The Hermit & The Moon
The Hermit & The Moon
Analysis:
Both cards are associated with the energy of the number 9. The Hermit is the 9th Major and The Moon reduces to 9 if you add 1+8.
These cards are astrological opposites and both belong to mutable signs. The Moon is ruled by Pisces and The Hermit is ruled by Virgo. This means, when it’s Pisces season we see a Full Moon in Virgo and when it’s Virgo season, we see a Full Moon in Pisces!
Each image features a light source amidst a night scene. In The Hermit, we see a 6 pointed star in a lantern, while The Moon features a big, bright moon with 32 points.
The face in The Moon resembles (minus the beard, of course) the profile we see on The Hermit. Could it be this force looking down on the animal/plant/mineral kingdom we see in The Moon?
Peaks are a prominent feature within each card. In The Hermit, we see a figure standing on a summit. In The Moon, we see a wavy path with jagged peaks in the distance. Mountains or peaks may point to attainment, initiation and the overcoming of obstacles.
There is water in each image, though depicted in different ways. In The Hermit, it is frozen and takes the form of snow. In The Moon, is is liquid and vibratory.
In The Moon we see 15 Yod-shaped dew drops raining down from the moon, and Yod (י) is the Hebrew letter associated with The Hermit.
The Moon is associated with the 29th Path on the Tree of Life, which is referred to as the "Corporeal Intelligence" in the Sepher Yetzirah. In Tarot Fundamentals, Paul Foster Case suggests that this intelligence operates on us in our sleep, and regenerates our physical bodies by creating chemical changes in our blood. This process technically begins with The Hermit, which is associated with digestion, as the intestines are ruled by Virgo in medical astrology. It suggests that by consciously selecting nutritious food and drink, we supply our bodies with the necessary building blocks for the Corporeal Intelligence to do its work while we retreat into the realm of the unconscious.
We can also think of the Corporeal Intelligence as the basic drive underlying our unconscious physical processes like digestion, which in Qabalistic terms, is the body in Malkuth interacting with the abstract, non-linear mind in Netzach.
Both cards speak to altered states of consciousness. The Moon is associated with sleep, dreams and the subconscious. The Hermit is associated with meditation, reflection and our inner wise self.
What do YOU see???
Possible Interpretation:
When observing these cards in combination, we tend to see The Hermit as a guide to navigating The Moon's arduous path. It's impossible to know the way, and it's impossible to tell it. So, The Hermit, in silent wisdom, holds a lantern from "a distance", guiding us from within. The Moon is challenging because it asks, "how deep are you willing to go?" and "how high are you able to climb?" We believe this is the point in the Major journey where we must leave our familiar defenses behind. Nothing short of total surrender, honesty, integrity and facing who we truly are, will do. When we think we know, The Moon's wavy path can become a maze of confusion. It is a reminder that for much of this journey we call life, we have effectively pulled the wool over our own eyes, but The Hermit is the force that can help us lift that veil.