The Vision
FIRST THING THAT STRUCK ME: All those mountaintop gurus from the
comics.
NUMBER OF CARD: 9--the highest single digit
COLORS: Grey, which in one sense makes me think that not everything
is black and white--"the resolution of all opposites." But it is a
robe, and a robe is a cover, like when the grey clouds and fog cover
the landscape. Not quite the secrecy of black, but shrouded
nontheless. White for wisdom and purity. Yellow for the light of
truth, intellect and knowledge.
TIME: Samhain to solstice, i.e. November; also old age
TRADITIONAL MEANINGS OF CARD UPRIGHT: Attainment of wisdom, inner knowledge, spiritual
illumination, advice and counsel from a wise soul, ability to
counsel, the need to step back from society and soul search,
withdrawal.
Spiritual awareness and development, the need to retreat,
contemplate, and find a deeper meaning to life, seeking counsel for
the purpose of reflection, self-sufficient person, self-imposed
exile, lonely but content, intellectual person, completing a cycle
and moving on to something higher, mental or physical retreat.
TRADITIONAL MEANINGS OF CARD REVERSED: Refusal to listen to one's inner voice or the wise
counsel from others, mental breakdown, comprehension difficulties,
closed mind.
Not retreating for much-needed soul searching causes problems
and neuroses, there is need for time alone -- take it, avoiding
thinking through important issues, inability to solve problems,
writer's block, dry period for creative person, depression, failure
to see the light. Reclusiveness.
BIBLICAL ASSOCIATIONS: Any time I see an old guy with a staff, I
think of Moses.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under
a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are
in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. -- Matt
5:15-16
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalms
119:105
I find it interesting, in relation to this verse, that the
original "name" of Jesus was the Word (or Logos).
MYTHOLOGICAL: Chronos, Merlin
ASTROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION: (1) Pisces, the "visionary" (2)
Uranus--independence; (GD) Virgo
ANIMAL/INSECT: owl; grasshopper
HERBS: Sage? (ha!) Actually, it makes me think of Eidelweiss, which
is a rare (endangered) white flower which only grows high up in the
Swiss Alps. ("Eidelweiss, Eidelweiss, every morning you greet me
...")
MUSIC: Stairway to Heaven; Shine by Aswad; wind, and a tinkling
sound, like maybe dripping water/melting snow
FILM: The Song Remains the Same movie by Led Zep
BOOK: No-Eyes--Mary Summer Rain; Yeats poem; Bridge Builder poem
PUBLIC PEOPLE: Jimmy Page (as himself)
OCCUPATIONS: author, mountain climber, miner; caretaker, philosopher,
historian
PERSONAL THOUGHTS: The Hermit rejects material trappings. He
doesn't even have a backpack like the Fool, although neither is "of
the world." His higher wisdom holds him apart from society and its
ambitions. He is a passive teacher, in that he is not out "spreading
the word." Rather, the willing and ready student must find him. Even
Jimmy Page (guitarist extrodinaire and owner of Crowley's old house)
had to climb that mountain to reach the Hermit, and when he got
there, discovered that the Hermit was himself. And if anyone has read
anything by Mary Summer Rain, they will immediately recognize No-Eyes
in this card.
But basically, this card makes me think of times of quiet, solitary
contemplation, away from physical/material distractions. Reversed
would be isolation. (where oh where did I read about the dangers of
isolation? Crowley, Greer?)
As much as I enjoy hermiting with books, cards, computer, cats, etc.,
I must takes positive steps not to become isolated from "real life."
QUOTES FROM OTHER SOURCES: Crowley: The letter YOD is the first letter of the name Tetragrammaton, and this symbolizes the Father, who is Wisdom; he is the highest form of Mercury, and the Logos, the Creator of all worlds. Accordingly, his representative in physical life is the spermatozoon; this is why the card is call The Hermit. (Ok . . . ok . . . ok . . . what?) : }
OTHER DECKS: Of the cards I've seen, about half have the lantern in the right hand and the staff in the left. The rest are the opposite.
SYMBOLS: We've heard about the light, but what about the staff?
One of the first things I've always done when going into the woods is
to find a nice stick to walk with (and to defend against snakes).
When I lived in Florida, I found a great one, and when I left the
woods, I put it under a palmetto bush. The next time I went back, it
was still there, so I used it again. That happened three times, so I
took it and kept it in the back of my car. It "acquired" some of it's
own totems, and I came to be quite fond of my stick.
When I came to Switzerland, I learned what it means to have a walking
stick! I mean, the highest point in Florida is a radio tower! When I
started trekking in the Alps, I really came to appreciate having a
good stick to help me up (and up and up). So, looking at the Hermit,
what does his staff mean to him? Certainly, he used it to help him
get up that mountain. Seems pretty high with all that snow up
there.
According to Mary Summer
Rain on Dreams, a staff "signifies a means of being independent,"
and a "lantern denotes more light is required on an issue or
situation in one's life." The summit "stands for high points in one's
life or spiritual journey," while a "hood reveals high knowledge and
wisdom."
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The Vision
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 Tarot |
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This page is excerpted from my original contributions to an online
Tarot course discussion of this card graciously sponsored by
Pandora's Bookstore.
http://www.moonchild.ch/Tarot/major/Hermit/09IMHO.html
