I will tell you what had happened to me a few years before I systematically started my evocations of the spirits from the second Bardon’s book. During one of my mental travels, I happened to be floating somewhere in a very black and remote part of the Universe. But I was not scared because my goal of that magical journey was to meet the High Priestess.
Luckily, I was not alone. I asked my spiritual guide of tarot who was by my side all the time to help me find the High Priestess, and then he said to keep on floating in the space and wait until he gives me the sign to move. After a while, a long narrow path lit with silver candles appeared in front of me leading to the Throne which was also glimmering in silver lights. The Throne was empty. My guide told me not to move yet. So, I kept on waiting for his signal. At one moment, my spiritual guide said: – Go, now! Follow the path. The High Priestess is about to appear in her Throne!
So, I started walking and as I was getting closer to the Throne, I saw the magnificent figure of the High Priestess sitting there. My spiritual guide told me: – Now, it is time. Merge with her. So, I hugged her and then actually merged with her, becoming the one with her, feeling at the same such Divine bliss unparalleled with anything I had felt before.
Franz Bardon has said that his second book reveals secrets of the High Priestess. Now, I am almost sure that the High Priestess at that short moment transferred to me her knowledge which I have been gradually revealing through each of the 360 spirits of the Earth Zone and all other spirits that I have been evoking so far.
One could say that all of the spirits of the Earth Zone and other planetary genii that were mentioned in Bardon’s book highly respect the High Priestess. All of their faculties and potentials are written in her book. Thus she is a female divinity whose potentials and knowledge are so enormous that are probably limitless.
Juno was the name of this card in some early Italian decks. Later she was associated with Isis, Ishtar, Shekina and other female divinities. Yet, in her first tarot illustrations she was mostly seen as a female pope and accordingly called Papessa.
In its form as Papessa, this card could be inspired by the legendary Papessa Giovanna (855-856) from England or by Papessa Maifreda da Pirovana, from the Visconti family, who was burned to death in 1300.
Her most famous name, the High Priestess, did not seem to appear before the 18th century. This name was then chosen mostly to reflect her function as a counterpart of the Hierophant, another card of the Greater Arcana.
Rather than Pappessa, since the 18th century, she has been mostly seen as Hierophantess, the priestess who had acted as a goddess in Greek mysteries’ cults and assisted Hierophant in his rituals.
Be it as it might, her appearance has not change much compared to the oldest tarot desks, which can also be taken as a symbolic sign that the High Priestess is first of all a high female spirit in her own right.
So, weather you can astral project or not, I would like to encourage you to study this card carefully. Meditate with this card. I have always found it easy to meditate with it. The High Priestess has given me impression that everything was possible to achieve in magic if we are in relaxed state of mind. Magic should be often performed as a game. That is what she said to me once and that was on the same line as I have been also taught by the Magician. I feel free and relaxed when I am with her. And I find her messages easy to understand.
Having in mind how much she is respected and adored among many spirits in the spiritual world, the magician may choose to have her assistance during evocation of any kind of spirits. In that case, use her card in the ceremony and think about her in your conjurations!
She stood by my side when I needed her advice and she has helped me a lot in my dream work and interpretations of some other tarot cards.
She also helped me communicate with some of my good female friends and relatives who had passed away.
So, yes, as a student of Bardon, it is absolutely essential to get familiar with this great spirit.
