Reading Tarot Cards: Meanings, Spreads, Interpretations

Meaning of each Tarot card – The Hierophant

Written by GHP on 12:40 AM

Meaning of each Tarot card – The Hierophant

Let us continue this section of “Meaning of each Tarot card” with number 5 card of the Major Arcana: The Hierophant.

Description:

The Hierophant wears clerical vestments and bears the triple tiara of the Papacy on his head. His right hand is raised in the gesture of blessing while his left supports a three-tiered cross.

Upright Meaning:

Suggesting spiritual consolation and wise counsel in moments of need, the Hierophant is a more subtle card than others in the deck. The card represents the higher, idealistic foundations of established religious practices but it can also suggest a teacher or a practical instructor as well as a spiritual guide. If a question asked with someone in mind, then an older, more staid individual is indicated.

This is usually not the case, but when the Hierophant appears in a reading, it may well be the case that you will encounter someone who will acts as your personal guru. It is more common for the card to refer to a set of events that will provide their own lessons in moral and spiritual guidance.

In essence, the Hierophant represents the ability to distinguish right from wrong, white from black. It signifies the telltale signs of both good and bad, which allows you to make the correct decisions. The Hierophant symbolizes the tried and true, the proper way to behave and the values of traditional moral virtues. So, if your question involves a novel concept as opposed to an old fashioned and accepted mode of thought, then the answer of the Hierophant is that conventionality is the correct rout at this time.

The Hierophant is a traditional indicator or marriage. If a less formal, more modern relationship is being considered, then the appearance of this card shows that there will be outside pressure to make the union more conventional. The card can also point to contractual obligations, legal responsibilities and signing official documents.

Reversed Meaning:

When the Hierophant is reversed, then this indicates that outside opinions and moral judgments are hindering your own thoughts and decisions. In this negative position it often indicates looking and judging from the outside. There is also the possibility that hidebound tradition is holding you back, stifling your individuality and stopping you from being the person that you truly are. The card may also reveal a crisis of faith that manifests as uncharacteristic behavior and disorderly conduct.

However, in the more modern culture nowadays the reversed Hierophant does have a message that is possibly more positive now than it would have been even a century ago. The reversed Hierophant it could conceivably mean rejecting bad advice, or making your own decisions in defiance of an outworn value system.

Meaning of each Tarot card – The Hierophant