At first glance the Hermit looks like a dark and dreary card. It makes me want to curl up in bed an sleep. That's not what the Hermit wants you (or me) to do, though.
I wish I had been into Tarot when I was younger because I think I would have benefitted greatly from the energy around the Hermit.
Understanding The Hermit Tarot Card
The Hermit card in tarot symbolizes a journey towards self-discovery and inner wisdom. The symbolism of The Hermit revolves around introspection, solitude, and guidance, inviting us to explore the depths of our own being.
If you are looking on how to read the card quickly, you can sum it up in just a few words- it represents a journey for self-development and getting in touch with your inner wisdom. Of course, there is much more to the Hermit to that, but that is the quick and dirty meaning.
Symbolism of The Hermit
Just like all the other cards in your tarot deck, the Hermit has a few symbols to pay attention to. In fact, some of the symbols we see are repeated on other Major Arcana cards. It is beneficial to learn the symbols on the cards so when you notice them on other cards, you can make that connection.
Here are the symbols I want you to pay attention to:
- Lantern: The lantern represents light, guidance, and wisdom. It lights up the path moving forward, and leads you to some inner knowledge. In the lantern you could also find a six pointed star that represents wisdom and combining your thoughts and intuition with what the Universe is sharing with you.
- Staff: The staff symbolizes support and authority. It helps The Hermit on his journey, showing inner strength and the ability to overcome challenges. You have seen the staff on the Fool card as well as the Hierophant.
- Cloak: The cloak represents discretion, withdrawal, and protection. It signifies the need to spend time alone and reflect on your life. Make sure you are protecting yourself along your spiritual journey.
- Mountain: The mountain behind the Hermit symbolizes all the growth you have made, what you have accomplished so far, and the challenges that are still to come. Embrace the challenges, because that is where the biggest growth is. The mountain has been seen on the Fool card and the Lovers card as well.
- Gray Beard: The gray beard symbolizes wisdom, experience, and maturity. It honors all of the knowledge and experience that the Hermit has gained over his life. When you see the beard, reflect on all the growth and experiences you have had over your life. Honor yourself with all that knowledge. The Magician and the Emperor both have gray beards on their cards.
- Bare Landscape: The landscape around the Hermit might have nothing in it, although in some decks it is covered in snow. This represents taking away all the distractions around you and clear thoughts. You want to focus on only the most important things you need to life.
Look at the Hermit card in 3 different decks. These are my top three favorite decks, in order of card in picture: DruidCraft deck, The Everyday Witch deck, and The Light Seer's Tarot. What do you notice about their similarities and differences.
Key Meanings of The Hermit
Just thinking about the symbols on the Hermit can give you a great insight into what the Hermit means. When I see the Hermit in a reading, I know it's time to step back a minute to reflect on my life.
Here are some of the key meanings of the Hermit card. Remember, this is a jumping off point. As you become more experienced reading the cards, you will be able to use the cards in the tarot spread to help you refine the meaning.
- Solitude-needing to be alone to reflect on what message the Hermit is trying to give you
- Introspection and self-discovery-where we are looking and reflection on our beliefs, motivations and desires in relation to the question we asked at the beginning of the reading.
- Wisdom is the result of all our learning and experiences in life. Using what knowledge of what we have learned and gained will help guide us if we are open to it.
- Guidance-looking towards ourselves and trusting our intuition. We have all the answers inside us. We need to learn to trust ourselves as the guide in our lives. While looking to other people for guidance is important in certain situations, relying on ourselves is the best thing we can do for ourselves.
So the Hermit card isn't about hiding from the world. It wants us to look within ourselves to answer the questions we have. It is asking us to go on a journey of self discovery, however challenging that may be.
The Hermit in Tarot Readings
Now that we have an understanding of the symbols of the Hermit, and what it means, we can start to look at how to use it in a reading. If we pulled the Hermit and the 3 of Swords in a reading, we notice immediately that there has been some sort of painful experience. It could be a broken heart, or maybe an argument with a loved one, which is what happened with me.
A few years ago, I had a cold, harsh argument with a loved one. I remember not being able to sleep after it. It felt like a personal attacked and I was devastated. I asked the cards what I could do to help myself and the Hermit and 3 of Swords came up.
Although the pain of the conversation is apparent in this card, I chose to focus on the journal that is on the bed. I took this reading to mean that I needed to write about that argument and go within myself to help understand what was going on. It became clear to me that we weren't communication well with each other.
Other Card Combinations
I would like to share some other card combinations with you so you can get a feel for reading the spread. I pulled 3 two card readings, each with the Hermit. Here are the combinations I pulled.
Keywords for each card:
- The Hermit: Introspection, inner guidance, solitude, alone time.
- Queen of Pentacles: Nurturing, abundance, resourcefulness, nature
- Two of Pentacles: Flexibility, balance, adaptability, or multitasking
- The High Priestess: Intuition, inner knowledge, mystery, subconscious
The Hermit and the Queen of Pentacles– I would read these two cards together as someone who is a caretaker that needs to spend time with themselves so they don't lose themselves in that role. Spend time remembering who you are so you don't forget that you are someone outside of a caretaker.
The Hermit and The High Priestess: This is a powerful combination! They both are about being within. I would suggest that it is time to spend some time reflection on what is going on beneath the surface. There is definitely something that needs to be explored, don't be afraid of looking deep. Reflect on your own inner power and how that inner power can guide you through challenges and life's ups and downs.
The Hermit and the Two of Pentacles: Are you out of balance or doing too much. It's time to slow down to look at what is out of balance in your life and how are you going to fix that? Maybe it is one specific situation where you are taking on the bulk of the responsibilities?
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Using The Hermit's Wisdom
If the Hermit comes up in a reading, remember it is an opportunity for self-growth. There are different ways of using this energy.
Uses in Self-Development
Here are some ways to use this energy:
- Solitude for Reflection: Plan time for yourself to reflect in a quiet place. This should allow you to get some insight, clarity, and inner peace.
- Seeking Knowledge: Be a lifelong learner. The great news is we can learn about anything we want to these days. We can read blogs, listen to audio books, and watch videos at the tip of our fingers!
- Mindfulness Practices: It's important to take care of ourselves. Spend some time every day meditation, journaling, or reciting affirmations. Coming back to yourself at the end of each day is important for you to be able to keep going day to day.
Here is an example of a couple of affirmations you could say to use the Hermit's energy.
I am open to the lessons that come from within.
I honor my need for reflection and self care.
I have several different types of Inner Peace Affirmation cards in my Etsy store if you want to check them out.
Journal Prompts for the Hermit Tarot Card
If you aren't sure where to start, or you want to reflect and grow your understanding of the Hermit card, I have 15 journal prompts for you to try.
- What areas of my life need more introspection and reflection right now?
- How can I create space for solitude and quiet time in my daily routine?
- What inner wisdom or guidance am I currently seeking?
- In what ways can I better listen to my inner voice or intuition?
- What lessons have I learned from past experiences of solitude or self-reflection?
- How can I use my personal insights to guide my current decisions or actions?
- What beliefs or principles are guiding me on my current journey?
- How do I handle moments when I feel alone or isolated?
- What are the benefits of taking time for myself, away from external influences?
- How can I strengthen my inner resolve and self-reliance?
- What challenges am I facing that require inner strength and wisdom to overcome?
- How can I better support my personal growth and self-discovery journey?
- What role does spiritual or personal growth play in my life right now?
- How can I use the lessons from The Hermit to improve my relationships with others?
- What message does The Hermit have for me today?
The Hermit wants us to remember that patience and contemplation are not signs of weakness. They are ways to self- growth and discovery.
Next Steps
The Hermit card will help guide you towards self-growth. If you take the advice of the card and reflect and trust your intuition, you will find your
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