Symbolism of The Hierophant in Tarot

Symbolism of The Hierophant in Tarot

What is the meaning of symbols in Hierophant Tarot Card?

A man in the vestments of a priest sits on a throne. His gaze is soft and kind. His power is not the power of brute force, but the power of faith. His kingdom is not of this world. Unlike the Master, he requires submission not to himself, but to another, higher power. His arms are extended in a blessing gesture: he reunites opposites and personifies the sacrament of marriage. Images of red roses and white lilies remind us of the Card of the Magician, where they were fresh flowers. If the Magician operates with things, intuitively sensing their progress, then the Hierophant operates with the symbols of things, penetrating into their cause and exploring possible options for their development.

The Hierophant is a person who possesses the Authority given by the believers. He decides what exactly people should do to be saved.

Hierophant – the meaning of this Arcana symbolizes the search for truth, the revelation that will come to you from above. The Hierophant card calls for tolerance, indulgence, and the accumulation of experience.

Archetype: religion, spiritual power.

Priest Symbols

Three-tiered crown (tiara), three nails above it; also three crosses on the central border of the vestment; a cross with three crossbars in the left hand are the three levels of creation – body, soul, spirit; three worlds – the heavenly world, the earthly world and the lower world.

Tiara
Symbolizes the Highest Wisdom

Cross
Spiritual power symbol.

Cross in left hand
Means that the Hierophant rules our hearts and his power is also from the heart.

Raised right hand
Protection and approval, blessing. At the same time, only two fingers are open – the one who wants to know Eternity must see not only the obvious, but also the hidden (Mystery). The Hierophant does not share all his knowledge with the flock. There is information that is intended for everyone, and there is information that is available only to a select few.

Red and White Priest’s Raiment
Means wisdom and power.

Blue underwear
The symbol of eternity and Heaven.

Yellow color of tiara
Signifies divine power.

Two keys at the feet
Symbol of papal authority; these are the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven that the Apostle Peter received. These keys can connect the heavenly and the earthly. And the high priest is allowed to make decisions on earth on behalf of the heavenly powers.

Two monks
Initiates. His disciples. Their presence suggests that the Hierophant always addresses the flock. He conveys his thoughts to people, guides them on the true path.

Red roses on the robe of one of the monks
Divine love.

White lilies on the robe of another monk
Mental purity.

Gray columns (in the background)
Something in between white and black, the absence of clearly expressed “good” and “evil”. Indicates the combination of material and spiritual, earthly and heavenly. It also means that essence and quintessence are one.

Number 5
Number: 5 – synthesis of reality, made up of four, the number of a person.
If we consider the order of prime numbers from 1 to 9, we will see that 5 is exactly in the middle – it, from a spiritual point of view, is the central point on the path from one to nine, by transforming, changing, shifting the ideas suggested by number 1. In a spiritual sense the meaning of the number 5 in numerology can be interpreted as helping people in the implementation of various changes, as breaking stereotypes. Each of us goes through a similar stage in life at least once. From an esoteric point of view, the five reflects the laws of nature – the ability to accept, change and adapt to changing conditions. This is a perpetual movement forward, progress, evolution. Cosmic energy 5 frees one from attachments, develops a person, teaches him to adapt to changing living conditions.
The Hierophant acts as a spiritual leader within each of us, who connects our earthly personality with its higher spiritual essence. In this way, it helps us establish a dialogue between our conscious mind and its spiritual origins.

In ancient times, the priest was called the pontiff, which means “building bridges”. His role was to establish connections between people and deities. The hierophant reflects our inner striving to comprehend the meaning of all things and phenomena and to raise our consciousness to such a level where we will not feel the split between the conscious and the unconscious within ourselves.

The longing to ascend to the higher realms of spiritual life is at the heart of what Carl Jung called the “religious function.” He described this intuitive feeling, in which there is much more genuine life than in our simple earthly existence.

The Hierophant personifies the driving force behind our spiritual beliefs and philosophical values, which each of us forms in ourselves. Sooner or later, these will be tested for strength by life, and then it will become clear whether they can continue to serve as a support for us.

Ultimately, the Hierophant symbolizes our inner desire to achieve harmony between the earthly and spiritual sides of our lives so that we can become truly whole people.

Floral Tarot

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