V Heirophant

Weekly Card Princess of Pentacles

140421 Tarot Illuminati Princess Pentacles
Tarot Illuminati

Since we’ve looked at this level of Pentacles before, let’s use the Princess of Pentacles for a bit of card combining.

Wait a minute!  We’ve seen her before?  Remember, there are decks that use Princess instead of Page in the court cards.  Tarot Illuminati is one of those decks.  So you’ll encounter Princess, Prince, Queen and King in the court of Tarot Illuminati suits, instead of Page, Knight, Queen and King.  Same elemental energies, just a different title.

How would our earthy Princess respond when she meets II High Priestess?  Perhaps she would understand intuitive mysteries as connected to the mysteries of the natural world.

How about if we put her through a 7 of Swords experience?  Is she likely to be comfortable or not with the deception and mental flux associated with that card?

How is she at negotiating 2 of Pentacles?  Really imagine her in her robes and with her long, wild hair at the rocky shores, keeping her balance.

Does she appreciate a visit with V The Heirophant?  Does she care about the meaning within structures and traditions?

A wonderful game to play with any of your court cards is to have them take a stroll amoungst a variety of the cards from your deck.  Pull out some of the minors, a few majors and another court card or two.  Arrange them as you’d like and move your subject court card from card to card.  What’s the story that would result from each encounter?  You’ll find you have a richer appreciation of who each of the courts are when you’ve seen them in many situations and with many people.

Be a student of the world this week!

Weekly Card V Heirophant

140403 Tarot of the Cat People V High Priest
Tarot of the Cat People

When we meet V The High Priest we’ve encountered our own search for meaning in our lives.  Another name for V The High Priest is V The Hierophant.  That’s a title from the Greek mystery schools (and probably earlier) that means “He who causes to be seen” or “He who shows the sacred”.   Very apropos of our communal opportunity this year.

140403 RWS V Heirophant
Rider Waite Smith Tarot

V The High Priest guards tradition. As II The High Priestess guards the mysteries of spirituality, V The High Priest is the keeper of the outer traditions.  He shows us, as a community, how to find meaning in our daily experience through established structures, practices and disciplines.

You can think institution and education when you see V The High Priest.  If you’re taking a yoga class, you’re being educated in a tradition.  If you’re married, you’re part of an institution.  If your first thought was “church”, you were right.  And that is definitely where V The High Priest began in tarot.  You can see, though, that he stands for much more than a religious leader.  In fact, he can stand for the tradition that is tarot!

Associate knowledge that’s come through thought with V The High Priest.  This is wisdom that’s come from processing practical experiences.  Also associate mercy and compassion with him.  V The High Priest is compassion and understanding in power.  He dispenses mercy from wisdom.  He teaches.  And he blesses (benediction, “what’s the good word?”).

Importantly, all while defending the status quo.  This is not about individual revelation.  This is about passing on the divine word through the tried and true traditions.

Take a look at your relationship with traditions and institutions this week.  Are you a free spirit who feels uncomfortable as a part of an established group?  Are you an individual who values the group structures that give your life meaning?  Are you, like most of us, a little bit of both?

What are the disciplines and practices that help you to find meaning in your life? Celebrate the opportunity to deepen them this week!





If you’re looking for personal help with your tarot learning or for phone, email, or in-person tarot counseling, here‘s where to find me.

We’ve taken another look at V The Heirophant here.

And yet another.

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