Welcome to part 10 of my 22 part Tarot Meanings Deep Dive series – each week we explore ONE major arcana card and uncover it’s secrets, symbols and messages.

Today we’re diving into The Hermit – the most introverted card in the whole deck!

Grab your Tarot journal, pen and a hot cup of something good…..

Keywords: Solitude, introspection, wisdom, meditation, expanded consciousness, inner awareness

Symbols: Lantern, mountain peaks, old man, cloak, closed eyes, head down, walking stick

Dark Side: Being too cut off from society, unable to relate to people and interact. Able to get wisdom from within but unable to then share it with the world.

1) Solitude

The Hermit has mastered the art of being alone without being lonely. He knows that when he tunes out the hive-like noise of society and clears his mind of chatter, he is able to commune with his soul and higher self.

Journalling Questions:

♥ How comfortable are you being alone? Do you enjoy your own company? How comfy are you being alone, in silence and not doing anything?

♥ How can you create a mini retreat for yourself – to hunker down and converse with your higher self?

2) Introspection

The Hermit encourages us to journey inward and explore our consciousness, traversing the universe within and developing inner awareness.

Lantern = light of consciousness, awareness and soul

Head down, eyes closed, cloak = tuning out worldly distractions so he can meet his true self and discover the nature of consciousness.

The willingness to take this inward journey is the difference between wisdom and intelligence – wisdom is intelligence + going inward and consulting the spiritual dimension. Without wisdom (and the spiritual dimension), intelligence will be shallow at best and destructive at worst.

So what happens when we go inward? What do we find? I’ve recently discovered HemiSync, a company that makes guided meditations and music that helps syncronize the left and right hemispheres of the brain, putting you in a deep, meditative state. I’ve finally been having real success in my meditation sessions instead of just sitting there bored out of my skull!

Journalling Questions:

♥ What helps you become more aware of your inner reality (feelings, energy, consciousness, soul)?

♥ Do you make introspection a priority? Or do other things get in the way?

3) Spiritual Journey

The Hermit reminds us to contemplate our spiritual journey and physical journey (life path) and make them intersect. Discovering how you can express your spiritual path through your physical life is key!

We must be able to root our spiritual selves into our physical reality so that our work in the world is in alignment with our spiritual blueprint.

The Hermit knows how to journey inward and obtain spiritual wisdom and then bring it into the physical, mundane, day to day, Earth plane.

Journalling Questions:

♥ Take time to meditate, journey and contemplate. What insights, wisdom or inspiration did you receive? How can you incorporate it into your day to day life?

The Wisdom of The Hermit

The Hermit knows that without wisdom, we are doomed to fail. The only way to access this wisdom is to journey inward and let go of ego. The Hermit is a mediator between the spiritual and physical worlds – and YOU are The Hermit too! All of us can access our inner hermit if we choose to.

When we tune out the noisy, chattering world of form and people’s opinions, we can access deeper states of conscious awareness and journey to the universe within to bring back wisdom and light to share with the world!

Let me know in the comments below…Did you enjoy this exercise? Did you learn anything new about The Hermit? Or about yourself?

♥ Join me next week as I dive into The Wheel of Fortune and give the luckiest card in the Tarot a spin!