Veil and tapestry in tarot
A veil hides and reveals at once. In the Temple of Jerusalem a curtain screened the holy of holies, and esoteric writers took the image over for any knowledge kept from the uninitiated; Waite called the middle part of his tarot book The Doctrine Behind the Veil. The High Priestess sits before a hanging embroidered with pomegranates and palms, and Justice has a purple curtain behind her throne. When a card shows a veil or tapestry, ask what lies behind it, and whether it is meant to be opened yet.
Cards that show veil and tapestry
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The High Priestess
The High Priestess: The veil of palms and pomegranates
A veil stretched between the pillars is patterned with green palm leaves and red-seeded pomegranates. It screens whatever lies beyond. The pomegranate, crowded with seeds and tied to the myth of Persephone, carries ideas of fertility and of the underworld.
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Justice
Justice: The purple veil
A dark purple cloth hangs between the pillars, hiding what lies behind. Purple has long been a colour of authority. The veil suggests that Justice deals with what can be seen and judged, while some things remain outside her court.
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Seven of Cups
Seven of Cups: The shrouded figure
In the centre top cup stands a figure draped entirely in white, arms out under the cloth, surrounded by a red glow. It is the most mysterious of the visions, often read as the hidden self or a spiritual calling that cannot yet be seen clearly.
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Nine of Cups
Nine of Cups: The blue cloth
The counter is hung with a long blue cloth that falls to the floor behind him. It hides whatever lies behind the display, and some readers take it as a sign that the scene's comfort is more surface than depth.