A woman sits between two large and dominating columns. Facing the viewer, she holds a scroll in her lap. The letters “TORA” can be seen upside down on the top of the scroll. The pillar to the viewer’s right has the letter “J” inscribed on it. The pillar to the viewer’s left has the letter “B”. A tapestry hangs between the columns featuring pomegranates and palms in its design. The womans robes envelop her but does not obscure her. Her headdress resembles a full moon mounted between horns. An equal-armed cross is over her chest. And a large sliver of a crescent moon is held by a fold of cloth at her feet. Barely seen between the columns and the tapestry is a large body of water behind her, with the shore far in the distance.
The Magician and the High Priestess both uncover the Mysteries. But where the Magician strives to take them, the High Priestess reveals them. The Magician moves by force. The High Priestess can not be moved. He may entreat her until his voice cracks and his incense turns to ash, but she will not reveal even a letter until she has made the decision to do so. And even then, she will answer on her terms and in her way. This is not a meek character.
In terms of divination, this card represents intuition, subconscious understanding, and the drive to know more. This drive also connects her to science and the rigors of proper examinations. Do not forget that alchemy is the mother of what we call science today. The drive is still the same, to know more.
However what is sought will not come easy to the Querent. There may be a price to be paid or a requirement to be met. The Querent may already know what is sought but has consciously not accepted the information yet. There may be more the Querent must do for themselves before they can accept what is understood in the heart. As such this card can also indicate the silence of inspection, introspection, and meditation.
Ill-dignified, if the Querent is lucky, the High Priestess will just outright refuse to give any information to the Querent. Usually, onerous challenges are placed that the Querent can not possibly complete. If the ill-dignified High Priestess does divulge information, it will be given in a way that is confusing and contrary to the actual meaning. She becomes contemptuous, shallow, and conceited with herself. However, she also forgets that she is not the only way to obtain the Mysteries. Something the Querent should be reminded of.