General

The Hierophant in traditional tarot is a religious figure with people bowing before him. The Hierophant represents sacred knowledge, perhaps sacred knowledge that is transferred within institutions i.e. wisdom being imparted onto people via a church or a school (though it’s not necessarily the case irl). The Hierophant is the counterpart of the High Priestess, and represents spirituality too. When you receive the Hierophant in a reading, it may be a sign for you to follow social structures and abide by traditions.

Upright

The Hierophant is usually associated with marriage and commitment – i.e. doing things the traditional way, getting married, having kids. If you are a stickler for tradition, you would be quite happy to see the Hierophant appear. This might be a symbol of union if you are asking about love.

When it comes to career and finances, the Hierophant may symbolise that there is someone who is willing to help you through your business, career or give you financial advice. There is a key in the depiction of the Hierophant in my deck, and sometimes, the Hierophant can hand you the key. Again, this idea of conforming to tradition is very much highlighted, and for there to be success, perhaps you need to take the traditional route to reach your goals.

Reversed

When it comes to love and relationships, the Hierophant may mean that you may have to break free from tradition in order to pursue or sustain this love. It can also sometimes mean that there might be people who may not be able to help this relationship, and the advice that they might be giving you and your partner might not be the best.

When it comes to career and finances, the Hierophant may be a stifling energy surrounding you. There might not be much room for progression and climbing up the career ladder. There is a need to break free from this environment, or break free from the traditional way of doing things.

Astrological / Temporal Associations

The Hierophant is associated with Taurus. Taurus is an earth sign and is about dependability and security. Taurus is sometimes represented by a bull and is about hard work, and perhaps speaks to the traditional aspects that the Hierophant represents – i.e. hard work being the key to success. Taurus can be inflexible, which can sometimes be indicative of being rigid when it comes to traditional values or social structures. It is difficult to break social structures and traditions, and I think the Taurian elements point to that.

That’s all I have about the Hierophant, tune in next week for interpretations of the Lovers!