How Tarot has become my teacher and spiritual mentor

I am lucky I’m a tarot reader and therefore daily immersed in the Tarot. The insight, wisdom and guidance it offers never fails to amaze.

If there was one card I had to choose to represent the divination qualities of the Tarot it would be the Heirophant. Although the Hermit is my favourite card because of its message to ‘follow the path that is right for you’, the Hierophant is the conduit of traditional values and sacred knowledge.

The Hierophant always speaks to me first, of our relationship to Moral Purpose and Spiritual Connection.  For years I started my daily meditation with an invocation and intention to connect to something greater than myself (in order to be in/of service to ‘my purpose’, to love, joy, the universe, humanity…..you get the drift). In my mind the act of intention creates a transmission between ourselves and some kind of spiritual truth and that out there is a library of holy intelligence that stores everything that has ever happened and distils it for us to somehow receive a transmission (for want of many words to describe the unnameable)

In my mind the Hierophant is about the marriage between the self and something greater than ourselves, and speaks of being in partnership and a co-creation between our earthly selves and the ‘Divine’ which in turns fuels our sense of purpose.

It is also known as the Marriage card representing the partnership of Holy matrimony, when two people pledge their troth to each other ‘till death do us part’ under the auspice of religious convention and doctrine.

The Hierophant also represents the medical profession, its partnership with the morality of the hypocritical oath to do no harm combined with well established methods of diagnosis and treatment, and orthodox methods of healing.

Illustrated on the card, the Pope or Spiritual leader (representing our representative, a conduit of sacred knowledge) blesses two acolytes.   Their robes suggest different lineages, the rose for the Tudors, the lillies the Lancasters or perhaps the French emblem fleur de lis reminding us that this knowledge is transmitted from our ancestors and their lineage. 

We have to thank Pamela Coleman Smith for her extraordinary storytellng illustration of the Rider Waite tarot deck that reveal the meaning in the cards.

This is the second time I have received this card on the same issue and I persist in meeting the card initially with all its traditional values missing an essential key. This is shown to us by the crossed keys at the feet of the pope-like figure that dominates this card.  The keys are at his feet, suggesting that any mortal may pick up the keys and unlock this sacred knowledge. 

The triple crown of the Hierophant indicates connection with mind body spirit, faith hope charity, inner outer and superconsciousness.

The symbolism is in the long lappets from the headdress hanging behind the Heirophant’s ears. They point to his super power of listening.    Inner listening.

The Hierophant reminds us of an inner voice that speaks when we are quiet, of an inner knowing. We have the keys to unlock the knowledge within us. There is a transmission when we listen.

We are teachers and mentors ourselves and able to access and impart wisdom by listening to our inner voice. We are the conduits of our ancestors and lineage.

Do come and have a tarot reading with me online or come to battersea for an in person reading. Both connect to the divining power of Tarot.