Upright
Wisdom / traditions / religious beliefs / knowledge / conventionality / conformity
The Hierophant represents a counselor or a mentor, people in general who respect the law of the family, tradition, and relationships. You are called to seek guidance from a trusted figure who will teach you about spiritual values. This card indicates a time in which you need to create new traditions or may take part in a religious ceremony. This is not a time to be inventive or forward-thinking; follow the rules in the book, maintain conventional boundaries, and seek wisdom through religious beliefs.
You can now embrace being a student rather than a leader. The Hierophant invites you to learn, surrender to orthodox ideas, and stay within boundaries. There is a sense of relief and freedom when you follow the rules of the book rather than feeling the pressure of leadership and innovation. This card asks you to question your relationship with religion and tradition and how you connect to what you divine as the “Divine.” Whatever and whomever you connect with to reach the divine should always be in a way that empowers you to discover and trust your truth from within rather than needing external validation.
Reversed
Rebellion / personal beliefs / unconventionality / restriction / challenging tradition
In reverse, Hierophant judges quickly and makes quick conclusions. Avoid being too harsh on yourself and others and creating unreachable expectations. While time and schedule are essential, you must invite spontaneity into your life to avoid putting too much pressure on others and yourself. This is the time to break with convention. You may want to change rigid rules and traditional structures to bring freedom from oppression.
This card may indicate that you cling too much to tradition and the past and resist change and development. Avoid being blindly stuck in the past, and work on creating a balance between the tradition that is so important to you and what is innovative. You may discover new effective ways. In reverse, the Hierophant can signify an unconventional lifestyle or urge you to uncling to your old ways and learn to live by your rules.
What rituals and traditions do I need to bring back?
What skills have I mastered?
