The Hierophant traditionally represents the connection between humans and the divine, the teacher of hidden knowledge, spiritual beliefs, organized religion, moral growth and development. Here we have a symbol of tradition and moral authority. The Hierophant can be seen as representing formal, organized religious and moral beliefs and attitudes, education and the principle of teaching and learning.  

Positive:  You're establishing a relationships with a philosophy that can really lead and direct your life.  It's a good idea to go ahead and take responsibility for behaving in accordance with this ethical system.  You can assume leadership since you are loyal to your ideals and accountable for your actions.
Upright:  You are involved with a group or another person because of your shared philosophy, common goals, or social orientation.  You may have a sense of connectedness with a family, lover, church, political group, spiritual group, or whatever.  You feel loyalty toward these others and choose to live in accordance with the beliefs that you share with them.  You may even have  a position of leadership within the group.  The group acts as your inspiration, encouraging you to truly live up to your beliefs.  It may also act as your judge, letting you know when you're off track." - Gail Fairfield

I love the tribal look of the All Hallows Hierophant.  Can't you just smell the patchouli rising up from his skin and the incense that surrounds him?  This is the cool teacher who tried to understand you and tried to help you understand how the world works.  He's the mentor, older brother/cousin who guided you through various awkward and painful situations and helped you come out whole and more knowledgeable on the other side.  

The Wormweird Hierophant is understandably darker and more ominous.  He is a skeleton grasping a bottle of absinthe in one hand and a revolver in the other.  The revolver is pointing in his mouth, leaving little doubt as to what caused his demise.  This figure is Professor Skurr, an absinthe addicted con man seeking knowledge and to take the coins from the pockets of the plague-ridden denizens of Wormwood.  Using his possession of The Madame, he managed to help these downtrodden denizens of despair empty their pockets and eventually their souls in search of an answer.  Eventually his own pain became too much and he took his own life and transforms into the ghastly green-tinged ghostly figure on The Chariot.

These two figures are opposite sides of the same coin.  They offer the salvation, guidance and wisdom that are The Hierophant's positive energies as well as the corruption, abuse and quest for knowledge that can ultimately lead to our demise that represent his negative aspects.  Both side of The Hierophant offer a lesson to us.  We can lose ourselves in the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, especially when it leads us down arcane and occult pathways.  How often do we hear cautionary tales of alchemists and necromancers whose research into the dark side or the hidden mysteries of the world lead to his destruction?  Lovecraft's tales are filled with such creatures.  Indeed one could argue that Aleister Crowley's pursuit of these experiences and knowledge destroyed him too.  Of course they often leave behind a legacy that allows their followers and heirs to further pursue and enhance upon their studies.

We also see this dichotomy displayed in modern scientific pursuits.  The very human desire to find answers to various questions has often provided us with technological advances which we aren't quite ethically mature enough to handle.  The knowledge itself is not the problem, it is how humans choose to use that knowledge.  Of course with each negative outcome, we learn how to change our practices and value so that we do not end up with a metaphorical gun in our mouths.

And of course this is the crux of why I've often avoided putting myself in the position of teacher or leader.  I do not want to be the catalyst for someone else's destruction.  It's funny but even reading that statement I realize how arrogant it sounds.  It's probably my own ego and sense of self-importance but I really don't want someone coming back to me claiming that something I taught caused him or her pain or suffering.  Or maybe that isn't such a bad thing.  Humans do tend to thrive in adverse situations and we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes.  We like challenges and value what we acquire from these struggles much more than we do if something comes easy.  We are like butterflies emerging from cocoons - without struggles we cannot become the beautiful, sparkling creatures we are meant to be.

So what I really need to consider is what kind of teacher do I want to be.  I think the reality is that it's in my nature to be a teacher.  Regardless of how I've avoided accepting that mantle, I think the signs are beating me in the head and I can't postpone it anymore.  I guess it's time for me to really consider how I'd like to teach, what I'd like to teach and who I'd like to teach.  I actually do have a number of options.  Who knows, perhaps my future path will be as a college professor.  I actually thing I'm very temperamentally well suited to such a position.