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Meaning of The Hermit Tarot Card

The Hermit is the 9th (IX) Major Arcana Tarot card symbolising introspection, inner wisdom, the sageness that comes from experience and internal contemplation, and an invitation to seek out this wise guidance within ourselves.

It is is often a card of retreat, isolation, solitude, and knowledge. When it shows up for us, it can indicate that some soul searching is in order.

Read on below for more significations and what it means for you when it shows up reversed, and in a love, career, or general reading:

The Hermit Tarot Card

Culturally, the figure of the hermit is associated with a wise elder that has retreated to the mountains for seclusion and spiritual development. When and if they emerge from their cave, it is with pearls of wisdom and spiritual enlightenment.

Many Tarot card meanings may not initially be so obvious at first sight, this is not one of them. This Tarot card description is generally what you see is what you get.

Following on from Strength, The Hermit Tarot card is an indication that it is time for us to integrate what we have learnt thus far. To journey within and explore, dissect, marinate, and then assimilate what we find. Sometimes it is necessary to retreat in order for our personal growth.

It is a message that we have some internal searching to do, that the answers we are perhaps seeking externally are already inside. It is a beautiful card of the jewels we each hold inside.

In the image on the traditional Smith Colman Waite Tarot deck, as in many Hermit Tarot cards, we see an elderly man, hunched with age, walking in desolate snow, with a six-pointed star inside a lantern.

We, too, may be trudging through snow, only with our shining light to guide us. We don’t know where we’re going, but we have just enough visibility for the next step in front of us.

This figure is facing left, walking towards the past symbolically. It is a suggestion that with hindsight and perspective, the accumulation of our life’s experiences and gained knowledge, we have the answers to the solution we are looking for.

Generally we associate elders with wisdom, we each are older (and hopefully more mature) than our past selves, we each have the wisdom we have learnt through our trials and tribulations to see us through.

Whereas The High Priestess is about our innate wisdom, a sacred, ancient knowing, one that is naturally within all of us instinctively; The Hermit is more of a gained wisdom through searching.

The High Priestess relates to our intuition, an insight that is inexplainable, The Hermit is a quest of discovery. It takes stillness, contemplation, and time alone to distil what we know. It takes curiosity, introspection, and openness to explore.

Numerology of The Hermit Tarot Card

Numerologically, the number 9 relates to culminations, refinement, and cycles coming to a close. We have gained enough knowledge throughout this phase to parse out an answer. It is also spiritual number, relating to the creative dynamism of the three (revered in ancient Nordic and other cultures).

Often it is said that the solution or beginning of the 9s is in the 3s. This would relate it to Major Arcana card The Empress, pillar of divine wisdom of the body. In this, we can see an invitation to marry the knowledge of the body with that of the mind.

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It also connects it to all the 9s of the Minor Arcana, here, again, we can see the importance of harnessing the body and mind for good, working in harmony (9 of Wands and 9 of Swords respectively); as well as the power in independence, solitude, and autonomy (9 of Pentacles); and the abundance that comes from when we lean with the heart (9 of Cups).

It also relates it to The Moon card, which reduces numerologically to 9 (1 + 8). Here we can see the potential confusion we may be facing and how a blending of our subconscious and acceptance of our animal nature can bring about illumination. It emphasis the need for moving slowly in The Hermit phase, for journeying through the darkness with care.

As the final single digit, it symbolises the accumulation of learnt knowledge up until this point, and the final release necessary before completion of a cycle. From here on out, all other Major Arcanum can reduce into a single digit.

Astrology of The Hermit Tarot Card

Astrologically, this is the card of Virgo, Zodiac Sign of discernment, analysis, and betterment. Virgo separates the wheat from the chaff and is on a constant cycle of regeneration and improvement.

Related to the Harvest Goddess, it is a symbol of coming winter, a natural time of retreat and introspection. It is also the Sign of healing, all things must rest and go through their fallow periods, as well as service- once we emerge from our journey within we may feel restored and replenished, able to share our newfound wisdom with others.

The word virgin (Virgo) literally means “a woman unto herself”, an independent, liberated person that is free to do as they please. In turning within, we can get quiet enough to hear own own truth, using our discernment of mind to walk with integrity and inspired action.

Virgo is ruled by Mercury, the messenger of the Gods. Mythologically, Hermes/Mercury was a psychopomp that could travel between the worlds, the only one that didn’t need explicit consent from Hades/Pluto, God of the Underworld.

It also ties in the myth of Persephone, daughter of Ceres, Goddess of Harvest. Mercury governs the intellect and passage of information, it takes time to move through our mental workings, sort through what we find, and communicate it efficiently in return.

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In general, an upright Hermit represents a need for inner exploration, soul searching, introspection, and the time alone to do so. It suggests that you have some figuring out to do, but that you already have the answers within, you just need to go and find them.

The Hermit Reversed Meaning

A reversed Hermit Tarot card can indicate a resistance to or not liking to spend time alone or the internal journeying that is being asked of you. Soul work can be hard and lonely, who knows what we’ll find down there- sometimes it’s just easier for someone or something external to just give us the answers.

But that will will never truly be the right answer for us. If this card has shown up for you, it is a symbol that you do know what to do/have the necessary experience, you just need to go within and find it. Whereas in an upright position deep down we may have known this was called for, in a reversal it may come as a wake up call.

Sometimes a reversed Hermit card can be an indication that we are already far along our Hermit journey and are coming towards the end of it, or that we may have been led slightly astray within it and to keep of exploring.

The Hermit in a General Tarot Reading

In a general reading, of course as with all Tarot card meanings- depending on where in the spread it has shown up, what the cards surrounding it are, what the nature of the question was and the context of the situation is; the Hermit can ultimately represent a solid need to spend some time alone.

It can be as simple as needing to rest mind, body, and soul. Perhaps the querent (seeker) has been searching externally for answers or validation, maybe too much time has been spent in the superficial realms and now is a time to come back to centre and integrate what has gone to pass.

Either way, generally The Hermit calls for some much needed time alone, exploring of the self, and to find our own path to truth using our inner guidance.

The Hermit in a Tarot Love Reading

In a love reading, The Hermit suggests a need to spend some time alone to figure out some answers to questions you’ve been having. Perhaps the relationship has been going too fast and furious or veering on unhealthy co-dependence.

It can be a symbol of losing ones sense of self and identity within a relationship, or simply that a little breathing space is required (this could literally just be taking a solo afternoon walk, meditating, doing some yoga and journalling, daydreaming etc).

If it has shown up in an external position, it could suggest that the other party is the one that requires some introspection and soul searching. As a positive it could indicate maturity and healthy interdependence, as a challenge it can signify that time alone is sorely needed (not as a breakup necessarily but as in the examples listed above).

As always, its actual meaning is dependant on where in the Tarot spreads this card appears, the cards surrounding it, context of the situation, question asked, and your own intuition.

The Hermit in a Career Reading

In a career reading, The Hermit can indicate a need for reevaluation in your position or role within a company or business. It can suggest that a sabbatical or introspective holiday, such as a retreat, is called for. There may be some answers that are needing to be found and only quiet time alone, away from the hustle and bustle, can let the water settle enough to see to the bottom of it.

As a positive, it can show that a job or business may bring maturity and key wisdom to you, that it will allow you the space to unfurl and expand your inner workings. As a challenge, it can suggest that the workplace may be too busy or pulling you away from your internal knowledge, something that deep down you know to be true. Find your guiding light again.

Overall, The Hermit is a still, quiet card of self-reflection, of spending nutritious time alone and exploring your inner worlds. It is a message that we have a learnt wisdom, one that can always help us guide the way, we need to turn within to find it.

When The Hermit shows up for us, we are being invited into quiet reflection. What would your future self tell you? What counsel can your elders give you? What would a wiser version of yourself do in the past? What would your “higher self” tell your current self right now?

So those are some of The Hermit Tarot card significations, I hope it’'s useful for you! Let me know in the comments section below if you have any questions or anything else to add.

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