The Hierophant - Common Interpretation

Common Interpretation

The Hierophant or Pope card, when upright, commonly suggests to seek guidance, to follow positive advice endorsed to the querant, to do the right thing, to have faith, to keep on the right side of God, to be a positive role model, to be disciplined in your approach to matters and to clear off negative karma.

It can advise to stick to tradition, what is the "tried and true", what has been known to work in past and similar situations to what the querent may be facing at the moment. He is the one who is a sustainer, as well as, a "defender of the faith", exemplifying traditional values, adhering to the status quo, and conforming to conservative standards.

The Hierophant can also represent someone who stands out as a "pillar of the community", often a person who is respected by others and can be a source of moral authority and is socially respected. He is a group leader and/or teacher of some kind, representing and understanding his group or community, and its history, beliefs, customs and traditions. The Hierophant knows, maintains, protects, and teaches ideas, ideals and principles to other members of his specific group or community, helping them understand who they are and how they are expected to behave as members the same group.

Also, the Hierophant can represent an aware and enlightened leader, having greater awareness, wisdom, and understanding than most, who then gives teaching and guidance to others. For instance, the spiritual prophet who communicates with the divine, then shares his insight and understanding to those in his group, community or society. He is an individual who can perceive things happening in situations on multiple levels. He can see clearly what is happening in a situation, on the surface (on a public level), below the surface (on a private or hidden level), as well as above the surface (i.e.: on a global or wholistic level.). As well, this can refer to a person may have access to power or influence on a number of levels, that he can use to benefit those he serves, who are part of his specific group, tribe, or community.

When reversed, the Hierophant can represent a person, often a leader of some kind, who stands in opposition to the status quo, and/or is likely to take action against it. Or, it can represent someone who gives false, flawed, or unorthodox teachings. This is someone who is opposed to traditional, orthodox, or conservative values, including people such as radicals, rebels, heretics, and iconoclasts.

It can also represent someone who may be a demagogue. One who inflames belief in others, arousing passions, rooted in fear and bias, ultimately leading others towards aggressive and often violent action, as a consequence of ignorance, misperception, or a lack of understanding. This is opposed to the Hierophant's traditional role of inspiring faith through communicating traditional teachings, wisdom, and beliefs, guiding others towards greater personal understanding, wisdom, peace, and better living.

This card can also represent a cult leader, false prophet, or a false teacher of any subject; someone who serves as a leader of a community or group, giving teachings that are false, flawed, inaccurate, or socially unaccepted. This is a person who does not increase the community's wisdom or understanding, but who in reality may only seem to do so, in the eyes of those who believe him or her; but, in reality, he or she has false or incorrect understanding and is giving false or incorrect teaching or guidance to others.

Summary of Meanings:

When the card is upright: A person or situation involving conservatism, conformity, and honoring traditional values. This could be someone who's a teacher, instructor, religious leader, prophet, or a group or community leader of some kind.

The Hierophant can also be someone who's a "go between" or intermediary of some kind, who's able to interact with and channel use of powerful and unseen forces, unavailable or inaccessible to the masses. He does so for the benefit of the community he serves. This can be someone who has access to, or influence and power within a number of different domains.

When the card is reversed: A person or situation involving radicalism, non conformity, rebellion, heresy, iconoclasm or demagogery; and those who embody these things. The reversed Hierophant can represent a leader of a radical group of some kind, a promoter and defender of some radical ideology.

It can represent people who may be demagogues, cult leaders, or false prophets. The reversed Hierophant can be any "false teacher", one who doesn't have mastery of the subject he or she teaches,and doesn't know what he or she is talking about; though, thinks he or she does, because of his or her ignorance or misperception. This can refer to one who is just a bad teacher, or one who regularly gives bad advice, bad counsel or bad guidance to others. (A person who thinks they know what they are talking about, but in reality does not.)