78 Weeks: Pope / Hierophant

[Tesseljoan]

Week 5 – Le Pape

I wrote very little this week, but I spent a lot of time on my drawing. I made this one on a larger format, closer to A4 then card size. I may not have learnt a lot intellectually, but I do feel I have gotten to know this card, which was the purpose of the 78 weeks. Below is the link to my sketch. He turned out a little stern, but I don’t think he is unkind.

What I noticed for the first time, is how well the pope is drawn. We may dismiss these woodblocks as ‘bad art’, but when I started to mimic the draperies in my own sketch, I noticed that the folds are perfectly drawn… even the shadows are right! I have never thought a Marseilles deck ugly, but I do hold the art in much higher esteem now.

Behind the Pape stand a couple of pillars. It makes a sharp contrast with La Pances, who has a cloth behind her. The pillars are firm and solid, as opposed to the gentle and concealing fabric in the La Pances card.
The Pape is the first card in which a figure speaks – as is symbolized by his right hand. He speaks to what I believe are two young monks (by my boyfriend lovingly referred to as ‘donuts’). He is a wise old man that teaches.

So what does he teach? He is the head of the church, so he is the highest authority of God on earth. Pillars are a connection between the earth and the sky. By teaching his students, the Pape is the connection between the earth and the heavens. He is teaching church doctrine.

I was raised as an atheist, but when I started studying art history, I obviously needed to learn a thing or two about the Christian faith and church doctrines. I was very surprised. In my opinion, many things that I was brought up to be ridiculous, stem from a sincere faith and love and have corrupted over time. It is very hard, apparently, to keep that genuine faith and love alive, and the acts become hallow over time. This must be the darker side to our Pape: empty and hallow statements that have nothing to do with faith. It reminds me strongly of the stories of the convent of Cluny in France.

The problem is that there is probably no other way it can be done. Ultimately it is up to the students to get through to the core.

His staff is very unusual. I compared it with the Heron Conver, the Hadar, the Soprafino and the Vieville (also with the Vandenborre Bacchus, until I realized there wasn’t much point in that because that deck doesn’t have a Pope card). The Heron, Hadar and Soprafino have the Pope depicted with a staff with three crosses. The Vieville has the Pope holding a curved Bisshop’s staff. The Dodal Pape doesn’t resemble any of these, although it does have a curved part.
In spite of my promise not to do any research, I poked around on the internet and in my iconography books anyway, so here’s some interesting tidbits about staffs: the curved staff is the attribute for bishops and abbots, and until the 11th century, popes. Popes didn’t use the curved staff after that, but the staff with three crosses. This is also the attribute of St. Peter. In the 20th century the curved staff made its comeback.
So, do the Vieville and perhaps also the Dodal Pape represent pre-11th century popes? Or are they bishops and not popes at all?

But in order to find that out, I must first find out what kind of staff my Pape is holding. Perhaps I will post a thread about it in the Marseilles section.


The sketch: I finally ran out of my wee cardboards, and the paper cards really weren't working. I used a larger format, despite my reservations about it ( a larger format can make one a bit overambitious, which can kill spontaneity). I think the result is all right, but I will continue to experiment.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tesseljoan/pape.jpg

 

[Jewel]

Week 5

THE HIGH PRIEST:

DESCRIPTION OF THE IMAGE:
A man is standing in the center of the card. In his right hand he holds a wand topped with a crystal. In his left he holds a long wooden staff with a dragon on the top with its long tail twined all around it from top to bottom. Behind him is a large tapestry that depicts a chaos dragon on the right, and a light dragon on the left. Their snouts meet and touch in the middle, their necks arching, forming a heart shaped design. Above the man’s head, and below the dragons’ snouts, is a circle that has a design that is very similar to the shape they form above the High Priest, but then leads to another heart shaped design that has what appears to be two people in it. It has some sort of gold design around the heart that encases the people. The background of the tapestry is red with god dragon designs and some intricate vines. The outside border of the tapestry is blue with more gold dragon designs and Celtic looking designs that flow between the dragon designs. The man wears simple gold pants, a white tunic laced in gold with a gold belt tied at the waist. He wears a flowing light blue cloak with the hood thrown back, and the cloak is trimmed in gold with plant like designs. The cloak is held together with a gold broach with a blue stone in its center.


DESCRIPTION OF EMOTION:
This card shows connectedness between the dragons, and the man eminates power. There is also a loneliness about the man.

NUMBER: The High Priest 5
NOTE: Please note that key words were selected from a list based on their relevance to the image on this particular High Priest card. Five’s: learning opportunities, soul, conflict, strife.

I am studying the High Priest. Five’s are about soul, learning opportunities, and conflict.

MODE/SUIT/ELEMENT:
MODE: Major Arcana – answers “why” the “who” is in the “what”. They are the lesson to be learned in the situation or the archetypal energy being expressed.

SUIT: N/A

ELEMENT: Earth is typically assigned to the Hierophant, however this card is a High Priest. It is hard to discern the appropriate element for this card, but by looking at it I would say there is quite a bit of air (intellect) and fire (passion). Both of these are suggested by the reds, golds, and blues, as well as the facial expression and stance of the High Priest.

MEANINGS:
The CD book focuses his meaning on him being somewhat of a counterpart to the High Priestess and akin to the Magician (which in this deck is a woman). He is a blending of these two, but where the other two have are more in the realm of the astral plane, his realm is manifestation on the physical plane. There is also a focus on his acquired knowledge.

In relation to 78 DW, my primary source for this 78 week study, the Hierophant is described as being “the archetype of inner truth.” One of the interesting things I learned was that the title Hierophant “belonged to the high priest of the Greek Eleusinian mysteries,” so in effect is a High Priest as my card is titled. The symbolism of the Hierophant is described as that of “the outer way” and of “the secret doctrine”. The “outer way” seems to relate, much like the Emperor, to the code of conduct and such, and “the secret doctrine” to the more divine aspects of the priesthood and him as an intermediary between god and man, and one that can interpret gods law so that we may live good lives. The book speaks more to the elements of priesthood, but not in a manner that applies to my specific High Priest card.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Overall I am still not quite sure how to view the Hierophant in the Celtic Dragon. He accesses the divine knowledge and manifests it in the physical plane would be the best suited interpretation based on what I see and what I have read. The divine is here represented in the tapestry, which is of mundane material, and he holds a wand and staff in this deck indicative of the element fire and manifestation.

DIFFERENCES (Between CD & Radiant RWS):
 Title of the card (High Priest vs. Hierophant)
 In the CD the HP stands, the Hierophant sits.
 The CD HP has no acolytes.
 The hand positions and symbols are different.
 The clothing is vastly different, even in color.
 The CD card does not have any keys present.
 The Christian symbolism is missing in the CD, as is expected with its Celtic theme.
 The Hierophant in the Radiant RWS wears a crown.
 The CD HP eminates power, the Hierophant eminates authority. It is different type of power.

SIMILARITIES (Between CD & Radiant RWS):
 Both have a male figure as the central figure.
 The CD has two dragons which could represent the two pillars (mercy & severity) shown in the Radiant RWS.
 The use of colors, red, blue, gold.
 The age of the central figure seems similar.
 The facial expression of the central figure.
 They both have power (though different as indicated in the differences section.)
 They both seem wise.

Overall I can see that the CD High Priest and the Hierophant have some relation to one and other, but they just feel really different to me. It is probably the Christian symbolism in the RWS that throws me off from really connecting them as having a similar message. I find the RWS Hierophant to be more rigid and severe, and the CD HP to be more charismatic. The Hierophant would receive respect and authority through position power, whereas the CD HP would gain it through charisma and wisdom. The cards have a very different feel for me.

 

[jmd]

The teacher of the spiritual has responsibilities towards encouraging discipline and freedom to those who seek, and the seekers to listen with discernment to those who have developed understanding.

 

[coyoteblack]

78 weeks High Priest


Description: The man site on a chair right hand raised in the sign of the horned god he has a full head of red hair and full beard in a very highlander chieftain look to him with his tarter cloak and pants. He has a solid red shirt.
He has a bear claw necklace and on his chest his pendant with 3 swirls on it. he has one foot one a stone and one on the ground.

On his thrown is a headdress with bull horns on top on the arms are to faces and there is Celtic knot work on the back rest. He is also leaning forward on his chair for some reason this seems important.

Really lush back/fore ground by his feet are the Wren ask and or trees leaves on his left if a stone alter with the chalice and sword in the back is 2 stone pillars and on top is a bright sun placed right between his 2 horns. Very powerful looking man, think a young Sean Connery. This is all in high noon reminding me how opposite this is of the high priestess.

Impression: Lots of energy and growth he is the opposite side of the coin from the high priestess. so many things in this card lead back to old stories. He is so young to represent so much.

• wren = king of the birds from the story of how he snuck in the eagles feathers so actually fly over the eagle
• oak from the battle with the holy kin
• Bulls horns from the Ulster cycle with Brown Bull of Cooley
And lots of tradition
• ash touches 3 worlds
• oak is a very powerful tree
• the plaid is very Celtic
• chalice and sword are symbols of male and female also main tools of Wicca

Mode , Number , and element
Mode he asks you what would you like to know and where do you want to learn it.

He is the element of fire as shown by the sun
It is that creative fire that contains all the tradition and the sense of community that makes up the institutions you learn it from

He is the number 5, 5’s are the first challenges in the minors but in there way they are also teachers every problem is giving a solution right in the card. It is the same in this card if we have questions they are answers we just have to meet the challenges and work at it



Talking with the card: I asked him what the faces where on his chair he said : the faces of his fathers”. I tried asking what each and every detail meant and he said “don’t get caught up in what each one means it is about all of the images and symbols together meaning learning and tradition.”




Putting it all together
This card reminds me of a bob Marley song where he said “ if you know where I am from then you would not have to ask who the heck you think I am”
This card is also about teachers, learning institution, traditions.


good
An awesome teacher or at least a learning experience. Reminded of our traditions.

bad sometimes a tradition gets out dated and does not serve its purpose any more also bureaucracy , red tape people hiding behind outdated modalities long after they server any good



Indifferent
Any school, book, learning and learning institution that we just have to go through to get from point A to point B.. Just learning in general, our traditions that we follow.

ps I have a feeling i will be revisiting this post a lot to edit more information about this card.

 

[nicky]

RWS Hierophant

05 Hierophant
Magus of the Eternal Gods
Taurus
Vau
Earth
Path 16: 2 Chokmah to 4 Chesed - The Wisdom of Mercy

The Hierophant is seated on a throne above two tonsured monks. The figure holds up a hand in benediction. The card represents ones spiritual path here on earth, as opposed to the High Priestess, who was spiritual in a higher plane. The pillars are those from the High Priestess card, who acts as female counterpart to the male Hierophant. His placement is number 5, a number of expansion. The fives lead to advancement (sometimes with conflict). Spiritual knowledge is the next move the Fool needs to make as he moves from theoretical to real lessons. As the Emperor provided authority in the real world, The Hierophant is a teacher mentor guide to your spiritual growth brought into this plane. He also teaches getting along with others, joining a team, group, club, society etc. He is involved with group dynamics.

In a reading: The Hierophant is the power of religion, morals, getting along in society. He symbolizes acting morally. When this card appears, it can be a time of searching for knowledge, both spiritual and other. This can indicate a need to work with others for higher causes. This may be time of learning with experts (or teachers). Fitting in. Being committed to a cause. Joining a group or team. Conforming. Tradition. Education, Belief Systems, Inner moral code, Values, Ethics,

Reversed: Blindly following someone, others. Being inflexible. Lacking discipline.
Appearing rebellious. Threatening the status quo. Lack of faith. Intolerance. Isolation.
Loner. Leaving a group.

 

[victoria.star]

Tradition

I love that Lorena Babcock Moore titled this card Tradition.
Seems to cut right to the chase. Makes it more accessible to me, somehow...
I thought I would use Tarot for Writers, by Corrine Kenner, and the Ironwing Book and, of course, the card itself, for this study.

I plan on entering a bit tonight and then editing this post as I study Tradition further.

Tonight 1-5-2010
With inspiration from Kenner's book and Moore's book, I am going to write a short story based on the Ironwing Tradition image.

I stand at doorway of Tradition. Many paths have been laid before me. Many others have stood where I now stand.
Tradition is a teacher. What can I learn by applying Tradition to my path? I can learn what others have learned. I can carry on the knowledge and share it. I can become part of something much larger, much older, much something--something--what? Much more than myself?
It is this rigidity that stalls me. I respect and honor Tradition. Especially the Tradition represented here, so kind and welcoming...so different than the traditions of the patriarchy. The stars shine here and I feel welcome...welcome to either enter and become, wait awhile and be, or wander away for a bit.
Something has led me here, though and I honor the knowledge being offered.
I can try it out...I can taste it and feel it and learn it and grow with it...I can see how it fits.

I love the Ironwing Tradition card. It is so comforting. I love the way Lorena describes it in her book. In her description, Lorena says of the figure on the card, "She honors the House of Tradition but makes her own path if she does not find respect for her Self there. It is not which path she takes that is so important, but that she find one and know that it is right for her."

Actually, my first experience with the Ironwing was when Wendywu gave me a reading with it...and I do believe Tradition showed up! Instantly it resonated with me, I felt like I was the woman at the doorway and i received great comfort. It was probably this card that drew me into the Ironwing...

Fitting I should begin the 78 Weeks with Tradition, then.

 

[hunter]

Zerner-Farber

The people at the Heirophant's feet are a couple.

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu219/hunter734/Zerner-Farber/scan0004.jpg

In the Enchanted/Zerner-Farber there is this quote, " The necessary rituals of a successful family life and the society it spawns are the basis of all religions". and this one, "Rules and traditions are based on the sincere desire of our predecessors to preserve what was useful in their time."

I tend to struggle with this card, as the religion I was born and married into, led me to believe it was my destiny to be abused, and that any sense of self was evil.

I really love "Tarot Affirmations" by James Ricklef has to say about this card. He focuses on "uncover that part of yourself which is inherently divine" and "the guidance from your conscience that helps you find answers to moral or ethical dilemmas as in the dictum 'let your conscience be your guide'" and "having faith in something greater than ourselves". He gives great affirmations to illustrate communing with divine rather than focusing on tradition.

 

[yirabeth]

The Gilded Tarot, by Ciro Marchetti

Card name - The Hierophant

Card Image - Here

My impressions -The Hierophant is an example of a high-ranking catholic churchmember in this card. His gown is gold and orange, which suggests riches, and purple trimmed which suggests royalty. His white undertunic suggest purity of spirit. The man is older, with gray hair and beard, suggesting wisdom of time. He is strolling, somewhat casually I think, lost in thought. He's either counting on his left hand, or perhaps reciting points in his mind about a lesson he has to give, or a speech. He holds an ornate staff in his right hand, this is perhaps indicative of power and position, but the ornate means it's more ornamental than practical. He answers to a higher power. (In this case his god)

I believe he is floating, because the window behind him extends lower than him, as if so lost in thought he's forgotten to walk on the earth. Like power raises him up. Behind him the stained glass window indicates a religious setting. Most of the window is varying shades of blue, indicating spirituality, but the red frame indicates passion. This passion is restrained by the black borders of the glasswork, though. Behind the window, in the distance, is a planet and a starry sky, as if his power is over all the universe, all the planets. There are two shadowy...guide posts? maybe? behind the window also, perhaps as if a gate to spirituality.

What the CREATOR says - The book says this card is an apt symbol of humankind's greatest achievements of understanding the physical and spiritual worlds.

Traditional meanings(Thirteen's ebook) - The hierophant can represent a teacher that means a lot to you, or a family member that always has good advice, etc. On the negative side, it CAN indicate rigidity, narrow mindedness, old fashioned unforgiving stance.

Keyword Meanings(J.Bunning's ebook) - getting an education, having a belief system, conforming, identifying with a group.

Further Thoughts - I am truly having a hard time with this card, it brings so many negative impressions to mind. I believe I've only once pulled this card in a reading - and it was in a spot with negative meaning. Somehow, I need to learn a positive view of this card. I think I would not dislike it so much if it weren't so obviously a Christian symbol. (And not one of their gentler ones)

 

[The Guided Hermit]

VIA Tarot

Card name—The Hierophant

First impressions—This is one bad ass Hierophant! He stands, nude, at the apex of a glowing red triangle, his head covered with a pharaoh’s helm, complete with cobra. His head is turned slightly to his right, forcing his gaze upon you with his left eye. His hands are placed covering his heart. From here, he presses down on a very long sword that is driven through the apex of the pyramid on which he stands; the blade extends way below, dissecting the centerline of the card. The hilt of the sword is in the shapes of two opposing crescent moons that rest back to back. Two gold colored balls connect the moons.

The blade, piercing the earth below, rests in the closed praying hands of a nude man who has risen at the base of the pyramid. The blade reaches his genitalia, covering all except a portion of his testicles. Flames rise around the young man as he looks, ever so subtly, upwards.

This young man is not alone—two cadaverous corpses watch the young man as he stands in prayer. The faces and body language of these corpses reflect fear and doubt. They, in turn, sit above two prone skeletons.

The Hierophant is flanked by 12 acolytes who stand beneath him on the broadening sides of the pyramid. The six who stand at the Hierophant’s right are attired in black hooded robes; those at the Hierophant’s left are in white. The Hierophant is buffered from his followers by what appears to be the swollen petals of a pink lotus.

The acolytes’ faces convey numerous expressions. Many are dour while some are cynical and smirking. Small yellow orbs hang above the heads of the Hierophant and his followers. The light merges into the darker colors above them, gradually dissipating into dark blue at the top of the card.

What the CREATOR says—Strength coupled with mercy, endurance and controlled expression of spiritual powers; a teacher. If ill favored, may suggest stubbornness and inflexibility.


Traditional Keyword Meanings (Bunning)—Education, Belief Systems, Conformity, Group Identification.


Images and Symbolism—
• The Hierophant wears the red nemyss and Uraeus serpent crown worn by the priests kings of Egypt.
• The Hierophant’s sword is that of the Egyptian mage Abramelin and carries with it the association of The Book of Abramelim. Covering many complex facets, the book outlines the performance of elaborate rituals whose purpose is to obtain the "knowledge and conversation" of the magician's guardian angels." The use of the word Magician implies a mystical spirituality is found in this Hierophant.
• The Hierophant is flanked by both the Daughter of the Daughters of Light (in white) and the Daughters of the Light (in Black).
• The depiction of death and resurrection contained within the fiery lower triangle is reminiscent of the raising of the Priest in the Gnostic Mass from “a man among men” to one who is “worthy to administer the virtues”. This is an example of an initiation where a candidate is symbolically killed in order to rise again, this time, perfected.

What it means to me—This is some serious stuff! I see this Hierophant as a person of substantial ego and attitude. He is a Threshold Guardian; he will only give what he deems appropriate and it will only be on his terms. He is reluctant to provide a lesson and when he does, it is delivered in such an obscure and obtuse manner that one is likely to miscomprehend the lesson. The only way to learn from this fellow is to die and even then, he may not let you pass!

In addition, the side figures are also minor guardians, adding even more layers of mystery to the context of the lesson. From this card, I get a strong sense of—Power, authority, secrets, mystery, mental and spiritual locks and controls, arrogance and unwillingness in this card.

Instead, I want to go above him in my thinking. I want Truth, not ego. I want the light upon my conscience to come from within, not from a strong and dominating presence that appears incapable of being both teacher and student. He takes the self out of spirit.

This Hierophant makes me wince. I do not sense any mercy in this Hierophant. I feel a strong reversed vibe from this card.

 

[Twoflower]

Rider-Waite
The Hierophant
http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af229/twoflwr/RWS deck/rws_ar05.jpg

My Impressions:
Images and Symbolism:
My initial reaction to this card is that whatever it sets out to represent it has done so using the popular (rather than esoteric, more on that later) symbolism of the time: a Papal figure may have automatically said "compassion and mercy" when Waite set about creating the deck (see LWB content below), but to me, and maybe to many others nowadays it is far more an image of hierarchy (haha - I think the etymology of that word just wriggled free of my subconscious ;-) ) of staid, old-fashioned, inflexible aspects of organised religion. So with this deck that is always going to be an element for me, but I recognise that more is intended, so lets look closer.

The next thing that shouts at me is the presence of the followers/accolytes/students: the Hierophant is defined by their presence. Without them he is the one hand trying to clap, because his role is to be the vehicle through which the the divine is communicate to people. there was another Hierophant image from another deck I saw and commented on recently (if I re-find it I will link it here) where the figure was a kindly looking old scholar, a Sufi-like figure, with 2 children actively listening and taking notes as he taught in a much less formal setting - that was the first time I understood the interpretations of wisdom and advice and I now mentally overlay this image to help me.

So from among this I draw out the representation of the structure of authority (rather than the Emperor who was the head of that authority as an individual) The structure needs someone at the top and someone at the bottom in order for it to mean anything and for it to achieve anything - so here we acknowledge the important 2 aspects, perhaps represented by the crossed keys?

Upright: A spiritual authority figure (as opposed to the Emporer's "authority authority" figure), sound advice, wisdom, the connection to the divine.

Reversed: Trapped in tradition, stubborn, immune to good advice.

My take (what I make of it/what I might see in a reading where I drew it): A representation of a trusted advisor, a connection to higher things. (I'll admit I'm struggling with this one just yet

From the LWB:

Upright: Marriage alliance, captivity, servitude, mercy and goodness, inspiration, the man to whom the Querent has recourse.


Reversed: Society, good understanding, concord, over-kindness, weakness.

From The Pictoral Key To the Tarot by A.E. Waite:

"He is the ruling power of external religion, as the High Priestess is the prevailing genius of the esoteric, withdrawn power. The proper meanings of this card have suffered woeful admixture from nearly all hands. Grand Orient says truly that the Hierophant is the power of the keys, exoteric orthodox doctrine, and the outer side of the life which leads to the doctrine; but he is certainly not the prince of occult doctrine, as another commentator has suggested."
"He is the order and the head of the recognized hierarchy, which is the reflection of another and greater hierarchic order; but it may so happen that the pontiff forgets the significance of this his symbolic state and acts as if he contained within his proper measures all that his sign signifies or his symbol seeks to shew forth. He is not, as it has been thought, philosophy-except on the theological side; he is not inspiration; and he is not religion, although he is a mode of its expression."