What Does The Hierophant Tarot Card Mean?

Moorish scholars from 800-1450 A.D. are attributed with laying the foundations of medical, astronomical, mathematical, agricultural, and chemical sciences–to name a few. This profound knowledge and mastery accompany their strong spiritual faith in Islam.

The Hierophant tarot card is the embodiment of wisdom and discipline. We’ve come to a turning point in The Fool’s Journey, where we start applying what we’ve learned through our trials and tribulations.

Keep reading to learn how The Hierophant can help you tap into your subconscious and identify patterns you may have never noticed in your life.

Pictured: The Hierophant art from Dust 2 Onyx Tarot Deck

The Hierophant Tarot Interpretation

The Hierophant card is often seen as a representation of a spiritual leader or teacher, and is often drawn in association with a church or other spiritual practices. This is an entity that commands exploration, collection of wisdom, and spiritual maturity before taking action. 

This may signify that you are either ready to make a big decision or that it is time to reflect on whether you need to prepare more. The Hierophant is also seen as a mentor or guardian that provides guidance in your spiritual journey. You can learn a lot from this tarot card and it is often the best one to see paired with other cards that represent areas in your life that need attention.

You can take on the role of the teacher as The Hierophant. All of us have the potential to become leaders in our own ways. Mastery comes from experience and humility, not just from doing things with perfection. 

So, how do we apply this wisdom to each aspect of our lives?

Career and Financial Guidance

Any questions revolving around your relationship with business or money will produce The Hierophant if a transition is on the horizon. This card calls for careful navigation toward investment opportunities. Trusting your gut is important, as your skills and experience need to do the walking and talking.

Don’t focus so much on appearance or charming others with your presentation. A good example of this is resume-building. If you over-simplify your work history and experience for the sake of brevity, you could unintentionally lose your story among the thousands of other applicants.

The Hierophant teaches us patience and moderation in finance, as well. Spend wisely and think more about long-term goals. Learning something as fundamental as the Snowball Method to pay off debts over time is a good example of choosing long-term strategies over quick fixes. 

The Hierophant in Love and Relationships

The Hierophant is a card of total devotion; this is a symbol of serious romantic relationships. If you’re currently in a relationship, this is a great card to pull, confirming you’re exactly where you need to be right now in your relationship.

The Hierophant is also a card of growth and initiation, so it can be a good card to draw when you're starting a new chapter in your life. It might be time that you set aside fleeting companions and start searching for someone with a bit more discernment. You may even already have someone close to you that fits your profile as a life partner, but the timing wasn’t right until now.

If you see The Hierophant while you’re actively in the dating pool, use this as a reminder to place emphasis on ancestral and spiritual background. If you find that someone’s past is too shrouded or guarded at all entrances, you should use your better judgment to look elsewhere. 

This isn’t to say that you need to move in a cold and calculative way. It is about listening to your instincts and being honest with those you meet and interact with. Those who belong in your life will respect you more for your honesty and integrity, which are both pillars of the wise.

Physical and Spiritual Health

Do you find yourself searching tirelessly on Google trying to self-diagnose an illness that you can’t quite describe? It’s important to practice caution when trying to define symptoms within the context of modern medicine. Think of The Hierophant as a village elder, who defers spiritual and physical health advice to the shaman.

Knowing the limits of one’s own understanding is a great example of what wisdom means. You don’t have all the answers and, unless you have a doctorate or holistic license, you should not force a conclusion based on what you read or hear through second-hand advice. Remember, our bodies all react and move differently, so it is important to stay objective when discussing health symptoms and solutions.

This same concept applies to spiritual health. Avoid confirming your own biases by only seeking out answers that you want to hear. A tarot reading interpretation should ideally be performed by someone who is not personally connected with the person being read.

What Does The Hierophant Reversed Mean?

After learning how The Hierophant can play a role in our lives, we must prepare for the harsh truths it may reveal in a tarot card spread. If you come upon The Hierophant in reverse, it is telling you that these lessons need to be expressed and shared with the public. You are the source of this wisdom, so it is time to express it.

For introverted folks or those who struggle with self-confidence, this encouragement to own your truth and share it with others can seem overwhelming. Resist the imposter syndrome and realize you don’t need the approval of others to become a leader. If you see this card while asking questions about relationships, it’s time to speak up and let your needs and desires be heard.

The Hierophant Reversed also deals with challenging the status quo in life. Many young voices in the areas of business, politics, and academia will come across this card at some point in their lives. It is a natural progression of the student becoming the teacher, despite how much resistance you may encounter along the way.

Yes or No / One Card Tarot Pull

The rule to avoid confirming one’s own biases holds true while asking a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ question and getting The Hierophant. It is neither confirmation nor dismissal. This card defers to seeking the answer from an elder or professional for answers. 

This answer requires careful consideration of who you choose to give you guidance.

The Hierophant Pairings and Combinations

The Hierophant is a card of initiation and beginnings and is often seen in close conjunction with the tarot card The World. The theme you’ll encounter with many of these Hierophant combinations is learning lessons from its partner tarot card. These are just a few examples.

The Hierophant and Death

All things must come to an end, eventually. Good or bad, The Hierophant is there to remind you when it is time to let go of something or somebody. Do not fear these ends, as it doesn’t always mean you will never encounter this person, place, or thing ever again. 

Timing plays a huge role in our growth and opportunities in life. The Death card alongside The Hierophant signifies that it is time to detach to avoid grief or emotional dependency to something you love. If you cling, trap, or linger too long, it may cause irreparable damage in the future. 

In terms of relationships, an unnatural end usually follows after a period of resentment, loss of love, and distrust among each other. 

Remember, after death there is life, and the cycle continues in perpetuity. Move with the natural order of the universe and you will be rewarded.

The Hierophant and The Hanged Man

This tarot card pairing will show up whenever there are questions of personal conflict, societal pressures, or a sacrifice needed for life balance. The Hanged Man warns against bottling up emotions, which can lead to mental health issues. This is the time to express your needs and wants verbally with someone you can trust.

Wisdom is more than just problem-solving based on your own knowledge. It’s gathering advice and perspective from around you and then applying it to your own situation. This is why professional counsel and therapy are so valuable.

During this time, it is important to stay grounded and avoid forcing the answer or conclusion. Don’t take any shortcuts; the Hanged Man must remain patient and empathetic to their position. This also applies to partners in romantic and professional interests. 

This tarot card pull is one of strength and determination, so trust that you are on the right path. 

The Hierophant and Judgment

These two tarot cards reinforce the importance of listening and learning from all advice given. That doesn’t mean all advice is correct. However, it means using critical thinking skills to determine the truth. This pairing is usually witnessed when the question deals with financial, legal, and spiritual matters.

You will not see The Hierophant and Judgment regarding trivial matters; they get involved in major events that you must pay close attention to. 

Sometimes, these two tarot cards can provide additional context to past events, as well. This calls for a time of recounting and dissecting matters beyond the surface in order to move on and heal from past trauma.

Finally, you will often pull these two cards from the deck whenever there are forthcoming or potential legal matters in your life. Consider this a heads-up to invest your time in learning about your legal rights. Educating yourself today can allow you to avoid unexpected fines, tickets, penalties, or lawsuits.

The Hierophant Relationship With Taurus♉

Staying grounded and leading through experience is what resonates most with both tarot cards ruled by Venus (The Hierophant and The Empress). Taurus signs will find a lot in common with this spiritual advisor energy. The motherly and protective energy surrounding The Hierophant is especially prominent in communal and cultural settings.

Taurus signs should take note of The Hierophant card’s influences and complimentary wisdom to other members of the astrological community. You have been given the gift of providing stability to others, who may burn hotter, make more noise, or run faster than you. Everyone benefits from the input of the grounded voice of the wise Hierophant.