The Hierophant represents traditional, orthodox teachings. These teachings are known only to him and he decides when they can be shared. There is a lot of symbolism in the Rider/Waite/Smith version of this card. This symbolism can be daunting to a new student. The Hierophant himself has a symbolic gesture, a crown with a letter on the top, a scepter, and there are two crossed keys at his feet. He sits between two pillars – also decorated with symbols. The priests kneel before him with different symbols on their robes. While the rich symbology here is appealing to some, it does take study to understand what is being expressed. Today’s Journey Tarot’s Key 5 Tradition shows a building that could be used for religious worship of any kind. The building is made of stone to represent the closed mindedness of blindly following dogma. The colored glass windows however, suggest that the potential for enlightenment is always present even in the most rigid of traditions and circumstances.

Teresa Sue McAdams, co-creator of “Today’s Journey Tarot”, co-author of “Today’s Journey Tarot, A Traveler’s Guide”, and author of “Lessons, The Wisdom Within Each Moment”