Newsgroups: alt.divination
From: lavender@linex (Jennierose Lavender)
Subject: Re: The Hierophant
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 1994 22:13:06 GMT

[...]
	The Hierophant is society's mores, morality, i.e., religion,
	ethics, social rules, and the like.  He can represent one 
	who enforces or teaches these things, a priest, another 
        religious leader, maybe the Pope or a rabbi, etc.  In a 
        reading, depending on where this card falls, it can 
        represent those things in the querent's life that rule q's 
        life, the people represented by that card, or the q, if 
        rules and morality are part of q's life and part of the 
        question.  
		In a reading (to try to clarify the muddy
	explanation above) I might say that there are certain
	rules or ethics that q might consider regarding this
	question or reading.  I might suggest that q turn to an
	individual who could be represented by this card for
	further clarification of this question (if appropriate).
		After reading what I've written, my first reaction
	was to erase it and not respond.  This is not my favorite
	card, by any means, and one I have long had difficulty
	reading.  Instead of escaping and avoiding dealing with
	it, I decided to continue on.  Perhaps my muddiness will
	lead someone who has a finer understanding of this card
	to elaborate and clear up this feeble attempt on my part.

Love and hugs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Jennierose     *{{8^D
===  

From: kelly@poverty.bloomington.in.us (Kelly Martin)
Date: 31 Jul 1994 20:02:56 -0500

[Quoting the above article.]

i've never dealt very well with the hierophant either.  i'm starting
to gain an appreciation for it as a spiritual leader, in the same way
that the emperor is a material leader.  it can also represent
tradition, a respect for ancestors, ethics, or belief system(s).

part of the problem, i think, is that the hierophant has become
associated with the pope, and many people have a bias against the pope
as a symbol of christianity.

k.
===

From: bgrady@fraser.sfu.ca (Brian Grady)
Date: 3 Aug 94 15:17:56 GMT

Hi. On the Hierophant:

[Quoting the above article.]
 
Yes, when I come across some of these figures who are now sometimes
associated with oppression or patriarchy, I feel uncomfortable.
Interpretations of such cards in Motherpeace, for example, are pretty
negative.  However, what I've been doing lately is to recall or
imagine what such figures might have meant to people in years past.
Or to people today who find them meaningful & respect them.
 
Thought of this way, the Pope (Hierophant) might be a spritual guide,
a connection between the individual and the divine, a source of good
and loving wisdom (able, for example, to make infallible
pronouncements on issues!) and so on.  Those of us who aren't devout
Catholics can no doubt think of persons or institutions that _do_ have
meaning to us - there are people whose authority we may respect, who
seem to bring us closer to what really is.  Or parts of ourselves that
have caring wisdom and give us good advice when consulted.
 
So the pope (small "p") could be not the Pope of the Catholic
tradition, but the pope (with good qualities) we might _wish for_ in
our lives and institutions.  If you want to keep a referent to
oppressive authority and tradition, you could always use that in the
reversed position.
 
For what it's worth (I'm still rather new at this stuff)
Brian.