The Hierophant card is one that I’ve long had an uneasy relationship with. I really, really want to like this card, but for some reason, I just don’t. And that’s pretty normal – we all have cards in the deck that, at first, we dislike or that sit uneasily with us until over time we finally come to an understanding. So, today, I’ve decided to take a closer look at The Hierophant and discover just what we can learn from this card.
First of all – what the heck IS a hierophant?! According to Wikipedia:
A hierophant is a person who brings religious congregants into the presence of that which is deemed holy. […] A hierophant is an interpreter of sacred mysteries and arcane principles.
So, this means that a hierophant is something like a cross between a priest and a scholar. The Hierophant carries with him an air of authority, great learning, and the responsibility of knowledge and great secreted mysteries. He carries with him all the duties of a leader and an advisor. He is there to lend an ear and a wise word when needed, to help guide the lost back onto their path, to keep the community cohesive and connected. He can also be strict, stubborn and unbending, unwavering in his interpretations and condemning of failings (this last bit is probably why we don’t get along).
In a tarot reading, he can be a sign to seek counsel from a trusted advisor or a warning about conformity. He can also signal the arrival of new mentors and guides. Sometimes he indicates that there are more powers at work than those immediately visible in a given situation. Sometimes he’s a warning against being stubborn. But from all these disparate meanings, what can he teach us about ourselves?
Well, the overarching theme of all the above interpretations seems to be to open yourself to divine wisdom. To be as the vessel in receiving knowledge. To act as our own guide and open our eyes in our search for answers – are there arcane and ancient signs hoping for your attention? Has a messenger or guide been sent to you to aid you with a solution? Are you behaving in a way that’s true to yourself or have you been too caught up in blending in/rebelling against the crowd? Are you walking your truth?
We can also learn to open our hearts to the divine as well – let the truth of the Universe swell in us – through study and introspection. If we seek, then we shall find. We can also bring our knowledge and wisdom to other people – not by going to them and forcing our truth upon them, but instead by being available to act as counsel. Through study, meditation, and inward seeking, we, too, can be interpreters of sacred mysteries.
By the same token, we can also learn from The Hierophants failings as well. We need to guard against believing we have the only Truth and know the only Way and recognize that there are many paths to the same destination and everyone needs to discover them on their own. If they want our help, they’ll ask us. He also cautions us not to become too judgmental or stubborn and to keep our minds open. Sometimes the greatest truths come from unexpected sources and we need to be ready for that.
I think The Hierophant and I might have come to an understanding – I have a great respect for this card now. What about you?
