The Hermit
The Hermit card is the card of the Major Arcana in the tarot that rules self-reflection, soul-searching, seeking solitude, introspection, meditation, and withdrawing from society. Even though this card represents being alone, it does not mean at all that you are lonely. It simply means you are very reflective and you need that time to withdraw to do some soul-searching.
When this card shows up, you are looking within as you need this time to do so in order to reflect. You are in the need of some time to do some inner work in order to come up with the answers that are inside of you. This need to do reflecting can result from a few scenarios. If you were in a bad relationship where you were taken advantage of or abused, you need to take some time alone to do some reflecting. It can also represent the time after making a huge mistake, you need to take the time to look within to see where things went wrong and how to prevent it again.
Take the freshman example that has been used often and the Hermit can apply in various school-type scenarios. One example is that he studied for a test but he failed it anyway. And he needs to find out where he went wrong with it so he doesn’t repeat the same mistakes during the retake session. This also applies when it comes to his friendship going sour and taking the time to reflect on what went wrong.
When the Hermit comes in reverse, it does not mean ignoring the need to be introspective by hanging around with others. It means that someone could be a misfit, or is lonely, and sad. It can also represent exile as well as withdrawing from loved ones. It may be a sign of depression or going through the Dark Night Of The Soul.
Astrologically, the Hermit is associated with Virgo, and it is the ninth card in the Major Arcana. The associated Enneagram type this card is type 5.
