What does the Hierophant Card Mean for 2021
“Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
- Buddha Siddhartha Guatama Shakyamuni
The Hierophant is considered to be the Tarot card of 2021 because of numerology. 2+0+2+1 = 5, the number of the Hierophant.
So, what kind of energy does the Hierophant bring?
First of all, a quick language lesson. Hierophant is a Greek word: hieros (‘sacred’) + phainein(‘to show/ reveal’). In ancient Greece, The Hierophant would have been a high priest, one who translates abstract spiritual concepts into teachings the people can understand. The Hierophant would have been an interpreter of sacred mysteries, a bridge between humans and gods.
Symbolism in the Rider Waite Smith Deck
The staff:
Like a lightning rod, the staff conducts energy between Source and Earth. It is a magical tool for connecting matter and spirit. Do you have a staff? I do. I wanted one for a long time, and every time our family went walking I would sing to the land of a staff that was mine. When I found it, I almost left it there, lying on the ground. I had to pull harder than I expected to free it from its roots. I second guessed myself. Then, I closed my eyes and chose to be worthy of its sacrifice, and I yanked it from the ground. I brought it home, sanded it and carved it. It comes out at family ceremonies and on forest walks. It feels powerful, like a channel for something that much, much larger than me. It’s like having a walkie talkie with Spirit.
Three + Two
In the Rider Waite Smith, the staff has three horizontal lines. Actually, there are a lot of sacred 3’s on The Hierophant. Notice three rows on the crown, three fingers pointing up, three crosses on the ribbon on his gown. The number three refers to the Goddess, the sacred mysteries, divinity, and the holy.
The number three is sacred in many religions. This papal-looking character conjures the story of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost. It has also been suggested that the crown refers to the three levels of consciousness. Perhaps it is a reference to the Triple Goddess. What archetypal trinity do you think of? But, the three’s are only found on the Hierophant’s person.
The rest of the card is filled with dualities. Two students, two keys, the Hierophant’s two shoes, and two pillars. The pairs represent what the Earthly, mundane, and worldly.
And, what is 3 + 2 ? The Hierophant is a sacred marriage of mystical trinities and Earthly dualities.
Pillars:
We have seen pillars before, on the High Priestess card. But now, instead of a wispy curtain separating us from the mysteries, there is an authoritative looking character. A gatekeeper? A path-shower? A bridge. This person has access to the sacred mysteries. A threshold walker. A wisdom keeper. There is something here about being able to go between the worlds.
Kneeling Disciples / Students:
At the bottom we see two students/followers/disciples. This activates the archetype of the learner. The student questions their purpose, follows their passion and values. Disciples follow their spiritual teachers to discover new and better ways of connecting with the divine.
- How are you a teacher?
- What lessons are you being taught right now?
Red Cloak:
Red has an activating and animating energy. It shows us that connecting with Spirit is an active process. Holding sacred space takes a lot of energy. I know it looks like he is just sitting in a chair, but he is actively bridging the divine. Unlike the blue High Priestess, this is not a passive process. The High Priestess connects with The Mystery by surrendering and immersing herself in the dream world. The High Priest on the other hand, walks the threshold between the worlds, grounded by the need to share their insight with students.
a visual investigation across decks
I like looking at diverse representations of the same card. Each deck reveals another layer of meaning. Each depiction of the Hierophant helps build up a library of stories I can call upon when doing a reading. Below are a few of my thoughts on different decks. I recommend downloading the slideshow and jotting down your own thoughts. You can add these pages to your Tarot Grimoire.
The Toth Tarot by Aleister Crowley has a lot to unpack. Notice the child inside the star on the Hierophant’s chest (considered to be a young Horus, god-child of Osiris and Isis). Isis is on the bottom with her moon and sword.
The Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert features flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest. We see a teacher/mentor sitting underneath a cedar tree. But who is the teacher? The man or the dandelion he holds. Coyote and Great Blue Heron are also hear as wise mentors. Comfrey, Nettle, Garlic, and Yarrow also bring their medicine.
The Vision Quest Tarot’s Shaman card highlights the Hierophant’s as a walker between the realms. Here we see the staff of a wise and powerful spiritual leader. Wolf and Crow are his allies. He stands in front of an owl carved into a totem pole. And, he shimmers as if glimmering with magical dust.
The Wild Unknown Deck shows a cawing crow, a bolt of lightning, and an old-timey key. The lightning bolt reminds me of Tower energy, and how the spiritual insight gained in the Hierophant card marks the death of the Hero’s world view.
The Modern Witch Tarot depicts a female spiritual leader with tattooed arms and a ragged dress. She looks determined and full of concentration. Her followers/compatriots are diverse and edgy. Is this a Goddess circle?
The Light Seer’s card shows a literal bridge/stairway to the divine. The laughing mentor is a path-shower, a light-worker. Notice the symbol of the staff on his T-shirt, the magical combination of the Goddess and the God.
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot brings in the medicine of Cacao. Used in ceremonies to open the heart to soul-knowledge, Cacao is known to connect you with your inner voice and highest potential.
The Herbal Tarot connects the Hierophant with the wisdom of the herb sage. The High Priest wears a blue robe and a white turban. The pillars have moon shapes, a visual reference to the High Priestess.
On The Hero’s Journey
No. 5
The Hierophant is number 5 on the Hero’s Journey. Fives alludes to transcendence. It goes beyond the four basic elements. It hints at 5D Consciousness. Existence is not just physical, it’s also energy.
Discovering Otherness
This is the first card with more than one person. The Hero experiences community and otherness for the first time. The Emperor builds the structure, but the Hierophant represents the common beliefs and values that bind a group of people. If you are someone who is building communities, especially gatherings in sacred spaces, the Hierophant is here to support you. This is a good time to create guidelines and structure within your community that support your mission.
Vertical Ascension
If you stack the Tarot into 3 rows of 7, the story speaks of putting your faith to the test for the sake of eternal truth and awakening. The Hierophant ties himself to the pole of his faith, and immerses himself in another realm. Notice the trinity of the the tree limbs, leg, and arms connected by a staff. The Hierophant’s glowing head is in alignment with the pole, emphasizing his choice in being upside down. This is the energy of Buddha sitting under the tree, surrendering to the experience, opening to soul of the world. Buddha rejected the dogmatic teachings of his predecessors, to find the Middle Way (aka Temperance). Jump ahead to the Sun and the Hero is reborn, guided and supported by the wisdom gained in the Hanged Man. The Hierophant strives to connect with the divine. The Hanged Man completely surrenders to it, and the Sun-child simply is Divine.
Want to dive deeper?
The most valuable lessons are found in our own lives.
How is the Hierophant showing up for you?
I’ll go first: I am working with a new spiritual teacher. I am working with plants, animals, and the land as sacred mentors. I am learning shamanic practices. I am teaching.
Now your turn. Leave a comment and tell me how the Hierophant is showing up in your life.
Sending love and magic,
Erin
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