The Hermit Tarot Card Meaning
Upright keywords
Reversed keywords
The Hermit upright
The Hermit invites you to pause. It isn't running away, but a conscious retreat so you can hear yourself without interference. This card appears when you need space to reflect, sort out your thoughts and reconnect with what really matters to you. You may be looking for answers no one else can give you, and that's okay. Sometimes clarity only comes in silence, on an unhurried walk or while writing in your journal by candlelight. His lantern doesn't light the whole path, only the next step, and that's enough. The Hermit can also point to a wise mentor, or to your own ability to guide others through your experience. Enjoy your own company. In it you'll find treasures that all the bustle keeps you from seeing.
The Hermit reversed
When reversed, retreat may have turned into isolation. Perhaps you've shut yourself away too much and you miss contact with others, even if it's hard to admit. Or the opposite: you fill your schedule so you never have to be alone with your thoughts. Both situations hide something that's asking to be looked at. This position encourages you to find a healthy balance between your inner world and other people, and to let others walk beside you without losing your centre.