“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”
– Carl Jung

Inner truth, solitary, wisdom

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Overview

Seeking internal truth and recalibrating direction

After great feats of strength, comes the time to turn inwards to reflect on all that you’ve done. The Hermit is a time of reflection and wants to assist you in finding you brightest future. After all, his lantern is what lights the way in your darkest hour. The star sitting behind the glass of his light is your destiny, and he knows the way you don’t. The Hermit’s experiences and wisdom is what grants him the responsibility something so valuable. You can talk to him, but you have to be quiet and alone. In order to hear him you have to turn inward and be open to receiving his message.

Symbolism

The Hermit is in gray robes and stands on top of a mount with gray sky behind him as if he’s in a storm cloud. Looking down on the world, his shoulders low but his lantern high. A long white beard and hair, it’s clear he’s been away for a while. His staff maintains its yellow splendor and the star in his lantern never dims.

Meaning

Find the light in who you are

If you find yourself losing your spark in life, turn inwards and find what inspires you to keep going. There is a need to introspect who you are, what you like, what you believe in and who serves you in your life. This requires you to be alone, to find your center again and rediscover yourself after you’ve been heavily influenced by other people, places and situations.

Recalibrating your perspective

Solitude and seeking inner reflection are necessary things in our lives.  In order to reestablish our spiritual equilibrium and rediscover the definition of our truths. After a chaotic time, it’s time to come back to the keystone and restructure your morals and beliefs. Work through the dark parts inside you to find your authentic, perfectly flawed self. Take time to realign the stars in your galaxy; arrange the constellations to match your current point of view.

Recharging your social battery

Perhaps something has burned you out, and you need to discover whether or not it serves you anymore. There could be a truth just out of your reach. The Hermit’s lantern shines as bright as the star captured in it; it’s the truth that is eluding you. The only way you can find it is inside the labyrinth of your essence. Scale the labyrinth walls and follow the glow to your resolution.

Influence on Suites

During a reading, pay attention to the majority of the cards that are present. Depending on the number of Tarot cards of each suite, the meaning of the card can take a different shape.

A lot of cups in the reading advises you to analyze your current relationship and how much meaning you’ve put into it. There’s a potential it could be more toxic than beneficial.

If wands are prevalent in a reading with The Hermit, your latest endeavor has you weary, and you’re wondering if it’s worth continuing. The only one who can answer this is you. Take time, introspection, and a little bit more solid planning and the path will become clearer.

Pentacles advises you that material attachments have become your ball and chain. Luxury, even basic survival is ruining any potential enjoyment in life. You’ve lost yourself to the rat race, learn to align to yourself again.

If the Suit of Swords surrounds The Hermit the you already know the truth you’re seeking. Once you take the time to turn inwards and evaluate the situation, it will come to you like it’s common knowledge.

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The Hermit Reversed

“An unexamined life is not worth living”
– Socrates

Avoidance, disconnection, loneliness, fear of introspection

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In the Reversed position, you can turn the meaning of The Hermit upside down and inside out, or it can be perceived as something else. Reversed cards can be read a few different ways. If you want to know the source of the concept of why this card is defined the way it is, check out the article “Reading Reversals” in Chapter 6 of this knowledge base.

If you simply want to know the reason and not the method of deciphering, here are some possible ways to read the card in reversed.

Deciphering The Hermit reversed

Refusing to turn inward

It’s been a long time since you sat with yourself, and you’re losing touch with your inner self. Maybe your intuition has been off, or your sight on the future is starting to dim. This is it’s own form of neglect, you’re neglecting yourself. If the Two of Pentacles Reversed is present in the reading, this is just all the more confirmation that you’re not properly balancing your material and spiritual lives.

Isolation

It’s been a long time since you really connected with another person, and you’re losing touch with knowing how to do it. Either you’re being isolated by a person in an abusive situation or you’ve lost touch with reality so much that you are choosing to stay alone rather than form any meaningful connections.

Avoidance

This card can be compared to something like ‘ghosting’, you’re avoiding something in your life by putting other people in front of it so you never have to confront something uncomfortable. The Two of Swords Reversed can resonate with this. It’s not that you do not see it, but there’s something refusing to look to begin with.

Loneliness

Whether you are finding yourself lonely in your catharsis, or you’re looking for a person to avoid your problems; loneliness strikes hard like your pinky toe on a coffee table leg. You are struggling with yourself. Instead of looking at your boredom or lack of stimulation as loneliness, find something else to occupy you.

Reintegration problems

After spending a long time alone, you’re struggling to find your place back into the world. Whether that’s in your community, or socially. You feel like you’re stuck being an outcast, struggling to form meaningful connections, and have a bit of a chip on your shoulder in regards to coming back to the material plane.

You’ve become too comfortable with your loneliness. Humans are the ultimate uncontrolled variables in our lives, and you’ve gotten used to the predictability of your world. But there’s no growth in stagnancy, so predictability must go. Start small by volunteering or an activity that requires you to interact with someone over a period of time (such as getting a tattoo). This will help to ease yourself back into the world and see the good in it again.

Companionship

If you’ve spent a lot of time alone for a long time (we’re talking years) The Hermit Reversed is an indicator you’re about to find your tribe. All that introspection, self-reflections and healing has finally paid off. Either you will be joined on your path by a companion or some friends. The loneliness is over, you are no longer on the outside looking in.