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When the Hermit appears in the reading, a client will often despair. For many, the Hermit does mean being alone or that a relationship might not work out, or the friends won't come anytime soon. Like all things Tarot, symbols are more than they appear at first blush. Personally, when I think about the archetype of the Hermit, the Kung Fu Monk on the Mountain comes to mind. Perhaps this imagery came to me so strongly because a few years ago I lived in China and took a trip to Shaolin Monastery, if any of you are Kung Fu fans, you know that this is THE place to learn Kung Fu. It is up a mountain in a quiet part of China and packed with Chinese and foreign students learning Kung Fu and Buddhism. To awake in the morning and see thousands of people in rows going through the same movements is an amazing thing to behold. The grandeur of this noble art and way of life came from one Hermit, a monk named Batuo, who wandered in from India to teach Buddhism and later established Shaolin Monastery. One Hermit who decided to withdraw from the world, forever changed the world, this is what the wisdom of the Hermit can often evoke. In all religions and important cultural stories, the Hermit is front and center to great spiritual change. Jesus, an example was as we all know, wandered as a Hermit eschewing a carpenter's life. The Prophet Muhammad, the Buddha all had similar origin stories- the world’s religious leaders often began their time wandering alone to return to the public with radical messages. Everyday, people decide to take time off from society and come back forever changed by it. An excellent blog post about the historical/philosophical/religious of Hermit life can be found here by Tarot reader and Academic Donna Hazel. Interestingly we both posted on the same day about nearly the same topic-funny how that works. The Hermit truly as an archetype often have these commonalities:
Once the Hermit has committed to a withdrawal process, he then spends time without distraction. He works hard, he is uncompromising in his goal, and he may not know the end result, but he knows that silence is what is needed right now.
And when the Hermit has attained a level self-development, he then lights his lamp. He beckons those who are deserving of his time and energy to climb the mountain and he guides them to his mountain abode in order to share what he has learned.
So when we get a Hermit card in a reading, it doesn't necessarily mean, "Omg, go adopt 6 cats cause it's the end for you! No one will ever love you again!!!" Nope. But... The appearance of the Hermit in your life often represents: A time of voluntary withdrawal (a pledge of not dating, or not seeking old dysfunctional friendships) and a welcoming of the silence that is the Source. A time of deep introspection and getting your head clear from distraction (not seeking hookups, not seeking bad connections and spending that time working on your STUFF). During your time of introspection and quiet, be mindful of falling back into old behavior because you are: bored, lonely, sad, tired. The Hermit recognizes that these emotions are part of him but he continues forth, he deepens the silence in spite of distraction. Remember, the Hermit is committed. And when the Hermit is ready, he lights his lamp-not to just anyone-but to people who earn his time and attention (reacquainting ourselves with OURSELVES we no longer bother with mediocre relationships, others must EARN our time and attention, they must desire to raise the vibration). The Hermit surrounds himself with people who feel deeply, who create, who are honestly living their lives outside of what the village has taught, because the Hermit knows there is always more depth to be had. Need a real life example? Read up on this amazing person, his documentaries are often on PBS. He lived alone in the Alaskan wildreness for over 20 years. His documentaries, self filmed have inspired generations of people.  Public Domain: Wikipedia Deeply consider the following: Time consciously removed from the higgy-biggy will mean that over time the quality of your relationships of all kinds will be of a higher vibration. So how does one do that, with kids, jobs, partners, parents, bills, pets to feed, and on and on and on? To partake of the Hermit energy can happen in a day, in an hour, in a weekend; one does not need to leave their lives behind to benefit from Hermit wisdom. Actually, there are many websites devoted to offering the public retreat options of all types and kinds, from religious to secular these places with all kinds of budget options catering to your financial and time needs.  Resources for Want to Be Hermits:
I highly recommend www.retreatfinder.com (there are international listings though it is primarily US based). And even if you cannot pay for an away retreat, I cannot recommend this book enough to cultivate your own retreat space: Woman's Retreat Book: A Guide to Restoring, Rediscovering and Reawakening Your True Self --In a Moment, An Hour, Or a Weekend by Jennifer Louden Dig into the Hermit, do not see his presence in your life as a time to despair, he is calling you with his lamp, join him in opening to the Mystery and shift your life more closely to positivity, authenticy and a more deeper spiritual life. Stop filling up on snacks, the meal is about to arrive.
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Reading Tarot is so much more than just “telling someone’s future”. Like most things, what is known and the truth of a thing are often vastly different. Tarot has been hugely underrated by John Q Public because it has been cloaked under the mantle of fear, and general misunderstanding. So besides doing oogy boogy so scary readings, or telling your best pal when she will walk down that aisle, the art of Tarot is an incredible resource for personal growth and self-discovery. The act of learning to read tarot will change you as a person, and for the better. Like any tool, Tarot can be used for a variety of uses, there is such a world to Tarot, it can do so much more than most give them credit for! But, don’t just take it from me, I opened the question up to several online Tarot groups, “How has Tarot benefited you as a person?” I was overwhelmed with positive responses from new to Tarot to Tarot Masters and here is what they had to say:
Tarot Helps Us Be More Compassionate to Others
Tarot helps Us See How We are Agents of Change
Tarot Supports Our Healing and Transformation
Tarot Changes the Way We Interact With Ourselves and the World
The benefits one gets from learning Tarot far outweigh the work involved in learning them. These stories from other readers of all levels reveal incredible insights as to why working with Tarot is a worthwhile persuit of depth, healing, connection and insight in addition to the more popular understanding of what the tool of tarot does for us. Tarot is so much more.... and its positive changes are deep and wide-spread...
 Happy Winter Solstice!
Please accept a solstice gift from me to you.... the 2015 Manifestation Map! As this is the shortest day in the year, it is a good energetic time to think about what we wish to grow as the light grows. Using the first half of the major Arcana you are guided in the process of seed planting. May it be so for you! |
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Jenna Matlin
M.S. in Organizational Psychology and Leadership Categories
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