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IX Hermit

Rider White values:

ASTROLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Saturn in Aquarius as the desire for wisdom and independence.

HERMIT
The hermit is a card of detachment from the world, a path to oneself. This is a period of introversion, when we “close ourselves” from external influences in order to find peace away from 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 combines 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, the one who is ready to follow the call of the Hermit does not lose himself, but finds himself, gaining clarity, strength and the ability to get along with himself.

From the book: Hayo Banzhaf. TAROT SELF-TUTORIAL.
Translation from German by E. Kolesov.
Publisher: Center for Astrological Research, 1999

9 - HERMIT
Virgo
The ninth card of the MAJOR ARCANA is called THE HERMIT and depicts an old man leaning on a staff and wearing a monastic cloak with a hood. This card is believed to depict Diogenes in search of an honest man. In the right hand of the HERMIT is a lamp, partially hidden by the sleeve of his cloak. THE HERMIT hides ancient wisdom from the profane. The staff in his hand is a symbol of knowledge, which is the only support for a person. Sometimes the mystic staff is divided by knots into seven parts - a subtle analogy with the seven sacred centers of the human spine.
The HERMIT card reminds us of the connection between the heavenly and the earthly, symbolizing the closure of the higher and lower worlds, their similarity and unification. And since the higher and lower, inner and outer worlds are similar, in order to attune oneself to the light that is in heaven, a person is sometimes forced to retire into the depths of his inner world.
On the Tarot card, the HERMIT is depicted with a hood pulled down over his face and holding a lantern in his hand. The sun is shining in the sky, but the HERMIT has turned his back on it: he prefers the flashlight of his inner light, which helps him awaken his personal desire for perfection. The spiritual perfection of the HERMIT leads to the comprehension of the primordial wisdom of the structure of the world. This card corresponds to the humble and selfless sign of Virgo and relates to concrete knowledge. Associated with the HERMIT is also the comprehension of the order of life manifestations and the mind of the will, that mind that prepares each individual individual for the conviction of universal universality and which encourages one to learn to control one’s consciousness and to cognize the sequence and order of the manifestations of the world.
A HERMIT searches for God within himself, he searches during the day with fire for that invisible foundation of his existence, in which lie the sources of life and the future. Knowledge leads to action, and for the time being the face of the HERMIT is hidden: he is silent until his aura has been cleansed and shines with a new light. The HERMIT must first illuminate his own soul with the beauty of order before it becomes a torch for others.
A HERMIT is characterized by a desire to escape from life, to withdraw into himself, but the reason for this is not fear, but a thirst for knowledge and finding oneself.
This is not the Charioteer, who is looking for himself in the outside world, performing actions, but a solitary exploration of the well of his soul.
A HERMIT is characterized by inner depth, seriousness of thoughts and... secret vices, not to mention such manifestations as ossification, rigidity and alienation from people.
The ninth ARCAN is comparable to the sign of Virgo - the sign of organizing the internal resources of the present in order to create favorable soil for the future, with its thirst for service and dedication and - incredibly dirty depravity. Sometimes these properties are combined in one personality.

In the upright position, the card symbolizes the search for spiritual values ​​and deepening into one’s inner world, as well as balance, caution and prudence. Sometimes it indicates caution and isolation from life. But circumstances may also develop in such a way that temporary loneliness can lead to a better life.

In the reversed position, the card indicates that light may have descended on you. You have found a teacher and there is no need for you to wander around during the day with fire in search of a Man. Signals independent achievement of a goal and an emotional connection with a spiritual and very wise person. But (depending on neighboring cards) it can also mean refusal to help, stubbornness, suspicion, continuation of an unproductive lifestyle, as well as unnecessary secrecy and caution.

“Prudence is the weapon of a sage. Prudence gives him the opportunity to avoid pitfalls and anticipate betrayal. Always be cautious. Remember that the word is silver, but silence is gold.”
Papus

Many people in Russia are now interested in the history and practice of tarot cards. Brought from the West, this tradition appealed to the people, and its popularity is growing every day. This is constantly evidenced by all the new decks being developed and published in Russia itself and by the countless circulations of thematic literature, both translated and published by domestic specialists. In this article we will touch on just one aspect of this deep tradition, namely a card that bears the intriguing and mysterious name “The Hermit”.

About the appearance of cards

We will begin our review of cards, which in the tradition of the tarot itself are called arcana (that is, secrets, riddles, if translated from Latin), with a description of its type. It must be said right away that today there are several thousand tarot decks. The designs of some of them are so unique and original that, in principle, there is no way to choose a description of the “Hermit” card that would suit everyone. Therefore, we will limit ourselves only to the traditional, classic image, which serves as the basis not only for the oldest, but also for the most popular decks today.

Description of the Hermit card

So, the lasso, known as the Hermit, is a card that depicts a gray-haired old man dressed in a robe and a long gray cloak. A hood is thrown over his head, and he himself is walking along a difficult mountain road. His journey takes place at night, and therefore he illuminates his path with a lantern, which he holds in his left hand. A six-pointed star burns with bright fire in the lantern. A long wooden staff serves as a support for the old man on his way. Sometimes he is accompanied by an animal. Most often it is a snake, but there are also wolves, turtles, monkeys and other representatives of the fauna.

Symbolism of the Hermit card

The old man, dressed in rags, is a representation of the archetype of the monk, that is, the hermit, in a broader sense. He is separated from society and its life, from everyday life and follows his own path - difficult and thorny, then emphasized by the mountains. However, the mountains themselves are also a symbol of the spiritual height of the hermit, his wisdom, insight, high level of development, the sphere of the heavenly, the divine, to which he is involved. Representing the image of a mediator between heaven and earth, the “Hermit” is also a lasso depicting a prophet, whose task, on behalf and on behalf of higher powers, is to tell people the truth about themselves and exercise supreme leadership in human evolution. The “hermit,” thus, being separated from society, is its spiritual leader, moral, religious, ethical guide, which is symbolically expressed in the lantern that the elder holds in his right hand. Being a pioneer into the mountain world, he goes through spiritual darkness and darkness of ignorance to the heights of spiritual revelations, illuminating the way for himself and others with the help of this very lantern, the light of which is the light of divine guidance and revelation, which is emphasized by the six-pointed star. A “hermit” is an old man, because to achieve his level of development, to conquer the top of the mountain, it is necessary to overcome a difficult, many-year path of daily practice of development and ascent. The experience and wisdom acquired over many years are expressed in the old man’s gray hair and his stoop and fatigue. This means that the path of development, the path of ascent, requires significant effort and is fraught with many dangers and difficulties. To pass it, you need fortitude, self-confidence, as well as freedom from all human passions and weaknesses. The latter is expressed in a cloak and a hood, which mean that the “Hermit” is completely separated from the world, is not dependent on anyone and does not scatter himself with glances around, does not turn back, in longing for the abandoned glory, wealth and other joys of human life.

The Hermit's gaze is directed at his feet, at the road, because he is attentive and circumspect, and his attention is entirely focused on the path, the purity of which he vigilantly monitors, so as not to deviate either to the right or to the left. The strength of his spirit, inner core, firmness of conviction, as well as divine help along the way are symbolized by the staff on which the elder leans. The Hermit's cassock or robe indicates a rejection of material wealth, attachments to wealth and the desire to possess something other than the truth.

The meaning of the Hermit card in ancient times

The presented image of an old hermit is the result of the development of the arcana over more than five hundred years - since the appearance of the first tarot decks. Initially, this card was called “Old Man” and symbolized the inexorable passage of time. This was emphasized by the fact that the elder was holding an hourglass in his hands. In this role, the “Hermit” personifies the transience of life and can predict imminent death or the end of something.

Interpretation of the map in an upright position

Some tarot card specialists are divided into upright and inverted positions. I must say that this tradition is quite new and not practiced by everyone. However, for those who adhere to it, the possible value of the cards, thanks to it, doubles. Thus, instead of the traditional seventy-two basic (without taking into account nuances) meanings, they have one hundred and forty-four. What does “Hermit” mean in the upright position? Tarot, or rather each of its cards, can be described with several keywords. For the card we are interested in, they will be something like this: renunciation, loneliness, knowledge, wisdom, inner growth, introspection, introspection, mentoring, spirituality, disappointment, teacher, teaching, value system and its revaluation, growing up, crisis, liberation from outside influence, freedom , self-sufficiency, spirit of inquiry, revelation, divinity, old age, patience, waiting, blessing, observation.

Of course, this is only an approximate list of keys and should not be taken as an exact list. The basic meanings of the cards are just instructions that serve the purpose of interpretation during the session. But the real, actual meaning of “The Hermit” (tarot as a whole, to be more precise) is established by the master himself during practice. True understanding of maps comes from within, not from books, reference books or articles. All this only helps show the beginner the way and direction. This is how you should treat both the listed values ​​and those that will be given below.

Interpretation of a card in an inverted position

There are several options for what "Hermit" reversed could mean. Tarot, the meaning of the cards in itself is quite multifaceted, has three interpretation options in an upside-down position: inversion, proper meaning, underlining.

As for inversion, this is simply giving the card exactly the opposite meaning to what it has in the upright position. Thus, it is quite easy to establish what the meaning of “The Hermit” is (the tarot, however, as already mentioned, in its traditional system does not provide for any inverse meanings of the cards) inverted. This is the end of loneliness, inclusion, stupidity, infantilism, pride, mediocrity, mundaneness, lack of spirituality, extraspection, internal regression, spiritual and cultural decline, worldliness, loss of freedom, pressure, fussiness, immorality, materialism, rest, the end of expectations.

The second approach to inverted cards is to give them their own meanings, in no way dependent on their direct meaning. Here, each tarot reader independently, based on his own associations, comes up with and establishes what this or that card will mean. This is what, for example, the meaning of “The Hermit” may be (tarot, or rather, its interpretation, also depends on the characteristics of a particular deck and its cultural and symbolic code. So the proposed keys are just a few of many possible options): depression, despair, failure, losing oneself, a new job, the end of a financial crisis, confrontation, lies, illness, an unexpected trip.

Finally, the third way of interpreting inverted arcana is not based on giving them special meaning, but on emphasizing the importance of the card that appears upside down in the context of the entire layout. Sometimes this position is considered as emphasizing the most negative meanings of the card. Thus, in the first case, the interpretation will remain generally the same as in relation to the direct position of the card. As for the second, painful loneliness, exile, isolation, selfishness, suspicion, arrogance, breakup - all this can mean an inverted “Hermit”. Tarot, the meaning of the cards of which is multivariate, in relation to the Hermit can, as can be seen, provide both positive and negative meanings. Which of them is relevant in each specific layout will help establish the context of the layout itself and, of course, the experience of the master.

Love meaning. “The Hermit” (tarot) in love readings

As for the topic, as a rule, this lasso is understood in the following way. It is very important to note that isolation and loneliness are the basic meaning of the Hermit card. Tarot, the meaning of the cards in love is determined not only by one’s own interpretation of the card, but also by the context of the layout, provides for a number of additional interpretations for the Hermit. Firstly, this is an indication of a break in the relationship. Secondly, temporary separation, testing relationships with distance. Also, the search for an ideal and an ideal relationship is one of the options for what “Hermit” can mean. Tarot meaning in relationships of this card also correlates with such a quality as lack of confidence in oneself and one’s feelings. In addition, this is a sign of aloofness and coldness, as well as resentment and cooling of passion. In rare cases, the card indicates betrayal or, conversely, devotion and overcoming one’s own selfishness for the sake of preserving and deepening relationships. Another aspect is rejection on the part of the object of passion.

“The Hermit” (tarot) - meaning in finance

As for the sphere of material values, this lasso postulates the renunciation of the desire to possess them. In other cases - the need to neglect them in order to achieve the goal. In addition, forced poverty and also those things that “Hermit” can mean. Tarot sets the meaning and interpretation of its arcana on Therefore, this card can also mean debts, business collapse, breaking of partnerships, contracts, job loss and stagnation of career growth.

The meaning of the card in yes-no questions

Now a few words about what the Hermit card (tarot) means in questions that require monosyllabic answers. Arcana acquire a “yes-no” meaning depending on the context. Therefore, the answer depends on what question is asked. For example, in relation to questions about money, career and love, this lasso will most likely mean “no”. But he will get the answer “yes” to questions about academic success, research, internal growth and health.

Astrological attribution

Many people associate the tarot arcana with astrological categories, planets, zodiac signs, and so on. The “hermit” is most often associated with Mercury and the constellation Virgo.

If this lasso came up as tarot advice, then it should be understood as the need to turn your gaze inward, engage in introspection and devote time to your spiritual and personal growth. This is also advice to rethink values ​​and reevaluate priorities.

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Today we will look at a very unusual, deep (like all other images created by Crowley) card of the Hermit Tarot of Thoth. On the one hand, this is still the same familiar old man, but the Arcana illustration is supplemented by many very interesting esoteric symbols that reveal the meaning of the card much more accurately and wider than, for example, in the Rider-Waite deck.

General description of the map, plot

In the center of the map we see the figure of the Hermit, who walks in the darkness with a lantern in his hands. The sun shines inside the lantern. The figure of the Hermit resembles the Hebrew letter Yod. Please note that his hand is located exactly in the middle of the card - the letter “Yod” in translation means “hand”. In the lower right corner of the Arcana there is a three-headed dog Cerberus, in the left - a spermatozoon. In the immediate vicinity of the hero’s face there is an Orphic egg, which is entwined with snakes - it is this that the Hermit closely examines. And, if we look closely, we will see that he is walking through a wheat field.

Symbolism of the Arcana

Now let's look at the Hermit Crowley card more closely.

Symbol	Meaning
Hand in the center of the card, Hermit pose	A reference to the Hebrew letter "Yod" - "Hand"
Sperm	Since the letter Yod is associated with wisdom, and it is personified by Mercury, it is he who is represented in the form of a sperm on the map
Lantern with sun	Contemplation
Orphic egg	Universe
Multicolor snake	Mercury's rainbow glow
Three-headed Cerberus	A hellhound that the Hermit tamed, thus hinting at accepting his own shadow
Wheat field	A reference to the zodiac sign of Virgo, which is the astrological correspondence of the Arcana

Main meaning of the card

Key words that can describe the main meaning of the Ninth Arcana: learning life experience through solitude, withdrawing into oneself, thinking about the main thing, the ability to penetrate into the essence of things, receptivity, self-understanding.

Shadow meaning of the Arcana

The Shadow of the Hermit is to be “not of this world,” rejection of social connections, unjustified loneliness, alienation, anger at the world.

What does the card mean on the psychological plane?

The meaning of the 9th Arcana of the Thoth Tarot when describing the state of mind is a period of soul-searching, knowledge of one’s own inner world, a philosophical outlook on life, spiritual quests, a desire to retire from others.

The meaning of the Arcana in relationships and love

The meaning of the Hermit Tarot Thoth in a relationship is the need to be alone, temporary departure from a partner in order to understand oneself, one’s feelings, sometimes a feeling of loneliness, honesty towards oneself, awareness of the deep meaning of current events.

What does a card mean in work and finance?

If we ask a question about professional activity, then most often the Arcanum will mean the need to retire in order to determine one’s true purpose, the acquisition of important experience that changes perception, the transfer of knowledge to others, and also a departure from professional activity. For example, retirement. However, sometimes the Hermit can simply mean a vacation, both regular and maternity - this information needs to be checked with additional cards. Card professions are most often associated with individual rather than collective activities. I would even include freelancing, which is so popular today, here.

The meaning of the card for the health area

It is not so easy to “read” the hermit correctly when divining his health. I came across the opinion that the card means a negative course of the disease, but, to be honest, this version is not very close to me. I am more inclined to perceive this as simply an illness as such, when a person is forced to “leave the world” for some time. Also, sometimes Arcanum occurs during prolonged depression, when a person does not want to communicate with anyone. In any case, the best way to understand the Hermit of the Thoth Tarot is to simply see how it manifests itself in practice for you.

Arcanum the Hermit symbolizes the renunciation of material wealth and the aspiration for higher values. The card is directly related to the state of loneliness, which is extremely important for the spiritual growth of the questioner. The hermit says that soon the querent will meet a wise mentor who will show him possible ways of development and personal growth. The Arcanum indicates a person’s readiness to move to a new level of self-understanding. But the fortuneteller should be patient, since the path of spiritual growth is always long and thorny. To successfully move forward, you should be guided by intuition and listen to your inner voice.

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Description of the lasso

The Hermit (Monk, Recluse) card usually depicts an old man with a gray beard. He is dressed in a simple robe with a hood and a rope for a belt, similar to a cassock or other religious attire. This image symbolizes a person who is wise from life experience.

The card character usually stands still or moves forward. The background of the lasso is a desert or open area, symbolizing loneliness and isolation from society. Some decks depict mountains in the distance. They mean obstacles on the way that the Hermit easily overcomes. He does not pay attention to them and does not lose concentration on his inner world.

The Hermit carries a lantern in his hand, which helps him see the future path. This lantern signifies accumulated experience and valuable knowledge.



Meanings in different decks

The interpretation of the card varies from deck to deck. The greatest semantic load of this Arcana is observed in the Tarot of Thoth.



Ryder-Waite

In this classic deck, the Hermit card depicts an old man with a staff, carrying a lantern, and wearing a loose, hooded cloak. The character has a slightly bent back, which indicates people-pleasing behavior.

In traditional interpretations, the Hermit in this deck was considered a sign of betrayal, secrecy, and pretense.



78 Doors

In this deck, the card depicts an old man sitting on a stone in the middle of the desert. An unearthly girl with a tray full of ripe fruits invites him to taste the dish, but the character turns away and waves her away with his hand, like an annoying fly. This symbolizes the renunciation of earthly goods and pleasures in favor of a spiritual search. You can see that the Hermit does this with determination.

The card speaks of an internal readiness to prefer spiritual quests to the temptations of this world.

Thoth Tarot

In the Tarot of Thoth, the Hermit stands with his back turned, holding a lantern. It is impossible to fully discern his appearance, which indicates his renunciation of the outside world.

At the bottom of the card you can see an image of a sperm, which indicates fertility. In this context we are talking about spiritual fruits. Among the people who bring new ideas and concepts into the world, there are many who are lonely. The genius feels his alienation from this world, like a seed thrown into the material world and containing within itself the germ of the spirit. To bear fruit, the seed must die. In the same way, the Hermit must renounce his own needs in order to bring true spiritual fruit to the world. Fertility is also indicated by the ears of wheat depicted in the distant background of the lasso.

Below is the three-headed dog of the underworld, Cerberus. It symbolizes the unconscious forces that resist the spread of the light of consciousness.

Value in the layout

The hermit portends loneliness, but this state will be extremely useful for spiritual development. Usually loneliness frightens a person, but in fact the lasso speaks only about being true to oneself and the need for self-knowledge.

Unlike the Hierophant, the Hermit does not point to concepts and rules, but to the inner core, true spirituality.

Basic interpretation in the upright position

The main meanings of the lasso in the upright position are as follows:

• Wisdom, inner harmony, prudence.
• A conscious way out of external circumstances. Detached consideration of one's situation. Search for the optimal solution.
• Searching for hidden truth. Knowledge through experience.

The hermit says that the time has come to withdraw into oneself and begin to reconsider one’s values ​​and search for one’s own truth. The time has come to step away from social life, give up the usual entertainment: they interfere with devoting time to spiritual issues.

The Hermit is a card of self-sufficiency, independence and inner strength. All this allows the questioner to continue to go his own way even in the absence of fellow travelers.

Interpretation when telling fortunes about a person

If we are talking about a person, the Hermit symbolizes a person who has refused to participate in social life. With her behavior she can slow down the social project. But putting pressure on the Hermit, forcing him to return to society, is useless. He will still do as he sees fit.

If the Justice lasso is also nearby, a person will unmistakably determine what is useful for him and what he should stay away from.

In scenarios for everyday situations

In cases where the question to the deck is mundane, the Hermit symbolizes the answer “No.” For example, the answer to the question “Will I get a job?” will be negative. At the same time, the card gives advice: use your free time wisely, for the purpose of personal growth. But when it comes to deeper issues, the Hermit is a positive and powerful card. It means reaching peaks in spiritual development. The hermit gives the querent internal strength to move forward.

If in a reading for a domestic situation there are minor arcana of the suit of Swords next to the card, this is a direct indication that the questioner needs to be careful. If the neighboring cards depict people, the querent needs to show secrecy.

In fortune telling for everyday situations, the card means that the questioner will face life in conditions of poverty. This applies to any area: there is a limited amount of money, the inability to get a job, lack of communication. A hermit may speak of poor health and psychological exhaustion.

The questioner comes to the need for careful planning of his life, a complete review of his daily routine. He strives to solve existing difficulties independently even in the face of increasing restrictions.

Upside down

In an inverted position, the Hermit indicates lies, alienation, and an inability to trust other people.

Other meanings of the lasso in reverse position:

• Wrong chosen path of development, unreasonable actions.
• Stubbornness, reluctance to change attitude towards the situation. Trying to hide behind a mask.
• Neglecting the voice of intuition. Fear.
• Isolation from society. False values ​​and ideals.
• Deception, betrayal, bribes, fraud.

In the reverse position, the card indicates that the person has refused the help of friends or relatives, and now he is having a hard time. In addition to financial difficulties, he suffers from a feeling of isolation and loneliness. The hermit indicates that the questioner continues to adhere to an unproductive lifestyle. His behavior is irrational, and neglecting reasonable advice can cause serious damage.

In the reversed position, the Hermit shows that the querent has a chance to change the current situation. This is possible if he takes wise advice from an experienced person. But usually the difficulty lies in the fact that the querent turns to an unworthy, superficial person for help. As a result, he receives advice that is not suitable for his situation.

The choice of assistant should be treated with caution. The querent needs to learn to distinguish deep judgments from superficial ones and pay attention to the hidden motives of advisers. Sometimes the lasso recommends getting advice from a specialist, since the questioner is unlikely to be able to get out of the current circumstances using his own strength.

Work issues

The Hermit is a character indifferent to honors and titles, completely focused on his highest goal. The card corresponds to representatives of creative professions, free artists who are not tied to a work team.

The Arcanum is positive for those involved in basic sciences. He talks about perseverance and consistency, which are enough to achieve your goal and new discoveries. But this is only true if the chosen industry truly represents the true calling of the inquirer.

The Arcana Hermit corresponds to people of those professions that are associated with the search: archaeologists, detectives looking for a trail with a lantern in their hands.

The card is favorable for obtaining education, since the Hermit's lantern symbolizes the light of knowledge. It also represents a positive sign for those who are going on a business trip: usually the Hermit is on the road, and the staff in his hands is a travel one.

The lasso is unfavorable for businessmen of any stripe. He points out the futility of the work begun. The Hermit can be seen as the deck's advice to leave the chosen task and switch to a more fruitful activity.

The hermit also says that at the moment the questioner is seriously thinking about the meaning of his professional activity. In some cases, this lasso is used for retirement or training of the younger generation, transfer of experience.

Finance

The Hermit card is unfavorable for money matters. Her character is content with little, living in isolation from pleasures and worldly goods. The Hermit calls the questioner to the same actions. This lasso symbolizes financial restrictions, a reduction in salary or pension, and an ascetic life.

The way out of a difficult situation will be indicated by those arcana that lie next to the Hermit. They will point in the direction in which to look for a solution.

Love and relationships

The hermit says that the questioner is more focused on himself and his personal path than on issues of love. In traditional interpretations, it is regarded as an unfavorable lasso for a love affair: it is based on adapting to the second partner, who is looking for solitude.

The Hermit himself is not inclined to adapt. Such a person goes his own way, and therefore the card is often a harbinger of separation. According to this lasso, a marriage is canceled and an engagement is broken.

The card says that it is necessary to think about current relationships, about the role that the questioner plays in them: do they correspond to his worldview, do they fit into his life path.

The positive aspect of the card is that the Hermit takes his love affair seriously. He will not turn a blind eye to his partner’s shortcomings, endlessly forgiving his flaws and being guided by the idea that everything can “settle out.”

Another quality of the Hermit is secrecy. In some ways it is similar and means that part of a person’s intimate life is shrouded in mystery. Sometimes the card indicates a secretive person who is not used to sharing his experiences. In other cases, it may indicate that he has something to hide (for example, betrayal). Hermit - a map of distance, moving away from each other.

Health plans

The Hermit is an unfavorable card in health readings and indicates that the body is losing vitality.

There is a loss of energy, the vital functions of the body slow down. In classical interpretations, the Hermit is a card of aging and decrepitude. But it can also indicate the depletion of physical strength in a young or adult, and the need to save it.

• Other meanings of the card in health matters:
• Depression, insomnia, Alzheimer's disease.
• Hormonal imbalances, menopause.
• Rheumatism. Health problems associated with old age.

Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract.

Psychological condition

• The hermit points to the following possible sources of loneliness:
• Tendency towards introversion. A person who does not want to strive for communication.
• Consequences of psychological trauma. A person tries to avoid emotional experiences so as not to injure himself.

Lack of ability to build relationships.

In any case, the Hermit card speaks of a person who is not interested in establishing and maintaining contacts.

Card of the day

Today is a good day to spend time alone. The hermit recommends taking your time and devoting time to contemplation and meditative exercises.

There is no need to rush things. If you have to do a certain task, it should be done thoughtfully, slowly.

Combinations with other arcana

In a layout, it is useful to keep track of which cards are behind the lasso and which are in front. Tarologists believe that those cards that the Hermit does not “illuminate” with his lantern (those behind him) do not carry such a serious meaning as the cards “ahead” of the Hermit.

Major Arcana

In combination with the major arcana, the Hermit is interpreted as follows:

Arcana	Meaning
Fool	Leaving the world. The questioner is mired in illusions
Mage	Discovering new talents in yourself. The questioner should do what he does best
High Priestess	Self-knowledge, studying secret information. Deepening into your inner world
Empress	1. A wise woman who knows how to rely on herself. 2. Work alone. Business hidden from prying eyes
Emperor	The questioner learns to gain power over himself. Conducting business without outside help
Hierophant	Righteous, holy. The search for a spiritual teacher will be crowned with success
Lovers	1. Choice in favor of personal growth. 2. Ending the period of loneliness
Chariot	Someone will break the querent's loneliness. Long journey without companions
Justice	Finding the truth. The querent will take on the role of judge
Wheel of Fortune	The time of imprisonment is coming to an end. The querent is overcome by a thirst for change
Force	Observance of strict fasting, religious vow
Hanged	The need to be alone against one's own desire. The questioner needs communication. Lack of finances, emotional support, difficult circumstances
Death	Inconsolable grief. State of mourning. Possible suicide attempts
Moderation	Healing emotional wounds after a severe loss. The end of a difficult period
Devil	Obstacles to arranging your personal life. Sectarianism
Tower	Everything fell into place. Long-awaited enlightenment
Star	Spiritual quests will be crowned with success. Loneliness will soon come to an end. The questioner has every chance to change his destiny
Moon	1. Money savings at a later age. 2. Hidden disease. Deception, secrets
Sun	Finding the true meaning of events. Joy. Resumption of activity after a long period of stagnation
Court	Gaining valuable spiritual experience. Chances of taking on a successful project, the difficulties along the way of which we can overcome
World	Isolation from other people. Leaving work or family

Minor Arcana

With the suit of Wands:

• Ace - find the light within yourself.
• Two - indecision in action.
• Three - learn to value yourself.
• Four - find shelter.
• Five - the questioner’s feelings are contradictory.
• Six - take full responsibility for what is happening.
• Seven - the querent reaps the fruits of his previous actions.
• Eight - insight, sudden insight.
• Nine - learn the lesson presented by fate.
• Ten - patiently bear your cross.
• Page - become stronger, look younger.
• Knight - give free rein to emotions.
• Queen - feelings have thawed.
• The king is an authority among his colleagues.

With the suit of Pentacles:

• Ace is the discovery of new abilities in oneself.
• Two - travel, wandering.
• Three - earn respect.
• Four - solitary life, to isolate yourself from society.
• Five - poverty, beggary.
• Six - lend a helping hand to your neighbor.
• Seven - religious fasting, abstinence.
• Eight - personal growth.
• Nine - the questioner deserves rest.
• Ten - retirement.
• Page - study at a seminary or monastery.
• Knight - service to high ideals.
• The Queen is a nanny and au pair.
• The king is a venerable professor.

With the suit of Swords:

• Ace - finding an important spiritual truth.
• Two - mental suffering, severe torment.
• Three - loneliness that does not bring joy.
• Four - isolation from society.
• Five - personal degradation.
• Six - pilgrimage to holy places.
• Seven is a betrayal of one's own values.
• Eight - to be a prisoner of your own limitations.
• Nine - repentance for your actions.
• Ten - internal emptiness.
• Page - observe events from the side.
• Knight - manifestations of fanaticism.
• The queen is a widow.
• The king is a bachelor, a lonely man.

Combination with the suit of Cups:

• Ace - unrequited feelings, loneliness.
• Two - accept yourself, develop a sense of self-worth.
• Three - the end of a lonely life, abstinence.
• Four - resist temptation.
• Five - separation, conflict.
• Six is ​​an older bachelor.
• Seven - renounce reality, go into the world of fantasy.
• Eight - separation, rupture of relationships.
• Nine - finding peace of mind.
• Ten - to be in harmony with yourself and others.
• Page - genuine interest.
• Knight - learn forgiveness.
• Queen - meditative state, contemplation.
• The king is a clergyman, psychologist, mentor.

The Hermit is a positive card that promises a powerful leap in spiritual growth. But even if the questioner is self-sufficient, he should not completely isolate himself.

No matter how perfect the inner world is, a person by nature needs communication. Even in cases where solitude is required for personal development, the fortuneteller needs to remember the need for periodic communication with his own kind.

The story of one of our readers Alina R.:

Money has always been my main problem. Because of this, I had a lot of complexes. I considered myself a failure, problems at work and in my personal life haunted me. However, I decided that I still needed personal help. Sometimes it seems that the problem is in you, all failures are just a consequence of bad energy, the evil eye or some other bad force.

But who can help in a difficult life situation, when it seems that your whole life is going downhill and passing you by? It’s hard to be happy working as a cashier for 26 thousand rubles, when you had to pay 11 thousand for renting an apartment. Imagine my surprise when my whole life suddenly changed overnight for the better. I couldn’t even imagine that it was possible to earn so much money that some trinket at first glance could have such an impact.

It all started when I ordered my personal...

Arcana Hermit

Compliance with "Liber 777":

The letter is iodine.

The meaning of the letter is hand.

The ruler is Virgo.

Position on the tree – Chesed – Tiphareth.

Colors are green-yellowish and slate gray.

Egyptian gods - Isis (in the aspect of a virgin) and Heru-pa-kraat.

Indian gods - the shepherdess Gopi and the lord of yoga.

Meditation is a bloated corpse.

Greek gods - Atys.

Roman gods - Ceres, Adonis.

Animals - any lonely animal ( see steppenwolf).

Plants – snowdrop, lily, daffodil.

Precious stones – peridot, olivine.

Magic weapons - lamp and wand.

The scents are narcissus.

Magical powers - invisibility, virgin birth.

The human body is the back.

Mythical creatures - mermaids.

Diseases in case of improper operation - weakness of the spine, paralysis.

Wander alone, carrying the Light and your Staff.

And let the Light be so bright that not a single person will see you.

Let nothing outside or inside touch you, keep Silence always.

Enlightenment from within, a secret inner impulse;

practical plans arising from it.

Disqualification from current events.

Possible meanings for divination: “Enlightenment from within, a secret internal impulse, practical plans arising from it. Withdrawal from active participation in current events” (Aleister Crowley, “The Book of Thoth”).

Loneliness, alienation, solitude, isolation, strangeness. Each of these words has its own connotation, but at the same time they belong to the same archetype, just as madness and genius are so close that they sometimes turn into each other. The madman and the genius are always misunderstood and lonely; the two extreme poles turn out to be equally cold.

The experience of loneliness, isolation (negative) or solitude, chosenness, otherness (positive) equally correspond to the archetype of the ninth arcana - the Hermit or the path of yod.

Let's look closely at the image - a flash of light coming from the center fills the map with its rays in all directions. The sperm is directed from the bottom of the card to its center. In the background we see an old man in a red robe with his back turned, towards whom small ears of wheat are directed from all sides. On the left half of the card there is a small egg entwined with a serpent, which, like the sperm, symbolizes the embryo of a new life. Just above the flash in the very center of the card there is a hand holding a lantern, light emanates from it in all directions.

The correspondence to the Hermit, which Crowley insistently points out, is sperm, seed. Let's try to understand what this means in this context. We know that the loneliest people are geniuses, because they carry new ideas, knowledge, and worldviews. Genius is alien to this world because, like a seed thrown from the world of spirit into the world of matter, it already carries within itself the germ of the future. And, like a seed that fell into the ground (see the Death lasso), he must die, giving up himself, so that the seed can germinate - as one magician said, “what is the use if the seeds, falling into the ground, do not die, but remain the same” . This sentiment was best expressed by the poet Dmitry Merezhkovsky:

We sense the unknown.

Our speeches are bold,

But they are doomed to death,

Too early forerunners

Too slow spring.

Try to imagine how painful the loneliness of Leonardo Da Vinci, who was unable to explain even a hundredth part of his knowledge even to his closest students. What a terrible abyss of loneliness opens up under the feet of anyone who is ahead of his time and carries the future within himself!

That is why modern life perceives a genius as a threat to itself, as a potential murderer, and seeks to neutralize it, even to the point of physical destruction. Socrates, Jan Hus and many poets and philosophers who perished in prisons and concentration camps are a vivid example of this pattern. The stronger the potential of the new, the more the present fears this new as its killer. A new life is always a revolution against the life of the past.

The time when the new is in a latent state is the time of the Hermit. The pregnant maiden of the apocalypse, who fled into the desert from the dragon, Rhea, nursing the infant Zeus, Mary, who went to Egypt to escape Herod - these archetypal figures are directly related to the lasso of the Hermit. The basic correspondence of the lasso is the constellation Virgo. The logic of this correspondence is obvious: the maid, virginity, loneliness, pathogenesis, the virgin birth - an archetypal symbol that exists in all cultures, but is still interpreted in an extremely primitive way. The Immaculate Conception is, in essence, similar to bhadi yoga: the practitioner is identified with feminine qualities (passivity, receptivity) and conceives from the spiritual sun-phallus the embryo of a new being, an idea, a symbol.

Associated with the Virgo archetype is the idea of ​​hermeticity. Magical hermeticity - that is, isolation from all influences of the outside world - is a prerequisite for the great work of alchemy. This is how it sounds translated into psychological language in the work of Carl Gustav Jung: “Take the unconscious in the most suitable form (say, in the form of a spontaneous fantasy, a dream, a strong emotion) and operate on it. Give it special attention, focus on it and objectively monitor the changes taking place. Dedicate all your energy to solving this problem, carefully observe the process of transformation of spontaneous fantasy. The most important thing is: don’t let anything from the outside world get into her, because she already has everything she needs.” (K. G. Jung “The Mystery of Unification”) It is the virgin who is a symbol of energy directed deep into oneself, introspection, solitude and introversion in general.

Therefore, the Hermit’s cloak can be correlated with a hermetic vessel, a crucible, in which great work takes place.

If in his youth, before the crisis, Jung considered introversion of the libido to be a neurotic phenomenon, then, having gone through a mid-life crisis, he completely changed his mind, and by the end of his life, in the eyes of those around him, he himself was the archetype of the Hermit - the “wise old man from Xanth”, who had retired to his own place. the tower he built.

In this regard, it is especially interesting to analyze the image of a lamp or in other, more ancient Tarots, candles. The Candlelight Path is a very important archetype of individuation, indicating that a given person is the Chosen One and is involved in the hermit archetype. Please pay attention to Jung's dream, which, in his own words, became his “epiphany”:

“Then I saw an unforgettable dream, which both frightened me and encouraged me. In it, I found myself in an unfamiliar place and slowly walked forward in thick fog towards a strong, almost hurricane-force wind. In my hands I held a small light that could go out at any moment. And everything depended on whether I would save his life. Suddenly I felt that someone was following me and, looking back, I saw a huge black figure. She followed on my heels. And at that very moment, despite the horror that gripped me, I realized that I had to go and, despite all the dangers, carry through and save my little light. When I woke up, I realized that this “Broken ghost” was just my own shadow on the cloud, created by the play of light from that light. I also realized that this light - the only light I possessed - was my consciousness, my only treasure. And even though fire is small and weak in comparison with the forces of darkness, it is still light, my only light.”

We can find the same motive in Andrei Tarkovsky’s film “Nostalgia”. The hero must cross a dry pool with strange fumes, carrying a lit candle.

This symbol, in essence, answers our question about the meaning of human life, and, what is especially important, the answer is given not at the level of another philosophical dogma, but at a deep symbolic level that penetrates to the very center. I think that meditation on the Hermit should be built based on these symbols.

The hermit is an introverted model of a creator, artist, poet, who has a source of inspiration within himself. However, this source can also be located in the outside world, which will correspond to the 11th lasso.

Yod corresponds to fire and the begetting father in all magical formulas. “Yod is the first letter of the Tetragrammaton, symbolizing the Father who is Wisdom; he is the highest form of Mercury, Logos, Creator of all worlds” (A. Crowley “The Book of Thoth”). As has already been said, this correspondence is not accidental and falls completely within Crowley’s system. In one of Alistair’s Gnostic hymns to the secret father, the following lines sound: “The hidden source of existence, unknown, alienated and lonely. You are the flame of truth in the reed, the one who conceives and gives birth.” In many myths, a single god (first principle) creates other gods and the world from himself in order to overcome his loneliness (brahman). In fact, if we assume for a moment the possibility of the existence of some kind of superintelligence, the only thing that can be said about it objectively is that it will in fact be alone.

The idea associated with the yod path is the idea of ​​uniqueness, uniqueness, and even chosenness. The one who is chosen is always alone. I think there is no point in explaining this axiom.

Plants corresponding to the Hermit are lily, snowdrop and daffodil. The logic of the correspondence is obvious: the lily symbolizes virginity, the snowdrop, being the first flower, is like the seed from which spring is born, and the name “narcissus” has become a common noun - narcissistic in psychoanalysis refers to any autoerotic and autistic tendencies in the psyche. The correspondences from the animal world are no less remarkable, for according to the tables, any single animal can correspond to the yod path. Hermann Hesse, calling his novel, which became a symbol of loners, nonconformist seekers, “Steppenwolf,” fully confirmed this thesis.

The shadow side of the Hermit archetype is neurotic alienation in its illusions, which do not allow one to enter into full contact with life. The candle should be carried through the storm, and not hidden under the table and burned out in safe conditions. If the genius is lonely because he transcends the world and already belongs to the future, then the neurotic is lonely because he belongs to the past. The neurotic is a “monkey of genius,” copying the tragedy of a genius, but in his performance the tragedy turns into a farce. False foolishness and pretentious speeches about loneliness are generated by the shadow aspect of the Hermit, which is in many ways related to the path of the meme. Remember Grebenshchikov: “Each of them will kill if you touch his melancholy with a finger”? This aspect will be discussed in more detail in the chapter on the Hanged Man.