The Hermit Tarot Card: Meaning of Arcanum VIIII (IX)

In brief: number, names and keywords

The Hermit is the ninth card: VIIII in Marseille (written in the old style), IX in Rider-Waite. It follows Justice (or Strength in Waite's deck) and comes before the Wheel of Fortune. The number nine, the last before ten, evokes in many traditions a completion before a new cycle.

Depending on the deck, it is also called “the Old Man” or “the Capuchin” (referring to the habit); in Italian tarots, Il Gobbo (the hunchback) or Il Vecchio (the old man). The oldest decks show a figure holding an hourglass: Time.

Keywords: withdrawal, wisdom, chosen solitude, search, prudence, inner light.

The image in the Marseille tarot

In Marseille, the Hermit is a bearded old man wrapped in a hooded cloak, walking to the left of the card. In one hand he holds a staff; in the other, a lamp, half hidden under the folds of his cloak: the light is not spread out, it is protected.

He is alone on an empty ground, sometimes with a few blades of grass. His gaze is directed forward or down. The image conveys slowness and voluntary withdrawal, but also movement: this is a man who is walking, not sitting.

The image in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, the Hermit is a bearded old man wrapped in a grey cloak, standing on a snowy peak in the middle of the night. In his right hand he holds a staff and, in the other, a lantern whose flame is a small star with six points (the Seal of Solomon).

Below him, mountains stretch as far as the eye can see. He looks downward, calmly, like a guide lighting a path for others or for himself. Waite makes him a solitary master, whereas Marseille shows rather a discreet walker.

Symbolism of the elements in the image

These are the details that come up most often in traditional readings. They are paths for interpretation, not official definitions.

• The lamp: inner light: what one discovers within and can share with others, but which lights only a few steps at a time.
• The staff: support and experience: one leans on what one has learned. It is also the pilgrim's staff.
• The hooded cloak: discretion and reserve; in Waite's deck, the grey, between black and white, signals reflection.
• The six-pointed star (Waite): the Seal of Solomon: the union of above and below, of opposites.
• The snowy mountain: withdrawal, height, silence, but also the cold of solitude.
• The hourglass (old decks): time: the Hermit descends from an older figure, Time, which moves forward.

Upright meaning

Upright, the Hermit traditionally evokes a chosen moment of withdrawal: stepping back, taking stock, looking for an answer within. It speaks of the wisdom of experience, prudence, a taste for reflection and the search for meaning. It is the card of a solitude that nourishes, not of an imposed isolation.

In a spread, it may suggest slowing down, stepping aside from agitation, seeking advice from someone experienced, or becoming a guide oneself. The light the Hermit carries first illuminates his own steps before lighting the way for others.

Reversed: two schools of reading

School 1: the opposite. Reversed, the Hermit speaks of isolation, closing off, fear of others, refusal to ask for help, or stubbornness about staying alone.

School 2: a blockage. The desire to step back exists but has no room to express itself: a packed schedule, difficulty withdrawing, lack of calm. The card then invites you to create small pauses. Several tarot readers, moreover, only read the upright cards.

In everyday areas of reading

The tarot does not say what will happen: it offers images to reflect on. Here, in symbolic terms, is what this card may evoke depending on the theme of your question.

• Personal reflection: pause, review, retreat, the search for meaning. Possible question: what kind of time apart would you need right now?
• Relationships: a need for space, a certain reserve; or advice from someone more experienced. The card invites you to respect each person's rhythm and to distinguish solitude from rupture.
• Work: research, study, independent work, expertise, mentoring. Symbolically, a time of preparation rather than an event.
• Money: prudence, saving, careful review of accounts before deciding. It predicts nothing and does not replace the opinion of a finance professional.

Combinations with neighbouring cards

A card is rarely read on its own: its neighbours shade its meaning. Here are some common pairings, to be taken as starting points.

• Justice: withdrawal and balance: reflecting before deciding.
• The High Priestess: two cards of silence: a time of inner listening.
• The Wheel of Fortune: after withdrawal, movement: a cycle that renews itself.
• The Hanged Man: pause and change of perspective: a useful stillness.
• The Star: light and hope: withdrawal bears its fruit gently.

To learn how to combine cards, try the three-card spread. To place this card among the 22 major arcana, see our guide to the major arcana.

Keyword of the day, question and practice

Keyword of the day: Withdrawal. For the day, give yourself ten minutes of silence without screens. If an idea comes up, write it down without answering it straight away.

Question to ask yourself: What kind of time apart would you need right now?

Writing (10 minutes). On a sheet of paper, write: “What I am really looking for.” Then, without censoring yourself, note what comes to mind in ten lines. Underline a word that keeps coming back.

Short meditation. In a dimly lit room, light a small light (a candle or a lamp). Gaze at it for a few minutes, breathe gently, then put it out. Notice what remains in your mind.

History and variants of the card

The oldest Italian tarots show an old man holding an hourglass or leaning on a crutch: Time (Il Tempo). Little by little, the hourglass was replaced by a lantern, and Time became a sage. This is better described as a shift in meaning than as a break: the old man who passes becomes the one who searches.

In the Marseille decks, he is shown walking, the lamp half hidden, which has inspired many commentaries: the light one carries for oneself rather than the light one displays. In Waite's deck, he becomes a sage on a mountaintop. The Golden Dawn links him to Virgo and to the Hebrew letter Yod (“the hand”).

Variants: some decks replace the lamp with a book or a key; in French, the spelling “Hermite” is also found. In every case, the image of a solitary figure with a modest light remains the axis of the card.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to The 22 Major Arcana, card by card.