Just this morning, inna conversation with Blue, I was bewailing (once again) the fact that society is designed by and on behalf of extroverts. They’re the ones who speak up, so they’re considered normal despite only being 50% of everybody, and everything is arranged for their benefit. Refreshing, then, to see a card that shows us the value of a little introversion.
We all know what a hermit is. Typically a religious figure with a massive unkempt beard, living inna cave or on top of a mountain somewhere. Personally I’m a big fan of the concept of the garden hermit, which was popular in the 1700s. Big country estates would have an ornamental grotto and if you have a grotto then obviously you need a wizened old man to go with it. I suppose the job was to be reclusive and eccentric but to pop out occasionally and dispense some canned wisdom to entertain passing visitors. Tony Robinson listed this as one of his worst jobs in history1Series 1, episode 5, The Georgians, but to me it sounds ideal.
We don’t see a lot of respect for the hermit archetype in the modern world. And yet we still have the stereotype of the mountain climber who visits the Hermit to ask for the secret to the meaning of life. The Hermit is acknowledged to have only gained this wisdom by withdrawing from society. It’s inherently impossible, we’re told, to develop these deep insights while being surrounded by McDonalds and reality television. Giving up his access to these worldly pleasures is painted as a big sacrifice that the Hermit makes in exchange for knowledge.
It doesn’t have to be that way. The search for Enlightenment is a lifelong journey but it doesn’t have to be all-encompassing. Pixie’s Hermit figure carries a staff that is as tall as he is, signifying that the quest for knowledge will last as long as he does. Kim Krans’ Hermit for the Wild Unknown deck is an image of a tortoise, whose shell isolates him from the world—and his shell is an intrinsic part of his body, he’s not wearing it like a suit of armour or a sweater he can take off, he is his shell. But moderation is key for a venture like this. Even the tortoise can poke his head out every now and then to take in the sights. Sitting on his mountaintop, the Hermit wouldn’t come up with any notable judgements on McDonalds and reality TV unless he had some experience of it first. Even me, while I’m a big old misanthrope, still acknowledge the need to come down from the mountain occasionally. I may avoid contact with other humans but I’m aware that other humans are the ones who make the nuggs.
One of the things I really like about Pixie’s Hermit is the lantern. He’s taken time out from the hurlyburly to dwell on the deeper meanings of things, but he carries with him a light so that anyone so inclined may follow him. Despite the way he’s sometimes construed, the Hermit is not a lonely or an isolated figure. He’s a beacon, offering the wisdom he’s gained back into wider society.
When this card comes up in a reading it’s usually a sign to take a step back and get a broader perspective of the situation from outside. We can all benefit from a little introspection now and then. And this is why I see the Hermit as a metaphor for the act of tarot reading itself. Tarot is a tool which helps us to look at a situation from different angles, solicit different opinions, engage parts of the brain that we might not habitually use. The Hermit is a great example of someone who’s in the process of applying these lessons to himself.
In terms of the Fool’s Journey, the Hermit sits in the early part of the second triad of cards. In the first triad the Fool has gained material wealth and success, and now he turns to address more psychological concerns. Coming up shortly we’ll have the Wheel of Fortune and the Hanged Man: both are also cards that speak about radically altering one’s perspective, but with the Hermit we begin with a process that’s a lot more gentle, peaceful, analytical.
Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.
Carl Gustav Jung, Letters of C. G. Jung vol 1 (1906–1950)
(There’s some excellent commentary on just exactly what Jung meant by that quote in this blog post by Angeliki Yiassemides.)
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