These women started to emerge in the 90s, driven onwards by the great gush of oracle cards and the publishers who pushed them. You know the type, white, conventionally pretty, waterfall wave hair extensions, might be a vegan, definitely eats the trendy superfood, and has a system of completely superficial New Age crap that she can’t wait to share with you. She’s got a masterclass that will change! your! life! She’s got a vocabulary full of catchphrases like “bust through those limiting beliefs” and talks a lot about “living in alignment”. She peppers her conversations with words like abundance, manifesting, generating, attracting and basically tries to make selling digital products that no one really needs into a spiritual journey. And why not? It’s much better to cry about your problems while the gentle, floral breeze stirs the hem of your crisp white maxi dress as the tears roll down your tanned cheeks, hitting the beach sand in Bali. OMG she’s so vulnerable – quick! Catch that and put it on Instagram!
For some reason, from about 2008 – 2020, a lot of these women came from Australia. But don’t worry, the New Age Manifestation Machine is spitting them out in every country. The spiritual godmother of all these women, Doreen Virtue, is now a born again Christian who tells the internet that she made everything up under the influence of demonic forces. That’s ok, sometimes grandmama goes a little loopy. We still have Aunties Teal Swan and Brooke Castillo to look to.
The Hierophant
The Hierophant represents power, but it is not an independent power. The power of The Hierophant is subject to a larger institution: an organization, organized religion, a university, a large corporation, an HMO, or even an established franchise. He has to dispense wisdom as per the agreements, he has with said organization. This isn’t difficult for the person represented by this card. The Hierophant is who he is because of this institution. His success is based upon his association with, and perhaps even creation of, or eventual control of, this particular institution.
typically, The Hierophant is shown within the walls of an old stone church. Things are solid and steady. The beliefs are correct and valid – and why wouldn’t they be? Why, this institution has been around for X number of centuries or they do X millions in profits every year – so of course what The Hierophant is teaching is the truth. Look at all his loyal followers!
Incidentally the voice to type feature keeps interpreting “The Hierophant” as “the high offense” and I think that it is both fitting and hilarious.
Personalities represented by this card want to share “the truth“ with everyone. Frequently, they align themselves with large companies or institutions. Sometimes they create their own, but even then they’re most likely hived off from some thing else.
The White Ladult Life Coach is such a person. She preaches from her pulpit on a variety of subjects: wellness, divination, female, empowerment, holistic products or practices. She often does this from within the safety of the temple walls of big companies like doTERRA or holistic communities whose members will validate and support her.
This card is usually presented as being ruled by Jupiter, Venus, or Taurus. These elements have steady, predictable growth and prosperity in common. There’s also a desire for material comforts, security, and ease. They love sharing the knowledge, the truth, because everyone should have access to this information.
BUT: it won’t all be given out at once. No no no. The Hierophant does not want everyone to share all the power. Just some of it. He wants you to have just enough success that you’ll go out and turn a few more converts but not so much that you become his equal.
The personality in these cards dislikes arguments. Truth isn’t relative, it’s absolute and they have it. When faced with an adversaries, these folks will retreat into their stone temple fortress and hide. If not physically vanishing, then they are surrounded by people who act as buffers and layers. You can’t get to them. They are untouchable.
The 10 of Swords
Quite often this is one of the most disliked cards in the deck. It’s post-Rider meaning is often wrapped up in suffering that’s about to end. Astrologically this card relates best to Saturn in Libra. Success in this card comes through partnership and hard work The White Lady Life Coach needs you because without all her followers she’s just another pretty face behind the wheel of an SUV. The earthy influence of The Hierophant holds the 10 of Swords still and gives a slow, steady organized drive. There is a process with The Hierophant, an established order. For a price, she’ll share the success formula with you.
The Hierophant’s desire to control things also brings out the worst of the Mean Girl traits within the Libra energy of the 10 of Swords. When this is emphasized, disagreements present themselves. The Hierophant becomes bombastic and tries to use those issues as a flex. The end result is nearly always disastrous on an epic scale and generally expensive. This can, as expected, produce a diminished reputation. On the flip side, it can solidify a double down effect in followers, commensurate to how much they’ve invested in all of these shenanigans.
For years I’ve watched these exact patterns play out with a significant amount of the White Lady Life Coaches I’ve observed over the years. Not all, mind you, but more than a few. Many of them do balance the Taurean authority of The Hierophant with Libra’s grace and fairness, emphasizing the bright dawn pictured in so many versions of the 10 of Swords.
But be honest, it’s kind of funny to watch them flail around and lose their shit online, go dark for the required three days while their Facebook page fills up with the appropriate indignation from their watchers, only to pop up on YouTube with the most unapologetic word salad apologies ever – you know you make popcorn and tune in.
