I have some clients who do not relate to this card at all — but I grew up in a traditional home, a religious home. I grew up WITH religion. So I get it. I “get” the rules. That there are rules. And we must follow them. Or else. Or else what? Or else there will be yelling. The rules as burden rather than freedom which brings me to the example I always like to give — how writing a poem in iambic pentameter actually sets the poet free, that constraint can inspire. Without the rules, we’re just… at sea. Which is great. Until the hallucinations set in 😉
If you know your astrology, then think of Saturn. Saturn vs. Neptune. Structure vs. the free fall flow.
See, there is a reason why the Tarot isn’t just made up of High Priestess “tune in” type cards but also includes the Emperor and the Hierophant.
I’ve seen this card called the Pope. Seen it called Faith. I’ve seen it interpreted as Guidance. Hierophant lite.
But his power comes from the power of tradition. Orthodoxy. Ceremony. Old school. He’s got the rules, the followers, and the God to back him up.
Some folks will not like him because he represents not the inner self, not our passions, individuality, not even our weaknesses, not all our cutesy quirks, but the iambic pentameter of our lives. You know what iambic pentameter is? It’s a SCHEME. A rhyme scheme. We count syllables too. We pay attention. Why? To keep us from feeling that we are falling into chaos every second of every day. Thus, enter Hierophant.
See, without the Hierophant (and without other such cards) we not only lose faith, we lose our minds.
For the purposes of divination: when you see this card, you may not know whether you’re dealing with a man, moment, or mood of truth faith and wisdom or merely a bloated blowhard. The surrounding cards will tell more of the story.
Love,
Aliza
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