The Hermit stands alone upon the mountain peak, the ancient sage who has withdrawn from the world to seek—and find—the light within. In the Western Mystery Tradition, he is the Magus of the Voice of Power, the Prophet of the Eternal, the silent master who speaks through presence rather than words. Assigned the Hebrew letter Yod (י), meaning "hand" (specifically the open hand that gives), The Hermit represents the seminal point from which all letters of the Hebrew alphabet are formed—the primal seed of manifestation, the divine spark hidden within all things.

On the Tree of Life, The Hermit traverses the twentieth path connecting Chesed (Mercy) to Tiphareth (Beauty). This is the path of the intelligence of will, the secret road by which the aspirant ascends from the sphere of the Higher Self to the benevolent wisdom of the Jupiterian consciousness. Yet The Hermit also descends this path, carrying the lamp of illumination back down to guide those who follow. His lantern contains the six-pointed star—the Seal of Solomon representing the union of fire and water, macrocosm and microcosm—the light of integrated wisdom that can only be kindled through the marriage of experience and contemplation.

Under the influence of Virgo and Mercury, The Hermit embodies the discriminating intelligence that separates wheat from chaff, essential truth from superficial appearance. His gray cloak represents the neutralization of opposites and the withdrawal from the colorful distractions of the material world. The staff he carries is the magician's wand in its simplest form—the spine erect, the will directed, the connection between earth and heaven maintained even in solitude. The snowy peak upon which he stands signifies the heights of attainment reached through persistent inner work, while the darkness around him shows that his light shines precisely because he has entered the darkness willingly. In readings, The Hermit calls you to withdraw, to seek answers within, to become your own teacher—while also suggesting that hard-won wisdom must eventually be shared with those who walk behind you on the path.

Upright: Inner illumination, solitary wisdom, the teacher within, soul-searching that yields truth, guidance from the Higher Self, withdrawal for renewal, the lamp for those who follow.

Reversed: Isolation without purpose, refusal to share wisdom, excessive withdrawal, loneliness, avoiding necessary self-examination, the light hidden or extinguished.