Tarot is such an interesting subject, a Tarot Reading, Tarot Spreads, Tarot Card images, Tarot Card meanings and just how much or how little one can take from them.
Today I have been pondering on the phrase ‘tarot card meanings’. Whilst there is an inherent meaning in each tarot card – certainly as a starting point – what is interesting, is that an individual Reader can also bring their own interpretation to the card. A tarot Reader will know what the cards in a spread ‘mean’ but the Reader may also pick up feelings about certain cards and what they are trying to tell them. A tarot card can have a short punchy meaning, as well as a deeper interpretation, with additional insight through thoughts and feelings from the actual Reader.
Let’s take this card. 
This is The High Priestess. The short Tarot Card meaning is ‘An unknown destiny, rising to the fore.’ How exciting!
On a deeper level, The High Priestess indicates that this is not the time to make any decisions but to wait for things to become clear. The High Priestess represents unseen forces; she is not really approachable (see how she is behind the altar, she is not speaking; is she levitating? What is she reading? What is she doing?). There is nothing clearly spelt out with this card, so the ‘meaning’ indicates that something is happening in the background, something is developing either externally, or inwardly, for the Sitter. Things are about to change but it is has not come to light yet. Because she is a Priestess and the image conveys some sort of spiritual practice we can surmise that it is something to do with religious/mystical behaviours (but that is just a starting point). Whatever that change is, it is likely to alter the Sitters direction in life! She also represents hidden talents and abilities, which could also emerge over time.
Added to the deeper meaning above, a Reader might get intuitive information from energies around the Sitter, or the card itself, that might bring it to another level – for example, it might be that the Reader may get intuitive feelings about a particular person, perhaps a phrase might pop into their head that means something, or if they have psychic abilities, there maybe a message to give. It may happen that on one day this card will make a Reader particularly happy on another day a bit sad, it may remind them of something relevant they heard or saw recently that could bring light to a situation during the reading. A Reader can add so much more perspective to the short, as well as the deeper ‘meanings’ of the cards which is beyond the written explanation.
This is why it is important to not feel that, in order to read Tarot cards, you must memorise the meaning of every card inside and out. And some of them are complicated! With time and practice – especially if you regularly use a specific deck(s) (here’s ours) – you will grow with the cards.
One thing The High Priestess would not hesitate to say is ‘Trust your intuition……..’
Patricia x
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