Episode 205 – Discipline and Delight: On the Hierophant Card in the Tarot

Weird Studies

Phil Ford and J. F. Martel

Arts, Philosophy, Society & Culture

4.8 • 784 Ratings

🗓️ 28 January 2026

⏱️ 94 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of Weird Studies, we turn to the fifth Major Arcanum, the Hierophant, symbolizing tradition, instruction, and the exoteric aspect of spiritual practice. Drawing on Meditations on the Tarot and other sources, we question the easy opposition between tradition and revolution, exploring instead how inherited forms can foster genuine inner growth, and how an interior revolutions may renew traditions from within. To reserve seats for Weird Academia events, visit the website of the Center for Possible Minds. References Johann Sebastian Bach, F# minor Fugue from The Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 (played by Rosalyn Tureck) Richard Wilhelm (trans.), The I Ching J. R. R. Tolkein, The Lord of the Rings P. D. Ouspensky, The Symbolism of the Tarot The Catechism of the Catholic Church Our Known Friend, Meditations of the Tarot Plato, "The Seventh Letter" Alejandro Jodorowsky, The Way of Tarot Dogen, Instructions for the Cook Gilles Deleuze, Difference and Repetition Weird Studies, Live at Illuminated Brew Works Franz Liszt, Hungarian pianist G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Biographia Literaria vol. 1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Do you believe fairies exist?
0:07.0	Each day more people are coming forward with stories of encountering otherworldly beings.
0:15.0	Join me, Joe Hickey Hall, on the Modern Fairy Sightings Podcast,
0:20.0	as we hear from people who are ready to share
0:23.5	their experiences.
0:25.2	Like a tree stop walking and he walked with this weird gait.
0:30.3	It had to take a double take because in front of me were two elf-like goblin-y things.
0:37.4	So the red light was gone and now this slack shape is forming.
0:43.0	They then stopped, look around at us, chuckled and then just vanished in front of our eyes.
0:48.9	Whether you're already a believer or full of intrigue, come, open-minded and open-hearted, and make your own mind up.
0:59.3	The Modern Fairy Sightings podcast on Spectar Vision Radio.
1:20.2	Welcome to Weird Studies, an arts and philosophy podcast with hosts Phil Ford and J.F. Martel.
1:25.5	For more episodes or to support the podcast, go to weirdstudies.F. Martel.
1:53.7	If you happen to be in Bloomington, Indiana, on the day this episode drops, that's January 28,
2:00.2	2026, you may wish to know that Phil and I will be
2:03.4	recording a live episode of Weird Studies this evening, following a screening of Ken Russell's
2:08.5	1980 psychedelic film Altered States at IU Cinema on the Indiana University campus.
2:15.3	You may also be interested to know that tomorrow night, January 29th,
2:19.8	Phil and I will be joined on stage at the Buskirk Chumley Theatre by Weird Luminaries
2:24.8	Jeff Kriple, Jacob Foster, Shannon Taggart, Kat Hobater, and Eric Davis for a conversation
2:31.6	we're calling Weird Academia, exploring the place of the strange
2:35.6	and contemporary academic research. Both events are free, but tickets are required. To reserve
	...

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