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The Rider-Waite-Smith Hierophant and its black and silver copy known as "The Prophet Tarot", is depicted as the Pope, this is understandable since originally, when the cards appeared, metaphysics was merely a way of looking at the ruling faith. Once Religious Theogamy stopped ruling, metaphysics became more science and less faith. However, to the 15th century meta-physician, the Pope spoke from the throne, infallibly, and thus had to be listened to as he supposedly spoke "The Word".

Waite took his meaning from the Sepher Yetzirah (THE BOOK OF FORMATION by Rabbi Akiba Ben Joseph) and applies the meaning of hearing to the letter Vau (Vav), and also to The Hierophant, by illustrating two priests kneeling and listening to their Pontiff. These two priests represent the cooperation of the 2 opposites within the human condition, intuition and reason, conscious and subconscious, etc. Both united, being an integral and inseparable process of enlightenment.

The Rider-Waite-Smith Hierophant, with hand raised, blesses both from his position enthroned between the two columns of the Mysteries. The golden key at his feet represent the Key to Heaven (Gold is the Sun) and the silver key is the key to Hell (Silver is the Moon, this is not a aspersion, as the Moon Goddess, Hel, rules the underworld.) and is the "window to the No-Thing". In the Pope's hand is the "Triple cross of the Western Peoples", often called the Papal Cross.

In the Prophet Tarot, we have all the assigned images, but in silver and black. Hence, "the colors of red, gold and Papal and priestly robe colors are not seen. The entire meaning of the card is that of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, but without the colors, it is a deck for the one who prefers Gothic looks and knows the Tarot professionally. Not for the beginner.

. Generally, this card represents an authority, -- employer, teacher, mentor or some other person in control.

As previously stated, in Traditional Tarot- the key 4-The Emperor, represented the Father as "Law Maker". The Hierophant is the Father as Law-giver, a distinction that is important. Ultimately the Hierophant, is an administrator. Therefore, the Emperor works for himself as a creative free agent, while the Hierophant works for a large organization, whose rules he upholds strictly, although he is paradoxically unaware this is the case.

The personality of the Hierophant, can be encountered as a earthly persona, who may be variously benevolent and just, thoughtful and kind, or it may be high-handed, egocentric, and even sadistic. One must deal with the Hierophant in whatever garb of temperament he may appear. By doing so we work out our own relationship to authority. Here we examine how we feel about control in our lives. Do we resent those who attempt to impose structure on us, feeling that it restricts our creative freedom? Or do we need the psychological support of external regulation? The idea behind "enlightenment" is self-mastery and/or "Inner Authority", whereby , the Greater Self and Lesser Self have become "As above, so below" and thereby, listen to the Greater Authority of Self. In such a one, the Hierophant is not an outside authority as one realizes that "everyone I see is another way to be me" and stands by the Golden rule of do unto another as you would have done unto yourself, as their inner authority's primary voice.

Therefore, all is not "sweetness and light" in the HIEROPHANT, and most authorities on tarot agree that there are some unpleasant aspects to this Key 5. I would recommend that the serious student read the book by Richard Cavendish: THE TAROT, where the implications of this State of Energy Consciousness are very cleverly related to Gnosticism (Those who know). He points out that the Demiurge, the Lesser Creator which rules over manifestation, was also known by the Gnostics as the "Great Deceiver", an that initiates of the Valentinian Gnostics were taught to ignore the authority of this one who is a type of "Librarian of measurement" and only has authority over its library and as one knows, not all books are truth. The Truth is that there is only one authority over us, and that is our own "Will to be" and/or Freedom to Choose and we get to experience freely, the consequences thereof; some call this fate.

.Besides, only slaves need masters and saviors. If we listen intently to our "Holy Guardian Angel" and/or Greater Self, whose voice resides in our "heart". We will find that we are indeed on the Hero's journey towards truth.

When the HIEROPHANT card is thrown during a reading, the querent is:

• Experiencing the Principle of  learning and teaching which is a desire for making things tangible.
• The querent maybe seeking guidance from a counselor who has knowledge and authority or is wishing to.
• There is a choice here, of aligning oneself to a philosophy, religion and/or set of beliefs to which one feels a sense of loyalty.
• Being free to disentangle oneself from any belief system, the querent  still chooses to be involved.
• Life is the teacher here, as the querent experiences growth through a meditative process of  Buddha like  philosophy that views every experience as a lesson-learning opportunity.

When reversed-Rider-Waite-Smith or surrounded with negative cards -Modern Witch Tarot, it implies:

•  There is an espousing of moral, ethical, and spiritual values which may attribute to oppressing others, especially when espousing orthodoxy.
• There can be an inner sense of obedience to authority, imagined or otherwise, contributing to gullibility.

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