Image: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain/CC0)
TL;DR: According to A. E. Waite in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911), The Hermit in divination means prudence, caution, and especially betrayal, deceit, trickery, corruption; reversed it means concealment, disguise, cunning, fear, unfounded caution. In modern Tarot reading, the upright card is often understood as self-questioning, seeking inner truth; reversed it is excessive isolation, avoidance. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: take a quiet moment to ask yourself what you really want before deciding, and clearly state your need for personal space to those around you if necessary.
Where does The Hermit stand in the Tarot journey?
After the power and recognition of Strength (number 8) or Justice (number 11, depending on the school), card number 9, The Hermit, marks a turning point in the journey of The Fool. This is not an ending, but the peak of a cycle of awareness: after conquering the outer world, the central figure begins a journey inward.
The Rider-Waite-Smith deck was printed in 1909, with art by Pamela Colman Smith. The divinatory meanings of the card were set out by A. E. Waite in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911) and are often different from the meanings common today.
How does The Hermit appear in the artwork according to Waite's description?
According to Waite's description in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911), the only difference from traditional designs is that the lantern is not partly covered by the cloak of the one holding it, who combines the idea of the Ancient of Days with the Light of the World. It is a star shining within the lantern. Waite writes that he has said this is the card of attainment, and to expand the idea, the figure is shown holding his beacon high on a peak. Thus the Hermit is not, as Court de Gebelin explained, a wise man searching for truth and justice; nor, as a later explanation proposed, a special instance of experience. His beacon implies that "where I am, you can be also." Waite also adds that this is a card quite misunderstood when tied to the idea of mystical isolation, as a protection of one's personal aura from mingling. He considers this one of the frivolous interpretations we owe to Éliphas Lévi.
What does Waite write about the divinatory meanings of The Hermit?
Waite lists the divinatory meanings of The Hermit as follows: Prudence, circumspection; also and especially treason, dissimulation, roguery, corruption. Reversed: Concealment, disguise, policy, fear, unreasoned caution.
A close rendering would be: Prudence, circumspection; and especially treason, falsehood, trickery, corruption. Reversed: Concealment, disguise, scheming, fear, groundless caution.
These meanings are not entirely consistent with how the card is commonly understood today, and Waite himself gives meanings that seem to contradict one another, from positive prudence to negative betrayal.
What does The Hermit mean in present-day Tarot reading?
In present-day Tarot reading, The Hermit upright is usually understood as self-questioning, the search for inner truth. Reversed, the card is usually understood as excessive isolation, avoidance. Common keywords include: self-questioning, seeking, solitude. This is also the meaning used by the site's card-drawing tool, and it is not the Waite divinatory meaning given in the 1911 book.
In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, what does The Hermit suggest?
In Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, The Hermit suggests a deliberate pause: not to escape the world, but to hear the inner voice clearly before returning to everyday relationships and work. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: the light of contemplation illuminates only the next step, not the whole road.
What is Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion for today?
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: if you are facing a big decision, take time in quiet to ask yourself what you truly want, instead of only following the crowd. At work, you might try setting aside a stretch of time to work independently and look over your plans. In love, if you feel you need space of your own, say so clearly to the person beside you so it is not mistaken for distance. On money and health, this is not investment or medical advice, only a suggestion to take time to review your priorities.
How does The Hermit compare and connect with the Minor Arcana?
The Hermit has connections with other cards. It is often seen as the grown-up version of The Fool: both are lone travellers, but The Fool walks with innocence while The Hermit walks with experience. The number 9 is also the number of completion before moving on to number 10 (Wheel of Fortune), suggesting that the hermit's contemplation is the final stage before fate is set turning.
Astrologically (in the Golden Dawn tradition), The Hermit is linked with the sign of Virgo: the zodiac sign of analysis, meticulousness and the search for perfection. In Kabbalah, the card is assigned to the Hebrew letter Yod, the first letter of the Tetragrammaton (the four-letter Holy Name), symbolising the first spark of creation, which fits the image of the lantern.
Quick reference table: what do the Hermit upright and reversed mean?
| Aspect | Content |
|---|---|
| Deck suit | Major Arcana |
| Number | 9 |
| Main keywords | self-questioning, seeking, solitude |
| Meaning upright | Self-questioning, the search for inner truth. |
| Meaning reversed | Excessive isolation, avoidance. |
Overview article on the topic: Tarot Basics: The 78 Cards and the Meanings of the Major/Minor Arcana
