The Hermit: Virgo in the Major Arcana

The Hermit IX (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

Let’s start our exploration of Virgo in the tarot with the Major Arcana.  In the system I follow (which uses some but not all of the attributions of the Golden Dawn), the Hermit is associated with Virgo.  Not the most obvious association, perhaps, given what we know about Virgoan qualities.  Of all the images of the Hermit that I’ve come across, the one that gives me clues on the Virgo connection is the one from the Thoth – specifically, in the sheaves of grain in the background. The sheaves have ripened; we can see the Hermit’s harvest. It’s become visible to the world - it’s seen ‘the light of day’.  This begins to sound like the Hermit now – casting a light so that we can find our way.  More traditional images of the Hermit often include a lantern as the sole source of illumination.

 

Virgo is the sixth sign in the zodiac.  All the signs up to this point have focused on the individual and our inner world.  Virgo is the last of these; after her, the emphasis turns to the outer, public domain. The word ‘completion’ is sometimes used as a meaning for the Hermit; we can see this in the harvest, but also in the ‘completion’ of the first half of the zodiac – the part of the journey around the wheel dealing with ‘self’ is complete, opening the way to a bigger arena to nurture and eventually harvest.

The Hermit IX (trimmed):

© Secret Tarot

Virgo can be introspective, with much of its analytical and/or critical nature directed at the self, not others.  There’s a taste of the Hermit here, particularly in terms of introspection – one of the traditional meanings associated with the card.   The journey is taken alone, requiring courage and trust in oneself.  Many decks show a lone figure journeying through the dark, with a lantern as the sole source of light - although in the Secret Tarot, we see the glimmering of the light of dawn as well - the illumination we seek.

In the Thoth deck, we see aspects of the ‘shadow’ side of the card in the three-headed hellhound, Cerebus.  See how one head looks back? For me, that’s a Virgo trait – looking back to make sure everything’s been dealt with, all the details tidied up, before moving further along that contemplative path. The Hermit keeps his eyes down, watching the path for potential difficulties that might lie ahead.

The Crone 9 (trimmed):

© Margarete Petersen Tarot

The Hermit is also associated with meditation - withdrawing, even if only for a short time, from the outer world and turning our attention inwards.  It's not a selfish desire, but a genuine need for solitude so that we can look at where we are and what we've learned.  The female equivalent of the male hermit, historically, was the crone - the wise, older woman, who draws on what she's learned from her experiences. Margarete Petersen has chosen The Crone archetype for her deck - a very earthy crone, in keeping with Earthy Virgo.

The Hermit IX (trimmed):

© Haindl Tarot

When we think of the archetypal hermit, we often associate such withdrawal from society with self-denial. Hermann Haindl's Hermit focuses more on the joy that can come through closer contact with ourselves and the natural world. A winged creature appears in the background, while several owl-like birds surround the hermit on the ground.  Apparently Haindl was thinking of St Francis of Assisi spending time in the wild with animals and birds, later dedicating himself to serving others. In astrology, Virgo rules the 6th house, the house of service - and of small animals!

The Hermit IX (trimmed):

© Shadowscapes Tarot

The Shadowscapes’ Hermit also depicts withdrawal from the world; here we see a figure poised on a rocky pinnacle (representing Earth), “clear of the smog of humanity...the air attains...a purity he does not know he has missed until he breathes it for the first time” (Shadowscapes Companion, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, Llewellyn, 2010). As we complete our harvest and begin the introspective part of the year, our eyes will become accustomed to the darkness and we will be able to continue our journey.

If you’ve enjoyed this post, you might be interested in my new e-book, Astrology in Tarot, now available from Amazon.

Haindl Tarot, created by Hermann Haindl, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA/Deep Books, 2004.

Secret Tarot created by Marco Nizzoli, published by Lo Scarabeo, 2004

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Casting light in the shadows: Margarete Petersen’s The Crone

Now that we’ve moved into Virgo, let’s take a break from the suit of Cups and look at the equivalent of The Hermit (associated with Virgo) in Margarete Petersen’s tarot. She calls her card ‘The Crone’, who appears (to me) to be represented by a woman carved out of black stone...very earthy, befitting the Earth sign of Virgo.  

The Crone IX (trimmed):
© Margarete Petersen Tarot

I can’t see a lantern in her hands, but there’s a massive burst of light above her which, although it leaves her in shadow, does provide illumination. Margarete Petersen writes, in her accompanying book, of “aging as a spiritual journey”, and “listening to the voice of the heart” so the traditional values of The Hermit are certainly at work here.   

I’m not sure I’d ever thought explicitly about the connection to ageing, although the gaining of wisdom through experience has always been there in a more implicit way – the self-containment, inner wisdom, etc.  I think the mutability of Virgo comes through here too - being able to take the wisdom and disseminate it, sharing it.

Drawing on wisdom

Withdraw, contemplate, alone

Listen to the soul.

Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA, 2004

Virgo in the Druidcraft Major Arcana

Continuing on with my exploration of the Druidcraft, and how – or if – the astrological associations work with this deck, it’s time to look at Virgo.  The Druidcraft follows, obviously, Druid traditions, and was not created with astrology in mind.  Instead it focuses on the elements and the seasons.  Some of that may link to astrology – some of it may not.  We’ll see!

In the system I follow (which uses most but not all of the attributions of the Golden Dawn), the Hermit is associated with Virgo.  Not the most obvious association, perhaps, given what we know about Virgoan qualities – so how might this work? 

The Hermit (detail) - Druidcraft Tarot

Virgo is the sixth sign in the zodiac.  All the signs up to this point have focused on the individual and our inner world.  Virgo is the last of these; after her, the emphasis turns to the outer, public domain.  Virgo is often said to be introspective, with much of its analytical and/or critical nature directed at the self, not others.  We can see that in the Hermit - the journey is taken alone, requiring courage and trust in oneself.  

 The word ‘completion’ is sometimes used as a meaning for the Hermit; we can see this in the harvest, but also in the ‘completion’ of the first half of the zodiac – the part of the journey around the wheel dealing with ‘self’ is complete, opening the way to a bigger arena to nurture and eventually harvest. The waning crescent moon in the autumn evening sky represents exactly this – the harvest of both time and wisdom.

Virgo is also associated with attention to detail, keeping an eye on things. The Hermit keeps his eyes down, watching for potential difficulties that might lie ahead on his contemplative path.

The Hermit is also associated with meditation - withdrawing, even if only for a short time, from the outer world and turning our attention inwards.  It's not a selfish desire, but a genuine need for solitude so that we can look at where we are and what we've learned – and what we still seek.  The female equivalent of the male hermit, historically, could be the crone or cailleach - the wise, older woman, who draws on what she's learned from her experiences.  

In the Druidcraft, the guidance that we seek is represented by the ‘wise old  man’ and his lamp, casting a light so that we can find our way. The archetype can be found in our teachers and mentors, in the stories we read, in our own experiences.  The wolf, in the Druid Animal Oracle, symbolizes faith, inner strength, and our intuition – all things that we can draw on as we continue on our ‘quest’. As we complete our harvest and begin the introspective part of the year, our eyes will become accustomed to the darkness and we will be able to continue our journey.

Druidcraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections,2004

The Druid Animal Oracle created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Bill Worthington, published by Connections, 1996