03/09/2022
altar thoughts 👁✨:
while spending some time with the Herbal Tarot this past new moon, I was surprised at the artistic representation of the Hierophant , or High Priest & how it clearly mirrors the High Priestess in this deck.
it’s interesting how the High Priest is being portrayed as a more internal divine masculine energy rather than the external, pastoral energy of The Hierophant, which literally means—“he who proclaims what is sacred” in Greek.
in the Herbal Tarot, the High Priest is portrayed as the passive role of a Sage, affirmed by his herbal sage companion. this energy mirrors that of the High Priestess as well, showing the duality of divine feminine & masculine wisdom in a way I hadn’t experienced before. ♾
it’s important to consider the intention & meaning of symbols in the visual language of the tarot.
here are a few symbols that connect these cards:
◻️the white & black pillars◼️—
according to theology & legend, these are the columns within an the ancient temple standing for the divinity within light & shadow, corresponding with
Moon Crown/ Ta**us horns/Crescent moon 🌙—The Hierophant is the card of Ta**us, the moon is especially potent to the duality of light & dark in this sign. the Moon Crown represents an era of the matriarchs, subconscious knowledge, & prehistory creating the threefold crown.
🌒🌕🌘
The ankh/cross/or key of life 🗝—is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol used in writing and in Egyptian art to represent the word for "life" and, by extension, as a symbol of life itself. This symbol is often used in place of the holy cross, with a religious meaning of holy trinity. a symbol seen in the Hierophant as a symbol of the great triple goddess, the three worlds, and the three layers of consciousness:
- heaven, earth, underworld
- maiden, craven, crone
- father, son, holy spirit
- superego, ego, id.
Does this make you think differently about the archetypal energy of the Hierophant, or The High Priest/Priestess? If you’re curious about other symbols & their meaning, ask away—
💭🧠✨🫀