05 – The Hierophant

Demonic Association

The Hierophant Tarot card, numbered V in the Major Arcana, represents spiritual authority, tradition, guidance, and the establishment of order. It is often associated with religious or spiritual leaders, institutions, and practices that provide structure, wisdom, and moral guidance. The Hierophant embodies the role of a teacher, spiritual mentor, or priest who guides others along the path of enlightenment and upholds established traditions or religious beliefs.

When considering which demon might be associated with the Hierophant, we need to look for figures in demonology that are connected to spiritual authority, knowledge, and the enforcement of order. While the Hierophant is typically seen as a symbol of benevolent guidance or higher learning, demons associated with this card may challenge the rigidity of conventional systems, bring hidden wisdom to light, or even act as forces that encourage spiritual awakening outside traditional doctrines.

Demons Associated with The Hierophant Tarot Card:

Lucifer (The Light Bringer): Lucifer, traditionally seen as the fallen angel and often associated with knowledge and enlightenment, is a fitting figure for the Hierophant. While Lucifer is often portrayed in a rebellious light, in esoteric and occult traditions, he is also seen as a teacher who offers knowledge that challenges traditional boundaries. He embodies the awakening of higher consciousness, which can be a transformative experience similar to the wisdom imparted by the Hierophant.
- Knowledge and Enlightenment: Lucifer is often associated with the bringing of knowledge and illumination, which mirrors the role of the Hierophant as a guide to spiritual truth and wisdom.
- Spiritual Authority: While the Hierophant often represents conventional spiritual authority, Lucifer challenges these systems and offers an alternative path of self-realization, which aligns with the inner teachings that the Hierophant can represent.
- Rebellion and Insight: Lucifer’s rebellion against divine authority mirrors the Hierophant’s role in enforcing spiritual structures but also shows that wisdom can sometimes come from challenging traditions or seeking knowledge outside established systems.
Connection to The Hierophant: Lucifer represents both spiritual guidance and awakening, making him a fitting counterpart to the Hierophant’s qualities of wisdom, knowledge, and spiritual transformation.
Paimon (Demon of Knowledge and Leadership): Paimon, one of the most well-known demons from the Ars Goetia, is often invoked for his knowledge, leadership, and guidance. Paimon is a spirit that provides understanding and can guide individuals toward hidden truths. His role as a spiritual mentor and his ability to reveal esoteric wisdom aligns well with the Hierophant’s role as a teacher or guide.
- Teacher and Guide: Like the Hierophant, Paimon is a figure of spiritual authority, but he is also a demon of leadership, helping others gain control over their own destinies through wisdom.
- Spiritual Knowledge: Paimon is associated with both higher learning and mystical knowledge, which mirrors the Hierophant’s function as a revealer of sacred knowledge or truths that are not immediately accessible.
- Organized Systems of Thought: Paimon can be seen as a leader of systems or schools of thought, somewhat like the Hierophant who represents religious and philosophical traditions.
Connection to The Hierophant: Paimon shares the spiritual authority and the role of teacher, making him a natural figure to associate with the Hierophant, particularly in the context of hidden knowledge or esoteric wisdom.
Baphomet (The Symbol of Balance and Wisdom): Baphomet is an occult symbol that often represents the reconciliation of opposites and the union of masculine and feminine forces. Though not typically a “demon” in classical demonology, Baphomet is a powerful occult figure associated with spiritual enlightenment, wisdom, and the balance of duality. Baphomet’s role as a sacred teacher and illuminating force links him to the Hierophant, who embodies both the spiritual and material realms.
- Wisdom and Knowledge: Baphomet is often invoked for the transmission of hidden knowledge, representing the deeper, more esoteric truths that the Hierophant also seeks to impart.
- Balance and Union: The Hierophant represents the union of divine and earthly wisdom, and Baphomet symbolizes this balance between opposites. The Hierophant is the mediator between the human and divine, much like Baphomet is the figure of unity between all dualities.
Connection to The Hierophant: Baphomet, as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and spiritual enlightenment, closely aligns with the Hierophant’s role as a spiritual teacher who bridges the gap between the sacred and the profane.
Azazel (The Demon of Enlightenment and Knowledge): Azazel is a figure in various occult traditions often linked to the imparting of forbidden knowledge, particularly in the sense of revealing esoteric truths that challenge traditional systems. Azazel’s role in teaching humans forbidden knowledge mirrors the Hierophant’s role as a spiritual guide, though Azazel’s path is often one of rebellion and awakening through unconventional means.
- Awakening and Enlightenment: Azazel’s connection to the rebellion against divine authority and his teaching of secret knowledge parallels the Hierophant’s guidance toward higher wisdom, but in a more unconventional manner.
- Challenge to Tradition: While the Hierophant represents conformity to tradition, Azazel’s teaching of hidden knowledge can challenge these norms, symbolizing the tension between tradition and innovation.
Connection to The Hierophant: Azazel represents a more subversive form of spiritual knowledge and guidance, offering insights that break from traditional systems, akin to how some spiritual guides encourage a personal journey of awakening beyond established norms.
Samael (The Angel of Death and Hidden Knowledge): Samael is a complex figure in various mystical and Kabbalistic traditions, often depicted as the angel of death and the angel of severity. Samael is also seen as a bearer of hidden wisdom and spiritual transformation. His role in the Kabbalistic tradition involves a teaching of inner knowledge that leads to both destruction and rebirth, similar to how the Hierophant imparts wisdom that can transform the individual.
- Revelation of Secrets: Samael is associated with the revelation of esoteric truths, much like the Hierophant represents the dissemination of sacred teachings.
- Spiritual Authority and Discipline: Samael also represents spiritual authority in Kabbalistic teachings, and his role as a guide to higher wisdom mirrors the function of the Hierophant.
Connection to The Hierophant: Samael embodies the concept of spiritual authority and wisdom that leads to profound transformation, which aligns with the Hierophant’s role as a teacher and guide to enlightenment.

Traditional Tarot Meaning

You arrive at the path of the hidden prophecy.

The path of the Hierophant represents the sacred rules and vows of society and tradition.

The Hierophant may indicate hearing an inner call from above, the call that guides and directs you to connect to your true purpose in life – that of helping others. He is the priest, your spiritual teacher, shaman or counselor who will help you through the most challenging times of your life.

Astrologically, Taurus, the zodiac sign of stability, practicality, comfort, and harmony rules the Hierophant. This sign also is conservative, loyal, artistic, patient, and sensual but can be stubborn, materialistic, argumentative and slow-moving.

The Major Arcana Represents Major Life Lessons: If the Hierophant comes out on the first card of your reading, you might be in a hurry to get sound advice from a reliable person you can trust, or you might feel an inner calling to help someone. If the Hierophant comes out on the outcome card, in the positive position, you may meet a spiritual teacher, shaman, mentor, or counselor who will help you, or you may be asked to teach and help others. You might hear that “inner call from above” guiding and directing you to your true life’s path. Your work will bring you abundance, growth and opportunity.

The Story Of The Hierophant Tarot Card

The Hierophant is enumerated five in the Tarot deck and is symbolic of harmony and unity in all elements of spiritual knowledge and wisdom. A strong teacher and leader of religion, spirituality, and tradition, he sits regally on a stone throne ensconced by two stone pillars representing strength and rigid structure. He follows the rules of his faith, believing in them utterly.

His robe is red with white detail — red signifying royalty, strength, and passion, white signifying purity. His blue gown and collar represent his inner thoughts and deep understanding based on faith.

His three-tier gold crown symbolizes the three aspects of the Holy Trinity. His gold triple staff represents spiritual power, and his right hand pointing towards the heavens symbolizes a connection to higher powers. The Hierophant is associated with the pope, the head and supreme power of the Catholic Church.

The black and white checkered floor tiles represent good and evil and the Hierophant is equally disposed to work with either. The red carpet signifies royalty and high ranking position. The white shoes with cross emblem signify his spiritual grounding, purity, and his status as a celebrant.

Two keys lie crisscrossed before him, denoting the keys to the kingdom of heaven (or a hidden prophecy). Since no locks can be seen, he may have the power to grant or deny entrance.

Two young priests kneel at his feet, beseeching guidance. The color and decoration of their robes denote they are celebrants. Learning from the Hierophant’s experience and wisdom, they will ascend to new heights in their education and faith.

This religious teacher of a higher spirituality can illustrate the way of adapting to a belief system that will lead you down the best path for you.

My Interpretation Of The Hierophant Tarot Card

The Hierophant is a healer and represents the Shaman whose purpose is helping you to find the healing that you need during the most trying and challenging times of your life. This healer may be a counselor or another person similarly trained to help others.

This card represents the vows that you take throughout your life, the connection to society, marriage, religion, work, and anything involving large groups. The Hierophant represents the rules of these organizations and is a teacher who enters your life to help you connect with your higher spiritual side.

Every group has rules, says the Hierophant. If you follow their rules as a member of the group, they will accept you. If you flout the group’s rules, they will demand that you beg mercy for your transgression, and will shun you if you do not comply.

If you reject the rules of society and establish a personal code of conduct, your peers will brand you a rebel. Regardless, God gives you the choice to live as you see fit, and it cannot be denied that everyone who walks the Earth has been or will be a rebel.

The Hierophant also represents your inner calling from above to connect to your higher spiritual path to help others, and in return, your work will bring you abundance, growth and opportunity.

I went through my inner spiritual calling when I heard a strong voice, the voice of my spiritual connection, resound within me: “You are going to write a book in three years!” I feel that my book, Tarot Boot Camp, turned out to be a healing book because I was brave enough to share my personal, intimate experiences with each card and always talk to you as a teacher and your friend.

Positive Position: You follow the rules of society, believing in them utterly. These rules relate to marriage, social situations, companies, religion and education. The Hierophant is the trusted guide, shaman, priest, doctor, counselor, lawyer and mentor who will help others during the most difficult times. This could be the time when you hear the inner call from above to work in a career to help others, or to work in a career of spirituality.

Negative Position: You are rebellious, inflexible, a rule-breaker, have fixed beliefs and you are shunned by society, and restricted because you want to live by your personal code and not the code of others.

The groups you belong to are not flexible, and they require extreme conformance to all of their rules. Disagree, and you will be shunned and removed from that group.

Timing: A hidden timing and prophecy. The Hierophant card does not have a timing in my deck.

Note: There are hidden prophecies related to Tarot cards that are enumerated five. These cards represent the time of an unknown, unexpected change being revealed. The universe will redirect your path and change the direction you are headed, a sometimes painful experience. The Hierophant holds the keys to secret knowledge and the hidden prophecy.