Seeing This Sign Can Mean You're Approaching A New Spiritual Path

The Hierophant—depicted as a robed figure on a throne in traditional tarot decks—represents authority and tradition, usually of a spiritual or religious nature, explains author of The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot, Skye Alexander.

Sometimes referred to as "the Pope" in particular decks, the Hierophant can indicate you're "following an organized belief system and its structure, abiding by the rules, and that doing so gives you a sense of security," she tells mbg.

Of course, this will depend on the card's position within your spread and the context of the reading, she notes, but The Hierophant almost always relates to traditional structures of some kind. To that end, pulling the Hierophant can actually sometimes mean you want or need to break free from those structures.

As Alexander explains, you may "seek to break away from those limitations to follow your own spiritual path." And in some cases, she adds, this card can signify an actual person, namely "someone who is a leader of a spiritual group—and that leader may be you, whether or not you realize it yet."

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If you pull this card in reverse in a reading about love or relationships, Alexander tells mbg you may be questioning structures or traditional beliefs of some kind that no longer serve you, your needs, or your spiritual journey.

Or it may be that "your relationship feels too limiting and you are re-evaluating your role in it," Alexander explains, adding, "One person in the relationship may be expanding beyond the conventional roles and that might feel unsettling or threatening to the other partner."

If you asked the cards about your career or finances and pulled the Hierophant upright, you may have a traditional approach (and values) when it comes to your career path or your money.

As Alexander explains, this card here can mean you're likely to choose jobs that offer security, status, and money—and will garner conventional respect or authority. You may also be "accepting and respecting hierarchies, and playing by the rules in order to achieve your goals," she adds.

Whether pulled upright or in reverse, according to Alexander, the Hierophant can often appear in a reading when the querent is questioning things like traditions, beliefs, religion, ideas, systems, structures, and so forth. Particularly, these may be structures you grew up with and, up until now, had accepted.

So if you asked about a challenge you're currently going through, or may be approaching, it could have to do with resistance to those structures and how to best forge your own path.

As Alexander explains, "If the person feels uncomfortable with the path they've been on, this card can indicate it's time to delve deeper to discover their core truths and what really matters," adding, "Perhaps a life change, challenge, or crisis has caused you to question the ideas and lifestyle you've relied on and accepted in the past."

She also notes that the Hierophant can show up to encourage you to reassess what you've taken for granted in the past, "and decide if your old ways of thinking and acting are still relevant to where you want to be in the future."

As such, she says, "Often this involves serious self-examination, and balancing your spiritual and material considerations."

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