The Hierophant card represents rules and traditions. Some tarot decks call this card the High Priest, and it’s seen as the counterpart to the High Priestess card. While people often see The Hierophant card as religious, it doesn’t have to be. When you pull the upright Hierophant card, it encourages you to follow rules and traditions instead of thinking outside of the box. It can also stand for institutions, ceremonies, and rituals.
When it’s reversed, The Hierophant card may indicate you feel like you’re being smothered by society’s rules, values, and conventions. Traditions and order can make us feel safe, but they can also potentially limit our creativity and self-expression. The reversed Hierophant card will show you where your creativity and innovation are being ignored.
The reversed Hierophant card can get you to think about the rules and restrictions in your life and consider if they’re best for you. This reversed card can be fun, and can help you question the status quo. Whether you’re thinking about your love life, career, or personal development, it asks you to consider how you can express your creativity.
The reversed Hierophant can also help you tap into your inner voice and see if it’s being stifled. Don’t be afraid to question tradition and convention when you see this reversed card. It can help you understand your deepest desires, even if they’re unconventional.
Reading this reversed card using the “blocked/restricted” meaning
Okay, let’s talk about the different ways you can read the reversed Hierophant card. First, you can use the “blocked/restricted” card meaning. When you read reversed cards this way, you’re looking for an obstacle blocking the upright meaning of the card. For The Hierophant, this means something is blocking tradition and convention, or something is keeping you from enjoying the traditions in your life.
Perhaps you get the reversed Hierophant card when considering your family and upcoming holiday celebrations. Maybe you grew up in a family that had a lot of fun and enjoyable traditions around how they celebrated the season, but your partner grew up in an environment that didn’t celebrate and isn’t that interested in it. Do you feel like your partner’s lack of enthusiasm is preventing you from observing and enjoying those traditions now?
The reversed Hierophant can help you explore your feelings about the conflict between your desire to follow traditions and your partner’s lack of interest. It could be time to talk about if there are ways to adjust the traditions to include things that are meaningful for your partner as well, or possibly see if you have friends or other family that would be willing to celebrate with you instead.
Reading this reversed card using the “opposite” meaning
You can also read your tarot cards using the “opposite” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you look at the opposite of the upright meaning of the card. For The Hierophant, this means unconventional or even taboo thoughts and actions. When you see this card reversed, you’ll feel inspired to unleash your inner desires and true self, even if that goes against the grain.
Say, for example, you pull the reversed Hierophant card when thinking of your circle of friends. Maybe most of the people you surround yourself with are conservative, or have very traditional views of the world. This card can inspire you to question their influence on you. Do you agree with their views? If not, it may be time to follow the beat of your own drum, even if your friends don’t agree. If they’re supportive, they’ll still stand by your side when you shake things up a bit.
The reversed Hierophant card can encourage you to be yourself and make your own decisions, regardless of what other people think.
Reading this reversed card using the “worse” meaning
You can also read the reversed Hierophant card using the “worse” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you take the upright meaning of the card and put a negative spin on it.
For The Hierophant, this means that there are traditional values and conventions in your life, but they’re extreme or they’re making you feel suppressed, restricted, or unhappy. This way of reading the reversed Hierophant card can inspire you to listen to your inner voice and trust yourself.
Maybe you pull the reversed Hierophant card when thinking about your love life. Maybe you’re in a relationship with someone traditional, who has strong expectations for what role you should play in the relationship. They could be pushing for marriage, monogamy, or for you to stay at home and not work.
Is a traditional relationship what YOU really want? Making sure you’re on the same page is an important part of any healthy relationship. Communicate with your partner about your true desires for this (or any) relationship. You don’t need to live someone else’s life.
The reversed Hierophant card can help you decide if you want to be in a traditional relationship and encourage you to build partnerships that fit the life you want.
Reading this reversed card using the “no/not” meaning
Finally, you can read your reversed Hierophant card using the “no/not” reversed card meeting. When you look at your cards this way, you put in “no” or “not” in front of the upright meeting of the card. For The Hierophant, this means “not traditional” or “not conventional”.
Here, you can examine where you’re lacking rules and regulations in your life and where you can implement them to make things more stable or comfortable. Traditions aren’t necessarily bad or holding you back, and you may be able to create some new traditions that work for you.
For example, if you pull the reversed Hierophant card when thinking about your finances, you may ask yourself if you’ve been reckless with your money? This can lead to a lot of worry and discomfort. While it’s fun and exciting to splurge, these habits can lead to trouble down the line.
Being conservative with your money can help you save up and feel more comfortable and secure. The reversed Hierophant card can inspire you to sit down and establish more rules for your finances by indicating that it’s time to be more reserved and realistic about your budget. Create some routines and rituals to track and distribute your money, and give yourself peace of mind.