The Hermit
The Hermit represents the need to turn away from the external world and focus entirely on the soul's inner needs. This card symbolizes self-analysis, solitude, and the search for answers within oneself through silence and introspection. It calls for withdrawal from distractions to achieve spiritual clarity and inner wisdom, often indicating a time of retreat and restoration before sharing newfound knowledge with others.
Keywords
Alchemy
Zodiacal trump of Virgo; Dominion of Mercury, Mercury in ascension; connects Chesed and Tiphareth on the Tree of Life
Kindred Souls
The Magus of the Voice of Power; The Prophet of the Eternal
Essence
Self-analysis and solitude. Seeking answers within oneself. Silence. Individualism. A 'lone wolf' who does everything his own way. Genuine insight, inner purity, and self-discipline. Devotion. Stillness, tranquility, and solitude. Completion and results. Offering mentorship and wise counsel. Retreat and restoration of strength.
Core Meaning
The Hermit is characterized by the necessity to turn away from the external world and completely focus on the needs of one's own soul. He is not at all interested in the superficial needs of the masses and seeks answers within himself, knowing that they will appear only as a result of solitude and self-analysis. This truly condemns the Hermit to wander alone, because all the answers already lie within him. He discovers truth by purifying its grain from all extraneous husks. When all declarations about what is 'true' are recognized as illusory and silence ensues, the Hermit turns to silence as the ultimate truth. Only in silence is there nothing that can be represented by words, so there is no longer a need to clothe truth in words, and it remains only to find it without words.
When This Card Appears
There are moments when we begin to question the obvious and feel that a much deeper reality is hidden behind things we previously considered mundane. When this card appears in a spread, it serves as a call to withdraw from the external world or from the situation we are asking about, and turn to our own hidden wisdom for an answer—we must keep silent in order to hear our inner voice.
Guidance for Action
The Hermit indicates that for some time we should retreat from what we have begun or withdraw from the external world. We need to rid ourselves of everything that distracts attention, achieving perfect purity of our unique spirituality. This card represents searches of the most varied kinds, especially the search for the deepest understanding of a situation and waiting for illumination. Sometimes this card calls us to complete unfinished business and thereby rid ourselves of all distracting factors that prevent us from concentrating on our main task. In other cases, it may speak of the need to spend some time in solitude and dedicate it to restoring strength—to set aside time for reflection during which we can concentrate on ourselves without being distracted by extraneous matters and restore our mental equilibrium.
Inner Strength and Individuality
The Hermit loves solitude, which is not perceived by him as loneliness (as happens in the shadow aspect). There he himself is a mighty energy concentrated in a single point of light. The Hermit indicates that we should not pay much attention to people who do not understand us, and calls us to be confident in the strong sides of our own personality. He symbolizes our unique inner spirit and requires us to act our own way in everything, even if such a course of action does not conform to tradition. Often he recommends that we approach the situation more emotionally balanced and soberly, act restrainedly and reasonably.
Inner Meditation and Preparation
This card has closer ties to inner meditation than to external understanding (which is the sphere of activity of the High Priest). Sometimes he suggests that the time of great changes is not far off, and we must begin to prepare for them by putting our thoughts in order and calming our minds. He may also indicate withdrawal from affairs or cessation of activity in the development of events. Perhaps we have met or will soon meet a person who will become a spiritual mentor for us. It is possible that we ourselves will be called to take on this role for someone related to the question being asked.
Analysis and Symbolism
Vampires are often depicted as outsiders. They appear as dark personalities wandering in darkness. Lovers of the exotic, they exist outside the boundaries of any society. They possess secret knowledge, are characterized by hidden passions, they are carriers of occult forces that set them apart from ordinary mortals. It is precisely this side of the Vampires' essence that the Hermit card reflects. Wandering in shadows, Vampires are constantly searching for sources of life, by drawing from which they can revive their spiritual forces. This image of the Vampire contains a symbolic message that before reaching the light, we must pass through the fear-filled realities of our own shadows. The light they strive for is the very blood of life—deep and ancient light.
Shadow Integration and Spiritual Perfection
The Hermit teaches us that the accumulation of shadow within ourselves is a necessary condition for the formation of our entire being—he seeks spiritual perfection within himself, drawing it from hidden depths and sacred mysterious lands. The Hermit card is the zodiacal trump of Virgo, the most earthly of all earth signs, reminding us of vampire myths in which they always keep with them roots from the earth of their homeland. On the card we see the Hermit emerging from the catacombs of the Underworld (shadow) accompanied by a wolf he has tamed (his animal side), which, like Cerberus, guards the gates of the Underworld.
Dual Light Symbolism
The Hermit possesses unique dual-light symbolism. We see how he, completing his journey, emerges from the world of shadow, whose dangers he subjected himself to of his own free will in hope of gaining illumination. Now he carries this new knowledge to pass it on to others and guide them on the true path. In this respect he is the guiding 'light of the world,' illuminating the masses with his hard-won knowledge, represented by the blazing torch. On the other hand, the Hermit symbolizes our individual search for enlightenment. We see him wandering from the material world toward the light of his eternal spirit, filled with the riches of his own soul.
Transcending Material Illusions
In this case, the material world is represented by the changeable and egocentric illusions of the masses. The pursuit of public recognition and accumulation of wealth for the sake of gaining a sense of self-worth—all these are empty promises, delusions that are never destined to be fulfilled. For the Hermit, personal wealth and social status are boring, banal, and meaningless concepts. He feels no need to chase such deceptive and transient 'values' and does not find himself in slavish dependence on them. He is focused on inner quests and strives to penetrate the mysterious and enigmatic essence of things. For this reason he is honored with his second name—'The Prophet of the Eternal.' He is a devoted servant of his contemplation, which he himself is, nourishing himself with roots from the most secret depths of the earth.
Astrological Correspondences
Astrologically, this card is under the patronage of Mercury, defining the Hermit's role as messenger. Virgo is the most receptive (mutable) earth sign and symbolizes the womb, for which the Hermit acts as the secret seed fertilizing the egg. He contains within himself all four elements, as evidenced by the four objects he represents and carries: scepter and Grail (his staff), knife and skull (his prize from the Underworld).
The Nature of Enlightenment
The main goal of the Hermit's quest is the inner search for enlightenment. The term enlightenment evokes associations with something incomprehensible, with some supernatural phenomenon, but this is merely finding (or, to be more precise, feeling) our true and natural connections with Creation—unity with the Eternal. Sometimes in our lives there are such moments, even if fleeting and barely perceptible, when we experience this feeling of inseparable, complete and absolute unity with the ineffably beautiful and eternal light of the Divine, which is our true source.
Moments of Divine Connection
This can happen when we find ourselves enchanted by the amazing beauty of nature, basking in a summer garden, experiencing the rapture of sensual sensations, or simply drinking tea in silence at our home while lightning flashes in a storm outside the window. This is the feeling of bliss descending upon us, when everything around seems perfect and bordering on the unreal in its perfection. With this sensation of universal well-being, warmth and unity with our roots, the anxiety and worries generated by our rational thinking disappear, and a miraculous reunion with our more natural sensual heart and soul occurs.
Returning to Natural State
Strangely enough, this experience often makes us think we are detaching from reality, because we are not used to it, but in fact it is very close to our original and natural state. The more we distance ourselves from this feeling of unity with everything around us, the more lonely we feel and experience bitterness that we have been deprived of something important. Therefore, enlightenment is simply the process of developing a sense of unity with the Divine light from which we all originated. This is not adding something new, but rather purifying from layers of husk that have accumulated around us and prevent the light shining within us from breaking out. Enlightenment has nothing to do with intellectual understanding; it is the sensation of joy from belonging to the great and emotional well-being.
Shadow Aspect
If we feel lonely and forgotten, the Hermit may appear in shadow aspect. By securing his positive characteristics and accepting that for some time we must spend in solitude, withdrawing from the situation, we can put our loneliness to our service, extracting necessary lessons from it and using the advantages it provides. Perhaps some person is trying to push you away or make you feel rejected or not belonging to their circle—but this is merely an attempt to project their own feeling of isolation onto you. The more isolated we feel, the more resistance we offer to everything and everyone, and as a consequence, the harder it becomes for us to communicate with others. The Hermit calls us to reject envy, remain wise and objective in order to avoid such a karmic circle.
Visual Description
A hooded, cloaked figure walks into a dark, tangled forest carrying a tall torch and a staff; the torch casts a sickly, wavering light through bare branches. In the figure's other hand hangs a string of human skulls; a stone cross topped with a crouching gargoyle and marked with a Virgo-like glyph rises to the right. A large black wolf with glowing red eyes prowls in the foreground, partially illuminated by the torch. The scene is misty and shadowed, a narrow path receding into the gloom behind the hermit.
Tarot of Vampyres
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