This card usually depicts an older person, typically male, dressed for traveling. He has on a thick cloak and carries a walking stick in one hand and a lantern in the other.
The Hermit is in search of wisdom that can only be found when you take a step back from the world. This can represent a person who has moved away from surface distractions to get more in tune with their inner wisdom. Or it can mean that there is a need to distance yourself from things so you can get clarity about a situation. Henry David Thoreau at Walden Pond is a great example of this energy.
The Hermit Upright Keywords: wisdom, clearing your head, getting some space, silence, healthy boundaries
Reversed, the introspection of the Hermit can turn into navel-gazing. You might have put yourself in a situation where you are in an echo chamber, stunting any possibility of growth because you won’t let new information in. This sort of mental and emotional isolation can also have the effect of concentrating on any bad traits as well. Think about the bitterness of Miracle Max in The Princess Bride before his wife chided him to act.
The Hermit Reversed Keywords: overly introverted, living in a bubble, isolated, bitter loneliness, refusal to seek outside views
To tap into the energy of the Hermit take a walk with this Tarot on a Tangent podcast by Psychic Annaleigh.
