The Inner Light Comes Forth
SYMBOLISM
The Hermit’s gaze is directed both inward and outward.
The lantern focuses on vigilance in the dark.
The six-pointed star represents the light within us.
The golden stave is the individual light and strength of The Hermit,
The Hermit wears gray to warn us against uncertainty.
The green-gray sky represents withdrawal from outside distraction.
The Hermit’s white beard is a disguise.
The snow represents a new beginning.
Getting to Know the Hermit
The Hermit appears in a Tarot spread because he has a message. His message: Look within for wisdom.
We find peace and contentment within ourselves.
The Hermit appears in a spread in several situations: You need to be alone and, as the querant, just can’t get the time. Or, you may be afraid of being alone. Finally, you can’t escape being alone.
Whatever the situation, The Hermit waits for you to turn to him for advice. You don’t always need a Tarot spread to work with The Hermit.
Were you ever in a situation where soul-searching helped you reach an authentic decision? Do you keep a mental/spiritual space just to quietly explore your inner thoughts? Have you ever thought, on some level, that truth waits for you?
The Hermit enters your life because you need time to process thoughts, things, and events introspectively. You leave the either/or world behind when you find truth somewhere in the middle.
Your discretion and privacy are essential so you can process what you’ve learned and what is happening to you. This gives you a chance to be at peace.
When you are grounded and centered, you can return to the crowd again.
A Story
The Hermit visited me often when I managed a food pantry in Woodstock between 2008 and 2013. The Hermit helped me find – and keep – my own-authentic light. I used it as I walked along my path.
I saw his face in the trans person who wore a fringed leather jacket, completely worn-out western boots, and sparkly apricot nail polish.
I saw his face in the old man who drove a worn-out pickup and had no money to replace it. Any repairs happening on that rig were his handiwork.
I saw his face in the expressions of the older couple who shopped weekly and shared a coat in the winter.
These people were the real deal, not just something made up, like the autographed photographs of Jesus Christ that the Christian radio station in Monterrey, Mexico, sold on the air when I was a young girl growing up in Texas.
No one could convince me of anything otherwise. Not even the woman who came up to me quietly and privately after the local writer’s group meeting in Stoneridge. She spoke her truth to me: “You wouldn’t know the face of God if He showed up wearing a sign on his chest.”
She had a right to her own opinion. After all, chances were good she read a whole lot more about God than I. No doubt she paid more attention to many more sermons than I had ever thought about listening to.
What did I know? I hadn’t been in a church in over 30 years when I walked into that Episcopal Church in Woodstock in 2005. Truth be told, I never set foot in the place on Sundays because I couldn’t take my beloved papillon, Pork Chop, with me.
And, for sure, I don’t think this lady (whose name I’ve forgotten) would ever have seen God in the faces of any of these people. Bible stories I read tell us we see God in the burning bushes (Exodus 3:2-4), in the desert (Exodus 16:10), in a manger (Luke 2:16), or in a prison cell (Acts 12:7-11). But not in a food pantry hallway.
God meets us anywhere and speaks to us in ways we understand.
People entering the food pantry brought their hearts, minds, souls, and feelings with them. I saw volumes written on their faces in the church basement: broken dreams, loss, damaged relationships, memories, apologies, new hopes, goals, starting over.
And, finally, forgiveness.
Forgiveness was God in action and faith in the food pantry. Hungry people prayed, questioned, and sought forgiveness.
I finally decided that I, too, could own up to the anxiety we all experienced. It was no longer a we/they situation. Everyone experienced the threat of hunger and lived with a primal fear created by this threat.
My constant threat? the pantry deniers closing the pantry.
Under The Hermit’s direction, I learned not to sweat the haters.
Giving up was a luxury none of us had. We worked on self-confidence, self-awareness, and our futures. One unspoken question hung in the air every pantry day.
“How am I going to get out of this mess I’m in?”
Focus In
When your life calls for a time-out to sort things out, use it. Think. Rest. Read. Meditate. Pray. Focus on the larger issues.
Sometimes you can get away. Sometimes the getaway is a mental time out in your living room.
Remember: Your light is your light. Your path is your path. After you’ve worked out things on your own, notice how much calmer and clearer things are when its over.
Withdrawing from your everyday life give you a new perspective.
Meditation
Go to your private and safe place. Settle in to your most comfortable chair or mat; whatever is the best place and position for you. Turn on some healing music. Light a candle or turn on your Himalayan salt lamp.
When you are ready to begin this meditation, remember a busy day in your life. Think of the busy-ness, the hassles, the deadlines of the day.
Now, leave all that behind you. For this short time, release your frustrations and stress.
Focus your attention on your breathing. Allow your inhales and exhales to become rhythmic and calm. Breathe in calm and positive feelings. Release toxins and negativity when you breathe out.
As you pay attention to your surroundings, notice that you are experiencing a quiet, still evening. You carry a lantern. You focus this meditation on a question that you have been trying to answer for some time now.
As you look around, you move your lantern around to familiarize yourself with your surroundings. You see a quiet area in front of you. There is a small bench waiting for you. Quietly, you walk over to the bench and seat yourself comfortably.
Somehow, you know this is a learning moment for you. You realize this learning experience a different kind of learning. You know you are going to learn –
without words
without pictures
without anything you can describe or analyze
In the silence of the moment, you receive insight which you will use. .
You sit with this moment. As you do this, you absorb the needed wisdom.
You sit quietly for a few moments and then realize it is time to return to your day.
You know you can return to this time and place anytime you want.
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Find out more about my books on www.Thurmangreco.com
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