Hello 2021! Collective Tarot Read to Welcome the Hierophant.
Who’s ready for 2021 and that big Hierophant energy sweeping through (2+0+2+1=5=the Hierophant!)? The Hierophant is the archetypal teacher, bringing initiates into the fold. So what lessons does 2021 hold for us bbs? I pulled a few cards to see what’s in store, and even had a couple jumpers join the party. So here’s what we got:
A card for 2021 - Nine of Cups
How will the Hierophant show up as a teacher? - Ten of Swords
What lessons lay ahead? - Nine of Wands
What is ready to be left behind in 2020? - Six of Wands
Jumpers(!!!) - Nine of Pentacles (reversed) & the Hanged Man
(Cards pulled from the Crow Tarot)
This year is going to be all about change and the question is: Are you ready? There’s a big call into internal exploration here, an invitation to pause and get really clear on what your next step is going to be. Some questions to consider here are: Can you be present in all life has to offer, vulnerable to both the joy and the pain? How, and why, are you resisting the blessings that exist in your life? What is blocking you from coming home to yourself? What patterns are keeping you disconnected and run down? Can you pause and consider these modes of being? And can you choose a different way, perhaps shaped by slowness, gratitude and flow? I know, I know. It’s much easier said than done, and there are many factors outside of our control. But the change that is being asked of us isn’t about overnight transformation. It is about the little choices we make that allow us to be more present in the meaningful parts of life - family, friends, rest, play, community, connection.
The Hierophant wants us to get out of our heads about this. He’s here to teach us that change doesn’t have to be scary. It doesn’t have to hurt so much or feel like everything is falling apart. Change is growth, it’s evolution, and it’s inevitable. We fight it because what’s familiar feels safe, but in the end we cause ourselves unnecessary anguish. The Hierophant just wants us to evolve - a fancy word for change - and the wonderful thing about evolution is that it takes time. Again, this isn’t about waking up a different person tomorrow, or throwing away everything you have going on right now. Can you soften up around your resistance to change though? Can you open up to more balance in your life and examine the mental scripts that play in your head? Can you take a deep inventory of where you are, where you’d like to be, and what is standing in the way? Are you willing to move through a little discomfort to get there?
We are not as stuck as we think! Let’s take a look at the Hanged Man here (who so enthusiastically jumped out of the deck as I was shuffling). I’ve always felt like this version of the card seems so stressed against his tether. He’s not the typical depiction of enlightened surrender that we see represented on this card most of the time. So take this as another reminder to soften and release a little. We’re not in control of much in this life, aside from our own reactions. Let events unfold in their own time and while you wait, explore how you might shift your perspective. Profound change can be discovered right there.
So yes, 2021 is all about change, but not necessarily the big, sweeping, life-altering change we often think of. This is subtle, internal work. A lot of it is going to be rooted in shifting our approach and getting out of our heads. As we explore how we might slow down, grow, and find more presence in our life, we’re likely to come face to face with our conception of success. For many of us, this is rooted in some very unsteady ground. If this wasn’t already clear, 2020 was more than happy to show us how fragile our economy and institutions are. Here we are, in late stage capitalism, in the midst of a global pandemic: Our foundation is shaky. The things we’ve been taught to strive for (a nice house, a good income, a steady career, etc.) are becoming increasingly inaccessible. So can we stop grinding ourselves down for an elusive capitalist ideal? Can we reframe what a successful life means and move towards that? If what truly matters to you are the connections you have and the moments you share with the ones you love, can you begin to turn your compass in that direction. Step by step, can you move towards the goal of a life filled with the things that truly matter to you, and meet these changes with gratitude? 2020 may have been about the crumbling of established structures, but 2021 is here to invite you into deep self-inquiry that sparks meaningful growth and change. Don’t fight it.
