V. Hierophant (High Priest, Pope) Major Arcana of the Tarot


The Tarot card Hierophant (Priest) symbolizes the world of faith, traditions, morality, judgment, and unshakable values. This is the path of virtue, wisdom, ethics, trust, which ensures the well-being of connections and the rapid progress of any business. The Hierophant is always positive, rarely talks about troubles, and if he chooses the right position, the questioner is guaranteed success in business. The card encourages you to find meaning in everything, to be guided by internal aspirations in accordance with the highest values.

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      General value

      The High Priest, High Priest is a symbol of honesty and compliance with established laws, rules, commandments, and ethics. This is a card of a spiritual mentor, a person interested in the outcome of a case or dispute. Impartiality opens the fortuneteller's future path, otherwise his life and movement lose all meaning. Arkan encourages the desire for knowledge, supports the intention to learn, insists on compliance with all norms, and notes changes in social status.

      • The deep meaning carried by the 5th Arcanum Hierophant is wisdom, truth, conscience, purity, religiosity. This is the willingness to follow a mentor, teacher, to devote one’s life to the search for truth, regardless of the results, the absence of cold calculation in a person. The fortuneteller will be able to overcome all barriers and obstacles in order to achieve his goal.

        Any fortune telling involves three variants of meaning: the process of accumulating knowledge, participation in a ritual, and ethical issues.

        Provisions

        The upright position indicates the meaning of the Hierophant Tarot card as the embodiment of wisdom and mercy, revelation, the personification of the standard education system, the traditional and usual approach to affairs. This is a call to seek truth through insight. In terms of people or events, these are reliable friends, a quick marriage. The questioner needs to show tolerance, condescension, and choose the accumulation of experience instead of rash actions. It is necessary to follow the inner guidance, formed knowledge and understanding of values, regardless of the current situation.

        The inverted position has an interpretation opposite to the classical one. There is a meeting with a bad adviser, contract termination, vindictiveness, lies, mistakes, gullibility, loss of reputation, destruction of good by the letter of the law are expected. In terms of personal characteristics, a person will show a tendency to fight with authorities, be unethical, unprincipled, oppose his characteristics to higher values, or his integrity will be subjected to a severe test.

        In a positive sense, the card can speak of the fight against a corrupt society, a rebellious nature, often unacceptable to the public. This is openness to new things and a willingness to take risks, but one should not go into superstitions. To achieve success, the card advises you to act in an unconventional way and be creative.

        Love and relationships

        When the Hierophant card appears in a reading for relationships with relatives or friends, it symbolizes elevated feelings, increasing trust, the manifestation of high moral qualities, positive tendencies in love, smooth and stable relationships. In the relationship between a man and a woman, the High Priest indicates marriage, a period of prosperity, and the intention to legitimize the relationship. A person identified with the Hierophant dreams for many years of his life of being in unity and harmony with a person who places high demands on his qualities.

        The inverted lasso marks the dissolution of marriage, quarrels and deceitful relationships. These are unfulfilled promises, inappropriate behavior of a partner. Surrounded by negative cards, the Hierophant speaks of the wish of the mystery person to re-educate his partner; the Wheel of Fortune will indicate a person’s alcohol or gaming addiction. In a neutral sense, the Priest promises to burden relationships with constant moralizing about what a partner should be like.

        Business and work

        In layouts regarding the material sphere, the Hierophant always gives a positive forecast. This is a stable situation, moderate income, subordination to norms, management at the highest level. A guarantee of gradual career growth, advice to take a balanced approach to the performance of official duties.

        The card reveals the fortuneteller’s attitude to work in the sense that he is interested not only in the issue of support, but also in the meaning of his activity in general. The priest in this situation is a search for a true calling, a mission, a super task, a warning that one should not devote oneself to a cause to which one’s soul is not committed. The Hierophant sometimes symbolizes the moral character of a person, which does not allow him to participate in dark deeds. If the lasso falls in a reading for a businessman, the question arises whether this business will bring him satisfaction.

        The appearance of the card indicates that the importance of material wealth is fading into the background. A person is forced to work under someone else’s supervision and is unable to develop a business on his own. It is impossible to say that large profits will come in the near future; there is expected to be a struggle for the idea, the formation of valuable connections, the development and transfer of skills.

        Health

        In a health reading, the Hierophant means the right treatment. Sometimes it indicates a person’s dependence on his own attitudes and beliefs, no matter what it concerns - nutrition, sports, sexual relationships. If among the individuals on whom the alignment is performed there are supporters of vegetarianism and yoga, the card advises entrusting the treatment to a professional.

        Sometimes the inverted fifth lasso recommends changing the sport, warns about the possible destructive consequences of a worldview for the body, and offers a system of reasonable restrictions. In the case of a scenario for identifying a disease, the card calls for paying attention to joints, infectious diseases, inflammation of the throat, ears, and kidney dysfunction. Arkan warns against making incorrect diagnoses.

        Personality

        The Hierophant is an exemplary person in all respects, ready for important decisions, honest transactions, a professional who develops his skills, in whom the fortuneteller has confidence. This is a psychotherapist, doctor, teacher, spiritual mentor, scientist, lawyer, person providing assistance and transmitting knowledge, head of a large organization. He has considerable influence on the fate of the questioner, and thanks to him much has been achieved. The High Priest characterizes a person who is capable of abandoning material things in favor of ideas.

        In a negative sense, the Hierophant symbolizes shame, dishonor, anger, and an unreliable person. The inverted position indicates homosexual tendencies. Sometimes it is also due to the fact that a person does not have the opportunity to get an education, get a job, or start a family. There may be false teaching and incorrect information. In a scenario regarding another person, this is a warning about his deceit, cunning, deceit, and ability to take advantage of a secret for selfish purposes.

        Card of the day

        In questions concerning “Yes” or “No”, the Tarot arcanum of the High Priest always answers positively. In the “Card of the Day” layouts, the Hierophant encourages you to think about how true what is being taught is. It is necessary to pay less attention to the opinions of outsiders, taking instead a position of justice.

        In this scenario, the Priest appears with the meaning of a warning. Questions to ask when Hierophant rolls:

    1. 1. “Is the path I am on the right one?”
    2. 2. “Am I trusting the right person?”

    Card tips in various areas:

    1. 1. In matters of work - a call to become an exemplary employee, to be above others.
    2. 2. Regarding finances - be grateful for the help, not forgetting about your own activity.
    3. 3. In relationships - reconsider their meaning, find a source of inspiration if they were given by higher powers.
    4. 4. In matters of health, you should carefully consider the state of the body; physical strength may not be enough, taking into account the expectations of others.

    Combinations

    A comprehensive answer to the question is given by combining the Hierophant with other cards.

    Major Arcana next to the Priest:

    1. 1. Jester - a revolution in the value system, the wedding will be cancelled.
    2. 2. A magician is a gifted person who trusts only himself.
    3. 3. The High Priestess - following the principles and rules.
    4. 4. Empress - birth of a legitimate child.
    5. 5. Emperor - strict adherence to the laws.
    6. 6. Lovers - life according to their own value system.
    7. 7. The Chariot - the search for the meaning of life.
    8. 8. Strength - life according to the norms of the law, established rules.
    9. 9. Hermit - search for truth.
    10. 10. Wheel of Fortune - views will undergo changes.
    11. 11. Justice - the mysterious person has high spiritual qualities.
    12. 12. The Hanged Man is a conservative who is unable to adapt.
    13. 13. Death - principles will be shaken.
    14. 14. Moderation - relationships can be improved.
    15. 15. Devil - betrayal, enmity.
    16. 16. Tower - destruction of the union.
    17. 17. Star - repentance, frankness.
    18. 18. Moon - obedience to existing rules no matter what, aggressive behavior.
    19. 19. Sun - happy marriage.
    20. 20. Court - increase in strength.
    21. 21. Peace - happy partnership, family.

    Wands:

    1. 1. Two - anxiety, vanity.
    2. 2. Three - foresight is important for decision making.
    3. 3. Four - marriage.
    4. 4. Five - a quarrel with loved ones.
    5. 5. Six - the intention to find the truth.
    6. 6. Seven - verification, testing.
    7. 7. Eight - marriage for reasons of benefit.
    8. 8. Nine - anger.
    9. 9. Ten - loss of faith.
    10. 10. Page - news from relatives.
    11. 11. Knight - mental discomfort, tossing.
    12. 12. Queen - religious title, rank.
    13. 13. King - power, mentor.
    14. 14. Ace - self-realization in the field of creativity.

    Cups:

    1. 1. Two - beneficial interaction.
    2. 2. Three - reconciliation with a loved one.
    3. 3. Four - love disappointment.
    4. 4. Five is good news.
    5. 5. Six - a former lover will remind you of yourself.
    6. 6. Seven - illusory perception.
    7. 7. Eight - sensual satiety.
    8. 8. Nine - an attack on the authority of the fortuneteller.
    9. 9. Ten - prudence.
    10. 10. Page - successful completion of affairs.
    11. 11. Knight - test of strength.
    12. 12. The Queen is an impeccable life partner.
    13. 13. King - advancement in business, inspiration.
    14. 14. Ace - spiritual and material prosperity, well-being in marriage.

    Swords:

    1. 1. Deuce - marriage of convenience.
    2. 2. Three - the partner will refuse the wedding.
    3. 3. Four - death of a loved one.
    4. 4. Five - an insult from an older person.
    5. 5. Six - a pleasant journey.
    6. 6. Seven - treason.
    7. 7. Eight - bankruptcy.
    8. 8. Nine - sympathy.
    9. 9. Ten is a time of maturity and rethinking.
    10. 10. Page - success.
    11. 11. Knight - aggression, inflexibility.
    12. 12. Queen - irony, betrayal.
    13. 13. King - predominance of intellect over feelings, excessive composure.
    14. 14. Ace - receipt of reward.

    Pentacles:

    1. 1. Two - separation.
    2. 2. Three is a gift.
    3. 3. Four - receiving an inheritance.
    4. 4. Five - cohabitation with someone.
    5. 5. Six - it’s worth considering your partner more carefully.
    6. 6. Seven - cunning on the part of business partners.
    7. 7. Eight - the presence of a young lover.
    8. 8. Nine - close fruitful cooperation.
    9. 9. Ten - the birth of a boy.
    10. 10. The page is a fan with money.
    11. 11. Knight - surprise, big win.
    12. 12. Queen - marriage for reasons of benefit.
    13. 13. The king is a successful business.
    14. 14. Ace - prosperity.

    Meaning in the Thoth Tarot deck

    The card is a pointer to gaining wisdom, the ability to create your own value system and understand the importance of concepts. The High Priest in the Thoth deck characterizes a person distinguished by high potential, extraordinary leadership qualities, and the ability to interact harmoniously with others. This person prefers intellectual intimacy to physical intimacy.

    Regarding the questioner, the card indicates his enthusiasm, the required level of knowledge and other resources that should be used for the benefit of people, and not for his own satisfaction.

    The Hierophant card encourages you to search for the hidden meaning of things. You need to see the essence in everything, and the most valuable is not always in sight. This is a call to avoid hasty decisions and fixation on one’s own rightness. Work must have purpose and meaning; the sequence of actions is important.

High Priest, Hierophant, Priest, Pope is the fifth major arcana of the Tarot. It depicts a mature man seated in red robes on a throne with a crown on his head. He is the High Priest, and in front, kneeling, are two priests, awaiting his blessing.

The main meaning of the High Priest Tarot card is high spiritual values, faith, virtue, devotion to one’s beliefs.

The High Priest can indicate a strong and reliable friendship, a person’s decency, his adherence to authority, and the meaning of this card in a relationship can indicate an upcoming marriage.

When read in the upright position, the Tarot card The High Priest means that the fortuneteller is under the tutelage of a strong and kind person, a mentor. He can easily turn to such a person for help and always receive the right advice. This could be an authority figure for him, a friend, a teacher or an older relative.

The reversed High Priest card means that there may be a person nearby who carefully hides his ignoble motives under the guise of virtue. Most likely, this is a hypocrite who can slander you behind your back. Or a cunning person who takes advantage of his position of trust and can harm you. You need to be more careful and reconsider your surroundings.

Health fortune telling

Direct position of the card - follow your optimistic attitude, do not lose heart and illness will bypass you.
The inverted position suggests that you should not blindly trust doctors who seem to be an authority for you. It may happen that an inaccurate or incorrect diagnosis is made.

Fortune telling for love relationships

In a relationship scenario, this card indicates that positive changes are being observed in relationships, namely, the partners’ trust in each other and respect are increasing. The High Priest symbolizes an honest and decent relationship between partners, built on the deep moral principles of both.

The card indicates that the couple has an intention to get married and this will come true very soon. In combination with the Empress lasso, the High Priest can also mean the birth of a child in marriage, and with the Court - the creation of a strong and happy family. The direct position of this Tarot card also speaks of the trust that exists between partners. This union is strong and durable, based on the purest feelings

An inverted card means failure to keep promises and responsibilities given to each other, quarrels on this basis, ugly and immoral actions. The deceit of one of the partners or betrayal can lead to a quick and painful break in the relationship.

The reversed High Priest card also has the following meaning: conflict in relationships, immoral behavior.

Interpretation in a career and money scenario

The upright position promises the fortuneteller success in work, which will occur thanks to the creation of good and strong relationships with other people, mainly with colleagues. Or perhaps there is a certain patron who will positively affect your career. This card also advises sticking to your life purpose and not wasting your time on petty or dishonest work.

In an inverted position, the Hierophant card indicates that the fortuneteller may face unpleasant events that could call into question his authority among his colleagues. It can also mean possible risky and not entirely decent actions that will not lead to success. You should beware of new projects and endeavors in the near future, because they can lead to failure.

The meaning of the High Priest Tarot card in combination with the Major Arcana

With “The Jester” - existing relationships are in a precarious balance;

With “Magician” - confidence in your skills;

With the “High Priestess” - humility;

With “The Empress” - motherhood;

With “Emperor” - stick to the rules;

With “Lovers” - forming your own views;

With “The Chariot” - the development of spirituality;

With “Strength” - follow moral principles; moral;

With “The Hermit” - introspection, inclined to choose loneliness;

With the “Wheel of Fortune” - change something around you;

With "Justice" - the moral law;

With “The Hanged Man” - personal views and beliefs are outdated;

With “Death” - a revaluation of values;

With “Moderation” - accept your Self; the meaning of the combination in a relationship is the period of accepting each other, getting used to it;

With the “Devil” there is a hypocrite next to him; one should be wary of betrayal;

With “Tower” - meaning in relationships - divorce;

With the “Star” - confession, prayer, sincere repentance, transform yourself internally, become purer;

With “Moon” - false faith;

With the “Sun” - happiness in love; bright mind;

With “Judgment” - reconciliation with the past, a wonderful event;

With “Peace” - marriage, family, self-development;

The meaning of the High Priest Tarot card in combination with some of the minor arcana

With the “Ace of Wands” - creative upsurge;

With the “Two of Wands” there are contradictions;

With the “Four of Wands” - a wedding celebration;

With the Five of Wands - a disagreement with a loved one;

With the “Seven of Wands” - this combination warns of temptations and seductions;

With the “Nine of Wands” - jealous;

With the Ten of Wands - lose faith;

With the “Knight of Wands” - the desire of feelings;

With the “Queen of Wands” - take holy orders;

With the “King of Wands” - patron, teacher;

With the “Ace of Cups” - elation;

With the “Two of Cups” - a good relationship built on trust;

With the “Five of Cups” - difficulties in relationships;

With the “Seven of Cups” - a test of temptation;

With the Eight of Cups - go against your principles;

With the “Ten of Cups” - internal growth;

With the “Page of Cups” - marriage proposal;

With the “Knight of Cups” - the meaning of this combination is pure aspirations, feelings;

With the “Queen of Cups” - morality;

With the “King of Cups” - this combination means a person who can become a teacher, mentor in the spiritual sphere;

With the “Ace of Swords” - insight;

With the “Five of Swords” - lack of principles;

With the “Six of Swords” - to be in search of truth;

With the “Seven of Swords” - betrayed trust;

With the “Nine of Swords” - internal torment;

With the “Page of Swords” - distrust; frivolous actions;

With the “Knight of Swords” - a revision of your views;

With the “Queen of Swords” - break off relations;

With the “King of Swords” - a confrontation of principles;

With the “Ace of Pentacles” - joy;

With the “Two of Pentacles” - changes in life, a new way of life;;

With the Four of Pentacles - strong convictions;

With the “Six of Pentacles” - receiving support;

With the Eight of Pentacles - self-improvement;

With the “Ten of Pentacles” - observe traditions;

With the “Knight of Pentacles” - help others;

With the “Queen of Pentacles” - a marriage that will bring material benefits;

With the “King of Pentacles” - the formation of a worldview;

Follow your moral principles and do not let dishonest and base motives take over you. Act according to truth, justice, morality. Be honest with people and, most of all, with yourself. Look for meaning in simple things. Approach your affairs intelligently.

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Do you want to simplify the interpretation of the selected layout? Then this article is especially for you. In this material we will tell you about the 5th Arcana of the Tarot - Hierophant (High Priest, High Priest) - its meaning and interpretation. Enjoy reading!

General description of the Hierophant card, plot and meaning in the layout

The meaning of the Tarot card High Priest (High Priest, Hierophant) can be easily tracked by the style of depiction of this Arcana. A middle-aged man, dressed in the uniform of a high priest, sits on a throne. In some decks, the main character is depicted as a young youth - a priest with a pretty appearance. Another interpretation of the Hierophant is a venerable old man with a thick beard and a crown on his head holding a scepter.

Note. Depending on the religion and religious worldview of the creator of a particular Tarot deck, the appearance of the High Priest and his attire may vary

The wave of the second hand of the main character of the Fifth Arcana represents a blessing gesture extending to the followers of the cult sitting at his feet. The reverence and admiration of the priests are clearly reflected in the Rider-Waite deck.

The symbolism of the card characterizes the religious authority to which believers or religious fanatics obey. The character points out to his “priests” several options for saving their souls, explaining the basics of the “correct” belief. The hierophant helps the souls of mortal people get rid of foul language and other sins that prevent them from doing godly deeds on earth.

You can find out detailed information about this Arcana by reading Sergei Savchenko’s book “Evening Tea by Candlelight and Tarot Cards” or by taking courses from specialists at the Russian Tarot School.

Key words, ideas for cards in a layout

Key ideas, words of the High Priest Tarot card are given below.

  • Limited thinking, worldview
  • An unconventional approach to solving an existing problem
  • Bad advice
  • Dogmatism, stubbornness in action
  • Religious scandals, anathema, tendency towards extremism
  • Secrecy, increased vindictiveness
  • Non-acceptance of traditions, orthodoxy, non-conformism
  • Hiding behind a mask
  • Hiding your true character from strangers or loved ones
  • Excessive promotion of something
  • Information misleading the public
  • Lack of organization
  • Inquisition, fanaticism

The meaning of the Hierophant in the upright position

The Fifth Major Arcana symbolizes the fortuneteller’s subtle perception of the events of the surrounding world. The main features of a person (consciousness, conscience, correctness of belief) are revealed in the layout where the Hierophant is present. The card indicates the need for internal cleansing - this will help avoid problems in the future and eliminate existing ones. Deliberate actions are the key to a successful, good life.

Note! If the fortuneteller does not have the character traits inherent in the Hierophant’s temperament, the lasso will point to a person from the querent’s inner circle. This person will help you gain new knowledge necessary to successfully solve existing problems and gain experience in solving them

The meaning of the Fifth Major Arcana in an inverted position

The meaning of the inverted Hierophant Tarot is interpreted as follows. Before you is a pedant, a moralist, an introvert. A person adheres to false moral principles, his goal is to make his interlocutor appear as a moral monster. To do this, he uses obviously untrue truths, presenting them as an axiom. The combination of the Hierophant with other Tarot cards can be interpreted as a betrayal of one’s own ideals, etc. A more precise interpretation is given below.

Video: Tarot card meaning - Hierophant

Meanings of the Hierophant card in relationships and love readings

The meaning of the High Priest (Hierophant) in love, feelings, relationships depends not only on the adjacent cards, but also on the position of this Major Arcana. Let's consider the characteristics of the upright/inverted position of this symbol.

Direct position. Indicates mutual understanding, deep trust between two loving people, confidence in each other, compliance with healthy principles and moral principles. The detailed interpretation of the map depends on the specifics of the situation.

Inverted position. You have serious relationship problems. You/your partner regularly lie to each other, do not keep your word, do not fulfill a number of duties typical of a normal couple, and indulge in indecent behavior.

The High Priest and his significance in health readings

Let's consider the direct/inverted meaning of the High Priest of the Tarot in health.

Straight position. It's time to pay attention to your own health without triggering the course of chronic/newly diagnosed diseases. Go through a comprehensive examination of the whole body - this will help you quickly get rid of the disease and start a health self-healing program.

Inverted position. The querent's suspiciousness and narrow-mindedness can lead to the fact that his health will be practically destroyed. The recommendations are the same as for the straight position of the card.

The meaning of the Major Arcana in layouts for personality analysis, the psychological state of a person

The meaning of the Hierophant Tarot lasso in readings on the psychological state means the following. It's time to find the meaning of life, test the strength of spiritual principles, and reassess values. The fortuneteller rejects the objective perception of reality; he relies solely on his life experience, clearly knows “what is good and what is bad,” and sets clear lines of division in the good/evil formula.

Map and schedules for work, finances

The meaning of the Hierophant Tarot in work depends on the position of the drawn card (straight/inverted). Let's consider a detailed interpretation of each of them.

Direct position. Indicates a person’s education, possibly teaching, responsibility to employees and loved ones. When divining a situation, the card says that the events taking place have received a huge response in the querent’s life. If you are interested in moving up the career ladder, the card says the following - follow your calling without wasting your time on uninteresting activities.

Inverted position. Reflects a person’s propensity for illegal actions, adventurism, fraud, machinations. Another interpretation option is that the project has not been well thought through, has not been studied, and has a lack of understanding of the current situation.

The meaning of the Hierophant in combination with the Major Arcana

Below are interpretations of the Hierophant in combination with the other Major Arcana of the Tarot.

  • Jester: Problems in marriage, divorce proceedings are possible. Frivolous business management
  • Magician: Belief in one's own abilities, given from birth
  • : Unconditional obedience
  • Empress: Legitimate Child
  • Emperor: Strict adherence to a number of rules, requirements, responsibilities
  • Lovers: Desire to adhere to personal religious beliefs.
  • Chariot: Acting according to conscience, observing the rules of the personal spiritual path
  • Strength: Obedience to moral principles
  • : Attempts to find oneself in God, search for inner radiance, desire to confess. Possible ascetic lifestyle, monasticism, vow of celibacy
  • Wheel of Fortune: Changing Attitudes
  • : Observance of the basic commandments. Moral code
  • The Hanged Man: Inveterate dogmas, outdated views
  • Death: The need to reconsider your outlook on life
  • Moderation: Reconciliation with God, with yourself. Establishing trust, the grinding process.
  • Devil: Communication with a traitor. Idolatry, witchcraft, etc.
  • Tower: Loss of faith in justice, separation from a loved one
  • Star: Purification, repentance, prayers
  • Moon: Membership in a cult, preference for false values
  • Sun: Happy marriage, enlightenment
  • Court: Miracles, faith that gives strength, reconciliation with the past
  • Peace: The desire to expand your own horizons, start a family

The meaning of the High Priest in combination with the Minor Arcana

Let's consider the meaning of the Hierophant in combination with representatives of the Minor Arcana.

With the suit of Wands

  • : Short term inspiration
  • : Disagreements with partners
  • Three: Wise Actions
  • Four: A wedding is coming
  • Five: Quarrel with close relatives (for example, parents)
  • Six: Finding the meaning of life
  • Seven: Temptations in the personal sphere
  • Eight: News from grandfather, conclusion of a marriage contract
  • Nine: Jealousy, distrust of partner
  • Ten: Loss of faith in justice
  • Page: News from parents
  • Knight: Spirituality
  • : Appointment
  • King: Spiritual Guide

With the suit of Cups

  • : Trust in people around you, bliss in the spiritual sphere
  • : Relationships built on mutual understanding and trust
  • Troika: Striving for spiritual growth
  • Four: Distrust of people
  • Five: Marriage on the verge of divorce
  • Six: Remembering distant relatives
  • Seven: Temptation by something/someone
  • Eight: Deal with conscience
  • Nine: Be in harmony with yourself
  • Ten: Maturity in the spiritual sphere
  • Page: Conclusion of marriage bonds
  • : Purity of thoughts, trust in people
  • Queen: Moral behavior
  • King: Advisor, psychotherapist, close friend

With the suit of Swords

  • Ace: Spiritual Insight
  • Two: Torment, torment, confusion
  • Troika: Unjustified hopes, lost trust in a person
  • Four: Prayers, meditations
  • Five: Unprincipled
  • Six: Search for the lost meaning of life
  • : False soothsayers, betrayed trust
  • Eight: Limitations from an ethical point of view
  • Nine: Remorse
  • Ten: Ritual Sacrifice
  • : Excessive suspicion, preference for promiscuity in middle age
  • Knight: Disappointment in former beliefs, principles
  • Queen: Divorce proceedings
  • King: Lack of common interests, etc.

With the suit of Pentacles

  • Ace: Moral reward
  • Two: Disruption of the usual way of life
  • Troika: Availability of talents
  • Four: Faith in one's own beliefs, beliefs
  • : Disappointment in life
  • Six: Moral support, mercy, sponsorship
  • Seven: Unlimited patience, mercy towards others
  • Eight: Moral Excellence
  • Nine: Moral satisfaction
  • Ten: Maintaining family traditions
  • Page: Traditional training
  • Knight: Serving the People
  • : Marriage of convenience
  • King: Favorable value system

Choose to search for the spiritual meaning of life. Focus on your own improvement, eradicate bad character traits. Reconsider your own environment, leaving worthy people. It is possible to meet with a highly qualified specialist who will give practical advice on how to solve the problem. Platonic or traditional relationships with the opposite sex are coming.

Warning from the Hierophant

Act according to justice and conscience - the day will go well. Don't let yourself be thrown off balance. Eliminate anger, irritability, do not fall for provocations. Listen to the voice of your own conscience.

What questions can the Major Arcana Hierophant answer?

Here is a short list of questions that this card can answer:

  • What and who do you believe in?
  • Who do you pray to?
  • Who is your spiritual teacher? The main reasons for this choice?

Let this information help you learn more about Tarot cards. Stay tuned for updates and don't forget to leave comments. All the best and see you again.

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The good old Pope did not suit Waite, and he renamed him Hierophant. According to the explanatory dictionary, Hierophant is a title given in the temples of antiquity to the highest adepts of esoteric knowledge (literally, “one who explains sacred concepts”). I don’t know what the point was in such a renaming. Did Waite want to make the figure of the Hierophant freer, not so fixated on Catholicism? However, this had practically no effect on the figure. The way dad was drawn, that’s how dad remained. Moreover, the number of details indicating a connection between the Hierophant and the Supreme Leader of the Catholic Church increased significantly in Waite's map compared to Marseilles. And the papal throne, and the two keys of St. Peter, known as the keys of Paradise, and the papal crown (triple crown, otherwise called tiara). In a word, we don’t know what about the Hierophant, but Pamela Smith’s dad turned out to be very good.

And again there is a feeling of constraint, constriction, immobility of the drawing. The figure is static. The presence of two servants is not motivated in any way. And by the way, it is not disclosed in the description. In his text, Waite constantly compares the Pope and the Priestess, considering their similarities and differences. Perhaps this is why some tarot readers call the Hierophant nothing more than the High Priest.

Keywords

  • Upbringing
  • Spiritual teacher
  • Confession
  • Tradition
  • Morality

Key Ideas

  • Social norms and rules
  • Social choice
  • Internal position adult-parent-child
  • Relationship with God

Meaning of the 5th Arcana of the Hierophant (High Priest)

Waite writes very vaguely about the meanings of the 5th Arcana of the Tarot. What can be extracted from his text connects the Supreme Priest with various kinds of just and sacred dogmas, with the law, primarily social and social hierarchy. And of course, Waite could not help but note that the High Priest, despite the fact that he is a spiritual person, seeks to expand his power far beyond the limits of purely religious aspects.

Today's interpretation of the Hierophant is associated with his role as a social teacher, which makes him not only and not so much a minister of cult. The priest monitors education and the implementation of social norms and laws. it marks a change in a person's social status. For example, marriage, promotion.

The Hierophant is rather a positive card. He rarely talks about troubles. If we do not consider him as a literal mediator between man and God, then the High Priest plays the role of our conscience, authorized by the Higher Powers to judge and forgive us. The card also insists on compliance with all the rules, all norms accepted in this society.

Video: Tarot card meaning - Hierophant

The meaning of the Hierophant in relationships

The following meanings of the card in relationships can be distinguished:

  • Closedness and openness of relationships;
  • Relationship intensity;
  • Love, family, work relationships

Closedness and openness of relationships according to the Hierophant card

The High Priest is a face-up card. Entrance is free, exit is ruble. It's easy to get in, but the map doesn't expect you to get out.

Hierophant means a rigid hierarchical system. You enter this system, occupy your cell and remain in it forever. Entrance to the sect. Or is it following the system - private, sergeant, lieutenant...

Hierophant is an open system. She is interested in increasing the number of her elements.

Relationship Intensity by High Priest

The High Priest means smooth and stable relationships. Each cricket knows its nest, everyone plays their assigned roles.

Relationship scenarios: love, family, relatives, work

The High Priest indicates a formal, official relationship. These are relationships arranged on an explicit or hidden hierarchy. It takes into account who communicates with whom, who has more social advantages.

For the Priest, the meanings of “good relationships” and “correct relationships” coincide. If people belong to the same social and cultural stratum and adhere to the same rules of the game, then for them, right is also identical to good. If not, then what is right may be very different from what is good. Example: a European woman married to a Maasai African. What is correct, and therefore good, for a Maasai African woman causes shock and cognitive dissonance for a European woman.

Meanings of the Hierophant in combination with the Major Arcana


  • In combination with the card: Strong, lasting family relationships.
  • In combination with the card: A difficult choice between vice and virtue.
  • In combination with the card: Correct and timely actions and events.

Psychological state of the Hierophant and his feelings

The external manifestation is officialdom. Dress code, formal behavior. That is, an exclusively external manifestation. No one is interested in your emotional state, and there is absolutely no need to show it.

Internal manifestation - the card does not indicate any special emotional state. If you develop the semantic series from the official, then it is easy to come to solemn, pompous, representative, etc.

The card contains the idea of ​​​​changing emotional states (one of the options is Adult - Parent - Child). And the connection between external markers and emotional state. Example: I am in a certain mood and I wear certain clothes. I wear certain clothes that are supposed to make me feel a certain mood. Evening Dress.

In fact, everything described is a special case of the meaning of the Hierophant card “education”.

Meanings of the Hierophant in combination with the suit of Wands


  • In combination with the card: Changes in your position will be favorable.
  • In combination with the card: You should not change your beliefs at the moment.
  • In combination with the card: Insistently following the rules can lead to conflict.

The importance of the Hierophant in health matters

The Hierophant Tarot card confirms that the chosen treatment is correct. She focuses on classical medicine and ignores alternative methods of treatment. As a treatment, the High Priest offers a system of reasonable restrictions, without fanaticism, without grueling fasts. Those that the patient is ready to accept and carry out. Separately, the High Priest says that treatment should be entrusted to a professional and not self-medicate.

Hierophant meanings in combination with the suit of Cups


  • In combination with the card: You can trust your friends.
  • In combination with the card: Loneliness will help maintain internal integrity.
  • In combination with the card: Love is built on fidelity.

Hierophant in matters of business, work and money

The following meanings of the card in matters of work and money can be distinguished:

  • Stability, controllability of the situation;
  • A way to increase income;
  • General state of finances;
  • Positive and negative impact on income

Stability, controllability, controllability of the situation

5 Arcana in Tarot means a stable situation. High level control and management. Everything is subject to norms; there is not even a thought of not following them. There is nothing personal or subjective, but there are clearly defined service relationships, normative models of behavior, uniformity in the understanding and use of instructions. Control as a system property. A rigid hierarchy is the basis of stability.

The most important condition is to act exclusively within the legal framework. According to the established routine once and for all, observing the chain of command. The correct hierarchy in the organization is the key to the correct distribution of responsibility. Where is whose area of ​​competence, who is responsible for what - everything is clearly and unambiguously stated in the constituent documents.

There is also an indication in the High Priest of the use of church magic, for example, a ritual to consecrate an event, premises, or contract. You can even organize a company to provide such services.

General state of finances and trends of changes according to Hierophant

In matters of money, the Hierophant is interpreted as moderate wealth. A little more than average, but not outrageous. Good, solid things, without fanaticism.

Since the situation is stable, the trends are stable and positive.

Positive and negative impact of the Hierophant on income

A very positive card in terms of impact on income. As if invisible forces are blessing you, an angel has spread its wings over you. Do your business calmly, everything will go as it should; Whether career or social growth, although not rapid, is almost guaranteed.

But you shouldn’t get too carried away with external rituals to the detriment of the content; this poses a certain danger for the Hierophant. Being close in its arcane nature to staves, the fifth Arcanum can manifest itself as the Lady of Staves. Hypocrisy and hardware games will become the basis of activity instead of real productive work.

Meanings of the Hierophant in combination with the suit of Swords


  • In combination with the card: Beliefs prevent you from acting.
  • In combination with the card: Faith will heal a broken heart.
  • In combination with the card: What you believe in will destroy you.

When making a choice, make it right.

Card of the Day - Warning

Think about how true what you are being taught is.

Meanings of the Hierophant in combination with the suit of Pentacles


  • In combination with the card: A favorable period of your life will begin suddenly.
  • In combination with the card: Your beliefs limit you.
  • In combination with the card: This person is trustworthy.

Questions to Ask When Drawing the Hierophant

  • What do you believe in?
  • Who do you believe?
  • What gods do you pray to?
  • Who and why do you consider your spiritual teacher?

The fifth Arcanum governs the observance of prohibitions and obedience to commandments - like the Olympic sports rules. Doping is not allowed, the referee must not be interested in a certain outcome, and so on - all in order to ensure that the game is truly fair, and this is really important, because otherwise it will simply lose its meaning! These are the key words of this card - rules and meaning. The fifth Arcanum is associated with faith in the meaningfulness of what is happening and its purpose. The Hierophant teaches and educates, and the Devil then tests what we have learned, offering to play around the rules and identifying our weak points in understanding how to and how not to act. Justice in the layout raises questions of justice, the Hierophant raises questions of ethics itself. Justice announces a penalty kick to equalize the disturbed balance - that is, it turns on when the hierophant’s “how it should” is violated. All sorts of international quality standards, regulations, guidelines, rating systems - this is undoubtedly the Hierophant. Commissions, inspections, juries - too. Other cards in the layout can tell us how we will feel when faced with all this and how it will end.

In practical scenarios, the Hierophant points mainly to three things: ethical issues, the learning process, and participation in some rituals and ceremonies. This could also be an official marriage. It gives a positive answer to the question of the opportunity or need to learn or teach, as well as the opportunity or need to formalize relationships. The deeper meanings of the card are true religiosity, following a shepherd, mentoring and deep knowledge, searching for meaning and finding it. The Hierophant often appears when a person tries to explain what is happening to him in terms of some teaching, be it homeopathy, Orthodoxy, Viennese psychoanalysis, Indian astrology, or anything else (the spectrum is unlimitedly wide, and the teaching itself can exist for two thousand years or even and two months). In other words, a person begins to think about, interpret and evaluate his life experience, seeing in it some additional meaning. Often this is really a surge of interest in the church, an appeal to historically significant views and principles. The Hierophant usually smells of mothballs, but you can also feel the good quality in him.

In the old days, the Hierophant was considered one of the three guardian angels in the Tarot, providing a favorable outcome to a good deed and bringing knowledge of how to do the right thing. This makes sense, because trust in general and our trust in ourselves serve as the basis for faith in life, in the future. The Hierophant personifies the world of faith and trust, based on the steadfastness of chosen values. If the Devil in the reading reminds us that we have temptations and weaknesses, then the Hierophant in the reading reminds us that we have a conscience and an inner sense of purity and goodness as opposed to what we consider evil. In addition, this card says that the implementation of plans will be successful if we wisely play by the rules and adapt to the approved norms of behavior. This card speaks of the traditional approach to solving a troubling issue, so to speak, “the true way.” The Hierophant appeals to social values ​​and traditions, and everything that fits these concepts or is connected with them. He is in charge of all kinds of foundations, a clear internal concept of “what is good and what is bad.” Modern man is usually not characterized by profundity and scrupulousness in these matters, so the Hierophant baffles him, and interpretations usually do not go further than that this is a sign of a wedding or admission to a university - in a word, some kind of officialdom, sanctified by tradition, is coming.

This is really a map of “joining a tradition” or “school”, where there is someone authoritative who knows “how it should be done.” This could equally well be the Catholic Church and a Wiccan coven, a university department and an army unit, hairdressing courses and a religious sect. This is the place where some higher laws or principles that form the core of the teaching are interpreted in terms of specific behavior, what to do and what not to do. The card truly represents learning, the pursuit of knowledge and social harmony - imagine the seminars of a fashion guru, where in the end there is no room for dissent, and those who agree vie to please, adjusting their self to the preached standards (sometimes not without benefit to themselves). Sometimes the appearance of a card speaks of an adviser, someone with whom it makes sense to talk about an exciting topic. More often, it means that on the questioner’s path there will be people who believe that they know the truth (you either obey or are subject to punishment). This is someone who teaches, is a master of his craft, and evaluates your achievements.

The Hierophant is devoted to some idea and brings its results to people, he is an inspired servant of his “religion” (which can be very far from religion), and from the point of view of followers and students, he has knowledge of a certain truth and the power to determine who is right, and who doesn't. The most important phenomenon here is power over minds, and the most important question is what is truth? The Hierophant is indeed in charge of the mysterium fidei. How do people begin to believe that another person knows how to do it and that his knowledge is true? The mystery of faith! The hierophant generally presides over socially formalized sacraments. The very word “hierophant” means one who reveals sacred things in an accessible form. Baptism and confession, wedding and tonsure, blessing and absolution are sacraments immersed in everyday life. They are truly accomplished only when there is faith. Without this, only an external ritual remains, the meaning of which is lost.

The hierophant can personify a person whom we trust very much, whose opinion we take into account and who takes a sincere part in our destiny, helping and guiding. The Hierophant brings contact with a mentor who can open access to a higher level of achievement, honoring past merits, obediently following what is said, and also often the continuation of some traditions, unwillingness to abandon them, with all their rituals. And the same “Star Factory”, from the point of view of the participants in the process, is a purely hierophant affair. This is a card of agreement (at least external), when they recognize the rules of the game and try to follow them. She says that a person has signed up for something (“made a vow”) and follows a certain path, quite possibly at times feeling unfree and constrained. Often this card shows that we either need the support and care of a more experienced and knowledgeable person, or we ourselves strive to pass on our accumulated experience to others. In its everyday meaning, the Hierophant also indicates the presence in life of some very important union (possibly marriage), or the desire for one.

The influence of the Hierophant, like many other cards, can be twofold and strongly depends on the attitude of the questioner to external authorities and on the presence of authority in his own eyes (that is, his ability to believe that his own knowledge can be correct - there are people who In principle, this is not allowed and they chase this knowledge in circles and communities, changing “great teachers” like gloves). Depending on this trait, the Hierophant can describe both falling under the millstone of someone else's dogma, and exceptional moral courage and the ability to go one's own way.

The Hierophant may mean that we have to play the role of an official and a role model (a classic example is a teacher). He poses the question - how would we behave if no one was watching us? Would we act the same way? This is a card of social approval, external decency and tradition, a social contract. Therefore, he is an ancient significator of weddings. There is no word here about feelings, whatever they may be - the emphasis is on the ritual of exchanging rings and vows in the presence of witnesses. The card can indicate any union similar to marriage, the acceptance of bonds and obligations (happy or not).

This is a school card where they give grades and thus express approval or disapproval of your success. This card always raises the question of the level of what is happening. Is this really good? Is this really the “right way”? Sometimes this unexpected question is posed head on (and in a negative card environment it comes out sideways).
In fact, the appearance of the Hierophant can often be seen as a blessing sign regarding the issue. It is a significator of the true Faith and the true Path for each individual person, and can be an indicator of the correctness of the chosen direction. Often foreshadows a meeting with a good person who can help - at least with valuable advice.

Authoritative and edifying - “a prophet in his own country.” It ranges from dogmatism and severity to philosophical tolerance and condescension, but the conviction that one is right is present in any case. The Hierophant believes in the meaning of what is happening and acts in accordance with his moral principles.

Often emphasizes interest in religion (in one form or another, teachings can be very different) or indicates that a person acts under what is called “inspiration.”

Hierophants are conservative and do not like to adapt. This can be explained very simply - they know how to do it. This knowledge lives inside them, and it is difficult for them to turn off these rails (moreover, they often do not get any pleasure from this turning away, but rather a clear feeling that they have lost their way and need to urgently return). Hierophants are distinguished by the fact that they truly believe in the values ​​they preach and serve them, since they coincide with their inner sense of goodness. There is one more feature - Hierophants intuitively have a good sense of history as a connection of times, the legacy of the past enlivens the present for them. They can be unexpectedly well oriented in the history of something (this can be either a whole era or the history of some kind of activity, organization, genre in art, etc.), and somewhere deep down they feel well that this has special significance.
The natural occupation for the Hierophant is to observe whether everything is being done correctly. He is a mentor, seeker and zealot for truth. His natural trait is the special courage that all this requires. At best, it brings the ability to see deep spiritual meaning in simple and material things, to correctly understand the essence of some life lesson. The peculiarity of the Hierophant is that his faith and his concepts are almost always made public, put on public display. This is not the case when it is possible to hide the “fire flickering in the vessel.” For example, if he managed to extract some wisdom in the course of overcoming his own suffering, difficulties or illnesses, he, most likely, inspired and enlightened, will write a whole book about all this, which will go on sale... and then there will be on-site seminars not for mountains. This is how schools, clubs and groups are formed.

It happens that, tired of proving, preaching and reconciling his conscience with public standards, and realizing that “there is no prophet in his own country,” the Hierophant throws off his vestments and continues his journey in the cloak of the Hermit, without relating to anyone else and without proving anything to anyone ( so to speak, having accepted the schema and retired into the desert). But in general, the Hierophant is a natural teacher, legislator and guru. He needs an audience, students, followers and successors.

As a rule, you can rely on the Hierophant - he behaves conscientiously and consistently, at least within the framework of his own concepts of what is good and what is bad.

A true Hierophant is very wise from life experience, and therefore is able to give invaluable advice in the most incomprehensible situations. Looking into his imperturbable eyes, it is difficult to imagine that he went through some kind of collisions and throwing, but still one has to admit that his amazing wisdom was bought at a considerable price, which is fully known only to him. The Hierophant is the role of the Master in relation to Ivan Bezdomny. At best, he is an empathic and wise mentor, a spiritual leader, a teacher capable of helping and guiding...and admiration for him, respect from the bottom of my heart. Through it you can touch a powerful tradition.

The Hierophant often serves in readings as the significator of a married person.

Hierophant - Awakened and Enlightened.

This is the great wisdom of the male being. For modern man, “male wisdom” is personified by the Emperor - here he is, a super-man, what more do you need?

However, the Emperor personifies only a purely masculine style of thinking and way of acting (just like the Empress – a purely feminine one) - he must act, steer, resolve, he has nowhere to go, he has a lot of responsibilities, like the owner of an estate, a father of many children or the president of the country. Here before us is a completely different figure. He's not settling things here. This is the original Priest of the ancient world. He is not disturbed by everyday worries. Earthly power is up to his ankles. The emperors bow before him so that he may perform the sacrament of anointing for the kingdom and advise what to do. He is not a Magician who plays with the forces of nature and walks on the edge. He is the one who tells the Magician that he has finished his game and communicates the conditions for leveling the balance disturbed on the subtle planes. He knows the stakes in that casino where we bet on the immortal soul (in this sense, the Hierophant and the Devil are the most closely related pair in the Tarot). The Hierophant corresponds to elders-seers, endowed with the gift of foresight, who do not need the confession of a sinner to tell him what he must do for his own good (at the same time, they will not turn into a “vest” one iota). The Hierophant relates to the Emperor in much the same way as Diogenes relates to Alexander the Great (“Do not obscure the sun for me”). To the credit of the latter, it should be noted that the young man appreciated the answer and realized that the border of all kingdoms passes at the notorious barrel (“if I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes”).

The fifth Arcanum symbolizes the high priests of the pagan or Christian Mystery schools. This card symbolizes the initiator (master of the mystery of life), or spiritual physician. The Illusory Universe, in this case, is symbolized by two figures (of polarity) - kneeling before the throne on which sits the initiate, who has raised his consciousness to the level of spiritual understanding and reality. The Hierophant embodies human righteousness in the highest sense of the word. In contrast to the mission of the Priestess, who passively carries out the rhythms, the Hierophant symbolizes the principle of activity, being the creator of a new path. There are other people on the card (kneeling monks...or monarchs...or a royal couple) - the Hierophant's wisdom is intended for someone, it has no meaning if it is sealed. This is one of the “trinity” cards (they also include Lovers, Devil and Chariot).

Unlike the Priestess, it symbolizes the religious authority of an expert in the sacraments and an interpreter of truth. He has come a long way in this system and can now lead others (but also limit them in some ways). This is not a map of an individual path, but a map of joining a tradition that existed before you, some kind of mainstream, its rituals and an established system of views. He points the way to the spiritual goal - it is on this path that he is given the power to decide what exactly needs to be done for successful progress, he carries the interpretation of the law in terms of behavior. This is the charter of a monastery or spiritual order, and not personal Gnosticism - liturgical rules, rituals of piety, common to everyone and created before you.

This is the need and opportunity to follow a tradition that bestows initiation, training, and practices leading to your own Grail. People, books, spiritual systems that help a beginner. To travel a great path, you need desire, intuition, but also the wisdom of your predecessors. It is the discipline of practice that helps maintain the connection between spiritual and everyday life.
The card can also symbolize the organization itself (religious, educational, philosophical), which has a structure and influence on the minds of its followers. In all such organizations there is a person or group of persons whose views are considered practically unquestionable truth. They have the ability to advance or crush. Others either obey the word, accepting it in this way, or are declared heretics and expelled. This is a system where it has its own values, its own hierarchy and formalities, and subordination and obedience to them, conformism, are expected.

The Hierophant, like the Priestess, is the essence of Knowledge, but unlike the Priestess with her prophetic dreams and reading thoughts, his knowledge is clearly ethically colored, it contains such concepts as responsibility, duty, redemption, justice. He alone mysteriously knows the stakes in that casino where we are all trying to lose our souls. This is the knowledge of “what and how much” in this best of all worlds. In other words, a value system. Unlike the Priestess, the Priest does not need to tune in and meditate - he simply knows the answer, at any moment in his life, these answers are laid out on the shelves. The only problem that remains is to bring oneself into line with this knowledge, for no knowledge is genuine until it has become the guiding principle in life and the basis for decision-making.

The fifth Arcanum describes the stage of spiritual development at which it is possible to know the will of God in relation to oneself and interpret it in terms of personal behavior. Making a decision for yourself whether to live within the framework of the law, whether to fit your future existence into the law of the world order or take full responsibility for disobedience and individual path...decide for yourself what your path will be or let authority decide for you...search truths and moral courage to go your own way, if you believe that this is how it should be... the choice is to follow the needs of your soul or adjust your self to the demands of others, to tradition... these are the questions that the Fifth Arcanum poses to us and it is assumed that the answer will give conscience. In essence, this is a choice between voluntary obedience and obedience through coercion (“fate leads the obedient, but drags the disobedient”).
One should not think that it is so easy for the Hierophant to put everything in order and act according to his conscience. He feels better than anyone the conflict between the ideal truth known to the heart (“how it should be”) and what is the truth of life. This conflict represents the incurable “fifth wound” (from the point of view of Christian esotericism, the wound of the Sacred Heart pierced by a warrior). Every patriarch carries this “fifth wound,” “wound of the heart.” The Hierophant bleeds forever beneath his robes, close to the wounded Fisher King of the Grail tales. The “Fisherman’s ring” worn by the Pope also reminds us of this.

The moral challenge of the Hierophant is to listen to the inner voice and be righteous not only in fulfilling his task as the Emperor, but also towards himself. His immediate task is to obey himself and his own, even the most natural and correct, impulses, not to become deaf to those around him, constantly comparing their desires with his own.

The Hierophant can be a Mentor on the narrow path, where there is “yes” and “no”, good and evil, evolution and degradation, and not just neutral “experience” and “growth” in an unknown direction (after all, a cancerous tumor also grows). Personality psychology, for its part, has done everything to free a person from evaluative pressure in these matters. When excessive, this pressure demoralizes and destroys, but its complete absence, in general, has the same effect. If the appearance of the Fifth Arcana in a reading causes a slight stupor (it is not clear what it is about and what to do with it), then it is time to shake off the dust from such an instrument as conscience - we all need this from time to time, even being good people.

In Waite's card, the two keys crossed at the feet of the Hierophant symbolize, according to Guggenheim, orthodox doctrine and the outer manifestations of life. The traditional papal tiara denotes power over the three levels of existence - heaven, earth and hell (in psychological projection - “superego”, “ego” and “it”). The lilies on the surplice of one of the kneeling monks symbolize spiritual idealism, and the roses on the vestments of another - love for people. Crowley's card shows the Hierophant holding the symbol of the trinity, and below is his feminine nature, with the sword-thought in his hand, which rules him from within. The rod in the Hierophant’s hand (a cross with three bars or three intersecting circles - Roerich’s emblem) implies a new incarnation. The rod is usually a symbol of the faith professed by the creators of the deck. It is interesting that in many decks, although the Hierophant is in magnificent vestments, his feet are bare - a reminder of inner humility and that whatever the external rules, the end point for their servant is still the personal conscience, naked and felt as "own skin"
Behind the Hierophant's head is a five-petalled lotus inscribed in a five-pointed star - a symbol of active participation in cosmic creativity. An angry bull (symbol of Taurus) peeks out from behind the Hierophant's back - a symbol of powerful creative potential, as well as passions and desires, to which the Hierophant astrologically corresponds. In Greek mythology, the figure of the High Priest corresponds to Dionysus, the patron god of all the fruitful forces of the Earth. Taurus is the most “earthly” sign, which is corrected by matter with its rigid boundaries, so it can only “raise” by embodying unshakable righteousness on its path.

The Hierophant is not always harmless. He was undoubtedly present during the meetings of the Holy Inquisition and insisted on those fires into which German students threw the books of Zweig and Mann. Purity of faith, purity of party, doctrine, blood, race - this is his “professional” headache. His worst trait is complacency, intolerance and an exceptional belief in his own rightness. Lynching, the search for enemies of the people, the fight against infidels, witch hunts, tribunals, auto-da-fé - this is its dark bottom or black top. Question from the Fifth Arcana - why, in fact, are the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life opposed? Why, having become like the gods who know Good and Evil, will you die?

The Hierophant poses another problem. An ordinary modern person seems to be deprived of any “visible” ideology that guides him on the “true path” (such as the moral code of the builder of communism, true Catholicism or the sermons of Dr. Goebbels), and at the same time is often stunningly narrow-minded, intolerant and crushed by stereotypes - just read comments on the Internet to any “touching heart” topic. We seem to live in an era of unprecedented freedom of conscience, but something strange is happening with this very conscience and its freedom. The Hierophant may raise a question about this interesting internal circumstance - why do you disapprove of something so much that you would just kill it all with fire and sword, huh? Or why do you rush to defend something with a zeal that would honor a participant in a crusade or the Night of St. Bartholomew, who imagined that he was saving the true faith from heretics? Sometimes the Hierophant in his tiara seems like an anachronism in the deck, something outdated - but he also says that we have not changed as much as it might seem. The right to one’s own views and beliefs is not always welcomed de facto. For some reason, freedom of thought and speech in society turns into an avalanche of cliches of perception, where there is no smell of freedom of thought; the inability to wisely perceive the true gifts of life goes hand in hand with the pursuit of its free joys...whether simplicity or excess - everything can turn into emptiness if it is inside.

The Hierophant symbolizes the correct, important and responsible steps that are taken with great faith in one’s cause. A strong sense of mission, the significance of one’s work (usually in terms of serving people). This is a card of honesty, purity of aspirations, fair dealings and fair play. Confident movement towards the goal with the conviction that it is worth it. Serious advancement in professional development.

The Hierophant personifies the traditional education system, school, formal training. It involves the transfer of one’s knowledge to others, as well as the active use of other people’s experience. A job in education (or at least one that actually requires good education and knowledge). Professional connections with cultural or religious institutions (in the worst case, there are rigid attitudes and a persistent smell of dead rituals that cannot be abandoned). In general, all professions where equanimity, knowledge and the ability to persuade are important.

The Hierophant is the significator of all institutions where long-standing traditions are strong, and also where there are different “schools”, “approaches” and “styles” (in fact, they are similar to a religion - none is the ultimate truth, although their bearers tend to perceive them exactly). This card can represent any profession that involves the ability to interpret laws, traditions or some kind of cultural institution.

Hierophants are scientific supervisors, consultants, psychotherapists, teachers and mentors of all kinds. In a general sense, the card speaks of suitability for the position held and high professional status. The Hierophant corresponds to large organizations, often state-owned, and in any case, those that were clearly not created yesterday and are based on established traditions (for example, it could be a bank or city hall). The Hierophant loves workers at universities, libraries, archives, museums - all those places where knowledge with a long history is protected. A person designated as a Hierophant may have a professional relationship with religion and everything related to marriage. Sometimes - a doctor who helps to get rid of acquired problems, “forgiving sins.”

This card can mean that a lot of energy is being put into a project when it may need more organization.

The need to follow instructions, play by the rules. The card does not exclude making a profit, but still sets the questioner in the direction that “not by bread alone...”, making it clear that money is not the main thing now. The Hierophant is not a card of business and entrepreneurship.

This card symbolizes the highest spiritual components of relationships and, in a sense, always raises the question of their level.

The hierophant is associated with community and social laws, so he is in charge of, if not love, then marriage vows. Depending on other cards, it may foretell a wedding, a lasting marriage, or strong friendship. The card may indicate that partners are united by a common goal, a common belief in something, in a word, something more than just sympathy or passion. Sometimes the Hierophant reports that the “right” partner will appear in life when spiritual development reaches the appropriate level, so as not to overshadow this connection.

The Hierophant is a great traditionalist; he is impressed by respectability and restraint. He can be a very loyal admirer and an extremely respectable candidate for a life partner. Remember the hero of the “Twilight Saga” Edward, when he explains to Bella, who is trying to drag him into bed, that he is a man of a different era and, according to his concepts, everything should happen differently. “I would court you for a long time, we would walk along the alley and drink iced tea on the veranda, and maybe I would steal a kiss from you. But only having received the blessing of your father, I would get down on one knee, hand you the ring and ask if you would do me the honor and marry me." This is the Hierophant. And modern Hierophants of both sexes are deeply indifferent to what age They truly live up to their ideals, accepting all the discomfort that may come with it.
The Hierophant solves any problems in relationships, and especially in marriage, solely through virtue and restraining his impulses. The partner described by the Hierophant card can be trusted. Not in the sense that this is a guarantee of his personal holiness, but for him, betrayal is not infidelity to his partner. This is a betrayal of one’s own spirit, one’s own concepts and high moral principles, and this is a much more intimate and painful event than a careless step on the side.

The Hierophant usually has high ideals and is able to create relationships in which everything is "fair and honorable." However, quotation marks are out of place here. Honest and noble. This can be quite a test in itself, if the human capabilities of the other partner are not of such a high standard (and since the Hierophants, in general, are a piece of goods and rarely travel in packs, this is how it usually turns out).

Often, with all his might (“Sorry, I’m lecturing!”) he tries to convey to the other his vision of the meaning of relationships, to show what is important and what is right. He dreams of creating a truly good relationship, based on love and responsibility for each other, free from infidelity and resentment.

In the worst case, the Hierophant says that people are bound by the coldest of feelings - a sense of duty.

The Hierophant subordinates everything to his beliefs, including nutrition, sex and hardening, and therefore loves fasting, vegetarianism, yoga, Ayur-Veda and the like. It is not a fact that the chosen system is suitable. As you know, what is good for a Russian is death for a German. What works great in India or China may not give the desired results for a native of the middle zone.

As a signifier of illness, it may indicate age-related problems, such as arthritis or osteoporosis. Mary Greer writes about ear, nose and throat diseases, muscle pain and infections transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets (from speaker to audience).

In the literature there are comments about kidney diseases.

If the upright Hierophant is something traditional, then the inverted one is unconventional, so to speak, as an experiment. It can indicate that a person is considering something unethical and unprincipled, workarounds and a game without rules. Pope Alexander Borgia would be a good example. But it could also be something smaller - for example, some unseemly actions, ordinary sins that still scratch your conscience... Or maybe it’s a desire to run away from school by dropping out. This map is marked by youthful nonconformism, struggle with authority, eccentricity, individualism, and originality. In the worst case, when it appears in a reading for some undertaking, it shows that the wrong path was initially chosen.

The inverted Hierophant speaks of a lack of social approval, of an unwillingness to understand and accept some action or choice made. Perhaps the person is afraid of being rejected, punished, exposed? The inverted Hierophant is an oppositionist and an outsider; he has his own unique point of view, which is not accepted by society. Its element is rebellion, disobedience, rebellion, and the fact that all this comes from within does not mean that a person is not afraid of the consequences and is ready to go to the end. There is always some kind of confrontation with the “establishment” (corporate, academic, church, and sometimes just family), sometimes with the state system. He questions established values, disobeys rules, and wants to create his own. The card may describe something ritual but non-traditional - for example, same-sex marriage. Sometimes she says that you can do something bypassing the rules, try to solve problems in a roundabout way, and what will come of it will be told by other cards in the layout.

Traditionally, in an inverted position, the Hierophant is a symbol of slander, shame, dubious advice that brings evil, as well as false facts. The inverted position of the card can also mean excessive freedom of behavior, ignoring the rules of good manners, eccentricity that causes harm, laziness, irresponsibility, and unreliability.
If in the correct position it is an upcoming marriage, then in an inverted position the intended marriage will not take place. Sometimes indicates divorce. It may also mean that the person currently does not have the opportunity to study. It may happen that the teacher turns out to be a false teacher, the teaching turns out to be false teaching, or the person himself is simply not ready.

On a psychological level, it speaks of excessive kindness and generosity, when kindness is annoying, and generosity reaches the point of stupidity. Loss of personal authority, compromise, capitulation, weakness - a person betrays his principles.
There is an opinion that the inverted Hierophant indicates that at the moment the situation is out of control, so the best thing would be to rely on fate and humbly wait to see what outcome the development of events will lead to. But most often this is a hint that the advice someone gives to the questioner will not lead to anything good. The inverted Hierophant resembles a supervisor who, out of negligence, out of vanity, or not wanting to conflict, agrees to conduct a student’s thesis in an area in which he knows nothing. As a result, the process seems to be going on, but it is not possible to learn, teach, or pass the academic test called defense. Everyone is a loser, because from the very beginning it was done “in the wrong way.”

With the Jester - unorthodoxy, unconventionality

With the Priestess - a very good sign

With the Emperor - following the canon, rules

With Lovers - there is an opinion that this combination speaks, first of all, about what a person will do not as he should and as is expected of him, but as his heart dictates.

With the Hermit - love betrayal

With the Devil - a collision with a strong personality and the risk of falling under her unfavorable influence. Perhaps my spiritual quest has gone the wrong way.

With the Tower - loss of trust, crisis, loss of ground under your feet

With the Sun - a clear vision of the goal, understanding of the meaning

With Mir - the matter is nearing a successful conclusion, no serious tests are expected.

With the Two of Wands - superiority, falling out of the crowd

With the Seven of Swords - a lone wolf who adheres to his own beliefs and does not live by the rules

With the Three of Cups - following public opinion, “commitment to the crowd”

With the Six of Cups, Six of Pentacles - a strong and happy marriage.

With the Three of Pentacles - strong team spirit

With the Eight of Pentacles - a strong combination for study

Melchizedek

Pope

A passage from the Bible, permeated with all sorts of vibrations of the Fifth Arcanum - firmness of faith, the stone of the temple, the church, invincibility by the “gates” of another (Fifteenth) Arcanum, wedding, remission of sins, cleansing of conscience...: “And I say to you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Gospel of Matthew 16:18-19).
And more subtly, “For why should my freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience?” (1 Corinthians 10:29).