THE HIEROPHANT
The Hierophant as interpreted by Anna Grindrod-Feeny & Natasha V.
The Hierophant is a card that represents tradition, belief structures, learning and growth. It tends to appear as a reminder that our inclination toward rebellion may not always serve us well — there are times when breaking the rules liberated us and there are times when it simply creates more work for ourselves. Why make things harder by reinventing the wheel when we can follow the tried and true patterns others have left for us?
Because The Hierophant is often portrayed as a priest or teacher or some form of institutional authority figure, it sometimes gets a bad rap (or maybe it’s just me that chafes at this imagery). “Traditional” in our society often translates into “restrictive” and “inflexible”, creating the impression of conformity whether or not it suits your needs.
But this is not what The Hierophant guides us toward at all. Rather than forcing us into a mold that does not fit, it reminds us that we do not have to do everything on our own. It’s okay to rely on the traditions and institutions (or even the parts of traditions and institutions) that work for us and ditch the rest, to ease the load from our shoulders just a little bit by accepting guidance from outside sources. We can take those well-worn methods and use them in the ways that suit us and help us to grow.
In this regard, V is the perfect representation of The Hierophant’s message. Not only is there some delightful synchronicity between his name and The Hierophant’s position as the fifth card in the Major Arcana, but he’s a master of taking traditionalism and turning it on its ear, using it for his own means. We see it in his relationship with his personal non-religious Angel who guides him in all important decisions (and games of 가위 바위 보), his continued pursuit of learning anytime a new hobby strikes his fancy (trumpet lessons, anyone?), and his endearing adoration for the aesthetic sensibilities and music of the past.
Like Taehyung, The Hierophant reminds us that embracing tradition and letting it transform us and support our growth can look like returning to school, relying on a communal organization, or even filling our Instagram stories with black and white movies and Chet Baker. Taking a pre-established route to our goals and our better selves doesn’t mean sacrificing our individuality; it may just help us discover it and how to let it shine.
Artist’s Interpretation of The Hierophant by @dasmyego
Honestly, The Hierophant was such a difficult card for me to interpret. Traditional interpretations of it seem rigid, dated and a bit stale. Tradition, order, belief systems… at the time that I was creating this card, and even until now, these are things that I’m not so much rebelling against but I’m in a place where I’m re-evaluating what these things mean to me and how I want to incorporate them into my life. So how do I make this card mine?
V strikes me as a ~ classic man. We’ve seen it prominently in his style and music taste. Every time he changes his Spotify Playlist, I always find myself saying, “Of course he did,” referring to the jazz classics that are sure to be on said playlist. Also, his looks are carefully curated to be subtle, tailored, and oh so chic. V looks like he belongs in Coco Chanel’s Paris atelier. But as Anna said, V has a way of taking the best parts of traditional manners and making them uniquely his. He’s the type of person you fall in love with while looking at Monets with at an art museum (sorry Namjoon). A feeling that’s nostalgic and vintage while at the same time feeling brand new.
