Undomesticated Tarot — The Major Arcana: The Hierophant 5
Bringing Back the Wild to a Domesticated World
hierophant | origin and meaning by Etymonline
“expounder of sacred mysteries,” 1670s, from Late Latin hierophantes
from Greek hierophantes “one who teaches the rites of sacrifice and worship,” literally “one who shows sacred things”
from hieros “sacred;” from [Proto-Indo-European] language (PIE) root *eis-, forming words denoting passion (see ire) + phainein “to reveal, bring to light” (from PIE root *bha- (1) “to shine”).
our mother who art in the ether and the soil and every last green leaf hallowed would be thy spirit and thy body
inside all of our spirits and inside all of our bodies
for we are made of thee not only for thee but for ourselves and for each other
thy will be returned and revered thy will be loved on earth as it is in rivers as it is inside each living breath
give us this our nightly moon our nightly light and forgive us for forgetting as we forgive ourselves as well as those who forget to forgive us
may we lead ourselves from further deterioration so as to realize and recover the world with our grace and with our healing
(poem dictated into phone during a pro-choice march in DTLA, may 2022)
the traditional, domesticated hierophant is a teacher, an interpreter, an explainer. while we most certainly need teachers, interpreters, and explainers, the sacred cannot be taught, interpreted, or explained — and so, the definition of “hierophant” falls in on itself.
hierophants of the past claimed all-knowing power of the sacred. they claimed ownership of the sacred. they claimed and they named and they attempted all out war against the sacred. they were, often, the original mansplainers, appropriating sacred knowledge as their own secret possession, their own realm.
the sacred — that invisible, momentous, fleeting connection to the past, to the future, to the everything**, to each other — must be felt to be understood, must be loved to be remembered, must be left wild and free to be honored.
this card of the hierophant reminds us of our inherited past & of our present-day opportunity to re-wild, to re-sanctify, to re-emerge whole.
various scholars have noted the similarities/connection between the sacred Sanskrit chant “Om” or “Aum” and the Greek letters Alpha & Omega (Α or α & Ω or ω)as well as other prehistoric and ancient languages and symbols such as megalithic art and the Japanese A-un and the Christian “Amen” that **reflect the beginning(s) and the end(s) and all the dwells in-between and everywhere.
chanting, singing, or speaking these sounds can be a powerful way to connect with the proto-pre-wilded languages of those days, a first step back into the sacred.
whether you vocalize these sounds or create your own — maybe you are called to scream, sing, sigh, or moan. maybe you are called to “sound [your] barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.” do it. find your voice.
scream, cry, howl, and dance. you are your own beautiful teacher.
the sacred shines everywhere, including within you.
About this project: I’ve been wanting to take the time to learn Tarot for a long while. I pull my cards regularly, but I have a hard time remembering the meanings. I am embarking on this project so that I can dive in deep, internalize, and personalize the lessons of the deck. I’m especially curious about how the poetry of centuries-old intuitive knowledge fits in with our modern lives.
Collage and words by me — Sixth in a series — Taking it seriously, but also trying to lean into play, a bit like a kitten — 🐈⬛ therefore there will be a cameo of my cat in every single card. Can you find her?
Open to learning via supportive feedback —
E. Katherine Kottaras the writer, voice, and co-creator of Yoga with Eleonora on PillowFortTV and the co-writer with Vanitha Swaminathan of the forthcoming picture book, A RAINBOW INSIDE MY BODY, illustrated by Holly Hatam (Viking 2024). She holds an M.A. in English and an M.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Integrative Wellness, and she is a contemplative writer and holistic teacher, having worked at the K-12 and community college levels for over two decades. She is a yoga teacher, personal trainer, and health coach while also living with invisible illnesses and neurodivergence, and as such, she is passionate about mindfulness, bodily self-determination, and health equity. As the queer daughter of an immigrant, Katherine believes that holistic and inclusive approaches to expression, healing, and growth should be accessible to all. Connect with Katherine on the social medias: IG, YouTube, FB, LinkedIn, or at katherinekottaras.com.
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