Secret of the High Priestess Spread

Difficulty: Average
This spread makes a nice alternative to the Celtic Cross, which covers basically the same ground. It is useful when a question doesn't quite call for the Ankh spread. This tarot spread is helpful for looking into a current trend. The High Priestess may or may not present a mysterious secret to be analysed after the rest of the spread.
1. & 2. Main impulses representing the topic at hand. They may compliment or oppose one another.
3. This is the current influence at this time.
5. The Waning Moon is the influence that is moving into the past.
4. The Waxing Moon indicates what is on the horizon, or the approaching influence. This is the immediate future.
7. The Light is what is clearly recognized, consciously.
6. The Dark indicates what is there but not fully perceived, though noticed on a deeper level of consciousness.
8. The Next Step is the near future, where this journey leads.
9. The final tarot card, only if it happens to be of the Major Arcana, reveals the Secret of the High Priestess. This is a special message that should be given added weight.
Your Secret of the High Priestess Reading
The Waxing Moon ![]() 2 of Wands |
The Full Moon ![]() The Emperor |
The Waning Moon ![]() 3 of Swords |
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Significator #1 ![]() Knight of Pentacles The Secret of the High Priestess |
Significator #2 ![]() The Tower |
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The Dark ![]() 4 of Pentacles |
![]() Death |
The Light ![]() 8 of Wands |
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The Next Step ![]() 10 of Swords |
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Significator #1
Knight of Pentacles
Stone is hard and sand is soft, yet one can erode the other in time and fundamentally, both are the exact same thing. Odd that the smaller of the two can destroy the larger and make it more like itself. Also note the Wolfs angle rune.
Significator #2
The Tower
10:00 – Card 4
Male, Earth, Libra.
Failure and Loss. Defeat and ruin. The higher it's built, the harder it falls and the more it crushes when it does. That doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't worth building. Defeat can be accepted and the ruins left behind in favour of greener pastures, or one can start to rebuild. The latter is more difficult, but often more rewarding.
The Waning Moon is the influence that you are putting behind you, as it moves into the past.
3 of Swords
The Vikings were once the most feared force on the northern seas, now they are remembered by statues, Swedish death metal, and Antonio Banderas movies. Do what you will to ensure your name, but once you're gone you have no control over what will become of it.
The Full Moon is the current influence at this time.
The Emperor
In this case King Sargon of Akkad. A great ruler in his own time rarely even makes the history books in ours.
The Waxing Moon indicates what is on the horizon; the approaching influence.
2 of Wands
This artist loves Thai food. Tom Yum soup and fried rice mostly. To be honest though I'm very poor at chopsticks.
The Light is what is clearly recognized.
8 of Wands
The means by which you arrive are not necessarily the means by which you'll stay.
The Dark shows what is there but not fully perceived, though it has been noticed on a deeper level of consciousness.
4 of Pentacles
It doesn't always come out the way you wanted. That doesn't mean you can't still enjoy it.
The Next Step is the near future, where this journey will take you.
10 of Swords
Classic iconography. Classic significance: Absolute destruction.
The Secret of the High Priestess - if, and only if, this card a Major Arcana, it reveals the Secret of the High Priestess. This is a special spiritual message that you should pay extra special attention to. If it is not a trump, the Priestess has revealed no secret.
Death