Card 9-The Hermit
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
United States
January 13, 2011 11:32am CST
The Hermit represents reflection and solitude. It is the monk who retreats away from society. It is the wise shaman who is found only in the hidden caves of a mountain side. It is the priest who takes sabbatical away from society in a vow of silence. It is the mountain yogi. It is mercy reflecting on beauty.
The Hermit resides on the path between Chesed (Mercy) and Tipareth (Beauty) on the Tree of Life. The Hermit has had the vision of the Beauty of things and finds himself being drawn toward Mercy. He begins to retreat from the material world to reflect upon beauty, thus growing closer to the Divine beauty of life.
If the Hermit is drawn by itself or in a spread (though it depends upon the surrounding cards) in the positive aspect it is an indication that a time for solace or reflection is needed. It is a time to pull away from your material world and reflect upon your life in the spiritual world or spiritual sense. Depending upon the question asked it could mean that counsel is needed in the question at hand. In the negative aspect it could mean that you have refused sage advice or counsel. It could mean that you are clinging to your own bad habits or things that are unproductive in your life that others have pointed out to you as being harmful to yourself. It could also mean that you are harboring unfounded thoughts about another and need to reflect upon the basis of those thoughts. In the entirety the Hermit in your spread means the lessons you need to learn or are learning are that of the Hermit in all his attributes. It is a time to reflect in the quiet of the moment and a time of introspection.
Questions: Do you find yourself following the path of the solitary mystic? Or are you in need of a time of quiet reflection?
4 responses
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
16 Jan 11
Dawn-
What are your plans to encourage more social interaction?
Namaste-Anora
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
16 Jan 11
I think that's awesome! Animals also help to take the edge off social interaction.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
19 Jan 11
In my life I tend to believe that I am quite the opposite of being a hermit. I am a social butterfly and I am normally surrounded by other people in some way or another. I believe that the reason for that is because of the fact that I came from a family where my father was a very social person. However, there are also times that I do draw into myself and draw my inspiration from myself. I'm definitely not a complete hermit.
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
19 Jan 11
Dorann-
The important lesson of the Hermit is that we all need a time for reflection on the life around us. It is in this quiet still calm away from the hustle and bustle of life that we can reflect upon our choices, our experiences, and learn from them. If we are always on the "go" so to speak we miss things because we have not allowed our self to have any quiet time to analyze.
Namaste-Anora
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
13 Jan 11
This is my card..lol..I am forever being called a hermit. Not because I am not social or outgoing but because I have a great seperation. It is a seperation between job and family. Self and what I am supposed to be. It is a seperation that is comfortable for me. I have friends..friends I could call for anything..as they could me..but not friends I spend alot of time with on a social level. I don't really deny council but I have a hard time trusting the council of others. It has been my experience that council is not often given with a person's best interest at heart. I always listen though if someone offers. I go through periods of being "out and about" but I also go through periods of solitude. Solitude has at times become an uncomfortable comfort...lol..does that even make sense? Anyway..maybe you can throw down a few cards around that hermit and see what comes to pass.lol
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
14 Jan 11
Jen-
Excellent insight on the Hermit. I know exactly what you mean. I have many friends online that I converse with through emails, and so forth but I have no friends in this offline world that I would want to get together with, save a few locals that I am teaching through our pagan group. I just do not have the want or desire to leave my abode so to speak, save when I want to observe the world. I'm a people watcher when I go out and I enjoy watching the interactions without being of the interactions.
Namaste-Anora
Rich-
I love your story! It is exactly what we become as we take on the attributes of the Hermit and as we can see the Hermit can start at any age. Oh, and I do go out now and then. I'm not too much like Yoda, yet. 
Namaste-Anora
Namaste-Anora
@NoWayRo (1061)
• Romania
16 Jan 11
Yay, my card 
I think I've said this before - in the past five years or so, I got the Hermit in absolutely every single reading. It's almost tempting to remove this card from the pack, to see what else pops up.
Not that it surprises me that much, I am a bit of a hermit, in the sense that I need to be alone to do anything. I prefer to work alone; in the office, I tried to arrive a few hours before everybody else, or to stay after everybody had gone home. I've lived alone for many years, and I long to do that again as soon as possible. In the kitchen, I prefer to be alone when I cook.
Not that I'm a lonely type; quite to the contrary. I have a lot of friends, and I go out almost every evening; plus, my phone bill is through the roof every month. But that's for fun and entertainment; when I want to do something, I want to be alone.
So there, my Hermit in all the readings
I think of the Hermit as a character of great education, but who's still searching, on a never-ending quest for knowledge. That's the good thing with it. What worries me about the Hermit is that, in his quest, he might pass by happiness, truth, friendship, and he might fail to stop and enjoy them.
I think I've said this before - in the past five years or so, I got the Hermit in absolutely every single reading. It's almost tempting to remove this card from the pack, to see what else pops up.
Not that it surprises me that much, I am a bit of a hermit, in the sense that I need to be alone to do anything. I prefer to work alone; in the office, I tried to arrive a few hours before everybody else, or to stay after everybody had gone home. I've lived alone for many years, and I long to do that again as soon as possible. In the kitchen, I prefer to be alone when I cook.
Not that I'm a lonely type; quite to the contrary. I have a lot of friends, and I go out almost every evening; plus, my phone bill is through the roof every month. But that's for fun and entertainment; when I want to do something, I want to be alone.
So there, my Hermit in all the readings
I think of the Hermit as a character of great education, but who's still searching, on a never-ending quest for knowledge. That's the good thing with it. What worries me about the Hermit is that, in his quest, he might pass by happiness, truth, friendship, and he might fail to stop and enjoy them. 1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
17 Jan 11
Ro-
There is a certain risk in becoming too isolated, but if we quit our introspection prematurely we also risk missing out on the wisdom that could be gained from reflecting upon those very experiences. Yes, so while the Hermit can reflect "going it alone", it can also simply indicate that a time of reflection, contemplation, and introspection is necessary.
Namaste-Anora
