78 Weeks: Pope / Hierophant

To find out what these threads refer to, please seeThe link above provides suggested dates and links to all threads for this study.

Some amongst us may be working through the deck in a different order, and using different decks.

For more general comments or questions about the 78 weeks, please post in the thread linked above.

Enjoy!

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This card is the first to show more than one human.
The man on the throne is sharing his knowledge with others.
He is in command. So the others are students in a closer sense, yet, listeners in a wider sense.
In a reversed order the card may tell be cautious and not believe without reasonable means.
The card may also show what can happen when we carry things outside that we have since long been creating.
It means confronting others with our ideas and decisions, too.


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HAINDL Hierophant

This Hierophant is different from many--no robes, no signs of high office, not even a whole body--just two white-bearded faces and the back of a third head (which has a red high collar--could perhaps be official in some way--or a prayer shawl).

Elements on the card:
1. The main face is an old man with wise eyes. The second is a profile of a man. Only from reading Pollack's description, did I learn that these men are grandfather, father and son and Jewish--which is Haindl's way of expressing tradition in family, religion and education. Imaging "a gathering of wisdom passed down" feels more compassionate to me than the usual figure of official robes, hand gesture, and often stern expression standing over two children.

1a. I thought it was significant that none of these men are looking at each other. Not sure what it means, though.

2. The brilliant white radiant star is inside a structure. Through windows we can see blue starry sky. The inside star made me think of "guiding star" from the Bible--what these men use to focus their beliefs, and it's inside a building--tradition housing the original inspiration.

3. There are pages of a book for a literate recording of knowledge, plus a complex, medieval-looking key that implies these men hold the secured treasure of established knowledge.

4. Significantly, in the center of the card is a pair of praying hands. Because the thumbs are toward the viewer, they must belong to the bowed head in the front. Having his hands above his head while praying implies a great humility.

5. I learned that the Hebrew letter for nail is on the card. Made me think of building, but also crucifixtion and coffin nails--which are all part of religious history and practice.

6. The rune is for wheel, which didn't stand out for me in major significance--wheel of life seems rather obvious . . . The element stripe is earth.

I've never liked other Hierophant cards--they always connote oppressive institutional bureaucracy to me, with autocratic Popes who use their power wrongly (Boston's pedophelia crisis, for one example). Tradition can be a bludgeon, but this card seems more gentle, more centered on wise people (family) gathered together.

In a caring, strong family, traditions can make us feel safe, among those who share our trust, reassuring that we're all ok together. Where ritual walls keep out the uncertainty, we feel protected and lead by our star--that's the message I get from this card.

Blue Rose deck

In the keen brain of this wise old man there are doubtless some abstract, far reaching theories, but his role in the community is to know a sacred text's applications to real life. These women are confiding in him, entrusting him with the burdens of their hearts. His texts cover the gamut of human frailities that never change- fractious in-laws, rebellious children, harsh employers, idle spouses- but these texts will be transmitted through him, who knows these women personally. He knows that no two children, marriages or situations are identical and will pass on the sacred wisdom with a deft touch and a compassionate heart. He will know not only that, for instance, you drink too much, but why. He will attempt to heal you from the soul out.

www.tarotpassages.com/PGHier.htm

Does it say something about the Hierophant that so many seem to have dropped out of this week's posting?

Yoo, hoo, come ba-ack!

The Pope/Le Pape

Hadar Marseilles

My aim is to post my reflections about this card and if possible try not to get involved with describing it too much.

The Pope is authoritive, knowledgeable and a spiritual advisor and teacher. I feel uncomfortable and wary of the Pope. In this card he is huge to make the point of his power over people. They are in awe of him and probably a little frightened too. Despite his spiritual wisdom the card teaches me to ask more questions. It is as though there is something unfinished about the meaning of the card. He is blessing the two monks (??) as they pray. I think it's the worshipping of a person that I dislike, its like he has some control or hold over them. They have no freedom.

The fifth Major - I see the number 5 as a gateway to spirituality - like a search for yourself, a mystery you want to solve, so why be dependant on someones else's beliefs? Maybe it is showing where you should begin your search.

Why does he wear gloves? Why is the Maltese Cross on them?

Moonbow*

I will post more as and when I have answered some of my questions.

The Hierophant - Morgan Greer

This is a card I always seem to struggle with - I don't even think I've drawn it in a spread with the Morgan Greer yet. I just don't seem to be able to relate to anything about it.

The Hierophant is sitting between 2 light brown stone pillars, like the High Priestess, The area to the back of him is reddish brown, gives the impression that he is sitting to the entrance to something. His cloak is a rusty red, gold head dress, silver crescent at his throat. His main garment is cream and he wears cream gloves. His right hand is raised with two fingers turned down and two fingers and thumb pointing up. In his left hand is a staff, I don't know what its called but I've seen Russian Priests carrying them. There are silver and gold keys at the bottom of the card - sun and moon or heaven and hell.

He is sitting facing forward but his eyes, which are brown, seem to be looking over your right shoulder, his face which is younger than usual for the Hierophant card has the same look of knowing as the High Priestess.

I'm going to post more about this card later.

The Hierophant - so difficult for me this week. All week I've been waiting for some inspiration about this card and it took a meditation to do it. My daughter has an interview to try and get into Med School on Tuesday. A traditional institution. She has been waiting for this opportunity for months. All week we have been discussing what she should wear, how she should act, what questions she should expect. I've come to realise that the Hierophant may represent our conscience, what we feel we should do. Our duty. I see him as a bridge between reality and the divine.

Crystal

In this card he looks so stern, authoritative, scarey and awesome. He's larger than life and fills the card, hes been put on a pedestal and doesn't have to earn respect because he just demands it with his presence. Of the four Hierophant/Popes I studied this week, this was the one that left me absolutely cold, so its the first one I meditated with. In my meditation, he took off his robes and his hat (dont know what its called) and became 'normal' - approachable, supportive, and comforting. His face and hat throw a shadow on this card. Does this represent a dark aspect? Rigidity, inflexibility maybe? His hat is so tall. Am I right in thinking that his hat must weigh as much as the sins of the world, if so, he carries a lot of weight on his shoulders! A lot of responsibility.

Haindl

There is a generation of men on this card. The Grandfather looks concerned. As the head of his family, he too has a lot of responsibility and worry. Does the light represent the link between the divine and the mundane? His responsibility involves educating the following generations. I'm never sure of the substance of these teachings. Are they of the roots of past generations? Of tradition? There is wisdom in this card. Stars in the sky - hope for future generations.

Hadar

The Pope, turns to his right, the side of mental activity, authority and the future. He looks comfortable and accepting of his influence. For he surely does influence. His tiara represents reality, vitality and spirituality. I think he is in touch with all. He looks quite friendly and thats the way it should be. I probably shouldnt say this here but I find it hard to get past this card. I see the two acolytes as swinging and clapping in time to some gospel music. I dont know why that should be, but its what I see.

What have I learnt?

Before, I saw this card as one of moral duty, conformity, tradition but I always felt it had an external influence, a real presence i.e. religion, family, tradition. Now I also see this as ones conscience, as ones 'sense' of how they should behave in the light of an underlying influence. I am going to start a new thread on this as I want other opinions on it.

J

My daughter has an interview to try and get into Med School on Tuesday. All week we have been discussing what she should wear, how she should act, what questions she should expect. I've come to realise that the Hierophant may represent our conscience, what we feel we should do. Our duty.

Click to expand...

Good luck and best wishes to your daughter!

I see a difference between the "shoulds" of trying to please the educational institution's admittance standards and the duty related to doing what's "right" in terms of conscience. Once she becomes a doctor, she'll work to do what's morally right--that may not always please the hospital administration/institution!

Witches and Legend Tarot

The witches tarot replayes the Hierophant with the High Priest. He is has long greyed hair and breard, not really grey, but more white than not. He is dressed in a fancy white robe, ritual garb. He holds an Athema, point down, with both hands above a chalace that is held by a woman off the card. Only her hands are seen. The are reinacting the merging of the Goddess and God, the God is symbolized by the Athema, while the Goddess is symbolized by the challace.

Book meaning:
Querent brings energy to project, serves as source of force. In other words, the Querent can serve as 'mover and shaker', although others may be needed to provide organization (form). The number six.

reversed: Querent leaves behind the need for form. At this point in the situation, all is in the hands of the gods. Querent should 'go with the flow'.

Legend Tarot

The background of the card is filled with waterfalls and high cliffs that are covered with greenery and a few trees sit there as well. May a conclove. A man sits in the middles, the main subject, he has long black hair, and a long mustach. He wears hawk feathers in his hair, a red robe, a necklace with more feathers, and he seems to be playing a small harp. Around him sits three children, two girls and a boy. They all seem facinated by the way he plays the instrament, and want to play it themselves, but the man holds tightly on to it. Flowers and more greenery dominate the forground.

Book meanings:
A person with experience he or she is willing to share. An authority. A kind and generous mentor who nurtures a spritual awareness. A medium to a higher plane. Advocate of tradition. Blessings, education, religious ceremony. Initiation. Drawing comfort and security from one's roots. Laying a foundation for a belief system. Encouragement to explore the framework of a religion or doctrine. Feeling constricted by the attitudes of society as a whole. Pressure to live up to the expectations of others.
The traditional interpretation of the card is orthodox behaivour, conforming to a system or organization.

Okay that was more than confusing...

Reveresed:
Rigid thinking with no room for growth. Withholding or distorting information to retain power. Intolerance and propaganda. Mistaken moral superiority as a justification for the persecution of others. Obtaining obedience through fear rahter than trust. Inherited prejudices. Gullibility.