The Hermit Tarot Card Meanings

The Hermit Tarot Card Explained

The Hermit is the soul searcher and is here to encourage you to reflect on your deepest feelings and needs. The appearance of this Major Arcana card in your tarot card reading heralds a time for pause. There is often a major turning point around the corner.

A new path may be opening to you that you have been unable to see because of the noise and distractions in the outside world. Sometimes life forces us into retreat and sometimes it’s by choice, but either way, it is from the darkness that we find the light.

When the energies of The Hermit are out of balance, he will present in your reading in the reversed position. This can indicate escapism rather than self-reflection, or a resistance to looking within for answers.

The Hermit Tarot Card in Your Past

You recently experienced a period of solitude or even a “Dark Night of the Soul.” External or internal events led you to retreat from the world for a period of time so that you could reflect upon what is really important to you. In that quiet space, you discovered long-forgotten desires and unwanted beliefs and fears. In this quiet place, you released those unwanted energies and reconnected with your deepest inner truth.

The Hermit in Reverse in the Past

When we resist the call to go within, The Hermit will present in the reverse. Losing touch with our inner voice leads to living an inauthentic life. When we avoid looking at our shadows out of fear, we forego any possibility of integrating them.

This Major Arcana tarot card can also appear in the reverse when we have been abandoned or betrayed by loved ones. In this position, The Hermit suggests that you failed to learn the lessons of self-love and self-protection in the past.

The Hermit Tarot Card in Your Present

You are currently in a period of retreat and withdrawal. You are reflecting on your life path and what truly matters to you. Have you been discarded by a loved one recently? Are you feeling lonely and isolated? Are you withdrawing from the world to avoid something negative or is your retreat nourishing your soul?

The Hermit asks you to look within to discover how you got to this place. If something painful happened to you, what can you do to prevent this from happening again in the future? Sometimes we trust the wrong people or fail to set firm boundaries. A time of introspection can guide you toward greater self-love and lift you up into a higher vibration.

The Hermit in Reverse in the Present

Are you feeling lonely, isolated, or abandoned? Or are you maybe hiding away from society in order to avoid dealing with difficult situations? The Hermit in reverse indicates that the introspective qualities of this card are out of balance. Don’t resist honest self-reflection and don’t hide away from the world either! Give yourself the space to hear your inner voice and then take action based on what you discover.

The Hermit Tarot Card in the Future

It looks like you’re going to be spending some time doing some deep soul searching in the near future. You might be choosing to remove yourself from a toxic situation that requires you to disconnect from your life as you know it. Or perhaps you will realize that your current life path is not fulfilling you on a soul level. You may need to retreat to plan and strategize a way forward.

The Hermit in the future position portends the ending of a chapter in your life and the beginning of something new. You’ll be guided by your inner wisdom to problem-solve effectively and come out with a newfound sense of freedom and purpose.

The Hermit in Reverse in the Future

Have you been in a long period of introspection and contemplation? The Hermit in reverse in the future placement indicates that this time may finally be coming to an end. This can also indicate relief from a difficult situation, where you find the peace and solitude you need self-healing.

The Hermit Tarot Card in Love and Romance

You seem to be growing apart in your relationship, and in spite of your efforts, or the efforts of your partner, the distance between you only grows. This might be causing you some loneliness and sadness, but The Hermit invites you to focus on yourself and your own needs and desires. Reassess what qualities are important to you in a relationship so that you can build a strong foundation for a loving relationship in the future.

The Reversed Hermit in Romance

If you are single, The Hermit indicates that you need to spend more time developing your own sense of self before you can fully commit to a romantic partnership. Take the time to work on your self-love and determine clearly what your needs and expectations are.

The Hermit Tarot Card and Your Career

Are you wishing you could work alone or run your own business? The Hermit in a career reading suggests that you’ve been thinking about what isn’t fulfilling you at work right now. You’ve spent time contemplating what you would like to change and what direction you would rather go in. It might be that just working for money alone isn’t enough anymore, or there are some challenges in the workplace that need some real digging into.

The Reversed Hermit in Career

In the reverse, this card can also suggest that you are coming out of your isolation and are ready to do more networking and collaboration. It may be that you succeeded in finding clarity around your desires and direction and you’re now ready to put it into action.

The Hermit Tarot Card and Your Friends

You’re not feeling particularly social at the moment and you might be opting for some time alone. The Hermit brings energies of contemplation, so you may be assessing all of your relationships, whether platonic or romantic. The good news is that the messages you receive during your introspection will have you coming out on the other side with renewed passion and clarity.

The Reversed Hermit and Friends

If your social life has been lackluster, The Hermit in reverse suggests that your period of isolation is coming to an end. And if that doesn’t resonate with you, the message may be the polar opposite. It could be that your relationships have been drifting apart, but you’ve been resisting people’s desire for space. Try to remember that unhealthy relationship dynamics don’t lead to happiness.

The Hermit Tarot Card and Your Money

Money is becoming less important as you contemplate what really brings you true happiness. Materialism has its limits, and you are yearning for something more profound. You may be reassessing the amount of energy you are investing into money-making in relation to other aspects of your life.

Whatever the realizations, you will be finding clarity around money and the role it plays in your life. You may also be faced with a financial challenge, but your withdrawal into problem-solving will result in a beneficial outcome.

The Reversed Hermit and Money

Have you been evaluating your finances for some time now? The Hermit in reverse indicates that you’ll be able to start putting your newfound insight into action.  Alternatively, you may want to seek guidance from someone on the outside. Consider speaking to a financial advisor.

The Hermit Tarot Card and Your Health

If you are suffering from a health issue, rest and relaxation may be in order, especially if you’ve been running yourself ragged. Give your body a break and a chance to recharge. In some instances, this tarot card could indicate the need for isolation due to a health issue.

The Reversed Hermit in Health

Are you avoiding a nagging health issue? When The Hermit presents in the reverse it indicates that you are either hiding from reality or refusing to self-reflect. Separately, if you have been dealing with a health issue that has required you to self-isolate, this card in the reverse it telling you that this is about to change!

The Hermit Tarot Card and Your Spiritual Journey

The first step to spiritual ascension is honest and profound self-reflection. In order to be connected to the divine, we must release the negative aspects of the ego and disable unconscious programming. The Hermit is not afraid to go deep within to explore his shadow side. It is through this spiritual journey that he achieves enlightenment and ascension.

The Hermit in Reverse and Spirituality

Have you lost touch with your inner world? Are you feeling disconnected from your spiritual self? Contemplation and introspection are important, but connection is too. Consider spending some time with like-minded people who can share their spiritual experiences with you. This may be just what you need to reignite your connection to the divine.

The Symbology of The Hermit Tarot Card

The Hermit is depicted standing by himself on a mountain top. This represents his proximity to the divine and also the achievements and accomplishments he has made. The solitary nature of this archetype expresses the need for “going it alone.” Nobody can self-reflect for you, this is a process that must be done in true harmony with the self.

The Hermit’s staff represents the authority that he has over the spiritual realm, and his lamp only lights up a few steps on his path. He must rely on himself on this journey, and nobody can foresee how things will unfold.

Keywords for The Hermit Tarot Card

The Hermit Tarot Card Associations

Element: Earth

Astrology: Virgo

As a Yes or No question:  Yes