformation and transmutation takes place."

This article also includes a brief break down of the elements of air, fire, water, and earth and includes directions, times, colors, etc for each. This may provide you will further insights into the High Priestess cards in this deck.

If you would like to see how the High Priestess cards in the deck interact with one another you can take them out in the layout of a casting circle.

If you lay your cards down like the directions on a compass, they would look like this...

---N--
W---E
---S--

-------------earth (4)--------
water (3)----spirit (5)------air (1)
---------------fire (2)------------


The order and directions that Lucy Cavendish uses on her site and are how they are depicted the books.

In the book "Marked" Zoey and her friends cast a circle, each one with a candle for their element:
Air (Damien) - yellow
Fire (Shaunee) - red
Water (Erin) - blue
Earth (Stevie Rae) - green
Spirit (Zoey) - purple

On page 244, Zoey says "Air is everywhere, so it only makes sense that it is the first element to be called into the circle. I ask that you hear me, air, and I summon you to this circle."

After lighting the candles for air, fire, water, and earth, Zoey takes her purple candle to the center of the circle and lifts it into the air and says, "The last element is one that fills everything and everyone. It makes us unique and it breathes life into all things. I ask that you hear me, spirit, and I summon you to this circle."
 

ana luisa

Thank you so much Glass Owl!!! I will print this post and study it a bit to get a better idea. I REALLY like working with the deck and MUST include these cards to make it complete. :thumbsup: