The Hierophant is the Tarot Deck’s Spiritual Advisor: A Look at the Impact of Major Arcana Card Five

What happens when we ignore the wisdom of the past? When we fail to honor the traditions of our ancestors or the lineage that helped formulate who we are today? When we overlook the lessons that history has taught us?

I think we all know the answer. We stop growing, learning, developing. We miss a key component of our power. We overlook the sacred knowledge that can provide insight into our present and drive a more productive and fruitful future.

The Hierophant helps us to remember. As the tarot deck’s trusted advisor, secret-keeper and resident wise old man, he maintains the traditions, rituals and ceremonies that we need most. This guide is a peaceful and compassionate truth seeker, and he encourages us to do the same.

He represents institutions and, in some sense, “the man,” but in his preferred orientation, he is not a cruel gatekeeper. He shares willingly and openly with those who search for guidance in earnest.

The reverse reveals information, too, albeit it is often misguided. The Hierophant’s assistance in this position is stubborn, rigid, hypocritical and overbearing. He both/either resents progress and/or rejects the past. He fears change.

Here, The Hierophant is not easily characterized. Instead of being a clear and thoughtful leader, he takes on the role of an unwieldy spiritual dictator. Only he knows the way things must be done, what is right and true. No one else can be trusted with this information, so he is content to keep it under lock and key.

To learn more about how The Hierophant impacts the cards around him, check out the four general energy readings below.

Spread 1: Cut the Bullshit to Find a New Way Forward

Let’s begin this reading by focusing on the Queen of Swords, as she sets the tone for this spread. I like to think of her as a bit of an ice queen. In control of her thoughts and energies, the Queen of Swords is the master of cutting through the bullshit. She knows what doesn’t belong, what no longer serves, and she is quick and decisive in taking action. She doesn’t waste time mincing words. When she appears, it is a call to take stock of what is blocking your path forward. Be brutal in eliminating it, as your future growth depends on culling the wheat from the chaff.

The Hierophant and the reversed Six of Wands tell add an interesting dimension to this reading because their combination indicates that your attempts to honor past traditions is leaving you feeling drained and without hope. I get the sense that the problem is around the ways in which these sacred practices are in conflict with your present beliefs. This could be that the traditions are not inclusive of people you love or they feel dated in comparison to what people are struggling with today or something else entirely. While you are hesitant to lose these practices entirely, as they offer some form of comfort and necessary guidance, you’ve stopped feeling motivated by them.

The Tower in reverse asks you to notice where you’ve become stuck in a loop. This is a call to notice where being beholden to the “same old, same old” is no longer helpful. The Tower is also an opportunity to blow up anything that feels unnecessary. This may feel like a painful process, but take heart in the fact that these unnecessary components were bound to topple and fall from your graces at some point. Now, you’re simply delaying the inevitable—an approach that makes everything harder than it needs to be. Don’t worry about releasing some of these past traditions and beliefs. Nothing sacred is ever really lost.

Spread 2: Embrace Sacred Wisdom from a Trusted Advisor
(But Use Your Discretion)

The beautiful Fool is leading you forward on a quest for wisdom and trustworthy counsel. Their journey is your journey, and you would do well to embrace the knowledge that comes your way as The Fool would: with childlike wonder and a fresh, unformed perspective.

Here, The Hierophant appears to help guide your journey of self-discovery. He gives you the information and advice you need to move forward with confidence and understanding. As you come to understand the sacred traditions and rituals of your ancestors, you’re able to use those insights to make effective decisions about your future.

Judgment reminds you to be discerning about what you take with you on the next phase of your journey. Blind trust is no trust at all really, and it would serve you well to pay attention to what resonates within. Judgment is also a call to reconcile past struggles and hardships. Once the painful parts of the past have been acknowledged, they can be released. Keep what is helpful, but be decisive about what needs to go.

Know that this is likely to be an emotional process. Prepare to feel all the things, and accept that there will be a tendency to protect yourself from what arises. But refusing to address these pain points will only ensure history repeats and the sacred knowledge of your ancestors continues to be lost in a deluge of harmful and unhelpful experiences. Some things need to remain in our histories to help us grow. Others need to be forgiven and freed so that we can move on. Do not allow a reversed King, one who is wholly disconnect from himself, lead you astray. You know what needs to be done. Take assured action and transform your being for the better.

Spread 3: A Meditation on Overcoming Fear of Change

Choices, choices; decisions, decisions. Some people love the opportunity to shake things up and go in a new direction, but you, my friend, are getting lost in your fears.

The Hierophant in reverse tells me that you’re frightened of change. You’d like things to stay the same, but this is not possible. Progress is inevitable, and you have two powerful options in front of you. The Two of Coins tells me that both are viable, but you can only select one. Managing the two together has become untenable. You will not be able to hold on much longer. It’s time to choose.

Temperance and the Ten of Swords give some insight into how to decide. Temperance, for his part, is confident that a balance can be reached. Although you may only be able to select one of the two opportunities before you, there is a way to marry the best aspects of the road not traveled with the path you’ll opt to tread. You can make peace with whatever you decide. This will be achieved through thoughtful introspection and a journey within.

The Ten of Swords expands on this message by explaining that it will be helpful to surrender to the process of decision-making without clinging to the overall result. You can only make your choices. You cannot control the outcome. Some forces will always remain outside of your influence. Letting go of your expectations about how things should go will be important for your future happiness. Good things are coming. Now is the time to release the fear that holds you back.

Spread 4: Forceful Action Prompts Overwhelm and Disconnection

You know that moment when things have gone from bad to worse, where your commitment to action seems to backfire astoundingly? I know this question resonates because that’s precisely what you’re experiencing right now.

You’ve felt disconnected from your source, your soul, the things that make you feel like yourself. The reversed Four of Swords indicates that this has you stressed to the point seeking distractions and busyness. Instead of diving deeper within, you’ve opted to focus on external action. You aren’t keen to change within, which is why making moves in the outer world felt more attractive than concentrating on inner-world transformation.

The King of Wands tells me that this action has felt good to you, even if it’s not moving you forward. You’re simply happy to be doing something, to hustle, to try to make things happen. You are a strong and powerful force, but the King’s potential successes are disrupted by his fiery temper and overbearing approach. It seems like you want it a little too much. That desire is pulling you farther away from the outcome you crave.

The Hierophant’s reversed position is indicative of your stubbornness and rigidity. You are unwilling to change course, most likely because it feels as if just a little more force will get you where you need to go. The idea of abandoning the plan you’ve set to executing makes you afraid. After all, what if you go in a new direction only to feel even more at odds?

The reversed Sun provides one answer: You’re never going to feel the abundant joy you’re seeking when you separate your limited ego self from your expansive universal soul. You must go within to mend the trauma you’ve experienced, acknowledge the disappointment of a failed endeavor and start anew.

The current course of action can only ever offer limited advancement. A new approach is the key to invigorating renewal. Once you leave this place, you won’t miss the misery that lives here. The choice to transform in earnest, however, requires a release of control.