THE HERMIT

IX

When you feel a heightened sensitivity to the noisiness of man, know to retreat. Silence is available to you, use it wisely. Are you going deep enough? Or is the surface fooling you. You hold exactly what you need.

This Month we are focusing in on THE HERMIT. He is the archetypal soul searcher, the 9th card of the Major Arcana, and one of our greatest teachers. March is an interesting month, and mercury is retrograde for the majority of it- this is a great opportunity to withdraw from the commercial world for a short while! The Hermit is a wise, old man who retreats to follow on his path- he wants guidance in his search for truth. The Hermit is concerned with the more celestial, elusive parts of life. Belief systems, divine guidance, self mastery, enlightenment- these are the ideas he chooses to explore.

I would really love to pick this card apart with you. It is filled with symbolism and visual cues, and it’s a great way to practice just as The Hermit would- by reading in between the lines.

• Long, white beard - time, wisdom, age/maturity, experience

• Hood - intimacy with oneself, isolation

• Gray cloak - lack of color on the body- outer appearance being of lesser importance at this time. The blending of black (the feminine) and white (the masculine) representing mastery

• Golden stave - journey, divine guidance, held in the left hand - accepting/receiving

• Lantern - the night time, initiation, held in the right hand - offering/sending out

• 6 pointed star - illumination, our personal guides, finding light in darkness, 2 triangles (heaven & earth) coming together as one

• White snow - virginity, a new beginning, enlightenment

• Mountain top - accessing a higher consciousness, operating at a higher vibration

• Dark blue sky - Mature spirituality, fatherly comfort, wisdom, experience

Tune into yourself wholeheartedly- body AND mind. What do you need? I think a lot of us will find that we need to spend some quality time soul searching this month. Sometimes the time is just right to slip away and be alone with our thoughts. For those of you who are uncomfortable being alone- this is a great time to explore that and possibly overcome that fear. For those who crave solitude often- be careful not to isolate yourself to the point of disillusionment. Let’s retreat with integrity. Let’s practice trust in ourselves and our guides. Knowledge is power!

Meditation is the best way to access The Hermit. Gaze into the card for a long time- let your eye take you from one end to the other. Now close your eyes and create a door in your mind. When you open that door- you will be stepping into THE HERMIT card. Embody The Hermit- Are you at the bottom of the mountain or the top? Is it cold and windy or calm and peaceful? Maybe you are a third party observer, stepping into The Hermits domain- if so, do you approach him and exchange words? Follow him? Walk alongside him? Take note of all the little details as you explore. When you awake, write down what you remember. This exercise will help you uncover your own needs and the manner in which you should fulfill them.

THE HERMIT

Astro Ruler: Virgo

Element: Earth

Number: 9 - Spirituality, wisdom, patience

Stone: Bloodstone, Peridot

Your tools: Introspection, discernment, solitude, focus

Put on the song “No Quarter” by Led Zeppelin - visualize it while you listen.

With love and encouragement,

Tate