Starchild Tarot Study Group: 2. The High Priestess

kp.

this card is one that i immediately did NOT connect with in the akashic deck. the high priestess in the original starchild is my FAVORITE CARD and this one is not moving me like that at all. you know when you just can't even listen to the message cause you're too busy missing the one you love. anyway...

what i do love about this card is that it has some classic RWS imagery happening with the two columns and the throne. did you guys know this is the hood witch from instagram? the bruja representation is awesome!! and i'm always a fan of any type of ethnic diversity in decks.

what's your take on this high priestess??
 

Citrin

I also love how Danielle has brought diversity into the Starchild Tarot. :) I love how the people are of different skin color, different body types, and a lot of them have a quirky look to them, not just "models" you know? Yeah I loooove that about this deck! The woman creating the Lumina Tarot should take notes *cough cough*... Okay, not gonna go off topic too much now. ;)

I love both of these cards. But I can see what you mean about the first version being the favorite one. The muted colors in it makes it stand out in a nice way, while the new version kind of flows a lot more with all the other cards. In a way I see the High Priestess as someone in a whole other dimension, so having her stand out in a muted way (!?) makes sense.

She has more raw power around her in the Akashic version. She is colorful and looks so strong in a way. But all that color around her, the pink and blue etc, does kind of take away from the "quiet" woman the High Priestess is. There's more mystery around her in the first version, and I love a mysterious High Priestess. :) To be honest, I could mistake the Akashic HP for The Empress if I wasn't careful... ;)

What I like about both cards is that they hold that raw feminine energy, that Danielle is SO good at bringing forward in her deck. :)
 

Hayleyc26

Ok, I agree with you both, I'm in love with the original 100%. Bear in mind I'm researching the Akashic edition online as I don't own it.
The high priestess in the first edition is an innocent, young, mysterious girl/woman who could be mistaken for "anyone" she can hide in the shadows and slip out of sight in a second, she isn't center of the universe, however she mysteriously can hold the power of many secrets with the help of the moon. She is beautiful and magical, the veil of shadows is lifted and she is bearing all her gifts for us to see. Citrin is so on the mark with this one, Akashic edition I just see an empress, a queen in her own right on her throne. Almost like a cleopatra with the cat at her feet. She is owner of the environment around her, powerful and feminine, sexy and confident with everything in her hands. It seems to miss the whole mysterious, secret aspect that the first edition has. But the colours are very beautiful - well done to Danielle being able to bring so many discussions together all over one image! She has worked her magic perfectly!!!
 

alainaobrien

So, I sat down to do this post, with my books and things, and damn did I underestimate The High Priestess and the amount of info I would get. Do you all use 78 Degrees of Wisdom? I recently purchased it, and it's chock full of tons of great info on each card. I also use Tarot Plain and Simple for just straight up meanings, but 78 Degrees really gives some more in depth background, so they are great together.

Anyway!!! I really love this High Priestess. As noted, the diversity is fantastic. I like that it looks pretty similar to the original Rider-Waite card, but has some distinct differences, like the background scenery.

78 Degrees talks about how women have always seemed mysterious, dark, and a little crazy to men, but when seen as mothers they are loving and merciful. The High Priestess is NOT the mother archetype here, that is left for the Empress. The High Priestess is deep, dark, subtle, hidden, the virgin. She encourages passivity, that is, stopping and not taking action, taking the time for introspection. (However, when reversed or depending on other cards in the spread, the High Priestess can warn of being TOO passive.) Passivity gives the mind a chance to work, to delve in to the unconscious; the High Priestess represent wisdom at the deepest level.

Beyond the pillars and the veil (I can't really tell if there is a veil on this card), lies the wisdom we seek, the partially hidden landscape that we are not privy to at this time. It is important to note, that true wisdom may not actually be earned until reaching the Star and Moon later in the Majors.

This High Priestess is wild, mysterious, dark, as she should be - she holds a crystal orb, has different representations of moon phases all around her, and has a white tiger that is lounging with her, who is playing with orbs. Like the Magician, she is also a gatekeeper, a protector of secrets/wisdom. However, she is protecting the INNER wisdom, where the Magician encourages interaction with the OUTER world. There are no obvious religious symbols, like the Tora from the original, which I like, however it does seem that there is some allusion to Isis, with the wings on top of the chair. In the original card, there is some duality on the pillars, which seems to have been removed here, I would have liked for that to be included.

Ultimately, the High Priestess represent the possibility that exists, that we have not yet realized, and with a period of passivity we will gain the deep wisdom we need to move forward in action.
 

kp.

So, I sat down to do this post, with my books and things, and damn did I underestimate The High Priestess and the amount of info I would get. Do you all use 78 Degrees of Wisdom? I recently purchased it, and it's chock full of tons of great info on each card. I also use Tarot Plain and Simple for just straight up meanings, but 78 Degrees really gives some more in depth background, so they are great together.

i ended up getting the tarot wisdom book on a recommendation, i wonder if it's the same as 78 degrees. i liked it but i couldn't stay focused for some reason. i wonder how different they are.

and good eye spotting the tiger's orbs, i missed that!
 

kittydorkdork

For the Akashic version: I love this card. Partially because it has some familiarity in it (RWS), partially because the model is absolutely stunning. It's a beautiful card and I like how she looks right at you, and it seems like she's inviting you to come and learn, or seek council with her.

I took at peek at the original HP. It's an intensely beautiful card but I prefer the Akashic because I'm a sucker for familiar images in tarot and it looks like there was actual thought put behind it. The original doesn't speak to me at all. It's just pretty, empty art.

Oh! I just NOW noticed the iconic B and J. They're on her throne instead of the pillars. Very easy to miss.

I love the Isis related imagery in this card as well.