Major Arcana 9 Tarot Hermit (Elder, Seeker)

Description: An old man, dressed in a gray hooded robe, bowed his head over the road, he lights his way with a lantern in which a star burns, which he holds in his right hand. In his left hand he holds a staff.

The main meanings of the card in the direct position:

1. The path of knowledge, contemplation, meditation;
2. Inner light;
3. Wisdom;
4. Spiritual guide;
5. Acceptance of teaching;
6. Revision of previous ideas;
7. Liberation from other people's opinions;
8. Loneliness, loneliness «together», the ability to do without each other;
9. Discoveries;
10. Old age;
11. Patient waiting;
12. A good time to study something.

The main meanings of the card in the inverted position:

1. 1. Rejection of good advice/wisdom;
   2. The main obstacle to spiritual development is pride and ego;
   3. Unnecessary isolation;
   4. Exile;
   5. Lack of contacts;
   6. Stupid and excessive self-confidence;
   7. Heavy loss;
   8. Suspicion;
   9. Self-pity;
   10. Suspicion;
   11. Breakup of relations.

A man in a monk's robe holds a lantern in his raised hand, in which a star is burning. With his other hand he rests on a golden staff. He is hunched over, because he is tired from work and worries, but he is calm. He stands on the top of a mountain, and around him there are only mountains.

The Hermit card signifies a rejection of the desire for material and physical goods, an appeal to the mind and soul. What good is it to a man if he gains the whole world, but harms his soul? — Jesus asked. It would seem to be a simple truth, but to understand it, a person sometimes needs a whole life. That is why the Hermit depicted on the card is old. Only now has he truly entered the purest of paths — the path of knowledge, the path of Tao and Buddha. His eyes are usually closed, because in order to see the light of Truth, he no longer needs earthly sight. Hence the name of this card in the Egyptian Tarot: Inner Light. But he was able to achieve this only after many searches and temptations. If he had not had a golden staff, he might never have reached the top. However, now he does not need a staff.

In the old days, this card was called «The Old Man» and was considered the personification of all-consuming Time: instead of a lantern, the man depicted on it held an hourglass. Then she spoke not of wisdom, but of fear and could foretell imminent death.

Other names of the arcana: The Elder, The Seeker, The Prophet of Eternity, The Mage of the Voice of Power.

SPIRITUAL EXPLANATION: The Hermit moves up the magical mountain, knowing his ultimate goal — union with the Divine, and the lantern he raised above his head lights the way for all spiritual seekers following in his footsteps.

MEANING IN THE TAROT LAYOUT: This card is associated with solitude and contemplation — at this time, the spiritual journey is very important in your life. Pulling this card from the deck means that soon you will probably meet someone who will become your spiritual guide, and will be able to show you new opportunities for growth and gaining a higher level of consciousness. In addition, this card means your willingness to accept the help that is offered to you. However, be patient, for the spiritual path is long and difficult and there are no quick answers or easy solutions. Use your insight and intuition to move forward and trust the light and wisdom of your inner guide.

REVERSED MEANING: You reject the guidance and good advice that others offer. You seem to have no desire to enrich yourself with new experiences — you are too resistant or create obstacles along the way. Your pride and ego are hindering your spiritual development.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT LESSON: The spiritual path that leads us from the darkness of our ignorance to the light is narrow and not without difficulties. However, if you open your heart and mind to spiritual guidance, then when it is given to you, you will overcome the obstacles that appear before you and ultimately reach your goal.

WORK: A time of reflection, when we must finally figure out what we want in terms of work. These reflections can lead to a revision of all previous ideas about success, recognition, prestige, demand, money and the sphere of interests. And in any case, they lead us to a better understanding of our true needs and our true calling. Having understood this, we not only strengthen our spirit, but also acquire deep inner confidence, thanks to which we can now slowly but surely approach the implementation of our new goal. It happens that the Hermit personifies the work itself, then he reminds us that seriousness, calm, balanced actions and self-reliance within limited finances give more satisfaction than participation in group events of the notorious consumer society.

CONSCIOUSNESS: This card shows that we are detaching ourselves from the world in order to free ourselves from other people's opinions and return to our original «I». Therefore, the Hermit often signifies a period, from a few days to a whole vacation, when we flee from others to focus on a problem, to work productively, or simply to give ourselves a break and think, so that understanding comes naturally. Often during such periods of peace, it is recommended to fast, abstain from everything, observe a vow of silence, engage in meditation or other spiritual practices. As a result of such work, a person becomes wiser, he gains strength, courage and determination.

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: Here the card has a dual meaning, as it can indicate loneliness, including «loneliness together». However, its main meaning here is also in deep awareness, understanding of our true needs and our true calling in partnerships. Often it marks the transition to more mature forms of love, to the voluntary rejection of certain purely egoistic demands for the sake of preserving and strengthening the pair, union, marriage.
Or — the understanding that the ability to do without each other is one of the most important conditions for the strength and durability of the union.

Names in other languages: L'Eremita, L'Eremite, The Hermit, Der Einsiedler.

Astrological correspondences: Virgo and Mercury. Saturn as the lord of time and mentor.

Kabbalistic meaning of the Arcana: wisdom.

Occult meaning of the Arcana: the top of something, the roof.

Physical meaning of the Arcana: caution.

Places: deserts; place of voluntary solitude; study of a scientist, artist; place of religious ritual not sanctioned by the dominant religion.

Upright

Keywords and phrases: Contemplation. Meditation. Concentration. Need for psychological space. Contact with the Higher Mind. Quiet study. Discoveries within oneself. Withdrawal from society. Responsibility for oneself. Patience. Prudence. Prudent reflection. Time spent alone. Rational planning. Seeking wise advice. Liberation. Attention to detail. Inner mentor. Advice. Self-knowledge. Reassessment. Discoveries. Wisdom. Foresight. Old age. Sanctuary. The process of searching for deep truth. Inner understanding. Reflection on the mysteries of life. Detachment from the daily routine. The search for mystical insight. The need for solitude and inner contemplation. Spells for good. Patient waiting. Consonance with the spiritual dimensions of the Universe. The desire to bring knowledge to light. Attention to one's own spiritual health. Atonement. The sounds of silence. The answers should be sought within oneself. I need space. The streams of consciousness of the Universe pass through me. Calmly. Patience is the main virtue.

Situation and advice: Now is the time to step away from the mundane and engage in the search for truth in solitude. You need to reconnect with the Source. You need to rest and reflect in silence on the current situation. Meditation, patient contemplation and calm reasoning will return you to a state of peace and calm. This is a time of patient waiting and turning the focus inward. Sometimes sound advice can help your quest for inner understanding. Take time to reflect on matters in a focused manner. Be patient if you have to make a prudent decision. Most likely, the answer lies within you, but if you are confused, seek advice from a wiser and more experienced person. Now is a good time to seriously study what interests you. Take advice from a reliable source.

People: Spiritual advisers. Wise people. Teachers or mentors. Gurus. Hermits. Monks. Nuns. Older people. Seekers of wisdom. Those who need to rest and collect their thoughts in order to understand the situation. Those who know how to wait patiently. Those who are now in the preparatory stage of finding spirituality. People in voluntary isolation. People who can give sound advice. Doctors. Witch Doctors.

Reversed

Key Words and Phrases: Unnecessary isolation. Forced silence. Exile. Loneliness; Lack of contact with people. Foolish or overconfident. Withdrawal from others. Rejected feelings. Self-absorption. Fear of intimacy. Focus on the external aspect. Refusal of good advice. Rudeness. Rashness. Disrespect for wise counsel. Feeling isolated. Bereavement. Denial. False pride. Lack of communication. Alienation. Suspicion. Self-pity. Nervousness. Health concerns. Complaining. Lamenting. Skepticism. Running away from problems. Self-sacrificing tendencies. Confusion. Self-flagellation. The questioner is inexperienced in some matter. He is his own enemy. I will do it myself. I will do it my way. Nobody loves me. I am a rock, I am an island.

Situation and Advice: You are so caught up in doing things your way that you reject good advice or help from others. Your tendency to keep people away makes you feel lonely and rejected. This personality trait can even lead to a breakup. Perhaps you have ignored advice that should not have been ignored.

People: Antisocial people. Self-absorbed, ignorant, or stupid people. Outcasts. Lonely people. Irresponsible people. Those who refuse to see the truth. People who isolate themselves and shut themselves off from others. People who are overly self-sufficient or aloof. Schizoid or paranoid personalities.

The inner meaning of the Hermit card (Elder, Seeker)

It's time to leave petty worries and entertainment that have become habitual: they prevent you from thinking about your soul. Every person needs a period of solitude («hermitism») to finally understand yourself.

For esotericists and people in general who care about their spiritual growth, the Hermit can mean a feeling of loneliness because his former comrades and loved ones no longer understand him: he has moved on, and they remain where they were. Therefore, he can now communicate only with the same Hermits, but there are few of them, and there may not be any nearby at all. He can, of course, go back, and old friends will gladly accept him, but this will be the end of his spiritual development. Better go forward, says this card, conquer the next peaks, and you will find new friends.

For ordinary people, for example, a girl abandoned by a guy («Will he come back?» or: «Will I get married soon?»), means simply loneliness, at least in the near future, that is, the answer to such everyday questions will be negative. Although the same card gives her advice: for now, better engage in your spiritual growth, use the solitude allotted to you for the benefit of the cause.

In the inverted position, on the contrary, the Hermit says that the girl will not be left alone, and perhaps she will get married very soon. For esotericists, it means that, alas, the summit has not yet been reached (perhaps the path was wrong), that there is no creative solitude and is not expected for now. That is, the result is rather unfavorable.

For a businessman, the Hermit is unfavorable in both ways. The only advice is to immediately quit the business he is currently engaged in and switch to something else.

If the Tarot Justice symbolizes Justice in its pure form, then the Tarot Hermit shows the search for truth in its pure form, unspoiled by ideology, preferences or needs. This is the time when you should re-evaluate your life, connections and goals. Possible changes that will occur in life will be suggested by other cards in the layout.

Almost all religions contain legends about the journeys of the spirit, about great teachers or prophets who walked the world in search of truth or God.

The Tarot Hermit teaches that the moment of your spiritual perfection is coming, when you must renounce the temptations and needs of civilization, «go into the desert» in search of your own soul and the meaning of existence, find your God. The Divine Power cannot speak openly to you while you are distracted by the cares of everyday life. The search for truth must begin in solitude.

In many ways, this is a search for yourself, not just a search for God, but the image suggests that you will receive divine inspiration in your search if it is honest.

The lantern symbolizes your own knowledge, which must be used to illuminate the path of search. The staff can symbolize God, support in your search and protection against enemies that may be encountered along the way.

Inaccessible to the temptations of civilization and seeking only truth, the Hermit of the Tarot is an allegory of the experience of self-dedication.

Type of person in the upright position: saint; sage; hermit; person at a high stage of spiritual development; strict but fair boss; pensioner.

Type of person in the inverted position: unsociable; eccentric; beggar; person seized by persecution mania.

Psychological meaning of the Hermit arcana: it's time to cast aside petty problems and vanity, because they prevent you from concentrating on your own soul. Namely, it now requires close attention. Each person needs a period of withdrawal from everyday life and other people. Try to be a Hermit for a while to finally understand yourself and your needs, to reflect on your problems. This is necessary to learn to see yourself from the outside, to realistically assess the level of your development and to love yourself. Remember that he who does not love himself is not able to love anyone. Do not consider time spent in inactivity, solitude and contemplation as wasted, remember that the winner's sword is forged in solitude. Calm analysis and comprehension of your plans will allow you to avoid mistakes in further actions.

The Hermit is a card of detachment from the world, the path to yourself. This is a period of introversion, when we «close ourselves» from external influences in order to find peace away from the bustle and people and, most importantly, to find ourselves. Thus, the Hermit symbolizes important events that show us who we are, what we strive for and how to achieve it. It unites two poles: the deepest experiences and the highest knowledge. Many are afraid of this card, but in vain. Only where these qualities of the Hermit are misunderstood, does the fear of loneliness and abandonment arise. However, those who are ready to follow the call of the Hermit do not lose themselves, but find themselves, gaining clarity, strength and the ability to get along with themselves.

Did you like the article? Share it on social networks or give it a plus.

When copying information, please leave a link to the article and a few kind words in the comments =)