The High Priestess Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love & Yes/No
Not everything needs to be said or decided today. Listen more than you speak and pay attention to the quiet sense you keep having.
| Arcana | Major Arcana |
|---|---|
| Number | 2 (II) |
| Element | Water |
| Astrology | The Moon |
| Hebrew letter | Gimel (Golden Dawn attribution) |
| Yes or no | Maybe |
| Upright | intuition, quiet knowing, patience, inner voice |
| Reversed | ignored instincts, secrets, overthinking |
The High Priestess symbolism
A seated woman in blue robes sits between two pillars, one black marked B and one white marked J, the pillars of Solomon's temple, Boaz and Jachin. A veil decorated with pomegranates hangs behind her, hiding a body of water. She holds a scroll marked TORA, partly concealed by her robe, and a crescent moon rests at her feet. Everything in the image speaks of knowledge that is present but not yet revealed.
The descriptions on this site refer to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909), illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and designed with Arthur Edward Waite, which is the reference for most modern tarot. Other decks may show different imagery with a similar meaning.
Upright meaning
- intuition
- quiet knowing
- patience
- inner voice
The High Priestess is the keeper of intuition and quiet knowledge. She appears when the answer you are looking for will not come from more research or more opinions, but from listening to what you already sense. She favours patience, observation and silence over action.
In a reading, she often means that not all the facts are visible yet. Something is still developing beneath the surface, and the wisest move is to wait, watch and pay attention to dreams, gut feelings and small signs. Her number is two, the number of receptivity and of the space between opposites.
Reversed meaning
- ignored instincts
- secrets
- overthinking
Reversed, The High Priestess shows a disconnect from your inner voice. You may be overthinking, seeking constant reassurance from others or ignoring a clear instinct because it is inconvenient. It can also point to secrets, gossip or information that is being withheld.
The reversed card asks you to reduce the noise. Step away from other people's opinions long enough to hear yourself, and be careful about sharing things that are meant to stay private.
New to reversals? Our guide to reading reversed tarot cards explains the different ways readers interpret an upside-down card.
The High Priestess in love and relationships
Upright in love
In love, The High Priestess describes a connection with depth and mystery, often one where not everything has been said yet. Singles may feel drawn to someone they cannot quite read. In a relationship, trust what your intuition tells you about the emotional climate rather than what is said aloud.
Reversed in love
Reversed in love, the card can signal hidden feelings, secrets or a relationship where one person is not being fully transparent. It can also mean you are ignoring red flags you already sense.
The High Priestess as feelings
As feelings, The High Priestess means someone feels a deep, intuitive pull toward you but is keeping it to themselves. They may be private, reserved or unsure how to express it.
Career and work
At work, the card advises discretion. Gather information, observe the politics and keep your plans to yourself until the moment is right. It favours research, counselling, psychology, healing and any role that relies on insight.
Money and finances
With money, The High Priestess recommends waiting for more information before committing. Read the fine print and do not sign anything you do not fully understand.
Is The High Priestess a yes or no card?
Maybe
The High Priestess is a maybe. The answer is not fully formed yet or depends on information you do not have. Wait, observe and ask again when more is revealed.
Want to ask your own question? Try our yes or no tarot, which uses the same yes, no and maybe values shown on this page.
Number, element and astrology
The High Priestess is card 2 (II) of the Major Arcana, the 22 trump cards that describe life's big lessons and turning points. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn's system, which shaped the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, it is attributed to the Hebrew letter Gimel and to The Moon, giving it the element of water.
Advice from The High Priestess
Be still before you act. Your intuition already knows more than you have admitted, so give it the quiet it needs.
Example reading
Illustrative example
Someone asks whether they should confront a friend who has been distant. The High Priestess in the advice position suggests waiting and observing a little longer. The friend may be dealing with something private, and more will become clear without forcing the conversation.
This example is written by our editors to show how the card is read in context. It is not a real client's reading. See our tarot spreads for how positions change a card's meaning.
Related cards
Dream symbols linked to this card
Cat, Door, Keys, Mirror, Moon. Our dream dictionary explains how the same symbolism appears in dreams.
Ask the cards about your situation
Draw three cards for your own question. Every card in your result links back to its meaning here.
Free tarot readingCard of the dayFrequently asked questions
What does The High Priestess mean in tarot?
Upright, The High Priestess means intuition, quiet knowing, patience, inner voice. The High Priestess is the keeper of intuition and quiet knowledge.
What does The High Priestess reversed mean?
Reversed, The High Priestess shows a disconnect from your inner voice. You may be overthinking, seeking constant reassurance from others or ignoring a clear instinct because it is inconvenient. It can also point to secrets, gossip or information that is being withheld.
What does The High Priestess mean in love?
In love, The High Priestess describes a connection with depth and mystery, often one where not everything has been said yet. Singles may feel drawn to someone they cannot quite read. In a relationship, trust what your intuition tells you about the emotional climate rather than what is said aloud. Reversed in love, the card can signal hidden feelings, secrets or a relationship where one person is not being fully transparent. It can also mean you are ignoring red flags you already sense.
Is The High Priestess a yes or no card?
The High Priestess is a maybe. The answer is not fully formed yet or depends on information you do not have. Wait, observe and ask again when more is revealed.
Does The High Priestess mean someone is hiding something?
It can. Upright it more often means information has not come to light yet; reversed, it more directly suggests secrets or someone withholding the truth.