The Hierophant Tarot Card Meaning in Upright and Reversed Positions

Keywords:

Education, conventionality, beliefs, spiritual love, knowledge, conformity, new ideas, social groups, traditions, non-conformity, ignorance, teamwork, old-school, rebellion, control, traditional partners, institution, spiritual wisdom

Understanding The Hierophant tarot card meaning

The Hierophant is the fifth card among the Major Arcana. The card is ruled by Taurus. The direct meaning of the card is the priest in Ancient Greece. In certain tarot decks, this card is called the Pope or the High Priest. In many interpretations, this card is the male version of the other Major Arcana – the High Priestess, which embodies mystery and spiritual knowledge.

Mostly on illustrations the Hierophant symbolizes three different worlds at the same time. In most tarot decks, pictures of the figure on this card refer to the Christian symbolism as the figure holding the cross refers to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Hierophant tarot meaning shows the significance of the figure on the card. This figure embodies sacred knowledge that belongs only to them. You can learn this mystery from them if you understand the rules. Transmission of the mystery knowledge is the goal and designation of his life. The illustration on the card often has additional figures of followers who are ready to accept the sacred knowledge and let the Hierophant complete his mission.

The Hierophant tarot card embodies seeking knowledge and guidance from people with deep expertise. There are no easy ways to reach goals, except patience and hard work. The card signifies the authority of traditional institutions that create obligatory rules. For example, the card is often associated with social welfare, economic, medical, political, religious, educational, and other establishments.

The card signifies the importance of collective work towards shared goals. It says it’s crucial to have a clear structure of relationships to build a strong community.

The Hierophant upright meaning explained

You don’t want to change anything! If you’re reading the spread for you, and want to discover how someone sees you, the Hierophant indicates that you create an impression of a person with genuine intentions who doesn’t hide their feelings. At the same time, you often seem the one who is more likely to stick to the old-school way of acting in various situations. You like following the rules and can productively work in a team. You’re more about choosing the same path as everyone else, and it’s comforting. The card shows the one’s valuing traditions and appreciation of following rules.

The Hierophant meaning for love and relationships in this position often reveals the readiness of a couple to take their union to the next stage. For example, get married. For single people, the card in an upright position shows they are about to meet someone with the same attitude to family values and willing to build long-term relationships.

The card in an upright position often holds a meaning related to groups of people. For example, it can be membership in a community, working organization, gym, or educational establishment. The group has clear rules, goals, and agendas, as well as a values system. A person may be a part of a group where people can grow and collectively learn from each other. The card points out the comfort of identifying with others.

The Hierophant upright also points out our beliefs and attitude to transcendental experience. It signifies one’s religion but in wide meaning, as it can be something out of the traditional world religions.

The Hierophant reversed meaning explained

Are you in a rebel mood? The Hierophant reversed points out your strong self-reassurance and readiness to go against the rules. It can signify the situation when a person is being forced to question social norms and traditions to regain control. The card can show the tension or overload with too many restrictions. The card can point your attention to the loss of flexibility in your life because of experiencing too much pressure and over control. An advice from the card in reverse is to act confidently and not be afraid of non-traditional approaches to puzzle solving. The main thing that matters is your inner feeling that you’re following the right path.

The Hierophant tarot card upside down can point out the issues in your career related to restrictions that mute your creative potential. For example, the organization prioritizes the use of time trackers over the need for employees to work within a flexible time frame to stay productive. You might experience the pressure of bureaucracy and feel restricted. If you’re considering rebels, weigh all the risks. Will a potential outcome be worth it? Or maybe you should find another way to change the situation?

For those who are seeking advice in love and relationships, the reversed card indicates the need to search for compromises. One should start with themselves and decide the way their inner compass shows in this union. Maybe you both need to rethink the rules in your relationships or create some new traditions. The card in reverse can show that the relationships became boring.

Conclusion

The Hierophant meaning is often considered as a male counterpart of the High Priestess card. The interpretation of the picture on the card shows us a priest in three-colored cover-ups and a treasure crown on his head. The figure embodies sacred knowledge one can access only here. The mission and sense of his existence is to transmit sacred knowledge to the followers. The card often points to official establishments. For example, medical, social, educational, welfare, and other institutions.
In readings, the card usually uncovers the importance of timeless values and traditions. The card can point to the need to reach out to authoritative and reputable institutions. This card often embodies the joy of being a part of a community, where people find comfort in identifying with others and sharing common values.

The Hierophant tarot meaning in reversed position, can point at your desire to go against traditional values and break the rules. However, you should be ready to face the consequences of rebels. Weigh all the outcomes the future may hold if you burn your bridges.