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