The Hierophant Tarot Card: Meaning and Symbolism
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The Hierophant is the fifth numbered card in the 22 Major Arcana Tarot cards. However, it the sixth card overall. This is because the first card, The Fool, is not numbered. The Hierophant tarot card is also called The Priest or The Pope. It depends on what deck you buy.
Like The Emperor, The Hierophant is a showing of masculinity. However, unlike The Emperor, this card shows that it is okay for manly power to come from a more feminine source. In most decks, The Hierophant is shown sitting on a throne before a gathering of people. This represents the idea of people gaining power from each other. This card tries to show men how to demonstrate their power to others rather than more or less holding it in.
The Hierophant often wears a crown with three points. This is because The Hierophant rules over the physical world, the divine, and the intellectual. Three is shown again on the scepter or staff he carries. Three is an important number when it comes to symbolism and numerology. It looks like a cross with six arms, instead of the usual two. This is in reference to the Holy Trinity because that is where the answers of mysteries come from.
The Hierophant Tarot Card Divinatory Meanings: Upright and Reversed
When The Hierophant card appears upright, it stands for wisdom brought by someone other than yourself. It also represents knowledge, help coming from inspirations, and wisdom.
A reversed Hierophant tarot card is a sign that you have been given bad advice. It is possible that someone has lied to you or that you have information wrong and need to fact check. You may have to go back and fix something completely.
General Meaning
The Hierophant is another confusing card. This card is usually linked to religion. The Hierophant suggests that someone you know is getting married soon. Maybe someone you know is being baptized.
However, this card is not always related to religion. It can simply mean that you are going to be putting aside your pride so you can ask someone else for help with something. This card is gentle, forgiving, and merciful. It tells you that someone will be forgiving you for something or that it is time for you to forgive someone else. With mercy comes doing what is right by you and others. Do whatever you feel is right. It doesn’t matter if others agree with your choice or not.
Love Meaning
When doing a love reading, The Hierophant stands for compromise and unity. This generally brings joy to people doing a love reading. Keep in mind that unity and compromise go hand in hand. Therefore, if you want unity, you have to compromise with your lover.
You need to compromise with your partner more if you are engaged. In the same way, you need to talk to a marriage counselor if you are married. There are times where this card, in a love reading, means there is an outside force contradicting your relationship. They have some of the information, but not all of it so they twist what they do know. While they may not mean ill, they are still not helping as much as you or your partner though they were.
Career Meaning
When doing a reading questioning your workplace or job, there are a couple of meanings The Hierophant card can have. This card can tell you that you have lost the inspiration you once had. Look behind you to find it again so you can continue with a quality you do not have at this moment.
The Hierophant tarot card can also says that you need to go to someone that has worked in your job before so you can ask them for help. There is a problem that has been plaguing you for a while now. You need someone who has been through it before to walk you through it. You can get this help by asking a friend who has changed jobs. Ask someone in a higher position than you or you find an online forum. This card is suggesting you ask for advice about your work because only then will you be able to move up in your standing and get a better position.
Health Meaning
There are some people in the world that do their best to stay clear of doctors and hospitals. They try to stick with herbal remedies they find online. Home remedies are great for minor illnesses and injuries. However, it’s best to see a real doctor when you have a serious ailment. Getting The Hierophant in a Tarot reading about health means just that.
Teas and healing crystals have not worked and they are not going to for this ailment. If your doctor gives you medication, you need to take it. There are times when a doctor is the only thing that is going to help. Seeing this card tells you that this is one of those times. If you have been using herbal or other home remedies to help you, ask your doctor if it is safe for you to continue using them.
Family and Friends Meaning
This card is one of the best you could hope for when doing a Tarot reading about your family and friends. It tells you that the people around you honestly care about you. They are trying to help you and they have your best interests at heart. If you get advice from them- especially an older one- do not just cast the information aside and forget about it. They are trying to share their wisdom with you.
If you are doing a reading about your trying to bond with other people, then The Hierophant card is telling you that you need to open with others. If your family has any history in a different country, if there are certain ways you celebrate the holidays, and so forth. Share your traditions with the people you are trying to get close to. Share your wisdom with them. By doing this, the people see you are honest and willing to talk about yourself, family, and the past.
The Hierophant Tarot Card Divinatory Meanings: Conclusion
The Hierophant card appears when it is time for you to seek and or expect help from others. There are times when you can not do everything on your own. The Hierophant shows you when those times are. Most often, this card tells you to take advice from people older than you or at least people who have been through what you are currently struggling with.
Keep in mind that The Hierophant can also be telling you that someone is trying to pull something over your eyes so they can use you. This card can also mean that someone has recently given you advice that is incorrect. You need to research the topic more or get advice from a more reliable person.