The Hierophant

Spirituality

REVERSE KEY

Intolerance

TREE OF LIFE ENGLISH

Vau

TREE OF LIFE HEBREW

ו‎‎

ASTRAL SIGNATURE

Taurus

KEYWORDS

Christ Consciousness, Learning, Sharing, Spiritual Practice, Higher self, Living a Spiritual Life

MICRO DESCRIPTION

The Hierophant (numbered by the Holy Star) is revealed to be a great spiritual leader, one who embodies the essence of divine wisdom and knowledge, free from dogma. He is the basis of awareness of that which lies beyond the physical senses. His wisdom flows through him from all sources, teachings of histories past, lessons learned from life experiences, and wisdom he received through his devotion to spiritual practices. He is the harmony of the four elements, embodying the fifth element perfectly. He is both the learning and the teaching of Cosmic Law, and thus pours a new level of consciousness into this world from his heart.

MICRO READING

The Hierophant is an indicator of two principle energies: learn from within, and learn from each other. In order to achieve the highest level of consciousness possible, you must acknowledge that truly you are your own guru, and the subtle whisper of your heart contains all the wisdom of the cosmos. Further, we are all in this together, so living as one family is imperative in creating the new paradigm. We can live by old structures of the past, or establish new ones moving forward - the important thing is that we are taking our spiritual practices seriously and evolving as we go in every way!

EXPANDED DESCRIPTION

Traditionally, The Hierophant has represented conventional spiritual thinking and spiritual authority; essentially he was the established spiritual tradition. A symbol of education and the pursuit of knowledge, the Hierophant in the past was often depicted by a pope: indicating a leader that you would seek spiritual guidance and counsel from, or teachings which you could follow. In this card, the Hierophant is depicted as a more than simply a spiritual leader, but the illuminated heart which follows the inner path. 

There can be a great benefit in the following tradition, embracing the existing ways of doing things and learning from those who came before us. There is also benefit in going with the flow and allowing ideas and concepts to evolve along with our own personal understanding. It is for this reason that the Hierophant has many layers to its meaning, and not only demonstrates the walking of the path of those who came before us but the inner awakening which can take place in all of us.

You see, The Hierophant is the "Spiritual Leader" who unites all four elements which came before, but the great revelation of our new age is that all of us can be spiritual leaders, and in fact, we must be our own guru's in this day and age of mankind. It is by taking our own spirituality into our hands that we awaken the spirit of Christ Consciousness within. In this, the imagery becomes much more personal than it did before.

In the new paradigm, a spiritual leader is not one single individual, but an open-hearted consciousness that may flow through all of us, everyone exploring their spirituality openly. It can be described as "Christ Consciousness", which is a place of supreme compassion and understanding, as well as a divine connection to the Divine Father and Mother. 

In this image, The Hierophant appears as the Buddha with Airbender tattoos, wearing sacred robes and standing in front of a cross. The child in the center of the Buddha's heart depicts the birth of this new consciousness itself. Even in this, we find the realization that ideas such as "Buddha", "Christ" or even "Avatar" are topics that have been passed on and shared through various mediums through human history, both new and old. Here we must remember to honor the practices of our ancient past, as we develop them into new practices moving forward - such is the way of the heart. 

The seven chakras all appear in the background, which is a spiritual necessity for the spirit to flow through us fully. We must be consciously aligned from root to crown and find balance throughout our entire body of consciousness, which includes balancing our male and female energies. In mastering this, the Hierophant channels the consciousness of Christ and becomes a spiritual teacher for all of us, guiding us to bring ourselves into balance with the greater cosmic forces at work. 

As we move forward into a new world of our own creation, it is vital that we see this light is within all of us. We do not need to seek out a middle man between us and God, all we have to do is tap into this sacred space within, and this card reminds us of exactly that!

Remember to take in all the information without judgment - see the ways of the old world, the traditions and belief systems, and unify them throughout your body of consciousness, and forge a new direction for your life! By your own inner spiritual calling, you will pave the road you were destined to walk; the road you are already walking now.

REVERSED DESCRIPTION

The Hierophant reversed represents wisdom turned into intolerance. The belief that "mine is the only way" builds upon the reversed tyranny of The Emperor, and neglect of The Empress. This is an ideology that insists that things be a certain way, even if that way isn't right. True spiritual beliefs and practices must be able to flow and change with the inner consciousness. By not allowing them to do so, you become one-sided in your outlook and have the potential to miss out on seeing the world in the vibrant new way, if only you were to open up. The Hierophant reversed may indicate challenges that you have with spiritual authority, those you may have much to learn from (or even those who might learn from you) if not for arrogant energy you hold toward them—something that needs to be addressed. 

To bring this reversed card upright, you must acknowledge that in order to find the balance you need both logic and creativity. One or the other leads to friction when you encounter someone else with opposing beliefs. The ability to listen and communicate openly, (receiving what the other says and accepting their perspective even if you disagree), allows for open communication; loving hearts can connect with each other, fostering powerful relationships and growth. 

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