9 The Hermit
The Hermit in its upright position signifies a period of self-discovery, introspection, and spiritual growth. It suggests stepping back from the hustle of daily life to focus on understanding yourself, your values, and your life path. This card often represents a need for solitude to heal or recover from a challenging situation. It may also point to withdrawing socially to prioritize your inner world. The Hermit encourages seeking inner wisdom and may suggest consulting a mentor, counselor, or guide for support.
Upright Meaning Guide
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Upright Keyword Meanings:
Spiritual enlightenment, introspection, self-reflection, contemplation, inner guidance, solitude, soul searching
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General Interpretation (Upright)
The Hermit Tarot card upright signifies a period of soul searching, self-reflection, and spiritual enlightenment. You may feel the need for solitude to gain deeper insight into yourself, step back from daily routines, and contemplate your existence, direction, and values. This card can also indicate withdrawing to recover from a difficult situation or going through an anti-social phase where you prefer minimal interaction. The Hermit represents wisdom, maturity, and knowledge, and can suggest seeking guidance from a counsellor or spiritual advisor. This is a time to focus on yourself and prioritize your inner needs.
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Love & Relationships (Upright)
In a love context, if you are single, The Hermit Tarot card suggests you are emerging from a period of loneliness or solitude, which was necessary to heal from past heartbreak or a difficult breakup. You will soon feel ready for a new beginning. It can also indicate a time of celibacy or choosing to remain single for spiritual growth. If you are in a relationship, The Hermit upright can represent having an older, wiser partner. It may also indicate a need to reconnect with your partner, as you both might be too focused on your individual pursuits instead of spending meaningful time together.
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Money & Career (Upright)
In a career context, The Hermit may suggest that you are placing too much focus on your work or material pursuits, neglecting activities that bring deeper fulfillment. It can also indicate questioning whether you are in the right career, as money and material success may no longer feel motivating. You may find yourself seeking a more meaningful and satisfying path. Financially, this is a time to take a mature, wise approach to your money and investments.
Health (Upright)
In a health context, The Hermit indicates that overextending yourself could lead to health issues. If you’re constantly busy and never take time to rest, this card suggests your well-being may begin to suffer. Make time to pause and recharge. Even a few minutes each day spent meditating or checking in with your body can greatly benefit your health right now.
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Spirituality (Upright)
In a spiritual context, The overall theme of The Hermit is spiritual enlightenment, making this the perfect time to engage in spiritual practices. Whether through meditation, energy work, psychic development, or connecting with your spirit guides, you are entering a period of profound spiritual growth. You may feel called to seek solitude or withdraw for a while, but use this time to deepen your spiritual connection. Listening to your inner guidance now will bring rewarding insights and personal evolution.
Reversed Meaning Guide
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Reversed Keyword Meanings:
Loneliness, isolation, withdrawal, fear of introspection, anti-social behavior, rigidity, being stuck.
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General Interpretation (Reversed)​
The Hermit Tarot card reversed suggests you may have withdrawn too much from the world, becoming overly reclusive. While solitude might have served a purpose, this reversal signals it’s time to reconnect with life and the people around you. Soul-searching and self-reflection are valuable in moderation, but too much isolation can be harmful. Now is the time to draw a line under the past and move forward. This card can also indicate feelings of shyness or apprehension in social situations. Don’t be afraid to re-engage. Alternatively, The Hermit reversed can show an avoidance of self-reflection due to fear of what you might uncover within yourself. It can also point to becoming overly fixated on someone or something or holding rigid, narrow views.
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Love & Relationships (Reversed)
The Hermit reversed in a love Tarot reading is a strong indicator of loneliness. If you’re in a relationship, it suggests feelings of being shut out or rejected by your partner. You may both be so busy that there’s no time to truly connect, leaving you feeling isolated despite being in a relationship. It can also point to one partner withdrawing emotionally while the other struggles to hold things together.
If you’re single, The Hermit reversed can reflect a fear of being left on the shelf or a sense that you’ve missed your chance to meet someone special. However, it also indicates that now is the time to re-enter the dating world after a long period of solitude. Let go of your fears and put yourself out there again. If you’ve recently gone through a breakup, this card can signal a desire to reconcile with your ex.
​Money & Career (Reversed)
In a career context The Hermit reversed can indicate that it’s time to start putting yourself out there career wise and making business connections after a period of working in solitude. You may be finding it tough to work alone and would benefit from doing some team projects or doing some consultancy work which will encourage you to interact with more people in your chosen field. Financially, now is a good time to seek the advice of a wiser, more mature person on investments or money. Don’t jump into things you don’t understand where money is concerned.
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Health (Reversed)
In a health context, The Hermit reversed can indicate mental health concerns such as agoraphobia or paranoia. It also serves as a stronger warning than the upright card that you need to take time out to rest and recharge, or your overall health may begin to suffer.
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Spirituality (Reversed)
In a spiritual context, The Hermit reversed suggests you may be spending too much time alone. Your spiritual growth would benefit from joining activities or groups right now. Attending a meditation class, reiki share, tarot circle, or even a yoga class could be helpful. While solitary spiritual work has value, connecting with others is equally important at this time.
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