High Priestess (Tarot card) and associated Deity

[NanoRaven]

I've had a few Tarot readings done through this year and as 2012 is coming to a close, I've been really wanting to work at improving my life particularly since the card of the High Priestess keeps appearing again and again (also the card of Temperance/Balance). I've been experiencing some difficulties in balance and in my desire to seek wisdom and improve myself, I've inadvertently ended up imbalancing my life.

I wonder if there is a specific deity associated with the High Priestess? Growing up, I thought of Athena as a Goddess to look up to though not necessarily in terms of worship as she figured as an archetype/role model. As I peruse these boards over the past few weeks, I learnt about a few other Goddesses as well like Brighid, the Morrigan, the Sophia. Every year, I felt this pull to worship someone, a specific Goddess but I never really figured out who and I don't really know how to either.

This is particularly because I'm an Atheist and I find it hard to believe. Also I understand the concept of UPG but I don't know, and I don't think I can differentiate that from psychosis. I've explained away previous experiences to be due to my mental health (hence delusions and hallucinations). I'm medicated now but I still fear that it's all not to be believed? This is not to dismiss anyone else's experiences as a part of psychosis, I apologise deeply in advance if I cause offense.

Sorry to ramble, my specific question is the association between High Priestess card and a specific deity. Will it be a good idea to approach Her, if there is a particular deity?

As always, thank you very much for the knowledge.

[Siren]

Sorry to ramble, my specific question is the association between High Priestess card and a specific deity. Will it be a good idea to approach Her, if there is a particular deity?

The card has been associated with different goddesses and non-goddess figures over the course of the tarot's history, and some decks very clearly make her a specific goddess while others don't. To me, the card tends to represent Persephone--but then I have a couple of decks that make that card very explicitly Her (such as the Mythic Tarot) and most of my other decks have a prominent pomegranate motif in the card. And she is a goddess who means a lot to me and is a large part of my life.

I guess my possibly-unhelpful questions are (a) what deck are you using and what does she look like in it, symbols, etc, and (b) what qualities does the card symbolize to you and does that remind you of anyone? For example, I don't think the Morrigan would generally fit the High Priestess archetype, but Sophia might, or it could be someone different from the ones you've already been drawn to.

In your shoes I'd probably try meditating on the card image--basically visualizing myself walking into the card's "scene" and talking to her and seeing what she has to say (whether that's "I'm the goddess so-and-so!" or general life advice of what have you). I'm not sure if that is helpful since you have reservations about UPG though.

[NanoRaven]

 (a) what deck are you using and what does she look like in it, symbols, etc, and (b) what qualities does the card symbolize to you and does that remind you of anyone?

In your shoes I'd probably try meditating on the card image--basically visualizing myself walking into the card's "scene" and talking to her and seeing what she has to say (whether that's "I'm the goddess so-and-so!" or general life advice of what have you). I'm not sure if that is helpful since you have reservations about UPG though.

Thank you very much, your words are indeed very helpful! I've had readings done by others and I did some free online readings, the decks are different but the card normally portrays a woman on a throne/seat and to me she symbolises a very learned woman, independent, solitary but connected to others, compassionate but firm [attach=CONFIG][/attach]

When I saw this depiction of the card by Jessica Galbreth, I liked it very much and to me it showed exactly that, a learned independent solitary woman so I thought she could be Athena. I have a Goddess Tarot app that has the Goddess Saraswati for the High Priestess card and that spoke to me too. I was in Bali a few months ago and had some sort of a spiritual awakening and I learnt that Saraswati is highly venerated there. I'm in college now and I have a housemate who is Hindu and she told me of a recent festival they had where Saraswati is one of the goddessess worshipped for the festival.

Oh wow you've given me a lot to think about! Thinking back to these specific instances got me thinking of synchronicity and perhaps, this is it. I'll do that meditation, thank you very much

[Nachtigall]

I've had a few Tarot readings done through this year and as 2012 is coming to a close, I've been really wanting to work at improving my life particularly since the card of the High Priestess keeps appearing again and again (also the card of Temperance/Balance). I've been experiencing some difficulties in balance and in my desire to seek wisdom and improve myself, I've inadvertently ended up imbalancing my life.

I wonder if there is a specific deity associated with the High Priestess? Growing up, I thought of Athena as a Goddess to look up to though not necessarily in terms of worship as she figured as an archetype/role model. As I peruse these boards over the past few weeks, I learnt about a few other Goddesses as well like Brighid, the Morrigan, the Sophia. Every year, I felt this pull to worship someone, a specific Goddess but I never really figured out who and I don't really know how to either.

This is particularly because I'm an Atheist and I find it hard to believe. Also I understand the concept of UPG but I don't know, and I don't think I can differentiate that from psychosis. I've explained away previous experiences to be due to my mental health (hence delusions and hallucinations). I'm medicated now but I still fear that it's all not to be believed? This is not to dismiss anyone else's experiences as a part of psychosis, I apologise deeply in advance if I cause offense.

Sorry to ramble, my specific question is the association between High Priestess card and a specific deity. Will it be a good idea to approach Her, if there is a particular deity?

As always, thank you very much for the knowledge.

 
It's Isis or Artemis, if one considers the traditional (by that I mean GD/Crowley) meanings of a card. Modern decks indeed offer different views: in my mythological-themed decks the HP is Persephone, Hecate, Artemis, Selene; mostly Moon goddesses, since the Moon is associated with this card astrologically.

[Queen of Wands]

I wonder if there is a specific deity associated with the High Priestess? Growing up, I thought of Athena as a Goddess to look up to though not necessarily in terms of worship as she figured as an archetype/role model.

Sorry to ramble, my specific question is the association between High Priestess card and a specific deity. Will it be a good idea to approach Her, if there is a particular deity?

As always, thank you very much for the knowledge.

I don't see her associated with a specific deity: maybe I'm taking the name at face value, but I see her very much human, a women dedicated to the ancient mythical ways. While I can see her being a priestess of Persephone, Isis...she herself is not a goddess and is flawed, especially when it comes to balancing, because she is about the inner self and mysteries and the moon, which can leave out the Yang (the Sun and taking action) to her Yin.

[NanoRaven]

I don't see her associated with a specific deity: maybe I'm taking the name at face value, but I see her very much human, a women dedicated to the ancient mythical ways. While I can see her being a priestess of Persephone, Isis...she herself is not a goddess and is flawed, especially when it comes to balancing, because she is about the inner self and mysteries and the moon, which can leave out the Yang (the Sun and taking action) to her Yin.

 
I see, thank you definitely something to think through for me.