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9 The Hermit

Keywords: solitude; reflection; meditation; anti-social behavior; loner; out-cast; innovative thinker

Archetypes: Cinderella’s Fairy God Mother; Gandhi; Jesuit priests; cloistered nuns; Robinson Crusoe

Correspondences:

Number/5

Planet/Mercury

Element/Earth

Astrological Sun Sign/Virgo

Upright Interpretation: This guy has great things going on in his head, but he’s just too shy to spread some of these insights and this incredible wealth of knowledge and ideas. Sometimes it’s the quiet people who have the most to offer. We just have to look below the surface and take some time and effort to crack the shell these people put up around themselves. Solitude (the good kind) is highlighted with this upright card. Take time to just “Be” and “Think”, the Hermit is telling us.

Reversed Interpretation: The reversed Hermit is pathetic. He’s neurotically insecure, which makes him try harder to impress, or to make sure he’s the center of attention. He’s usually a churning mass of jealousy, tends to be pissy when someone disagrees with him (or doesn’t validate his egotistical impression of himself), and has little regard for other people’s feelings. The reversed Hermit tends to be an asshole. If you meet him, you kind of wish he’d crawl back into the solitary hole he climbed out of.

Study Questions:

1. What is your first impression of this card?

2. What does this card mean to You

3. Are there details on this card that especially stand out for you? If so, write them down and explain.

4. How does this card define relationships?

5. How does this card define financial circumstances?

6. How is this card relevant to health issues?

Affirmations for Meditation:

1. Being alone can be a positive experience.

2. I will use this solitude for growth & reflection.

3. I will create my own path.

4. I will walk my own walk.

5. I will celebrate MYSELF.

A Tarot Reading for The Hermit:
The Hermit ~ Ace/swords; The Sun; King/pentacles

The strangest thing about being alone is that it’s often easier to find your voice.  It’s not overshadowed and drowned out by all the voices around you, all the thoughts, ideas, opinions, and judgments of others.  And it’s so easy to be strong and confident in your own voice when you’re by yourself, but when you re-emerge in the world (and you will), all your self-doubts and insecurities will rise once more to the surface.  It’s like someone once said…alone in your own surroundings you feel like a Queen in your ratty old sweater; but out in the public domain, you cower beneath the scrutiny of the world even when cloaked in expensive clothes.

The Sun will teach you, Hermit, to be truly happy.  You have to learn to be happy all by yourself before you will find happiness in the company of others.  The Sun is going to shine on you, Hermit, it’s going to make you happy in spite of yourself.  It’s going to throw big rays of golden light on all the boogie-men in the dark closet of your mind so that you can see them for what they really are…puny harmless impressions of wanna-be dark things that go bump in the night.

In your solitude comes great strength, Hermit.  But this endless cool blue pool of solitude can only spread out so far from the core that is you.  Eventually, it will touch something of the world, maybe an individual, maybe an idea, maybe a gallant cause.  You will be pulled back into the fray of the world, Hermit, but I suspect that you will be able to maintain the cool calm exterior you like to show the world.  It’s all about control, and you’re an expert in this area.  Just remember, real control often shows it’s face most notably when it’s relinquished.

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