Reading Tarot

The Hermit card has a number of meanings in a tarot spread, depending on the position in which it appears and the context of the reading. A solitary figure stands at the top of a steep mountain peak, holding a staff in one hand and a lantern in another. Inside the lantern, a star illuminates the gloomy evening sky. The hermit is resolved and intently focused, as if consumed by his own thoughts. While this is a lonely setting, loneliness is not the only meaning associated with the Hermit tarot card. In old Italian tarot decks, the Hermit card was actually named “Time” after the Greek word Cronos, suggesting the long slow march of solitude leading to enlightenment.

In a spread, when the hermit card turns up in a position that describes the querent, it usually indicates that he or she has lived through a period of solitude. It could mean that the querent is an introspective person, slow to share her feelings with others, or someone who prefers to spend time by themselves rather than in the company of others. Spending time alone is not necessarily a bad thing. Many of the great works of art and scientific discoveries have been made by people who shunned a social existence for the comfort of intellectual pursuits. Standing on the top of the mountain, the hermit has a commanding view of what surrounds him. His light can be seen as a beacon, meant to guide and inspire others.

Depending on the context of the reading, however, the hermit can also signify negative aspects like loneliness, stoicism, and self-denial. In the blocking position, for example, we might ask the querent, “why are you pushing others away, why are you afraid of social encounters?” The hermit can also be telling us something – perhaps we need to take a break from all of the socializing and spend some time thinking about what we really want. What is it that I am searching for in life? What are the things that are really important to me?

In the reverse position

In the reversed (upside-down) position, the Hermit loses his lantern, and therefore also loses sight of what is before him. It can signify a lack of wisdom, logic, or intelligence. Maybe the querent is simply wrong about something that they deeply believe in? Maybe we actually need the guidance, wisdom and advice of others more than we thought?