The Alchemical Hierophant sits squarely. Red robed, gray bearded a triple crown of red and gold upon his head. He holds an open book with images of three moons to the left and three suns on the right. He is flanked by statues of the empress (left) and emperor (right) and between them two candles, representing the fire element of the Hierophant, one white and one red. Behind the throne are two arched windows the moon in the left the sun is visible in the right.

He is the counter point of the High priestess. He represents the masculine, fire, or sun aspect of the soul. Her knowledge is hidden, his open. He explains the mysteries. Although the Hierophant marks the end of solution, the dissolution of the prima materia he also holds a fifth element, the quinta essentia (ether ), that which holds the four elements together. It is the spiritual constant that adds a spiritual quality to the physical world.

Quotes from The Alchemical Tarot, Guilley and Place

"We are grasping the marriage of the principles of heaven and earth, spirit and matter, masculine and feminine -- a union necessary for the synthesis of the philosopher's stone,"

"The Hierophant's book is open, but it is long and deep. We must integrate the knowledge we have acquired. and continue our quest..."

The Alchemical Hierophant is perhaps less obvious than other interpretations. The Hierophant is a card that I have been known to struggle with. I think because I have a rather uneasy relationship with "religious" tradition and hierarchy, or any structured system that requires faithful adherence, ah getting into deep waters here so I will move on. I am not uncomfortable with the Cosmic Tribe Hierophant , I think the Renaissance Tarot (Williams) is beautiful but nonetheless it is a card that I probably try to overlook or sweep under the tapestry. Perhaps to view him in the light of the Alchemical would be a place to start, certainly the marriage of the anima and animus is one struggle most of us face.

Once in a short e-mail conversation with Brain William's on his Renaissance Heirophant he suggested that I look for positive teachers as representatives of this archetype this has helped. He also viewed those "expert " in their field as Hierophants. OK this has worked too, yet I attempt to find a deeper spiritual relationship with him.

Once in a reading with the Alchemical the Hierophant seem to point to a literal marriage and so it was. So should I think literally?

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