Thoughts on Observing Esbats

(Taken from my Book of Shadows)

It's been quite a while since I last wrote in my BOS, and I have missed the peace that comes with writing in this little black journal of mine from time to time.
Last night I had what I guess you could call an "interlude" between the more mundane parts of my day. I knew the moon was heading towards being full, in it's 'waxing' phase, so I felt drawn to sitting on the green couch in front of the windows and pulled up the blinds to look at the moon. It was just past midnight with the moon at the peak in the night sky. The moon was so bright, the streetlight in front of the house paled in comparison. I say staring at the moon for quite some time. It's funny how staring at the moon seems to solve all of my problems. Perhaps it's the reverent solitude, or the wisdom that comes from knowing you are looking at the same moon every single one of your ancestors and their ancestors, all the way to the dawn of time, also looked at all those centuries and millennia ago.
After that brief moment of silent awe, I realized that I've been back in my habit of focusing too much on the material as if late, and ignoring what I should never put aside. The spirit, my spirit, is a delicate thing, and I need to be actively engaged in this to truly find peace in myself.
I have made a pledge to observe all the next Esbats in May and the end of April to bring myself back into the swing of things, and so far I have planned for one tomorrow night, the full moon of April 24th.
I am convinced that celebrating the course of the moon during its 28 day cycle is very important to the witch's cause and well-being. The moon opens up the mind and gives us time to pause and reflect upon ourselves and our actions. The moon helps us understand the cycles within our own lives and our feminine wisdom that has been inherent to us as women (and men!) and passed down from our female ancestors.

So a toast to esbats and the moon herself, and to all of the witches and lovers of the moon. May we all be safe and free to frolic in her moonlight for many years to come.

Major Arcana: The High Priestess

How can one truly describe one of the few cards in the Tarot's major arcana whose symbolism and wisdom defies description?
The ever-loved and much pondered High Priestess card does not tread lightly in meaning nor suggestion. The most apt paraphrasing of the exact meaning of this card would be, "as within, so without." Despite that sounding like an extremely general statement, the phrase does fulfill all the necessary requirements to understand the subtle meaning contained in this card.

As most of us know from studying the ancient cultures of Western Civilization, priestesses were women that devoted their lives to the gods and goddesses of yore with vows to their sacred temples. Mostly young women, they were the ancient diviners and oracles of which cult followers and Homeric-type poets adored and made legendary. Those women gave their energies to their cause with grace, dignity, and of their own free will.

The way I see it, the High Priestess in the Tarot is just as enigmatic as the temple-women of ancient times before her. An opposite and compliment to the Magician, she beckons us within our readings to look inside ourselves and reflect upon the answers we already have, feed our inner spirit, and feel the energies of the world around us in our contemplative state. This is a card of passiveness as opposed to action; to dwell in the mental subconscious instead of acting in the physical.
It is hard to say more about this card as to me it is more about feeling than seeing. If seeing is believing, could not feeling be understood as knowing? That is the message the High Priestess conveys to me.