Welcome to the second in the series matching philosophers (or philosophical theories) to the Tarot major arcana (or major arcana archetypes.). Should be a fun ride. This time we are looking at (II) The High Priestess and Protofeminism*
II The High Priestess
Chosen card: Is part of the Modern Witch Tarot series by Lisa Sterle. You can find Lisa's art at INPRNT.
Archetype: The Priestess archetype "represents our unique soul path in this lifetime. She tunes in to her intuition and womb wisdom, trusts and accepts Divine guidance and inspiration as she walks her path. This is the archetype we must embody to live our grandest, most inspired, fulfilling life." - Shani Jay
Keywords: I'm not suggesting these are the meanings of the card, they are just a few keywords that have stuck with me. Empowerment, receptive, intuition, understanding, awareness, acceptance, openness, middle road/third way, and mystery. But, by mystery I do not mean secretive (as is often associated with the High Priestess) but rather seeing beyond the obvious, being open to new methodologies, sensing something behind the logic, acknowledging shadow & bias.
Secretive vs Empowered: Many define the High Priestess in terms of secret knowledge. For example, Kenner (2009) describes the High Priestess as "the enigmatic keeper of spiritual secrets. Secretive and guarded, she knows the secrets life holds—but she shares them only with the wise." For me this simply does not ring true, nor does it appear to fit with the history or (often associated) symbology on the card.
Originally known as La Papesse, or "The Popess", this card most likely related to the legend of Pope Joan who, disguised as a man, was elected to the papacy. While only myth, La Papesse is not the keeper of secret knowledge. The only secret kept is her gender, a deception used to gain access to knowledge that should have never been denied.
Knowledge is simple and pure. It is not the domain of the few, it is not in itself guarded or secret. True knowledge is necessarily open to any who seek. Those who would hold it close and limit access do so in an attempt to control and, I suggest, are the antithesis of the High Priestess.
I believe Waite may have recognised this and that the symbology in the RWS deck gives some clues as to why the card is more aligned with empowerment than secrecy and hidden knowledge.
In the RWS deck the High Priestess sits between the columns of Jachin and Boaz (from the Temple of Solomon) and the columns are also important within Freemasonry. It is notable that women were excluded both from the Freemasons and from the inner sanctums of the Temple of Solomon. Then, she holds the Torah; a manuscript that has (historically) been withheld from Jewish women. "Women’s exclusion from Torah study removed them from the heart of existence, and they were not considered important in passing on the heritage and tradition to future generations. Women had no part in the bet midrash, the center of spiritual creativity, or in the religious courts, the seat of the Jewish community’s autonomy, because a rabbinic judge must have comprehensive Torah knowledge. Women did not serve in community positions because these roles were identified with knowledge of Torah. This exclusion affected their public image and we may assume that their self-image suffered similarly." - Rachel Karen.
What I see in all these cases is an attempt to limit women via exclusion, and what I see in the High Priestess is self-empowerment by gaining knowledge that was a matter of entitlement. It would be off to then suggest that, having gained this knowledge, the High Priestess would then commit hypocrisy by picking and choosing who was wise enough to have access.
The number 2: Twos are about balance. About moving on from our (I) newly created world and finding (II) balance within it; something that has rarely occurred. The High Priestess sits between two binary opposites (black and white). She may represent a third way (balance) and an objection to seeing the world through false dichotomies (black/white, male/female, right/wrong etc).
Musing: I have spent longer on the card than I intended, but my thoughts were essential in understanding my selection of Philosopher(s). All may become clear:
II Laura Cereta (1469-1499)
II Mary Astell (1666–1731)
II Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)
These (and many other) early protofeminists/feminists embody the High Priestess archetype and have fought for knowledge/education and the rights of women as equals.
Mary Wollstonecraft is best known for A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) in which she argued against the common doctrine of the time that women were inferior to men arguing that it was a falsely created perception bought about by the withholding of education from (most) women.
"My main argument is built on this simple principle, that if [woman] be not prepared by education to become the companion of man, she will stop the progress of knowledge and virtue; for truth must be common to all." Wollstonecraft (1792)
Mary Astell was denied a formal education with her father's estate going toward the higher education of her brother. Some years prior to Wollenstonecraft, Astell argued that it was women's lack of education that was at the root of their perceived inferiority.
"Astell believed that women should be educated in a spiritual environment, away from society with only other females. She felt the world was so corrupt because of being under male dominance that women should receive an education free of male influence."
Astell also argued that "women should receive an education equal to men and should be able to refrain from marrying if they so desire"
"Descartes' theory of dualism, a separate mind and body, allowed Astell to promote the idea that women, as well as men, had the ability to reason, and subsequently, they should not be treated so poorly: "'If all Men are born Free, why are all Women born Slaves?'"
[Above 3 extracts are from the Mary Astell Wikipedia Page]
Laura Cereta, almost 200 years before Astell, had "persistent feminist concerns. She defended the concept of educating women and objected the abuse of married women. Furthermore, in her public lectures and essays, Cereta explored the history of women's contributions to the intellectual and political life of Europe. She argued against the slavery of women in marriage and for the rights of women to higher education".
Cereta's words were so powerful that she was attacked on all fronts by those claiming women should not receive an education, accused of plagiarism and that her works were written by her father. To one such critic Cereta penned the rebuke:
My ears are wearied by your carping. You brashly and publicly not merely wonder but indeed lament that I am said to possess as fine a mind as nature ever bestowed upon the most learned man. You seem to think that so learned a woman has scarcely before been seen in the world. You are wrong on both counts, Sempronius, and have dearly strayed from the path of truth and disseminate falsehood…You pretend to admire me as a female prodigy, but there lurks sugared deceit in your adulation. You wait perpetually in ambush to entrap my lovely sex, and overcome by your hatred seek to trample me underfoot and dash me to the earth - King & Rabil (1983)
On Feminist Principles: While feminism is deeply grounded in equality for women the principles are universal, and include:
Equality for all genders, civil rights for all people, dismantling the gender and racial inequities within the criminal justice system, non-violence, immigrant and refugee rights, creating inclusive spaces, and actively opposes discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, race, sexual orientation, sexual identity, socio-economic status, religion, ethnicity, age, marital status, national origin, size, or disability. - Excerpts from Feminist Majority Foundation
Knowledge is NOT power: The common saying 'knowledge is power' obscures the truth. The 'secrecy' and restriction of knowledge by the few has been used by the few throughout history to gain control and mastery over the majority. But this is power only in a perverse and corrupted sense.
Knowledge IS empowerment: Knowledge is empowering when shared openly and equally without the boundaries created by artificial hierarchies and false dichotomies.
The (Proto) Feminist High Priestess: With minor modifications to the archetype presented by Jay (above) I suggest our Feminist High Priestess is something like:
A self-empowered person in tune with intuition, wisdom and knowledge. A person who openly accepts, and shares guidance, inspiration and knowledge as they walk their path. A person who is free (or has freed themselves) from dogma, hierarchies, and false dichotomies.
I believe Jay drives the point home nicely with "this is the archetype we must embody to live our grandest, most inspired, fulfilling life."
Our Philosophers' Journey so far: Cards I & II
(I) The Magician has the courage to doubt all that is doubtable then rebuilds a view of the world on solid foundations without bias or preconception.
(II) The High Priestess brings balance and openness to the world. She reinforces the need for freedom from artificial hierarchies and false dichotomies so that all should be empowered through knowledge.
Next up (III) The Empress, Nature & Nurture.
Notes:
*Protofeminism : is a concept that anticipates modern feminism in eras when the feminist concept as such was still unknown. - Wikipedia
References:
Jay, S., The Divine Feminine Archetypes & How To Embody Their Powerful Energy, https://sheroserevolution.com/shanijay/divine-feminine-archetypes/
Sterle, L., The High Priestess (Illustration), https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/lisasterle/
Kenner, Connie (2009), Tarot Archetypes of the Major Arcana, https://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/1951
Karen, R., The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/torah-study
King, Margaret L., and Albert Rabil. 1983. Her immaculate hand: selected works by and about the women humanists of Quattrocento Italy. (Binghamton, N.Y.: Center for Medieval & Early Renaissance Studies, 1983), 81-84.
Feminist Majority Foundation, https://feminist.org/about/mission-principles/
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