Reversed Hierophant for "Advice"

PavlovsDaughter

The Hierophant is a card I've always found a bit puzzling, and in my reading that I did for myself last night regarding a particular individual, it came up reversed in my "advice" slot. In fact, this card has been one of a few recurring cards in my last few spreads, appearing in varying places, both upright and reversed.

I did a Celtic Cross spread that turned out like this:

1. Temperance
2. Reversed Death
3. Reversed Empress
4. Strength
5. Reversed Hermit
6. Reversed Devil
7. Reversed Hierophant
8. Reversed Fool
9. Reversed Emperor
10. Lovers

The Fool has been coming up quite a lot as well, both upright and reversed.

(I'm also omitting what I believe each number to signify because I know there can be subtle differences in the way each person chooses to regard the placement of each card, as I'm very interested to see what you guys think instead of putting forth my personal acknowledgment of each number.)

I'm very interested in collecting some insight to help me understand The Hierophant a little better both as an individual card and within the context of this reading.

Thank you for reading! :)
 

Charlie Brown

Here's my take

Here's my thought, although I'm pretty new to tarot, so I don't have a lot of confidence in my interpretation:

I think the reversed heirophant relates directly to cards 1 &2, Temperance crossed by Reversed Death. If Temperance is a card of balance and reversed death signifies stagnation, then perhaps the querent's balance will need to be disrupted a bit in order to get things flowing again. The advice of the reversed heirophant suggests to me that they should loosen up and ignore the all the rules and structures binding their life.
 

Grizabella

The rules prevent us from helping you with this reading. You have to do your best to interpret each card for yourself before we can help. This is a learning forum and learning by doing is a very good method for learning lasting information rather than just having someone else provide it. Even as a new reader, you'll surprise yourself by just giving it a try. :)
 

PavlovsDaughter

The rules prevent us from helping you with this reading. You have to do your best to interpret each card for yourself before we can help. This is a learning forum and learning by doing is a very good method for learning lasting information rather than just having someone else provide it. Even as a new reader, you'll surprise yourself by just giving it a try. :)

Thank you! I suppose I've always thought of The Hierophant as representing structure and tradition... like some have said here on the forums more of an "institution" than an actual person, or perhaps a school of thought. I have never personally reacted well to authority, even well-meaning authority, so I guess I've never really been able to wrap my head around the concept or been very comfortable with it. To a lesser extent I also see it as a card that represents religion, but not necessarily spirituality, though I could be wrong on that end.

I'm still very confused about what this particular card represents in this reading. Seeing it in the reversed position leads me to believe that I'm being called to "challenge" this (I feel) ominous presence... but I'm not quite sure if there's more to it than that, especially considering the other cards I drew for this specific spread and in answer to my question.

Thank you for reading and thank you to those who have been responding so far. I hope I'm making sense! :)
 

PavlovsDaughter

Here's my thought, although I'm pretty new to tarot, so I don't have a lot of confidence in my interpretation:

I think the reversed heirophant relates directly to cards 1 &2, Temperance crossed by Reversed Death. If Temperance is a card of balance and reversed death signifies stagnation, then perhaps the querent's balance will need to be disrupted a bit in order to get things flowing again. The advice of the reversed heirophant suggests to me that they should loosen up and ignore the all the rules and structures binding their life.

I definitely see what you're getting at here, especially in relation to Temperance and reversed Death. It's in line with my theory that I should be challenging... someone, or something. Perhaps something I view as being to authoritative.
 

headincloud

1. Temperance
2. Reversed Death
3. Reversed Empress
4. Strength
5. Reversed Hermit
6. Reversed Devil
7. Reversed Hierophant
8. Reversed Fool
9. Reversed Emperor
10. Lovers

Drug induced bi-polar with psychosis? the cards suggest someone who's paranoid with the hermit rx, emotionally unstable in the empress rx, out of control with fool rx which is the card of bi-polar. He/she may be a bully with emperor rx or alternatively they have no structure in their life.

Rx hierophant suggests someone very unconventional especially with the fool rx, perhaps they have trouble fitting into the ordinary social mould or don't wish to, it also suggests lies around this person.
 

PavlovsDaughter

1. Temperance
2. Reversed Death
3. Reversed Empress
4. Strength
5. Reversed Hermit
6. Reversed Devil
7. Reversed Hierophant
8. Reversed Fool
9. Reversed Emperor
10. Lovers

Drug induced bi-polar with psychosis? the cards suggest someone who's paranoid with the hermit rx, emotionally unstable in the empress rx, out of control with fool rx which is the card of bi-polar. He/she may be a bully with emperor rx or alternatively they have no structure in their life.

Rx hierophant suggests someone very unconventional especially with the fool rx, perhaps they have trouble fitting into the ordinary social mould or don't wish to, it also suggests lies around this person.

Paranoia and instability has been an issue with this person. And I'm definitely lacking structure in my life, outside of my relationship to this individual. Soooo I'm not surprised, lol.
That's a lot of interesting insight on the Fool, though. That is another card that I'm doing some research on. Thank you for responding! :)
 

Ruby Jewel

The Hierophant is a card I've always found a bit puzzling, and in my reading that I did for myself last night regarding a particular individual, it came up reversed in my "advice" slot. In fact, this card has been one of a few recurring cards in my last few spreads, appearing in varying places, both upright and reversed.

I did a Celtic Cross spread that turned out like this:

1. Temperance
2. Reversed Death
3. Reversed Empress
4. Strength
5. Reversed Hermit
6. Reversed Devil
7. Reversed Hierophant
8. Reversed Fool
9. Reversed Emperor
10. Lovers

The Fool has been coming up quite a lot as well, both upright and reversed.

(I'm also omitting what I believe each number to signify because I know there can be subtle differences in the way each person chooses to regard the placement of each card, as I'm very interested to see what you guys think instead of putting forth my personal acknowledgment of each number.)

I'm very interested in collecting some insight to help me understand The Hierophant a little better both as an individual card and within the context of this reading.

Thank you for reading! :)

If you used the entire deck, including pips and drew all these major arcana, and all these Rx's....that is shocking to say the least. The advice that comes to mind here is "get thee to a nunnery." Or at least go to a Zen monastery....where Temperance and Strength will serve you well. Imo, Hierophant Rx says there is a lack of spiritual wisdom.
 

Laurelle

The Hierophant is a card I've always found a bit puzzling, and in my reading that I did for myself last night regarding a particular individual, it came up reversed in my "advice" slot. In fact, this card has been one of a few recurring cards in my last few spreads, appearing in varying places, both upright and reversed.

I did a Celtic Cross spread that turned out like this:

1. Temperance
2. Reversed Death
3. Reversed Empress
4. Strength
5. Reversed Hermit
6. Reversed Devil
7. Reversed Hierophant
8. Reversed Fool
9. Reversed Emperor
10. Lovers

The Fool has been coming up quite a lot as well, both upright and reversed.

(I'm also omitting what I believe each number to signify because I know there can be subtle differences in the way each person chooses to regard the placement of each card, as I'm very interested to see what you guys think instead of putting forth my personal acknowledgment of each number.)

I'm very interested in collecting some insight to help me understand The Hierophant a little better both as an individual card and within the context of this reading.

Thank you for reading! :)

This is in the wrong place. It should be in the "your readings" section. If you mention a card, you have to interpret it before anyone else can give their interpretation. Tarot is a prompt for your own subconscious.

Did you purposely only use major arcana?
 

Laurelle

If you used the entire deck, including pips and drew all these major arcana, and all these Rx's....that is shocking to say the least. The advice that comes to mind here is "get thee to a nunnery." Or at least go to a Zen monastery....where Temperance and Strength will serve you well. Imo, Hierophant Rx says there is a lack of spiritual wisdom.

Yes, this......is exactly along the lines of what most readers might think when seeing this....

Yes, I agree with Ruby Jewel about the Hierophant RX. You cannot hear your inner voice or higher guardian angel/higher self. When you are under the guidance of the Hierophant you can hear the small voice inside you that leads you in the right direction. You submit to the good forces. Reverse this and you are listening to the wrong voice or trying too many spiritual paths that are going to lead to insanity or mental instability. It's the the person at the bookstore who goes from Doreen Virtue one minute, Buddist theory the next, and then tries to join the Rosicruisians before doing a wiccan ritual. The point is that the person is all over the place and not focused on the one spiritual discipline, so they might be getting false information in anyone of these places or information that is contradictory. It's like studying for a degree. You start with 101 and end with 410. You cannot possibly start with 410, but the Hierophant reversed may indicate that you are thinking you've already taken all the 100, 200 and 300 level classes....but in reality you haven't.

I can't really say anything else about this without you interpreting all the cards first though.

You may want to notice where the angels are falling in the spread, including the angel of death. (And I've said too much about that already).