The Hermit

Archetypes in the Tarot – The Hermit

When we think of the Hermit we are inclined to be swayed by the culture we are raised in and I seem to hear that most people think of a hermit as some one who is a social outcast or a mentally deranged misfit. In the context of the Tarot the Hermit is far different from this description.

If you think of the monks that go to live in seclusion in the mountains of Japan and China you'll have a better concept of the figure of the Hermit in the Tarot deck. This is a person who has withdrawn from the world of humanity to live in union with the natural world to perfect a connection to the spiritual universe. He is a spiritual teacher who can lead you on a journey of self discovery. This figure is shown as an elderly man but it's just as possible to be a woman and be the very same teacher. The convention of showing the old man looking down on the frailties of humanity is merely an indicator that the spiritual individual steps back from the daily strife and meddlesome turmoil of human interactions in an effort to maintain contact with the Absolute Wisdom that we become distracted from while going about life.

Often this is a recommendation to step back from our involvement in the difficulty of interpersonal interactions to reconnect with the universal spirit.

As an individual the Hermit is a inner focused, spiritual teacher who can guide others along the path of enlightenment, religious connection, spiritual awareness or self discovery. Profoundly calm and centered the Hermit has forgone the need for ego, pride and other sins of the world of humanity. The Hermit has learned that compassion for others requires acceptance, a willingness to teach those who truly wish to learn but does not require intimate attachment to histrionics we are prone to.

If you encounter a Hermit don't be surprised if you're about to learn a profound lesson.