The High Priestess, Scrying, and a Guest Appearance

Tall, Dark, and Silent

Recently Melanie Marquis, author and assistant editor of the American Tarot Association’s Quarterly Journal, interviewed me for their fine publication. She asked me which cards in the tarot I thought were the darkest. I responded:

“For me personally, I’ll risk committing tarot sacrilege and say that I have issues with the High Priestess and The Moon. The way the High Priestess sits there with that “I know but I’m not telling” attitude and the whole “oh you know what you need to know” thing. Makes me want to scream! If I knew, I wouldn’t be doing a reading now, would I? Yep, I clearly have issues. The Moon drives me nuts, too. All that shadowy concealing/revealing/distorting light. And don’t forget the deepest, darkest fears rising from the waters. They should stay down there where I’ve repressed, er, stored them. Because they raise these intense, uncomfortable emotional reactions in me, I think that qualifies them as dark.”

In my readings for NaNoWriMo, my protagonist’s foil character card is the High Priestess. One of my reasons for participating in NaNoWriMo is to explore the cards on a different level, and it looks like my beloved Priestess is one of those cards. Part of my task this month is to imagine how this silent, calm woman speaks and acts. So, today I want to share three different images of the High Priestess and ask you what your thoughts are on them. Next week, we’ll further the discussion.

Here are the High Priestess cards from the Lo Scarabeo Tarot, the Tarot of the Elves, and the Tarot of the New Vision:

Scrying Debacle

As you may know, I’m not very adept at scrying with other media besides tarot and have been thinking of trying again. Funny how the universe works, because no sooner do I say that than an opportunity presents itself. I complained to my partner that the plot for my NaNoWriMo wasn’t clear. She suggested that I should scry for the plot, that the plot was bigger, broader, that it required something different.

I got it in my head that nothing but a black mirror or scrying mirror would do. I googled directions to make one, and started applying some black acrylic paint that I had on hand to a piece of glass from an unused picture frame. Yes, you read that correctly. Acrylic paint. After applying five coats, letting them dry carefully between each, I finally was ready to reassemble and scry. It was Sunday, a clear night with a huge, bright, beautiful full moon in Taurus. I was ready to receive divine inspiration. I picked up my mirror and noticed a kind of bubble in the paint and touched it gently. The paint kind of stuck to my finger and when I lifted it, the paint came off the mirror in one solid sheet.

Last night I used spray enamel to coat the glass and perhaps tonight I can give it another go. As you know, you’ll be able to read the results of my efforts here.

A Daring Approach to the Court Cards

The talented tarotist Catherine Chapman of Tarot Elements invited me to be a guest on her blog. I was honored and delighted, of course, as I’ve been a fan of her work for a while now. Do check it out; I particularly like her work with Elemental Dignities and her Signature Spread. Tomorrow, Friday, November 6, she’ll be running my post. I spent a lot of time this summer working on a new edition of Tarot for Beginners. Part of that work included figuring out the best way to teach court cards to absolute beginners. I share my conclusions with Catherine, and I’d love to know what you think. My approach may not be all that daring, but it does make for an intriguing headline, don’t you think?