IX – The Hermit Tarot Card Meaning

a solitary search within

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Tarot Alley uses the Rider Waite type of deck for our meanings, symbols, interpretations, etc.

The Hermit represents someone that has gone deep inside themselves, sorted through what they found there and made sense of it.

The Hermit not only embraces solitude, they actively search it out. They’re comfortable alone with just themselves and their thoughts.

The Hermit is the wise one in any hero story. They have wisdom and knowledge but they don’t give out the answers. The Hermit is a teacher who understands that the lessons we learn best are the ones we learn ourselves.

Take a look at the Rider-Waite Hermit displayed to the left (or above).

What is your first impression?

Who is this person? What are they doing? Where are they? What does the other imagery say to you?

There’s no right or wrong answer here, just your interpretation.

Astrology: Virgo
Element: Earth
Numerology: 9 (attainment, fullness, readiness)

Common Symbols

•  A Lamp to represent a guide
• An Isolated Location to represent solitude

Keywords & Concepts

the Hermit for Personal Growth

To be the best you can be, you must know who you really are. Reject the definitions others project on you. Search within. Empower yourself by embracing yourself, warts and all.

Ask Yourself:

• What do you really value?
• What do you really want to achieve?
• What would happen if you simply withdrew and took no action?
• How can you get some perspective on the situation?
• Who has walked this path before you? How can you enlist their help?
• Are you a member of a group that could prove helpful now?
• What might happen if everyone in your situation backed off a bit?
• What support do you need today?
• How might faith unify those involved in your situation?
• What information do you need to bring to light today?

Interpreting the Hermit

When the Hermit appears in a reading, it’s time to carve out some alone time. Say no to friends and family, turn off social media and the television, forget your to-do list, and just be alone to think (or read but not online).

The Reversed Hermit

How you read reversals is a personal choice. You can ignore reversals and read them as if the card is upright (this is what I often choose to do) or you can interpret reversals as variations of what they would mean upright. There are 3 common ways to read reversals: as a negative interpretation, as an opposite interpretation, or as a block on the upright interpretation. Check out How to Read Reversals for more information.

Negative: A negative reversed Hermit suggests isolation and loneliness.

Opposite: An opposite reversed Hermit means you don’t need more alone time right now. Be careful that you’re not isolating yourself from those you love.

Blocked: A blocked reversed Hermit indicates you have a lot going on in your life and finding alone time can be difficult. You’re going to need to carefully evaluate your life because alone time is important and you need to make time for it.

Examples of the Hermit

Specific Interpretations

Specific situations are the general interpretation (from above) used for a specific situation (love, career, etc). There is no need to memorize these (or even look them up) if you understand the general interpretation. However, here are some basic interpretations for some specific situations:

the Hermit Tarot Card Meaning