The Hierophant

Upright: Spiritual wisdom, tradition, conformity

The Hierophant is a religious figure, depicted in a robe adorned with crosses. He has three robes in total: red, blue and white. He is always depicted as sitting between two pillars, much like what can be seen on the High Priestess card. He is the counterpart to the High Priestess. He is also sometimes referred to as “The Pope.” He wears a three tiered crown to represent the 3 worlds he lords over (the subconscious, conscious and superconscious). He has two fingers pointing to Heaven and two fingers pointing to Earth to show his ties to both realms and he carries a cross in his hand to further stress that he is a religious figure to be trusted.

Upright, the Hierophant card is a warning to follow existing laws, rules, or procedure. It is a sign you need to maintain boundaries and traditions, rather than trying to blaze a new trail for yourself. The Hierophant also has spiritual and religious ties that may point you toward seeking spiritual counsel. It may refer to spiritual traditions that have been neglected by you or to turn to daily practice of your religion. Consider taking stock of your religious life and making changes when presented with the upright Hierophant.

Reversed: Rebellion, freedom, intuition

The Hierophant in reverse, prevents a very different message. It is meant to reassure you that you have the right morals and ethics within yourself and to trust that, rather than looking for a spiritual mentor. Instead of tradition, in reverse, the Hierophant implores you to blaze your own trail and not follow others’ instruction blindly. Reevaluate your surroundings and things that you have been taught are the right way of doing things, and instead lean upon your own intuition. The Hierophant seems to believe you have a great moral compass when he presents in reverse.

**In a yes/no reading, the Hierophant is neutral.