The Hermit in Tarot: Solitude, Wisdom and the Light Within

TL;DR: The Hermit Quick Reference

Upright: Solitude, introspection, soul-searching, inner guidance, wisdom, retreat, spiritual seeking, discernment, quiet truth, stillness, personal clarity, illumination from within

Reversed: Isolation, avoidance, aimlessness, spiritual bypassing, withdrawal, loneliness, detachment, fear of vulnerability, disconnection from truth, guidance ignored

The Archetype of The Hermit in the Tarot

The Hermit walks alone - but he is not lost. He chooses solitude, stillness, and space not as escape, but as return. This archetype holds the part of us that seeks truth inwardly, not through noise or novelty, but by listening to silence. He is not seeking answers - he’s listening for the ones already within.

He carries the light - but not for others. For himself. And the light doesn’t illuminate everything. Only the next step.

When The Hermit appears, you're not being asked to withdraw from life. You're being invited to pause - to go quiet enough to hear your own soul again.

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Symbolism and Imagery of The Hermit

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, The Hermit stands alone atop a snowy mountain. He wears a grey cloak - the colour of neutrality, wisdom, and silence. His lantern contains a six-pointed star: the Seal of Solomon, a symbol of divine insight.

The staff in his left hand signifies spiritual support - the hand of intuition, controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain which deals with the unknown. He leans into it, not for weakness, but for groundedness. The lantern - in his right hand, controlled by the left hemisphere which deals with the logical, rational and the known - lights only a few feet ahead, not the whole path - this is guidance in stages, not certainty all at once.

The Hermit knows that, if he's to use his thinking mind, he's to do so inwards - towards his own inner light.

The void behind him is not emptiness, but the unknown. Still, The Hermit continually walks toward it, not away. He knows wisdom doesn’t come from knowing where you're going - it comes from trusting that light will meet you where you are.

Meaning of The Hermit in a Tarot Reading

When The Hermit appears upright, it suggests a period of reflection. You are being called into sacred solitude - to pause, step back, and recalibrate from within.

This might be a time for:

• Journaling or inner work
• Retreating from social noise
• Studying a spiritual path
• Listening more than speaking

The Hermit often shows up when you're on the verge of integrating a deep insight - but only if you slow down enough to notice it. It’s not passive - it’s active stillness.

Reversed Meaning of The Hermit in a Tarot Reading

Reversed, The Hermit can indicate unhealthy withdrawal, avoidance, or detachment. You may be isolating out of fear rather than reflection. You may also be ignoring your own inner guidance - looking outward for answers you already hold.

Alternatively, it might signal you're resisting the call to slow down - clinging to busyness or distraction instead of turning inward. Or that you've been in solitude too long, and it's time to re-emerge and reconnect.

The reversal invites honesty: Is this solitude sacred - or self-protection?

The Evolution of The Hermit Throughout History

From the desert mystics to the philosophers, The Hermit archetype spans cultures - always appearing as the one who withdraws in search of truth. Whether monk, seer, healer, or exile, he reflects the soul’s need to pause and perceive from within.

Early Tarot Appearances - Time, The Hunchback and The Old Man

In early decks like the Visconti-Sforza, The Hermit was often called "Il Tempo" (Time), Il Gobbo (The Hunchback) or Il Vecchio (The Old Man) and showed the old man with an hourglass - not yet The Hermit as we know him. The focus was on mortality, patience, and reflection.

Marseille Tarot - L’Hermite and the Lantern

By the time of the Tarot de Marseille, The Hermit appears as L’Hermite - cloaked, staff in hand, lantern alight. The hourglass is gone. He is no longer time personified, but a seeker - a solitary bearer of light.

The emphasis shifts from aging to awareness. From fate to purpose.

Christian Overlay - The Devout Mystic

Under Christian influence, The Hermit resembled monastic withdrawal - echoing saints, pilgrims, and spiritual recluses. He embodied renunciation, humility, and the path of truth through ascetic practice.

This preserved the sanctity of retreat - but narrowed its meaning to virtue.

Golden Dawn - Virgo and the Light of Tiphareth

The Golden Dawn assigned The Hermit to Virgo, ruled by Mercury, and placed him on Path 20 of the Tree of Life. He became the light-carrier - holding the flame of the higher self (Tiphareth), walking with clarity through structure and discernment (Virgo).

The lantern became not just a symbol of wisdom - but of spiritual mission.

The Hermit in the 1900s and 2000s

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, The Hermit stands silent, sovereign, and still. His wisdom is not preached. It is practised. He seeks nothing - but sees everything. His gaze is inward, even as he stands on the mountaintop.

In Crowley’s Thoth deck, The Hermit carries additional esoteric weight - bearing symbols of the sperm, egg, and serpent. Here he becomes a seed-carrier - holding the wisdom of creation through incubation.

Modern Decks - Trauma, Integration and Self-Discovery

In contemporary decks, The Hermit is often a guide for healing - symbolising inner child work, nervous system repair, and the withdrawal needed after overstimulation.

Some show her as feminine, queer, neurodivergent, or shadowed - but the heart remains: she chooses herself first, not to escape the world, but to return to it clearer.

Numerology and the Number Nine in Tarot

Nine is the number of spiritual harvest. It marks the final turn before completion - a solitary step before the return.

It is the number of full integration. In The Hermit, Nine becomes a vessel - a moment to contain the cycle, extract its truth, and carry its light.

Nine isn’t an ending. It’s the moment before you become something new.

Astrological Resonance of The Hermit

The Hermit is ruled by Virgo, a mutable earth sign governed by Mercury. Virgo brings clarity, discernment, ritual, and reverence for what works. It doesn’t perform. It purifies.

In The Hermit, Virgo becomes inward focus - the refinement of thought, the filtration of truth, the integrity to be alone long enough to listen.

Mercury here speaks not in speech, but in silence. Not in answers, but questions. Virgo doesn’t need to be right. It needs to be true.

FAQs About The Hermit in Tarot

What does The Hermit mean in a love reading?

The Hermit in love often signals a need for space, solitude, or internal clarity. It may reflect time apart, emotional withdrawal, or a partner doing deep personal work. Sometimes it asks: can you love someone and let them go find themselves?

Is The Hermit a yes or no card?

The Hermit is neither yes nor no - but a pause. It asks: do you know why you're asking? It points to clarity before action. To wisdom before decision. If you’re unsure, this card says: go within first.

What does The Hermit mean when reversed?

Reversed, The Hermit reflects loneliness, avoidance, or disconnection. It may show up when you're hiding from truth, afraid to be seen, or staying in isolation too long. It may also signal resistance to rest - rushing ahead when reflection is what’s needed.

What archetype does The Hermit represent?

The Hermit is the Seeker and Silent Guide. The one who walks away not to disappear, but to listen more deeply. He holds the light, not to lead others - but to honour the truth inside his own step.