Is the Hierophant a Dictator?

poivre

The Hierophant "allows" the doors to open, to
our next lesson.

And the V
Freedom from the dictator (Emperor)

Emperor- leader- dictator
Hierophant- teacher

The Hierophant (teacher) can teach us from past experiences
what he had to learn from the Emperor(dictator).

(GAWD someone stop me! ) LOL
 

Thirteen

ros said:
The Hierophant "allows" the doors to open, to
our next lesson.

And the V
Freedom from the dictator (Emperor)
Well, now, that presumes the Emperor IS a dictator. He might not be. And those doors might not lead to the outside and freedom, they may be keys down to a dungeon....

I'm not saying you're wrong, just that the "next lesson" might not be a happy one. I'm more in agreement about the initiation aspect--5's in the tarot are not happy cards, and initiations are typically difficult and painful.

Perhaps you're right and the Hierophant is the one who will open the door to freedom from the dictator--but we have to consider the opposite as well. The card is flexable in that respect and as likely to offer a negative as a positive senario.
 

poivre

Yes I agree about the "next lesson" might not be
a happy one and the number 5!

Thanks.
 

TemperanceAngel

ros I like how that is V for Victory, as such.

I think fives can be challenges, depends on if you take up the challenge or not is how you perceive it. I don't agree with the fives being not happy cards, or any card being not happy, so to speak. Although I am not saying life is full of sunshine and butterflies and light.
But it is full of experiences.....

Now I am loving this thread. Thank you all for your wonderful thoughts.

I am in half agreeance with Umbrae: it's the 21st Century. I don't connect the Hierophant with religion. Structure maybe, religion no.

This comes from reading experience over many, many years. So if you are into what book and where this comes from, stop reading.

I have seen The Hierophant depict a degree or showing me that person is a teacher/lecturer. Not High School study, tertiary study.

I have seen The Hierophant as the doctor who is not making any sense about illness, best to seek alternative medicine, as opposed to Western Medicine (or combination of both).

As the landlord who is not telling the whole story.

But guru, there is something about that word, like some kind of status.....gives me a shiver. And gurus do abuse their power too. They are not all honorable in their intentions.

As for the "he", well a student, teacher, doctor and landlord can be "she's." A degree does not have a gender(?). But for some reason I usually say "he" to The Hierophant. Don't know why, maybe it is because I think of the HP as a she? But the above is how I see the card as a reader.

It was so strange that at that moment when I looked at The Hierophant it spoke to me as a dictator. I think that any card from the Tarot could be in that category, but not all the time only some of the.

OK, now I am confusing even myself. But what I mean is, in a logical discussion yes The Emporer is the likely candidate for dictator. But in a reading all the rules change. In fact nothing is set.

Don't quote me yet, as I will post and come back and read and probably makes changes, as you do :)
 

Edge

Several interesting points of view in this thread, leaning a lot. :) Obviously as a major arcana card our friend the Hierophant plays a pivotal road in the journey of tarot.
 

Nevada

I think the Hierophant can indicate a dictator or other controlling or manipulative person, or even a group, in its most negative sense. Not always, of course, but I've seen it that way at times.

Nevada
 

TemperanceAngel

Nevada said:
I think the Hierophant can indicate a dictator or other controlling or manipulative person, or even a group, in its most negative sense. Not always, of course, but I've seen it that way at times.
Nevada it is nice to see you :)

I think, for me, you have just hit the nail on the head in regards to why The Hierophant spoke to me as a dictator.

Just to clarify, I work for a huge spiritual organization (actually I suppose even that is debatable) and there has been more than one person of recent who have been portraying those exact qualities, and I think even the organization itself.

Sad, but true :(
 

firemaiden

HI there TA. I don't know about dictator, but if the hierophant is a guru (and that's how I see him) he might be the kind of leader that followers hand their power over too. It seems the human animal has a hard time accepting freedom, and we are always on the lookout for some way to get rid of our responsibility for ourselves (remembering Erich Fromm's Escape from Freedom).

There is many an example of the enlightened guru whom others would obey to the letter. Personally I find deeply comforting to be told what to do, but only - big only - if the person telling me what to do is absolutely right (and I somehow magically know they are right).

If the word "dictator" is occuring to your subconscious in function with the hierophant, perhaps it is recognising that in "dictator" is "dictare" - to say often, prescribe, - the dictator is he who says the word, the word made flesh...
 

TemperanceAngel

I am LOVING this discussion :)

Couldn't it simply be too:

A dictator is one who dictates and you may know in your heart that the dictation is one to follow or maybe one not to follow.

Perhaps then we see both faces of The Hierophant, as cards encompass all facets not just (even though I really loathe using these two words, but they are the best example)

positive and negative

OR

light and dark

OR

chaos and order

AND black and white

with all shades in between.
 

TemperanceAngel

Sorry to bore you all but I wanted to try and fit this contradictory nature in workable sentences via reading.

Let's say The Hierophant in a reading equates to ones tertiary study.

It could be:

"You are studying a degree and are not sure whether it is right for you."

"Your degree is nearly finished and you have excelled."

"You are thinking about studying a Masters to add to your degree."

"You lecture in what you have studied."

The list goes on.

OK, so I am brainstorming, but it is the way I work :)

Thanks!!