The Hermit – The Lantern of Inner Light
The Hermit in the Major Arcana
Numbered IX, The Hermit is the wise seeker, the sage, the mystic, and the way-shower. He appears as a solitary figure holding a lantern in the dark, standing atop a mountain of wisdom gained through inner exploration. His presence in a reading often signals the call to turn inward, to retreat, and to listen to the still small voice within. But it also represents the culmination of a cycle of growth—a pause before the next initiation.
The Hermit is not lonely; he is alone by choice. He is not lost; he is leading others. The light he carries is not for himself alone—it is a beacon for those who are ready to awaken.
The traditional imagery features an elder in a gray cloak, holding a lantern containing a six-pointed star (the Seal of Solomon), and a staff to guide his steps. He represents spiritual maturity and the illumination that comes only from going within. The mountaintop setting implies that solitude has brought him wisdom and perspective. He is both the pilgrim and the guide.
This card carries the sacred number 9—the number of completion, integration, and initiation. The Hermit is the embodiment of the spiritual teacher who appears once the student is ready.
Personal Reflection: Led Zeppelin and the Stairway to Heaven
In 2009, I found myself returning again and again to a single image: the Hermit, holding his lantern aloft, appearing on the inside sleeve of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven". That year felt like a spiritual initiation, full of endings and beginnings, purging and purification. I wrote about it then, calling it Our Stairway to Heaven. And I still feel the same call today.
The Hermit showed up for me not just in tarot spreads but in lyrics, dreams, and deep inner stirrings. The lyrics from "Stairway to Heaven" echoed my journey:
"There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold / And she's buying a stairway to heaven..."
I realized that the lady was all of us—those of us waking up from the illusion of materialism, beginning to question the systems we'd trusted, and stepping into a deeper search for truth. That song is a soul map, and the Hermit is the one who carries the lantern at the threshold.
The synchronicity was striking: The card of the Hermit is number 9, and 2009 was a year of profound ending and initiation for me. I watched so many around me go through their own dark nights of the soul, each one shedding layers of illusion, realigning with soul purpose. The Hermit walked with all of us.
He is the guide who doesn't shout, but waits. His light is only visible when we stop running and turn inward. He doesn’t push us forward—he invites us to pause, to listen, to remember.
The Deep Symbolism of the Hermit
Lantern with the Six-Pointed Star: This sacred light symbolizes the union of opposites—as above, so below. It is the light of inner truth and spiritual illumination.
Gray Cloak: Symbol of neutrality and wisdom. The Hermit is neither black nor white, but beyond polarity.
Staff: Represents support, authority, and the spine—the central channel through which kundalini rises.
Mountain: The path of solitude and spiritual ascent. It takes effort to get here, and even more humility to stand still in the silence.
The Hermit is associated with the zodiac sign Virgo, the healer and analyst, and with the Hebrew letter Yod (י), meaning "hand" or "spark of divine creation."
The Hermit and Carl Jung: Archetype of the Inner Guide
Carl Jung described the Hermit as "the archetype of the spirit—the pre-existent meaning hidden in the chaos of life." In Jungian psychology, the Hermit represents the Wise Old Man or Sage archetype. This is the part of the psyche that carries the ancestral memory of truth. It is not rational, but deeply intuitive.
Jung believed that individuation—the process of becoming whole—requires withdrawal from the collective in order to discover the Self. The Hermit symbolizes this sacred withdrawal. He is the one who leaves the village, enters the forest, and finds God within.
Jung also pointed out that the Hermit appears when we are ready to meet the Self. He is a guide, but also a mirror. His lantern does not show the entire path—only the next step. He teaches us to trust, to slow down, and to befriend the unknown.
"Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakes." – Carl Jung
The Hermit doesn’t offer escape from life’s challenges—he offers perspective. He helps us step outside the noise so we can hear the soul’s wisdom.
Spiritual and Psychological Lessons of the Hermit
Solitude is Sacred: The Hermit teaches that solitude is not isolation—it is communion with the soul.
Guidance Comes from Within: His lantern symbolizes that we already carry the light we seek.
Wisdom is Earned, Not Given: The Hermit has walked the path, stumbled, questioned, and returned with insight.
Be the Light: Sometimes we are the seeker. Other times we are the guide. The Hermit reminds us to embody both.
Conclusion: Becoming the Hermit
The Hermit is not a figure of sadness, but of sacred purpose. He is the monk, the mystic, the wanderer, and the way-shower. He shows up when the soul is ready to stop searching outside and begin listening within.
Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" plays in my heart when I see this card. It is the song of the seeker and the sound of awakening. It reminds us that each of us is building a stairway—not of gold, but of light. And the Hermit is there, holding the lamp, reminding us that we already know the way.
So ask yourself:
Where in my life am I being called to pause, reflect, and go inward?
What truth is waiting for me in the silence?
How can I be both the seeker and the guide?
The Hermit whispers: "The light is not ahead of you. It is within you."
And so, we climb.
