The Hermit lights the path for others. Alone, he clears the way by removing obstacles, or at least pointing them out for others who may follow. Although he is alone in the card, you can sense his role as a guide, lighting the way through darkness.
The Hermit has wisdom that guides his movements. He also uses prudence to avoid dangers in his path. The card visually demonstrates his care and intelligence.
In addition, the Hermit lights the way to cosmic consciousness. This card in a reading suggests that you are well on your way along the path to greater understanding of the Universe and its workings. The practical color of his clothing tells you that practical means are often the ones you will choose.
"Human beings of all ages, awash in the cultural morass and cut off from the god within, will seek the spirit everywhere - often in unholy places.
We seek the Old Wise Man because it belongs to our instinctual nature to do so, and we are driven toward him by the fears and anxieties of modern civilization."
- Sallie Nichols
Transmutations cannot be made to take place instantly. They require time. Whatever energies are present must be taken care of through gradually diverting them into those channels which will promote the object sought.
- C. C. Zain
Hence is the vision of the prophet
Which seemeth to pierce the veil between what is
And what is yet to come,
In truth a recollection of that
Which seemeth to belong to the past.
- Paul Foster Case
Sources
Zain, C. C., The Sacred Tarot. Los Angeles, The Church of
Light, 1936.
Nichols, Sallie, Jung and Tarot:
An Archetypal Journey. York Beach, Maine, Samuel Weiser, 1980.
Case, Paul Foster, The Book of Tokens: 22 Meditations on the Ageless Wisdom. Los Angeles, Builder of the Adytum, 1968. Quoted with permission from Builders of the Adytum, 5101 North Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA. 90042; http://www.bota.org/. Permission to use Builders of the Adytum images in no way constitutes endorsement of the material on this site.
De Angelis, Roberto, Universal Tarot Deck. Torino, Italy: Lo Scarabeo, 2003. Lo Scarabeo has graciously granted permission for the use of the Tarot images on this site. Copying the images without their permission wuld be a violation of copyright law.
