Sexual Key To The Tarot: V HIEROPHANT

The Sexual Key To The Tarot by Theodor Laurence

The Hierophant-nature runs from sex in all it's aspect, treating even thoughts of sex as sin. This nature is superstitious, fearful, and full of doubt. It is ignorant of the purpose of it's own virility or muliebrity (femininity). Penile erections in the male and clitoral excitation in the female keep this nature in a constant state of dread of it's own sexuality. Because of this nature's fear of open and natural sexual relations, masturbatory practices are frequently perpetrated and these are usually followed by haunting and debilitating feelings of guilt.

Devoted servitude to mankind is manifested by this nature, the natural but sublimated sex instinct recanalized. Married men of this nature engage in sexual intercourse only infrequently and then as a matter of conjugal duty. During the actual sex act these natures will strive, not for complete gratifying orgasm, but for minimal pleasure.

A male of this nature is subservient to women, passive in love-making, and prefers women to be on top and dominate, which allows him to 'divorce' himself from his erect penis, leaving the woman to her own "sinful" devices. If the Hierophant-nature emerges from his cocoon of sexual fear unboldly, he first manifests lack of confidence in his own masculinity. He over compensates by cowering, bowing, scraping, coddling, and catering to women. He becomes a compensatory art developed in hopes that demands upon his awkward and reluctant penis will be minimal.

When the Hierophant-nature yields naively to the pull of his flesh, he overdoses it, and takes on the characteristics of a pervert, a sexual misfit, or, in other words, "a dirty old man". The sexual technique of oral-ism which he perpetrates to convince himself of his virility appears depraved and an-aphrodisiac. He therefore attracts females of like characteristics and hence finds himself in a worse state of sexuality than before. Because of his or her proclivities, the Hierophant-nature can be easily abused sexually, and usually is. This is the basis for this nature's assertion that he has been to heaven and hell.

This card in sexual matters suggests a lack of self confidence in one's own masculinity or femininity. In cases where a woman doubts her own femininity and consequently prefers, desires, and enjoys oral-genital practices which afford her gratifying orgasms, the perfect sexual partner is the Hierophant-nature. This card could further mean homosexuality, latent or overt, (usually in the closet). Due to the card's esoteric symbolism denoting a nature's deliberate escape from one's own sexuality, a male of this nature, abhorring the masculine role of his phallus, may turn to sodomy, playing the passive role. In a female of this nature, her abhorrence of fearful penes may turn her to lesbianism, having preference for the softness and gentleness of another woman (especially the mouth).