IX The Hermit - 'A Light in the Dark'
The Fool has left the Strength archetype unaware that a very significant encounter is just about to happen. Armed with newly found courage, confidence and determination, The Fool is ready for 'The Hermit' and his invaluable lessons. Numbered 'IX' in the Major Arcana, this archetype is an important, timely milestone in The Fool's evolution. As the saying goes: 'When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.'
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| 'The Hermit' from the Sun and Moon Tarot by Vanessa Decort |
THE HERMIT - A Light in the Dark
KEYWORDS
Solitude. Voluntary isolation. Search for knowledge. Meditation. Introspection. Philosophy. Wisdom. Humility. Ascetic lifestyle. Introvert. Self-taught. Teacher. Spiritual Master.
Involuntary isolation. Loneliness. Anti-social behavior. Depression. Extreme seclusion. Secrecy. Untrustworthy. Arrogance. Misanthropy.
THE LIGHT
The Hermit is the card that I identify the most with in the Major Arcana. I share many traits with this archetype. His penchant for solitude, his endless search for knowledge, the need to understand reality and the desire to share the knowledge acquired with those who seek it. The Hermit is solitary by choice. He's removed himself from the world's endless chaos in order to meditate, seek wisdom and get a better perspective on the reality around him. He becomes acutely aware that the more he learns, the more there is to learn and the realization adds a deep layer of humility to this archetype.
Often depicted as a cloaked old man carrying a lantern and leaning on a tall staff, The Hermit walks tirelessly on, his light slashing the darkness, exposing truths and gaining wisdom one step at a time. He is but one man, however, and the light from his lantern is not powerful enough to completely uncover the shadows surrounding him. He realizes that it will take time and that the whole picture won't be revealed to him until he's ready to truly understand it.
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| 'The Hermit' from The Slow Tarot by Lacey Bryant |
Unlike the Hierophant whose wisdom is strictly comprised of established, traditional religious teachings and writings, The Hermit is largely self-taught. He creates his own personal philosophy out of his own study of reality. Others will seek him out and learn from him. There's a saying in parts of Asia: 'When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.' The Hermit may be solitary, but he will never turn away a student that he can be a mentor to.
The appearance of this card in a reading is an invitation to emulate The Hermit's philosophy. Isolating ourselves, clearing our minds and trying to understand the human condition, the lessons that life keeps throwing at us and what the purpose of it all is. We need to try to identify destructive patterns to avoid endlessly repeating them and progress to the next level. The Hermit is a call for much needed solitude to recharge our mental batteries. He urges us to slow down and take a break from the hectic pace of modern life, to meditate, study and achieve deeper levels of wisdom.
This card can also represent an individual whose unique vision draws like-minded people to him. They're attracted to his calm, detached, non-judgmental vibe and his valuable insights.
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| A different take on the 'The Hermit' from the Elemental Power Tarot by Melinda Lee Holm |
Another facet sometimes associated with the The Hermit archetype is the concept of time. The elderly figure, the extensive, painstaking process of knowledge acquisition; the endless search for meaning and understanding, all imply the passage of large amounts of time. This card can therefore be interpreted with that aspect in mind. When The Hermit shows up, nothing will happen overnight. It may take years for a project or relationship to fully develop.
THE SHADOW
The shadow Hermit is a sign that we spend too much time alone. Extreme loneliness and constant introspection can lead to anti-social behavior, especially if isolation wasn't a voluntary choice. If this card appears in a negative position, it's time to open ourselves up to the world once again, to leave the darkness and walk into the sunshine. Maybe to spend time with friends and family, or simply to go outside and experience the messy, noisy side of humanity. Even the most solitary among us needs human contact every once in a while.
Another shadow side of this card is a strong penchant for secrecy and the unwillingness to share one's knowledge and experience. It indicates that the full truth is purposely hidden, usually for unscrupulous, self-serving reasons. The shadow Hermit is not to be trusted.
This is also one of the cards that can indicate mental fog, confusion and depression, so pay close attention to nearby cards that may underscore and clarify this aspect.
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| 'The Hermit' variations. From left to right: The Alchemical Tarot, The Raincoast Tarot and the Tarot Morandi |
LITERALLY
The Hermit can literally represent an ascetic person, an introvert, a monk. Any sort of individual who is solitary by choice.
TAROT ACADEMIA
The Hermit card marks a crucial milestone in the Fool's journey. It's time for him to find a deeper level of maturity and understanding in preparation for the true character tests that are yet to cross his path in the form of The Devil and The Tower. The initial signs of possible hardship are already apparent in the next archetype, The Wheel of Fortune, the first card with the potential to upend The Fool's life at any moment.
With The Hermit, The Fool combines all the abstract lessons and all the concepts garnered from the previous archetypes and begins to realize that he's an integral part of the process. He's not just a passive student, he's also an independent thinker, a seeker and, as his knowledge and experience grow, he becomes aware that he too will eventually become a teacher.
The symbolism in The Hermit is probably the easiest to decipher for Tarot beginners. He's very reminiscent of all the ascetic masters, religious and secular, who have walked the Earth in search of the true meaning of existence. The Buddha is the perfect and most famous example of The Hermit archetype. So is Jesus Christ to some extent. These individuals expanded their vision and went much further down the learning path than their teachers ever did, eventually surpassing their elders and becoming a fountain of wisdom themselves.
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| 'The Hermit' from the Hezicos Tarot by Mary Griffin |
Let's take a closer look at the sparse, but very effective traditional Hermit symbology. The lit lantern is both beacon and searchlight. It simultaneously exposes new knowledge and signals to others where to find him; a clear implication that his isolation is not for his benefit alone, but for humanity's. The mountain he stands on represents the elevation of the mind he's achieved and the wider perspective on the 'whole' necessary for true understanding. The cloaked old man or woman represents wisdom, asceticism and experience. The staff he leans on for balance is an allegory for The Hermit's previously acquired knowledge which enables him to search the symbolic darkness for hidden truths without stumbling with every step he takes.
The deceptively austere symbology present in The Hermit reveals a wealth of information on this archetype's meaning. It's an intuitive reader's dream card. It allows the reader to interpret the card in the same way that The Hermit lights up the dark. Slowly, deliberately and relying on the full weight of the readers experience.
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| 'L'Eremita' from the Tarot Alexander Danilov |
AN EXERCISE
Meditate on The Hermit card and try to temporarily remove yourself from the world for much needed introspection and a look at the bigger picture without the distraction of your own and others' emotional noise. Reflect on the reason for The Hermit's appearance on the path at this point in The Fool's journey and how it fits or not in your own life at this moment in time.