The Hierophant in 6 Minutes

Hierophant Upright

One of the most complex cards. The first card in major arcana not representing an individual like the child, mother, father, creative force, or deep self knowing, this is the institutions the previous build. In its most pure incarnation, it is the original unit of the family. In the broader interpretation it represents community, traditions, schools, philosophies, institutions built on a shared faith or set of beliefs. In some decks it is referred to as the pope, the position of a pope being the culmination of a larger group with complex beliefs and actions married together. Note the students at the teacher’s feet and between them, the keys. Students looking to a system for the keys to unlock a desired outcome, be it mastery, community, or another goal. School, university, church, synagogue, mosque, political organization, club, and most of all the original unit of FAMILY.

Best Course of Action:
First, ascertain are you the student or the teacher? This is not the time to break from tradition. Commit to what you believe in and stand up for it. This may be a call to pursue higher education, deeper commitment to your faith or more active participation in your community. Be open to learning more, engage in developing the specific skills and techniques your chosen institution require. This is a big family card. Look to the needs of your family, be it nuclear or your chosen family. Pledge allegiance to something you truly believe in. No one can function alone. If you are in need of guidance, reach out to the services and organizations around you. If you can be of assistance to others, do.

Hierophant Reversed:
Unorthodoxy, originality, breaking from tradition. Challenging your convictions to see if they hold up. A family either in crisis or just unusual construct. A flawed system or a leader with duplicitous aims. Following a tradition blindly, without deeper examination of its value. Blind loyalty. Being disappointed in an institution. Unsatisfying outcome to a class, with a grade, being disappointed in your place in an organization or with its leaders. Fake news presented as true.

Hierophant Reversed Best Course of Action:
Accept and embrace the unorthodox. Challenge your beliefs. Don’t take things at face value. Tell truth to power, even if it may cost you. If you need to take a break from your family or an organization, do so. If your family or organization is being restructured in a new way, embrace it. Or begin the process yourself! If you need to break from your tradition for personal growth, do so. If you are a perpetual student, it may be time to take the reins of leadership or get out of your comfort zone.