Deirdre of the Sorrows - 5 - The Hierophant

shadowdancer

As can be seen, the tradition of the card has been retained, with the figure having more than a passing association with the Catholic church. However on closer inspection, his gestures seem to confuse somewhat. His right hand is raised indicating a blessing, yet he seems to have exerted some force in order to bury the prongs of the spear into the ground in front of him. We have no real indication as to how hard the ground is, so we can only guess at how much force has been used. It also begs the question of why this has been done in the first place. What is the significance of the spear being shown in this way? He appears younger in years than the Emperor, yet there is still the aura of wisdom and knowledge about him. In this respect he has highlighted something quite important – wisdom is not necessarily something that has to be linked to age. Many times I have heard young children come out with quite profound statements that belie their age, and yet we often pay scant attention or patronise them. With our Hierophant you sense that he is giving his blessing to something. Is there a course of action you have hesitated to follow? Have you had a crisis of conscience? You may find you have been given permission or authority to follow your heart. In a different context you may also find you are being offered forgiveness, but this will perhaps be indicated by other cards within the reading.
Certainly his words of wisdom will perhaps be of a more spiritual nature than that of the Emperor.

On an interesting note, I do not feel he is the consort to the High Priestess, as often shown in many decks. This may well be due to the strong Roman Catholic link we witness with this particular Hierophant. Regardless of this, his compassion will show no bounds, and he will be there for each and every one of us, regardless of race, religion or creed. If you have any doubt about this, remind yourself of how he has his hand raised to bless YOU right at this moment. If we take this further, in certain situations he may be asking you to consider whether you are demonstrating this exact same ethic – or is it a trait that may be lacking for whatever reason? Are you finding it difficult to forgive someone or yourself?