General

In traditional tarot, the Hermit depicts a cloaked man standing alone holding a lantern in one of his hands, and a staff on the other. He has attained spiritual knowledge and yet, he is still committed to his goal of awareness. This man can sometimes be a spiritual mentor, imparting knowledge onto others. Inside the lantern, there is a star with six points, and this is the Seal of Solomon, which represents wisdom. The staff represents authority and power. In my depiction of the Hermit, I have replaced the lantern with a jar of fairy lights but I want it to connote the same idea of wisdom and light in the darkness, illuminating all.

Upright

The Hermit is a seeker of knowledge, and the Hermit represents that you would enter a period of solitude to clear out the clutter in your life and to go within and find your inner truth. You may be searching for your inner soul guidance and your next steps. This sometimes can indicate a mentor coming into your life to help you out.

In love, it seems like you will understand more about love, and the patterns in your love life. It is possible that you would heal your relationship wounds during this time of solitude. In career and finances, you are not meant to take action just yet, you are meant to contemplate your next steps and to search for purpose in your career and finances.

Reversed

In love, the Hermit may symbolise that you would be single for a while, and that it is likely that your relationships will be going downhill. It can also be a sign that your ex may not be returning back to you and that there would be no reconciliation (this also depends on surrounding cards and your intuition). But this is a card of romantic rejection and feeling distant from a partner. In career and finances, you may be ostracised at work and this may make you feel alone. It seems like you would be working alone for the foreseeable future.

Astrological / Temporal Associations

The Hermit is represented by Virgo. Virgo’s symbol is shown as a woman carrying a sheaf of wisdom, representing the harvesting of wheat during the late summer. Virgo represents hardworking individuals who have a love a knowledge and know-how. This is incredibly aligned with what the Hermit represents, especially the fact that Virgos are self-sufficient and self-contained, which also represents the fact that you need to go within to find the answers that you need.