The High Priestess: Practical Tarot Exercises
Introduction
When you sit with the High Priestess, you’re not just practicing card meanings — you’re practicing the art of listening. This is the card of inner knowing, of quiet truths that live beneath the surface. And in readings, clients often come to us hoping we’ll confirm what they already feel in their gut but haven’t yet dared to say out loud.
That’s why these exercises exist: so you can practice answering those subtle, layered questions. You’ll get fictional emails from imaginary querents, and you’ll step into the role of a professional tarot reader responding with care, insight, and intuition.
The structure is simple:
- First, you’ll read a short client email and practice answering it with one card: The High Priestess.
- Then, you’ll expand to a three-card spread, where The High Priestess appears alongside two other cards.
- Finally, you’ll move on to a second email — one with more context and emotion — and repeat the same process.
As always, my own answers are hidden in a spoiler. They’re not “the correct answers” (there are none in tarot), but they’ll give you an idea of how I’d approach these situations in a real reading.
Exercise 1
📝 Fictional client email:
Hi, I’m Chloe, and I’ve been wondering about a guy named Alex. Do you think he has feelings for me?
💬 Let’s talk about what’s happening here:
Short, simple, and straight to the point. Many querents ask about love in this exact way — barely any detail, just the core of what they want to know. And that’s completely fine.
As readers, we’re not detectives. We don’t need every detail of their story. What matters is what the cards say.
🎯 Your Exercise:
Imagine you’ve drawn The High Priestess. Write back to Chloe as if she were your client. Let your response be calm, warm, and meaningful — something that speaks whether Alex is a crush, a friend, or someone she’s already close to.
When you’re ready, open the spoiler below to see how I might shape this reading.
click here to see my sample answer
Exercise 1.2
This time, imagine you draw three cards for Chloe:
The High Priestess + The Eight of Pentacles + The Hermit.
Think about how these three energies weave together. What story do they tell about Alex, and about Chloe’s path forward? Write your own version first, then compare it with my sample below.
click here to see my sample answer
Exercise 2
📧 Fictional Client Email — Miriam
Hello,
I’ve been married for 11 years, and lately I’ve been questioning myself more and more. My husband is a good man — he works hard, he’s responsible, and we’ve built a stable home together. But I often feel like something is missing.
I find myself wondering if I’ve lost touch with who I really am. I used to write, study, and meditate a lot more, but over the years I’ve pushed those things aside to be a good wife and mother. Now I’m not sure if I’ve silenced a part of myself that was important.
I love my family, but I’m scared of waking up one day and realizing I’ve spent my life living only for others. Do the cards show me how to reconnect with myself?
Sincerely,
Miriam
💬 Looking at the Bigger Picture:
This is the opposite of Chloe’s short question. Miriam gives us her heart, her background, and her fears. And when a client opens up like this, our reading can go much deeper — tailored directly to their reality.
🎯 Your Exercise:
Imagine you’ve drawn The High Priestess. How would you respond? Write something gentle, compassionate, and practical — a message that helps Miriam reconnect with her inner truth.
click here to see my sample answer
Exercise 2.2
Now let’s see how Miriam’s question shifts when three cards enter the spread:
The High Priestess + The Hierophant + The Emperor.
This is a powerful trio — intuition, tradition, and authority all at the same table. What story do they tell about Miriam’s path?
click here to see my sample answer
Closing the High Priestess Exercises
That’s the end of our High Priestess exercises. I hope working through these examples has given you a feel for how this card shows up in real-life questions: sometimes in whispers and subtleties, other times as a clear call to return to yourself.
If you enjoyed these practices and want to help keep this course alive, you can leave a tip through the tip jar in the sidebar (desktop) or footer (mobile). And if you ever want to experience this kind of guidance tailored directly to your own life, you’re always welcome to book a reading with me through www.empowering-tarot.com.
Thank you for practicing with me.
