Of all the cards in the Major Arcana, this card might be the one I have the most viscerally negative reaction to. The Hierophant is often associated with formal, institutional structure, such as formalized religion. Some decks even refer to this figure as “The Pope” or the “The High Priest.” I have a tendency to react very negatively to formalized structures of any kind; something inside of me tends to resist these ‘institutions’ and their long practiced traditional values. So what is this feeling? What is this negativity toward tradition? Perhaps because I was raised for many of my early years in a formalized, institutional religious structure and witnessed first hand now these institutions can harm folks; perhaps this is why I tend to push back against these types of formalized institutions. I am a subverter; not a rule breaker, but someone who wants to challenge and rethink and ‘reinvent the wheel.’ I feel like many voices in my life often tell me to ‘stop trying to reinvent the wheel’; I think those who feel comfortable in traditional, formalized structures often feel very undermined and challenged by anyone who wants to ‘reinvent the wheel’. And so I keep trying to reinvent it.
When I encounter challenging personalities in my life, they are often in the form of people who I see as far too reliant on formalized structure, tradition and ‘the way things have always been done.’ This is another saying that really rubs me the wrong way; the idea that things have been done successfully in a certain way before and, therefore, we should never try a new way because this one way has proven successful in the past. I supposed there is some merit to this thinking, but for me, there is always another way; perhaps not a better way necessarily, but another way. A just as valid way. You can get to the same destination by many paths. The Hierophant wants us to walk one path; the path that this figure deems to be the best or most correct path. The card depicts two supplicants at the feet of The Hierophant, waiting for holy knowledge and guidance from this eminent figure. Bullshit. Find your own way, supplicants! I am a teacher; that is my job and I have always loved it. I truly believe in the ‘guide on the side not sage on the stage’ mentality when it comes to teaching; I am not there to impart some sacred knowledge or holy wisdom onto my lowly students; we are on the journey together, to share knowledge and make knowledge and try things and see what works and what doesn’t and fail all the time and reinvent the wheel and so much more. So, I have a very strong reaction to The Hierophant. I think this reaction needs more attention as we continue the journey so I hope to return to The Hierophant again at some point.
Who are the ‘sages on the stages’ in our lives? Sometimes these folks can offer us something we need; structure, guidance, wisdom; but we must also look inward for these things as well. To rely solely on The Hierophant, to believe everything he says and follow him without question; is a path that leads to darkness. And I will always hold the light; that tiny, flickering flame. I will always hold it no matter how dark the miasma gets, no matter how many Hierophants tell me I’m wrong and I’m worthless and I need to stop reinventing the wheel; no matter how many times I am told to kneel down and let the holy knowledge be bestowed on me; I will hold that light. Because that light is the sacred knowledge; you already have it. No one needs to give it to you or bestow it upon you or grant you access to it or anything else. You are your own Hierophant; so listen to your heart and always hold the light.