The Hermit

The Hermit is the 9th card of the Major Arcana. I took this picture last summer right accross from where I live. The door was open, I stepped in and found myself in a magical corridor of green. I looked down and saw my shadow with the branch on top of the grass....green on green. I felt mysterious aloneness, as if looking at myself, outside of myself. At that moment I was definitely the Hermit.

The Hermit is not about socializing. It is about pairing down your life to the essentials so that you can reflect on your journey. The legend says that the Greek philosopher Diogenes was seen walking with a lantern, when asked what are you looking for, he responded "I am looking for an honest man". I think this is where the Hermit symbol came from. The Hermit is about looking within for the truth without the veil of rose colored glasses.

Should a person pull this card it is time to take a break from one's busy life, or ideally, go on a retreat. Isolate yourself for a moment, a night, a period to reflect on whether you are compromising yourself in a situation? A relationship? This is a good time to ask yourself: Are you postponing something? Are you not accepting your own truth? Do you really love the one you are living with?

Take the time to enjoy aloneness. As a zen master would say, "sit down, have a cup of tea".