Most people who read tarot have one card they keep coming back to. It turns up in spreads more often than it should, or it is the card they pull when they need to hear something true. For a lot of readers, that card is one of these four: The High Priestess, The Moon, The Star or The Tower.
They are all major arcana, the 22 cards that deal with the large turns in a life rather than the daily weather. Below is what each one means, how it reads reversed, and what it tends to say about love and work. The imagery described is the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, drawn by Pamela Colman Smith in 1909, which is still the reference most modern decks build on.
The High Priestess (II)
Keywords: intuition, hidden knowledge, silence, the inner voice.
She sits between two pillars, one black and one white, marked B and J for Boaz and Jachin, the pillars of Solomon's temple. A crescent moon rests at her feet and a scroll lies half hidden in her lap. Behind her a veil embroidered with pomegranates screens off whatever is on the other side.
The High Priestess is the card of knowing more than you say. Upright, she asks you to trust what you already sense, even when you cannot explain it yet. She is not a card for action. She is a card for waiting until the answer is clear, and for keeping your own counsel while you do.
Reversed: ignoring your gut, secrets kept from you, or saying too much too soon.
In love: attraction that runs deeper than either person admits, or a reminder to listen to what your instincts already know about someone. In work: hold back information until the timing is right.
The Moon (XVIII)
Keywords: illusion, fear, dreams, the subconscious.
A full moon hangs between two towers. Below it a dog and a wolf howl at the sky, and a crayfish crawls out of a pool onto a path that winds off into the distance. Nothing on the card is quite what it seems, which is the point.
The Moon is the card of the uncertain stretch of road, where the light is good enough to walk by but not good enough to see clearly. Upright, it says that fear and imagination are filling in the gaps. It is not a warning to stop. It is a reminder that you can walk into the dark and still keep your footing.
Reversed: confusion lifting, a secret coming out, or the relief of seeing that a fear was bigger than the thing itself.
In love: mixed signals; do not decide anything based on a story you have told yourself. In work: get the facts before you commit.
The Star (XVII)
Keywords: hope, renewal, calm, faith in what comes next.
A woman kneels by a pool under a large eight-pointed star and seven smaller ones. She pours water from two jugs, one onto the land and one back into the pool. One foot is on the ground and one is in the water.
The Star comes right after The Tower in the major arcana, and that order matters. It is the card of the quiet after the storm, when you are not rebuilt yet but you can feel that you will be. Upright, it is one of the gentlest cards in the deck: rest, recover, and trust your own light to guide you.
Reversed: discouragement, losing faith in yourself, or needing to be reminded what you are working toward.
In love: healing after a hard time, or a connection that feels easy and honest. In work: a good moment for a fresh start or a long-term goal.
The Tower (XVI)
Keywords: sudden change, collapse, revelation, release.
Lightning strikes a tower on a rocky peak. The crown at the top is knocked off, flames pour from the windows, and two figures fall headfirst through the air. It is the most dramatic card in the deck, and the one most people flinch at.
The Tower is about structures that were never as solid as they looked: a plan, a belief, a relationship built on the wrong foundation. When it shows up, something is coming down. The card does not say this is a disaster. It says that what falls was going to fall, and that clearing it makes room for The Star.
Reversed: resisting a change that is already happening, or a slower, more private upheaval.
In love: a truth comes out, for better or worse. In work: a plan collapses so a better one can be built.
Which card is yours?
Readers often say they did not choose their card; it chose them. If you recognise yourself in one of these four, here is the short version:
- The High Priestess if you are the quiet one in the room who notices everything.
- The Moon if you are drawn to the dark and comfortable not knowing every answer.
- The Star if you have come through something hard and kept your light.
- The Tower if you have learned to burn down what no longer serves you.
Carrying the card
These four cards make up The Veil of Arcana, the first collection we drew at Witch Veil. Each card is redrawn in four editions (Arcana Card, Dark Altar, Grimoire Page and Moon Ritual) and UV printed onto vegan leather, so you can carry the card as a tarot handbag, a tote, a wallet or a makeup bag.
Start with The High Priestess handbag, or browse every card in the deck.