The Hierophant

The Hierophant signifies conformity and social acceptance. He stands for the present order of things, of conforming to fit within the establishment. He is the status quo, the as-is. His presence can indicate an institutionalised setting. His essence is the need to be part of society, be like everyone else, to fit in and be a small cog in a big machine.

Yet as with all the cards there is a duality to the Hierophant. He speaks to us of unconventionality, unorthodoxy, and the importance of creation and invention in our evolution. He can indicate a pursuit of knowledge, or seeking a deeper meaning to life. He teaches us not to judge a person by their outward appearances as we are not just a body but the consciousness inside it, and reminds us that status, power, and wealth do not define a man’s place in the universe. He tells us that the meek shall inherit the earth, for humility and selfless service are worth more than all of the material riches of this world.

The conflict in this card is between what is and what can be. To fit in one must fit their square peg into the round hole of the machine, a machine that was designed to suppress rather than evolve the spirit inside of us all.

You are at a crossroads. On the one hand you have the relative safety and security of what you know, the shared narrative you have with the rest of the world. On the other hand, that insatiable thirst inside you for something else, something to fill the void that resides inside you. Our purpose in life can not be to just work, pay bills, and die. The answers you are seeking lie within you, you simply need to unlock them. Your evolution lies outside of the machine, not within it.

It is time for you to choose.