The Hermit Tarot Card Meanings

The Hermit Upright Meaning

The challenge of The Hermit card is to be able to recognize a teacher in a humble disguise. This font of mysterious knowledge will not make it easy for the student to acquire his wisdom, as it takes time and long contemplation to fathom what he knows. He often speaks wordlessly, or in ancient and barbaric tongues, communicating with the elements, animals, and nature herself.

While an hourglass was an identifying feature on the earliest Hermit Tarot cards, more modern cards have shifted the metaphor, showing more or less light released from his lantern. In either case, the Hermit card reminds us of the value of time away from the hubbub of civic life, to relax the ego in communion with nature.

The Hermit Reversed Meaning

When the Hermit card is reversed, you may be resisting the process of evolving towards a level of wisdom that sets you apart. Fear of the path is haunting you; it could be a fear of loneliness.

Try to remember that the shamanic method for facing fears is to relax and open. Let them in and allow them to have their way for a while. This way you know them fully and will see them pass of their own accord. When there are no more surprises, you can move into a place of empowered action.

The Hermit Advice Position

The Hermit advises that you think things through carefully. The demands on you have been high, giving you scant time for reflection. While you have a gift for understanding the larger implications involved, you need some private time to consider the steps to take in the future. You can't just lock yourself in your room for fifteen minutes and expect to come up with profound solutions. You need more seclusion and time to assimilate and process.

Now may be the moment for you to tell everyone to leave you alone. When you are fully ready, you will be able and willing to give others what they need.

The Hermit Love Position

The Hermit in this position describes an individual who has a relationship with the spirit world instead of society. The Hermit prefers to specialize in what is esoteric. He studies the inner sciences -- yoga, tantra, self-cultivation. The Hermit is involved with consciousness development that takes him beyond the limited human ego and puts him in touch with the vastness of cosmic creation. He or she may have very little time for ordinary human commerce, relationship complexities, and its various distractions.

This card points to inner study. It's about immersing yourself in the mysteries of natural law. The Hermit looks like an old man but in reality he is an eternal child full of wonder, gazing into the mysteries of the inner life.

The Hermit Career Position

When the Hermit is in this position, you crave plenty of privacy and an end to the stimulation coming from work. Make the usual supervisors, critics, and back seat drivers disappear for a while if you can. Then you can study the situation without the interference of other people's personalities and agendas. This is a wonderful opportunity for contemplation. It is possible in a situation like this that you will experience some precognition and sense of what is to come.

Your need for inner stillness is strong. Do your best to cultivate it. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to be patient with the day-to-day chatter and bustle that is the norm when you're on the job. Try to have as little human interaction as possible until you get the message that inner voices are trying to communicate to you.

The Hermit in a Yes or No Card Reading

The Hermit is a card of solitude and wisdom. If you're looking for simple Yes or No guidance and receive The Hermit, the answer is NO. Separate yourself from others' opinions for the time being.