this month for the email list (subscribe here), I pulled the hierophant.
the hierophant is depicted traditionally as a religious authority figure, like a priest. I love this version of the hierophant from the She Wolfe Tarot by Devany Amber Wolfe. the imagery is gorgeous and this particular card especially evokes vibes of shadow work with those skeletons growing to be part of the vibe. there’s also themes of balancing the shadow, the mundane, and the spiritual (especially with the placement of that large sword).
the card is historically associated with religion, tradition, and spiritual guidance, representing the need for structure or organization when it comes to our values - especially spiritual ones. but if you’re like me, recovering from any sort of religious trauma, this card can feel a little unsafe. the key for me with this card is to remember that all of that guidance, all of that light, all of that knowing you seek…it can come from within you.
it’s a card that traditionally encourages folks to dive into religion or find a teacher or guide to adhere more strictly to tradition and that can feel can feel kind of unsafe and anxiety-inducing for someone recovering from compulsory participation in religion, to be honest.
the beauty of the hierophant can often lie in the spiritual growth it speaks to, especially internally. in the card above, the figure is surrounded by the mundane and the divine. they stand in balance atop the skeletons of the shadows and selves they have shed. they willingly open their heart to the piercing Truth. the duality in the card speaks to the duality of life and death and light and shadow. they mediate between the three realms: the divine, the earthly, and the subterranean.
those skeletons remind me of the importance of shadow work, and in shedding the stories and selves that aren’t going to help us get to where we’re going.
shadow work is the process of investigating our unconscious thoughts and emotions, as well as the regrets, the things that make us cringe, the things we don’t immediately claim about ourselves. by acknowledging and processing our shadow selves, we can become more self-aware and develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and others. part of the integration of your shadow includes loving these parts of yourself unconditionally and truly. it’s through being seen that we’re reminded that we are the universe having a human experience.
shadow work is so important for personal growth and transformation. when we confront those parts of ourselves we’ve repressed, cringed at, hated, or denied, we can develop a deeper understanding of our true Selves - our emotions, our motivations, our behaviors. it’s not easy work, and our ingrained patterns can be hard to break.
once integration begins, it can be fun to do shadow work. for instance, writing this entire post without capital letters is a great exercise in shadow work for me. you see, i’m a recovering perfectionist, and i’m absolutely cringing to do this. but it’s important to challenge these patterns and ideas. keep yourself agile, always.
so tl;dr - it might be a good time to find a spiritual meaning-making system that is right for you. a leveling-up, of sorts. if that includes communion with others to get you to uplevel, fantastic. if it’s self-guided upleveling, that’s okay too. and unconditional self-love is tough but so healing.
establish routines and habits that support your growth and development. this can mean developing a daily meditation practice, journaling, setting goals, or seeking out new learning opportunities.
embrace tradition and ritual as a way to connect with something greater than yourself. this can include participating in religious or spiritual practices, honoring the traditions of your ancestors before you, or creating new traditions altogether.
may your May be full of growth of all types.