Manifesting Change

The Hierophant is another card that baffles people, yet it has many possible ways to be viewed. In some decks, this is also called the Pope. As such, it can symbolize order and conventional ideas relative to religion and spirituality. It can be about the influence of organized religion in society. But it can also be about order that rules over the outer form of religion, the structure that makes rules both for the clergy and the people, has the final word over individual churches, and sets policies. He is about following rules, not about being free spirited.

In my readings for people, this card seems to come up frequently when a person is undergoing some important heartfelt change in their life, such as changing their idea or practice of religion, a change in career or marital status, a change of major in school, or some aspect of spiritual awakening. Awakening to these changes is a sign of maturity as a person consciously chooses change. The Hierophant can symbolize a person in your life who admonishes you to heed convention and follow the rules. They can obviously be a priest, minister or some other spiritual teacher in your life. In one deck where the Hierophant is depicted as the Buddha, he can also imply compassion for the changes a person is going through, without judging the person's choices. When I see the Hierophant, I see it indicating that the person who is asking for the reading is feeling in their heart that it is time for a change and will be making changes that are visible to others, with the outer changes driven by the inner change.

If you look at the 2 of rods and the 3 of rods, at first glance they look very similar. There is a man standing looking out on the horizon, grasping a staff. However a closer look reveals in the 2 that he is holding a globe and considering his prospects. He is perhaps one who has formed a business partnership and is sending his crew and ships out into the world to do his business for him. The 3 shows with with perhaps a nicer robe, the ships returning to port laden with trade goods and the results of a profitable enterprise. So in the first scene, the ships are embarking on their journey, and in the next scene they return, with 3 being the number of manifestation, the results of the effort appear to be good.

Forming a plan, taking action, making dreams come true, forming strategic partnerships and making good use of resources. A good omen to see these cards come up in the same spread, indicating successful manifestation of a person's plans.