Hierophant in relationships when it doesn't mean marriage?

Barleywine

Maybe he was reeled in by someone else who was waiting in the wings, and married her. If his wife's decline was lengthy, he could have had long-term sympathizers who moved in on him. Either that, or as others have said, he's simply honoring his wife's memory.
 

Ruby Jewel

Watch out for the Hierophant because he can also be the Devil....especially if Rx or indicated by surrounding cards. Imo, I would let it go.....there is a reason this has happened. Accept it and move on....especially since you do not really know this person and it is in the initial stages. I would not even think about marriage with this chap. I say he is possibly the Devil masquerading as the Hierophant...a phony. In fact, my intuition says, "narcissist". I recommend you go to Utube and look up "Narcissistic Personality Disorder" and learn about it. Certainly can't hurt.

Perhaps this viewpoint seems a little radical. My take on this situation is based on the intentional cruelty of this person's actions. There is something perverted in the mind of someone who deliberately, and unnecessarily causes mental anguish to someone who is innocent and genuinely cares about them. I cannot attribute such actions to the traditional concept of the Pope as a "man of god". Hence, I make reference to the historical Bacchus aspect of this card...this type of action is characteristic of the "narcissistic" personality that is currently very prevalent in our society and preys upon highly vulnerable people, such as you appear to be. I do not choose to make excuses for this man's conduct. I hold him responsible for his actions, and I would like to see you do the same, Plato....especially if he shows up again with excuses as that is usually the way the game goes.
 

plato

What type of spread did you use? What was the question? Surrounding cards?
For me the Hierophant refers to the norms of your culture. In the culture I am in, this can be living together, or causual dating, even friends with benefits. If someone "poofs" after 3 dates without a formal break up or conversation something is up. Surrounding cards would be helpful. Perhaps the hieophant meant that he is still married.

All of those questions depend on the reading. I've tried a few different things. The only thing each reading had in common was the Hierophant in the future or outcome.

I agree, something is up! I wish I had the closure to understand what.
 

plato

I get that same feeling. The Hierophant's bond is a very hard one to break, especially when a break isn't willingly sought (re: death). He may need a lot more time to truly move beyond it, if he ever does at all.

Also, while deception isn't normally in this card on its own and I didn't get that particular vibe, myself, PAMUYA raises a valid point: You might want to consider how well you really know, or don't know, this man and his life/past -- as well as any suspect cards that may or may not be appearing in your readings on him... I.e., if things seem to lean in a deceptively hidden direction, especially if they did all along/well before he disappeared, I'd wonder if this man may actually still have a wife (perhaps going "poof" because he was found out or she was just starting to catch on).

You're right. I just met him a few months ago, so at the end of the day, I don't really know him at all. I once had a two year relationship end because I found out, after all that time, that he was living a double life.

Come to think of it, he disappeared when I began to question certain things he told me (even though I did so calmly, it wasn't a fight type of environment. But clearly, he got nervous.)
 

plato

Yes, you need to find out if he is married or not (to someone else) at the moment.

Hierophant represents the status quo, it's pretty much a static card, boring, which more often than not in the outcome position foretells the news that "nothing is really going to change".

Alternatively, the card may be asking you to trust your own intuition more here to reach into a conclusion, since Hierophant also represents good counsel, but of an inner kind.

What way do I have to find this out, though? Unless he tells me, there's no way for me to know. We haven't gotten to the stage of the relationship where we meet each other's friends and family. (All the easier to lie to me, then.) Thank you.
 

plato

The tradition aspect of the Hierophant under the circumstances you included could suggest that the "traditional" period of grieving associated with widowhood might be at play. It's not the more personal 5C type of grieving for what's been lost, but the more societal you must wait X period before you can move on. Of course that period is different for different people, communities, cultures, etc.

So your future with him depends on when he feels that period of grieving has passed.

Rodney

Well, unfortunately, I wouldn't be willing to wait if this is the way he lets me go. I don't care how much he's grieving; this is cruel and unusual punishment.
 

plato

I would go with the traditional meaning of the card but investigate how that can be so if it seems so unlikely. Basically all you've got is an outcome card without knowing his current position on things, he may be grieving or terrified of commitment at present.

I suggest questions like his current position, hopes, fears, your position etc, devise your own little 6 card spread.

Thank you, I will do so.
 

plato

If he's not someone you've interacted with in person and who has contacted you online, I'd strongly suspect he's still married to a live spouse. In that case, maybe his wife caught him in cyber town.

On the other hand, if he's somebody you know in person and know for a fact that his wife died, he may just not be ready to get into a relationship yet. I lost my husband in August of 2000 and it took me years to even get past that so that I might consider another relationship. I'm 71 years old now and have no desire to even have a romance. For someone else, though, the thought of being with another person romantically or sexually may be appealing because he's so lonely but then when it comes right down to it, he spooks and disappears.

My son lost his wife to cancer about 18 months ago and he's still grieving and hasn't shown any signs of any desire to move past that and start a new relationship.

I do know him. However, I've never been to his home, claims his wife's stuff is still laying around everywhere, I didn't want to push it.

If he took the time to explain to me that he isn't ready, I would have understood. To ghost someone is cruel; I don't care how much pain he's in. It's basic human decency. It's one sentence.
 

plato

I got this card for a previous relationship too -- and learned it means (for me) as Mystica7 said "things stay the same". In the situation I'd interpret it to mean that nothing changes bc tradition means not rocking the boat


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Thank you for letting me know.
 

plato

Welcome to the forum, Plato.

Asking about a future and getting the Heirophant in the circumstances you describe, probably just indicates that he vanished because he felt that something was wrong, not above-board or not traditionally correct. It may also point to you needing to be more -er- old-fashioned in any dealings with him (or people who resemble him) in the future.

I see. Thank you very much for your input.