With a name like “the Hermit,” you might already have an idea of what this card is all about: solitude. What you do with that solitude, however, is up to you.
As tarot expert and author of The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot, Skye Alexander, tells mindbodygreen, the Hermit typically depicts an elderly man holding a lantern to light the way. “He’s the wise sage, sometimes dressed in a monk’s robe, who serves as a guide and teacher on life’s journey,” she explains.
Generally speaking, this Major Arcana card represents a truth-seeker, and when he turns up in a reading, “it may mean you are engaged in your own quest for truth and knowledge—or should be,” Alexander notes.
And that quest, she adds, may very well require you to withdraw from the busyness of the outer world and turn inward for a while. In some cases, the Hermit may also represents a real person in your life.
In this case, according to Alexander, he signifies a teacher, counselor, or advisor. The Hermit may also suggest getting in touch with a spirit guide to lead you on your path, she explains.
Astrologically speaking, the Hermit could be linked with the planet Saturn, Alexander says, with Saturn teaching us by presenting challenges, hardship, work, and self-reliance. Some people also associate the Hermit with the sign of Virgo.
