minrice
I really love this interpretation of the Hierophant.
He doesn't look as though he can just be a western, christian priest which in some of my decks he certainly is. Here he looks as though he could be a wise man, teacher, master, mystic from any persuasion.
To me the look on his face is calm and serene rather than harsh and stern! He looks very zen to me.
I have two thoughts ont he white orb behind him. First it speaks to me of the moon, that this man is in tune with the spirituality and mysteries of the High Priestess. Second, it is a spotlight illuminating the Hierophant as though we have just walked in on a ceremony and are about to recieve some teachings! I also thought that the spotlight could indicate a performance or theatre of some kind. Which to me makes sense as Catholic & Episcopal (former Episcopalian here) masses are very theatrical with beautiful music and robes, etc.
Sometimes I think the Hierophant and the Hermit are very close in meaning and it isn't always easy to distinguish the two. But here I think the essence of the two is very easy to tell apart when you look at the garments of this man. The Hierophants clothing is another element that I love here, he seems very sparkly to me. Here the Hierophant has donned elaborate robes for a reason, whereas the Hermit goes out into the world in naught but his rags. Perhaps the Hierophant is dressed for his role as teacher and presenter, the public face he wears.
Taurus rules the Hierophant so I assume that accounts for the bull inside the headress. Although it seems to me that the bull is more significant for the Hierophant than just that because the Bull is often very present in this card.
As for the two triangles facing opposite directions, this is another Golden Dawn reference. These triangles are present in the Hierophant card in my Hermetic Tarot. I don't know what it is supposed to mean, to my mind I think "as above so below" but again its probably more meaningful than that? Outside of the trinity of things and the triangle as a spiritual symbol...
He doesn't look as though he can just be a western, christian priest which in some of my decks he certainly is. Here he looks as though he could be a wise man, teacher, master, mystic from any persuasion.
To me the look on his face is calm and serene rather than harsh and stern! He looks very zen to me.
I have two thoughts ont he white orb behind him. First it speaks to me of the moon, that this man is in tune with the spirituality and mysteries of the High Priestess. Second, it is a spotlight illuminating the Hierophant as though we have just walked in on a ceremony and are about to recieve some teachings! I also thought that the spotlight could indicate a performance or theatre of some kind. Which to me makes sense as Catholic & Episcopal (former Episcopalian here) masses are very theatrical with beautiful music and robes, etc.
Sometimes I think the Hierophant and the Hermit are very close in meaning and it isn't always easy to distinguish the two. But here I think the essence of the two is very easy to tell apart when you look at the garments of this man. The Hierophants clothing is another element that I love here, he seems very sparkly to me. Here the Hierophant has donned elaborate robes for a reason, whereas the Hermit goes out into the world in naught but his rags. Perhaps the Hierophant is dressed for his role as teacher and presenter, the public face he wears.
Taurus rules the Hierophant so I assume that accounts for the bull inside the headress. Although it seems to me that the bull is more significant for the Hierophant than just that because the Bull is often very present in this card.
As for the two triangles facing opposite directions, this is another Golden Dawn reference. These triangles are present in the Hierophant card in my Hermetic Tarot. I don't know what it is supposed to mean, to my mind I think "as above so below" but again its probably more meaningful than that? Outside of the trinity of things and the triangle as a spiritual symbol...
