A hooded and bearded man leans on his staff as he looks down from his height. He holds a lamp in his right hand. Inside the lamp shines a six-pointed star often called the Star of David.
The stance of the Hermit has some similarities to the Fool. They face to the left and are on high ground, mountains in the background.
Of course there are important differences. The Fool is gazing upwards as he approaches the edge of a cliff. Te Hermit looks down. He sees what’s before him, is aware that he is on a height. He is not stepping forward, but rather is standing still. He leans on his staff rather than carries it. The Hermit holds his lantern out to guide others. The lantern also shows the Hermit his way.
It is almost as though the Fool has learned some life lessons and is now more mindful of his steps, to stop and consider before launching himself into space.
This card signifies withdrawal, introspection, focusing on what is within.
The number of this card is 9. The other Major Arcana card that corresponds to 9 is 18 – the Moon. We get nine from this by adding the two digits of 18 – that is, 1 and 8. The Hermit and the Moon have some correspondence.
A Hermit tends to seek within, to look deeply into his soul. The soul is often mysterious; many things are half-hidden, much like how objects appear in the light of the Moon. There are shadows there that cannot be ignored or gotten rid of. They need to be recognized as what they are, and accept as part of the Unconscious.
Keywords: Introspection. Solitude. Guiding light. The Wise Fool.