The Numerology of High Priestess, Two of Wands, Two of Cups, Two of Swords, and Two of Pentacles

Updated: May 26, 2021

Welcome back to Tarot Numerules! This 10-part series explores the relationship between first 10 Major Arcana cards (excluding The Fool) and their respective Minor Arcana cards. This series was created to help you understand the specific meaning that each digit holds, and how these numbers can influence and enhance your approach to life's challenges and blessings.

For our 2nd installment, we will be exploring the numerological relationship between II. The High Priestess and the Twos of the Tarot.

II. The High Priestess

Our High Priestess sits in stillness between the pillars of light and dark, and directly in front of a thin veil. She acts as a barrier between the conscious and subconscious realms, only granting access to those who are ready to explore and bring conscious awareness to their deeply embedded thoughts and beliefs. We can see a body of water just beyond the veil, and we later learn that this is the same body of healing water represented in The Star card. The palms leaves on the veil symbolize masculine or Yang energy, and the pomegranates symbolize feminine or Yin energy. The scroll she holds reads TORA, symbolizing her infinite knowledge of Universal and Divine Laws. Her crown, depicted by the waxing, full, and waning moons, embodies the essence of the Triple Goddess. The Triple Goddess is a deity archetype, illustrating 3 distinct stages of a woman’s life, the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone.

Engraved on the pillars of the Smith-Rider-Waite's High Priestess card are the letters B and J, a biblical reference to Boaz and Jachin. These two free standing pillars stood at the first temple of Jerusalem, the Temple of Solomon. Donna Hazel at Tarotdon Tarot tells us that Jachin represents the masculine elements of fire and air (Wands and Swords) whereas Boaz symbolizes the feminine elements of water and the earth (Cups and Pentacles). Because the High Priestess sits between these two pillars, she signifies the importance of balancing and blending the energies of light and dark, good and evil, feminine and masculine.

Associated with the mystical and watery sign of Pisces, the High Priestess represents intuition, secrets, mysteries, the unknown, subliminal messages, dreams, magick, the occult, and Divine Feminine energy. She is the Divine mother to The Empress and The Emperor, and the feminine counterpart to the Hierophant.

What is Intuition?

What is our intuition anyway? Essentially, it is your internal guidance system gifted to you by your Creator. It speaks quietly, and often takes intentional action to be heard. Some people receive intuitive messages in non-physical ways like psychic abilities (clairvoyance, clairaudience, etc) and dreams. Others receive them in the physical world through images, song lyrics, synchronicities, objects, animal sightings and many other modalities. You can ask your guides to use a specific method to provide intuitive guidance if you find it difficult to pinpoint what they are trying to tell you (ie. Please show me feathers when my intuition is correct about a person)

Intuition can often be mistaken for anxiety, as both can cause similar sensations and reactions. Sometimes it can feel like an internal alarm has been triggered, signaling when we are in danger. Other times, we are simply unprepared to see or hear our intuition, and we become confused or upset trying to decipher the meaning. Most times, we mistake intuitive guidance for sabotaging thoughts, which are born from unhealed trauma.

To Trust or Not to Trust:

For example, say you meet a new romantic interest and you really hit it off with them. As you spend more time together, or maybe even upon your first meeting, you sense a subtle uneasy feeling, telling you that this person isn’t right for you, or that they are someone to be cautious of.

Remember, your intuition is aware of everything, even before your conscious mind becomes aware of it. This may manifest as characteristics or qualities in your new boo that remind you of a toxic ex. You may start to doubt your intuition and convince yourself that you are projecting baggage from a previous relationship onto your current partner.

What’s happening is not that you are comparing your ex to your new partner, and bringing past baggage into your new relationship. Your intuition is telling you that you are in a familiar, yet uncomfortable situation. It remembers that your partner’s energy or traits do not serve your highest good, and it is giving you a gentle nudge to remove yourself from this relationship before it gets worse. Simultaneously, your intuition is making you aware that you possess some of the traits you dislike in your partner (commonly known as 'mirroring'). Because the Law of Attraction states that "like attracts like", your intuition is showing you that your vibrational frequency, is a match for the other person's. Thus, why you and this person were attracted to each other in the first place.

If you decide to trust your intuition and act on it, you’ll let the person know that you’re not a good fit for one another, and you’ll move on from the connection. If you don’t trust and act on it, you will find ways to ignore that feeling, and force the connection to be what your conscious ego mind wants and envisions. This is where the real projection comes in.

Despite all of your efforts, that subtle and uneasy feeling doesn’t go away. Instead, the feeling will continue to grow stronger and stronger until you reach your breaking point. This is a hard lesson to learn and experience. After you hit the breaking point, you will become aware of how your intuition was trying to tell you early on, and throughout the relationship, that this person/situation/environment wasn’t for you.

The High Priestess is an Invitation to Trust

Generally, your intuition is quiet and peaceful. This ideal is represented by The High Priestess’s light blue robe. Her messaging is often short and direct, but always gentle in nature. Your intuition may not always make logical sense, and it’s important to remember that it is not supposed to. Your conscious mind may not be able to identify why the intuition is saying one thing, but the ego is saying another.

A simple rule of thumb is if you receive an “intuitive download” and you feel calm, assured, relieved, or any other good feeling, it is your intuition being heard. If you feel worried, afraid, angry, panicked, or stressed, it is likely an anxious thought generated from the ego. Alternatively, a true intuitive message may simply be in opposition to your current thoughts, feelings or beliefs. This may cause you to feel anxiety instead of assurance, leading you to question and doubt your intuition. Discernment is incredibly important when this feeling arises.

You may see the High Priestess in a reading when you are being asked to trust your gut feelings about a person, place, or situation. Sometimes it is hard to accept that our intuition is actually looking out for us, like a protective mother would, because we don’t want to believe that our egos are wrong. Our egos get things wrong all the time, but the ego (or conscious mind) is what makes us imperfect beings.

Think of your intuition as the mother inside of you who is always right, no matter the situation. Because we are human, we have the choice to listen, or not. To trust our internal experience, or not. To act on our gut feelings, or not.

It takes time and consistent effort to get good at listening, trusting, and acting on our intuitive guidance. It may look like stillness, an intense journaling session, free handing an art piece or spending time in nature. The purpose is to access the part of yourself that isn't easily accessible without deliberate intention.

Spiritual Meaning of 2:

In numerology, the number 2 symbolizes choice, connection, and coexistence.

If 1 truly is the loneliest number, then loneliness cannot exist at 2’s vibrational frequency, or at the frequency of any number after 2. In its essence, the number 2 represents people, things, ideas and concepts blending together. Merging to create a new experience, a new reality. Whether it is a business partnership, romantic relationship, a friendship, or an understanding of one's own lightness and darkness, coexistence is taking place.

Someone who has a Life Path Number of 2 will seek to find truth and harmony, as they have the ability to see their options and make decisions with grace and consideration. These people are naturally caring, thoughtful, and affectionate. Through their relationships with others, they will discover inner truths that may not have otherwise been revealed if not prompted by these connections. The Life Path 2 can also be shy, reserved, or sensitive to rejection. Because of their gentle nature, they may sacrifice their needs to keep the harmony, or feel incredibly hurt by the ending of partnerships.

The Minor Arcana:

Two of Wands:

This card depicts someone on a journey, in between where they’ve been and where they want to be. They have an opportunity to create, explore, and expand, and now it’s time to start creating a viable action plan! Our adventurers have a map, a phone, and quite literally, the entire world in their hands. They can go anywhere they want, but they will have to choose where first.

Represented by the Fire element, Two of Wands symbolizes the desire for progression. You may see this card in a reading when you feel an intuitive urge to make a change to your day-to-day life. Are you thinking of making a major career change? Or moving across the country? Maybe you’d like to pursue a creative venture more seriously. This is your sign to start planning! Weigh your options, assess the pros and cons, and prepare yourself well for this new adventure. Though it may not seem as exciting and fun as the huge flame from our Ace of Wands, think of this card as your guiding lantern lit from a bonfire. The Two of Wands encourages you to channel your creativity and passion into something usable, more manageable, and less volatile.

If you see the Two of Wands in a reading, consider the following questions:

How can I bring my vision into my reality?
Where do I want to be in 1 month/3 months/6 months/12 month's time? What am I doing? Who am I with?
How can I make myself more available for new opportunities?

Two of Cups:

Aww, our quintessential love card! This sweet couple signifies soulmates reconnecting and coming into each other’s lives to leave a lasting impact. They meet in the middle, both bringing full cups to the table for both to enjoy and share. When their personal cups run low, they can count one another to help fill them back up again. The winged lion head and snakes above them represents Caduceus of Hermes, a Greek symbol for exchange, trade, and duality.

Represented by the Water element, Two of Cups symbolizes harmony, partnership, and emotional availability. Whether it is a platonic, business, or romantic relationship, this is a bond that feels supportive, uplifting, encouraging, compassionate, and loving in all ways. Though it may not symbolize a long-term or life-long relationship, the people we connect with on this level will teach us powerful lessons about love, relationships, and how we show up in them. These relationships may also challenge us to self-reflect on our flaws, insecurities, and toxic traits that we show when relationships get hard. Because this card comes directly after the Ace of Cups, which speaks of self love and compassion, the Two of Cup embodies the concept of loving yourself and attracting others who match your vibration.

When the Two of Cups pops up on you, consider the following questions:

What do I see in them that I also see in me?
What are our shared values? Where do our values differ?
What am I learning about myself or the world around me through this relationship?

Two of Swords:

So our person is in a bit of a bind here. Plagued by fear of making the wrong choice, they’ve decided it’s best not to make any choice! They’re perceiving both options to be win-lose situations, and they feel that neither choice will make them truly happy. Blindfolded and arms crossed, this person is closed off to the idea that they have more than two options, or the idea that there are actually good things that could come from either choice!

Represented by the Air element, the Two of Swords exemplifies denial, mistrust, and self-sabotage. This card comes up when you are prompted to make a difficult choice and don’t like either of the potential outcomes.

When I see the Two of Swords, this is what I imagine their inner monologue sounds like.

"I'm ready for a career change but I'm scared of walking into the unknown. If I leave my current field, I'd feel happier and more aligned with my purpose. But I might have to pursue a higher education, or gain more experience in the new field which could cost me thousands of dollars and/or several years of my life. I'm not sure that the investment is worth it.

I guess I could also stay in my current field. It’s what I know and the money is decent, but I'd continue to feel unfulfilled, drained, and exhausted every day, which could cost me my mental health and physical wellness. I don't know what to do, so I'm not gonna do anything until I'm sure!"

Two of Swords can show you when you are overthinking a situation or viewing it from a pessimistic perspective, More importantly, it shows that you are not making any moves to improve the situation for yourself and would rather pity yourself. Maybe you’re just really unsure of what the best option is. Maybe you’re scared to choose because you don’t trust that things can work out in your favor. Either way, your lack of response to the situation is only going to prolong it. It will not go away just because you refuse to look at it.

Did the Two of Swords fly out of the deck? Consider these questions:

What is the worst possible outcome from either decision?
What is the best possible outcome from either decision?
What is the most likely outcome from either decision?

Two of Pentacles:

Here, we see our intently focused juggler practicing their balancing act! Some readers see this card as a person struggling to keep it all together (which I do see in the reverse), but for me, I see this person flawlessly maintaining their many priorities with deliberate attention and planning. They aren’t phased by life’s challenges because they utilize their time, energy, and resources well enough to stay afloat. Even with the massive waves and rocky sailboats in the background, our juggler maintains it all with grace and precision.

This card may come up when you have a LOT going on in your life, but you are able to manage it without fail and may even enjoy all these responsibilities. However, it may also come as a warning to tell you that you’re at risk of spreading yourself too thin and experiencing burnout. You may benefit from a “to-do” list, or keeping a calendar to track appointments, work time, social time, and personal time.

This card also lets you know that it is okay to drop a few things if they get too heavy or become too much to handle. It’s important to prioritize your wellness, and ask for support when you feel the workload getting too heavy to carry by yourself.

If the Two of Pentacles popped out, ask yourself these questions

Could I be managing my time, money, resources and energy better? How?
What are my top 3 highest priorities right now?
What have I dropped the ball on recently? What can I do to change that?

Channeled “Two” Songs

To help you gain a greater understanding of the Power of 2,Spirit and I chose 2 songs for each card that we felt related to the energy of the tarot Twos! Check out the songs below for additional messages.