Major arcana 9 · Earth
The Hermit tarot card meaning: upright, deliberate withdrawal to think; reversed, isolation that has stopped being useful, or refusal of the solitude that is needed. It is trump IX of the 22 major arcana.
Waite, Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 1911; Golden Dawn, Book T.
Deliberate withdrawal to think. Answers found alone rather than in company — and eventually carried back to others.
The Hermit is withdrawal for the sake of insight: time alone, reflection and the search for answers that cannot be found in a crowd. He holds up a lantern on a dark mountain. The card describes introspection, study and guidance from a wise teacher or from yourself.
Isolation that has stopped being useful, or refusal of the solitude that is needed.
Reversed, solitude turns into isolation or loneliness, or you avoid the reflection you need. It can also mean being cut off from others longer than is healthy.
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Primary source
“Prudence, circumspection; also and especially treason, dissimulation, roguery, corruption.”
“Concealment, disguise, policy, fear, unreasoned caution.”
The Hermit is card IX, second of the seven in the row that runs from Strength (VIII) to Temperance (XIV).
Golden Dawn correspondences
In the Golden Dawn’s Book T (1888), the Hermit is the card of Virgo. In 2026 the Sun is in Virgo from Aug 23 to Sep 23, (UTC). Virgo is ruled by Mercury — the planet listed for this card above.
| Book T attribution | Virgo sign |
|---|---|
| Sun in Virgo, 2026 | Aug 23 – Sep 23, 2026 UTC |
| Ruler of Virgo | Mercury |
| Virgo in the minor arcana | Eight of Pentacles Sun, 0°–10° Nine of Pentacles Venus, 10°–20° Ten of Pentacles Mercury, 20°–30° |
Data, not interpretation
Six draws fall to the Hermit in 2026, once reversed; the first comes on January 23 and the last on December 17. That is joint 17th of 78, level with 11 other cards. The longest wait between two draws ends on December 16, 168 days after the one before. Not one lands while the Sun is in Virgo.
Dates in 2026: Jan 23 · May 18 · May 24 · Jul 1 · Dec 16 (reversed) · Dec 17
The image
An old man in a gray cloak stands on a mountain peak, holding up a lantern containing a six-pointed star and leaning on a staff. The height and the solitude show wisdom reached alone; the lantern shows it lighting the way for others.
The Hermit points to reflection, solitude, study and inner guidance. It often appears when answers will not come from other people. Reversed, it can mean isolation that has gone on too long.
Upright, a period of being single by choice, or needing space within a relationship to understand yourself. Reversed, loneliness, withdrawal or a partner who shuts you out.
They feel thoughtful about you but are holding back, needing time alone to work out what they want.
Withdrawal to think. Study, research, or stepping back from a role to reassess. Research, planning and specialist knowledge; avoid rushing — a careful, solitary approach works best now.
Rest and retreat. The body asking for solitude rather than stimulation.
No — not yet; take time before deciding.
If you drew it today
Step back and look inward before taking the next step.
Statements of fact on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026. How we choose and check sources: editorial policy.
AstroHot. “The Hermit Tarot Card Meaning: Upright and Reversed.” Accessed October 27, 2026. https://astrohot.com/tarot/cards/the-hermit/
{{cite web |title=The Hermit Tarot Card Meaning: Upright and Reversed |url=https://astrohot.com/tarot/cards/the-hermit/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-27}}
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