High Priestess

I was doing a reading for a woman recently and she placed the High Priestess in a crucial position in her spread and we were talking about it.  I always use/ recommend the Rider Waite Deck.  Looking at the card and she said to me, "What do the B and J on the columns mean?"  And I'm not sure if I ever knew,  but I definitely forgotten it by then, and I said I would research it for her.

So today,  reading a totally different blog,  nothing to do with Tarot,  I came across a description of the first Temple built by King Solomon in Jerusalem,  and he had two huge pillars at the entrance,  with the letters B and J carved into them.   The Masons have taken these symbols and made them important to their traditions as well.  I never knew that!  

So the B and the J in the High Priestess refer to two names Boaz and Jachin,  implying Strength and Stability/Establishment.  The black and the white of the columns are the ying and yang,  always looking for balance,  always acknowledging a need for both energies,  masculine and feminine,  introvert and extrovert,  dark and light,  for true insight.  To only allow one energy is to be imbalanced, and an imbalanced view won't give you true insight.

It's such a dense and layered card!  Always happy to refresh myself about the intricacies of each individual card.