“Don’t Rock the Boat!” — The Secular Hierophant
AUTHOR’S NOTE: As I’ve mentioned before, I spent the better part of 40 years (not very diligently) trying to get my head around Temperance in a pragmatic way because the alchemical baggage associated with it defied easy translation into terms that would make sense in a mundane reading. Once I accomplished that feat I turned my attention to its numerological counterpart, the Hierophant, which can be similarly puzzling but from the less rarefied perspective of rule-based social mores. By decoupling the august clerical figure in the image from the idea of priestly authority it is possible to see it in a more rational light that is functionally oriented rather than divinely ordained and motivated.
First, I should mention that I make absolutely no use of the card’s psycho-spiritual connotations since I reject orthodox religious doctrine of any kind. Of more utilitarian benefit is the idea that it represents established customs and conventional values, most likely a secular offshoot of theistic dogma that defines a baseline “social contract.” The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn helped matters in this regard by connecting the Hierophant to the astrological sign of Taurus, with its focus on stalwart conservatism, loyalty, honesty, stability and security (less benignly: ingrained stubbornness and mediocrity). These are concepts I can work with successfully in any reading where the card shows up.
When it appears in a spread I usually advise the querent to “maintain an even keel” and stay the course, don’t get won over by unproven or speculative conceits that come with authoritative endorsements but no real grounding in reality (sounds like religion, doesn’t it?). Hard-headed practicality, cautious confidence and toeing the line on ethical and moral standards are paramount. It’s time to trust what you can experience with your five senses, not what is handed to you as a purported revelation. Taurus is the sign of agriculture and, to steal a 1960s hippie paradigm, it represents an occasion to “grow your own,” even if only as a self-empowering ideal.
On a less self-reliant note, if the querent is engaged in some kind of communal activity that could pose adverse consequences for any deviation from the norm, the advice of the Hierophant might be “Follow the program and don’t rock the boat!” Some rules exist for a good reason, and flouting them would be risky. On such occasions, the best course would be to learn why the established conventions exist and then decide to either take oneself out of range of their influence if they are egregious, or do what is necessary to avoid running afoul of them. There is a pronounced “stay inside the lines” vibe to this card, so you’re either in or you’re out, there is no straddling the divide; that right belongs to Temperance.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on November 26, 2023.
