Sage Leaves: The Hierophant, Jungian Archetype
Healing Ancestral Wounds Through Tarot
This week’s Sage Leaves includes the beginning exploration of The Hierophant with a discussion of his role as a Jungian archetype. We will explore his role in the Heroine’s Journey and his presence in readings for generational wounding in future weeks. We also have a fresh Tarotscope for the week of April 15-21, 2025.
During the week, we randomly post brief articles on questions that arise from readers as well as herbal self care recipes. I’m a trained herbalist with a deep tradition of working with plant allies from the botanical scientific aspects, the horticultural angle, and of course, as a classical herbalist using plant-based options for self care. Sometimes I like to share that knowledge with my readers when something comes along that I think should be shared. I think we all need a little of that these days!
Spotlight on a Jungian Archetype: The Hierophant
A Conversation Between Inner and Outer Authority
In the Tarot, The Hierophant is often misunderstood. At first glance, the card seems traditional, even rigid—showing a robed figure seated on a throne, often with religious symbols and two acolytes at his feet. But when we view The Hierophant through the lens of Jungian psychology, something deeper emerges. This card isn’t just about religious institutions or dogma. It’s about the journey toward discovering and integrating our personal relationship with meaning, tradition, and inner authority.
Carl Jung, the Swiss psychologist and philosopher, often spoke of archetypes—universal symbols or patterns that live in the collective unconscious. These archetypes show up in myths, dreams, and yes, in the Tarot. The Hierophant represents one such archetype: the Wise Teacher or Spiritual Guide. But this archetype doesn’t just live outside of us in clergy or gurus. It lives within us, too.
Jung believed that one part of personal development—the process he called individuation—involves reconciling opposites within the self. The Hierophant offers a place for that kind of reconciliation. He stands between heaven and earth, the known and the unknown, the conscious and the unconscious. He translates the sacred into language we can understand, offering structure, ritual, and teaching to help guide us through life’s more abstract questions.
The Hierophant teaches us how to learn—but also how to question. In early stages of development, we often accept authority figures at face value. We look for teachers, parents, systems to guide us. Jung referred to this as the projection of the Self onto external symbols. We may project wisdom onto religious institutions, teachers, or traditions without yet understanding what those things truly mean for us personally.
But true individuation requires more. Eventually, the archetype of The Hierophant must be internalized. We must bring the wise teacher within. That means beginning to question external beliefs and discovering which teachings resonate with our own inner truth. This doesn’t mean rejecting all tradition—it means choosing what to carry forward with awareness.
In this way, The Hierophant becomes a powerful guide—not to blind faith, but to meaningful discernment. He reminds us that it’s okay to seek knowledge from established systems, but that true wisdom requires filtering that knowledge through our own lived experience.
Jung’s idea of the Self—the integrated whole of who we are—is both the destination and the inner compass. The Hierophant is one of the archetypal energies that helps point the way. He helps us translate the mysteries of life into something useful, something sacred, something we can live by.
So when The Hierophant appears in your Tarot reading, consider where you are in this journey. Are you seeking guidance? Are you accepting ideas without questioning them? Are you being called to trust your inner teacher more?
The Hierophant doesn’t require a church or a temple. His sacred space is wherever insight is honored—your journal, your garden, your breath. He lives in every moment when you pause to ask, What do I truly believe? and Who am I becoming as a result?
In that light, The Hierophant isn’t a distant authority figure. He is a mirror, reflecting your evolving truth. He is a threshold, not a destination. And most importantly, he is an invitation to bring your inner and outer worlds into sacred conversation.
Energetic Influences This Week April 15-21, 2025
This is a reading for the energetic influences at play for the week of April 15-21, 2025.
This week is a passage—a quiet alchemy of endings, revelations, deep waters, and brave new beginnings. With Neptune newly in Aries and Pluto still stirring the depths of Aquarius, your inner life is on the cusp of fierce transformation. Two planetary heavyweights are reshaping the landscape, and you’re learning to walk a new path that’s still forming beneath your feet.
Here is your energetic weather for the week:
Tuesday – 10 of Swords
[Mercury in Aries conjunct Chiron]
Tuesday begins with a whisper of finality. The 10 of Swords doesn’t mince words—it’s the end of something, and you feel it in your bones. But this card is not just about pain; it’s about release. Mercury meets wounded healer Chiron in Aries today, encouraging you to name the hurt, speak the truth, and let it go. The storm has passed. This is the breath after the sob, the space after the scream. You are still here. And there is sunrise at your back.
Wednesday – The Star
[Venus conjunct Neptune in Aries]
The Star brings hope, healing, and grace. On Wednesday, Venus fuses with Neptune in fiery Aries. You might feel both dreamy and daring—drawn to beauty and to truth in equal measure. This is a perfect day to recommit to your vision. What do you long for? What would it mean to believe in possibility again? The Star encourages you to refill your emotional well, to dream out loud, and to allow the light to return gently, with no urgency. You are healing, and that is holy.
Thursday – King of Pentacles
[Mars enters Leo]
Thursday’s card, the King of Pentacles, aligns beautifully with Mars shifting into bold, generous Leo. This energy is grounded and strong. You are asked to step into your confidence—not through flash or force, but through mastery. Where in your life are you ready to lead with competence and heart? The King of Pentacles reminds you that true abundance is a relationship. Build it, nurture it, and it will grow.
Friday – The Hanged Man
[Sun conjunct North Node in Aries]
The Hanged Man is about pause, perspective, and surrender. On Friday, the Sun conjoins the North Node in Aries, highlighting your path forward—but only if you’re willing to stop pushing and start listening. This isn’t the time to rush into action. Instead, surrender to the unknown. What happens when you change your angle? What if clarity isn’t in the doing but in the waiting? The Hanged Man asks you to sacrifice certainty so that something more aligned can emerge.
Saturday – Knight of Cups
[Moon in Leo trine Jupiter in Sagittarius]
The Knight of Cups is a romantic, sensitive messenger of the heart. On Saturday, the Leo Moon trines Jupiter in Sagittarius, making emotions expansive, honest, and possibly dramatic. You might feel ready to express something tender or to chase a dream with renewed courage. The Knight of Cups invites you to lead with love. Whether it’s poetry, affection, or a brave apology, your heart wants to speak. Let it.
Sunday – 3 of Swords
[Venus square Pluto]
The 3 of Swords is never easy, but its timing is purposeful. With Venus in Aries squaring Pluto in Aquarius, buried truths around love, money, or self-worth may rise to the surface. This is a cathartic clearing. Heartache may visit, but only to cleanse what has lingered too long. Allow yourself to grieve—something old is being released. But remember: heartbreak cracks you open so that light can reach what was closed.
Monday – Knight of Wands
[Moon enters Virgo; Sun sextile Pluto]
Monday arrives like a spark. The Knight of Wands is energy in motion—ambitious, passionate, even a little impulsive. After Sunday’s heavy truths, you may feel suddenly ready to leap. The Moon enters grounded Virgo while the Sun sextiles Pluto, giving you both the fire and focus to take meaningful steps. Your mission? Move with purpose. Channel your inspiration into action. This is the new beginning you earned.
The Weekly Arc
From the collapse of old pain (10 of Swords) to the courage of new expression (Knight of Wands), this week maps a full transformation. Two major arcana—The Star and The Hanged Man—offer sacred stillness, reminding you that healing is a spiral, not a straight line. The Swords speak to heart and mind. The Knights bring motion. And in the middle of it all, the King of Pentacles anchors you in your worth.
Let this be your compass:
Let go of what has ended.
Make space for what wants to grow.
Trust that feeling lost is part of the wayfinding.
And when clarity calls—answer with boldness.
You are walking the bridge between who you were and who you are becoming. Let the stars and the cards guide you, gently but surely, across.
That’s it for this week! Look for Sage Leaves in your inbox on Tuesday afternoons (North American time.) We look forward to exploring more about Tarot, Healing and more! Take care, be well, and good-bye for now!