9. The Hermit

The Hermit can be seen as the need for a side trip on the journey to take the “road less traveled,” moving away from the “herd mentality.”  Here we are compelled to take the light of love and compassion and go within to find the authentic Self, the self beyond the egoic mind and society’s expectation, for deep insight and healing.  

Key words: Withdrawal/ Seeker/ The spiritual path/ Way Shower/ Inner axis/ Teacher within

Kacie Flynn  The Hermit 

When I drew this card comical images of what I perceived a hermit to be swam into my mind. The modern day hermit: the crazy cat lady, the girl who got dumped and retreats into pity, or the gamer glued to their console substituting reality for fantasy. But all my negative connotations placed my hermit in a pathetic self-wallowing light. 

It wasn't until i started searching into the meaning of the card that I saw past the cliche. To the religious the hermit becomes the anchorite, withdrawing from secular society to lead an intensely prayer-oriented life. To the skeptic they become the misanthrope, full of anger and hatred towards mankind.

At some point we all find ourselves with that desire for peace and solitude: to think, organize, ruminate, and take stock. In tarot the Hermit is almost always shown on the move. He's never hiding away in his cave. Rather, he's out wandering and searching for clarity. Like an artist who hides away for days then emerges to paint a masterpiece, this quiet time allows all the pieces to fall into place.

"After a long and busy lifetime, building, creating, loving, hating, fighting, compromising, the Fool feels a profound need to retreat. In a small, rustic home deep in the woods, she hides, reading, cleaning, organizing, resting or just thinking. But every night at dusk she heads out, traveling across the bare, autumnal landscape. She carries only a staff and a lantern."