The Hermit Virgo

The Hermit.

ON THE TOP of a mountain somewhere beyond the vision of man, a lone hermit stands. Amidst the stones and wind-blown crags, where the trees have no bark or leaves, and stand twisted by the harsh wind that keep the place in a state of permanent winter, this Hermit shines her lantern over the expanse of land below. There is no sound but the sigh of the wind, and no company but her own thoughts. There in the boreal aerie, she contemplates life, and distills her experiences into the elixir of wisdom that she can share with others when the time comes to leave this place, and travel back to the town.

This is the scene depicted in the Major Arcana card the Hermit. It touches upon the energies of discernment, solitude and service, which brings it within the realm of the zodiac sign Virgo.

First off, the energy of Virgo is a complex one and, like all of the signs, the possibilities for applying this energy are endless. Discernment can mean anything from compassion to criticism. However, the thing that both of these activities have in common is their emphasis on the differences between things.

Virgo energy is very much involved with the process of individuation. Virgo can handle many steps in a long list of instructions without getting bored. It knows the importance of every ingredient and measurement, because it has the capacity to understand why things go together like they do. In the body, Virgo is symbolized by the digestive system, which is the part of the body responsible for the breaking down and assimilation of food into usuable chemicals for the body’s survival.В 

When a person draws the Hermit card in a reading, this usually signifies a time of contemplation with a specific kind of healing in mind. A process of making whole what has been fragmented, either through strenuous activity, trauma or transformation is indicated in this card. The idea behind the contemplation being the separation of negative, or toxic emotions and activities, from those that are more positive, or vivifying are part of what this card is all about.

The Hermit herself has left the drama and triviality of the mundane life in order to seek, literally and figuratively, higher ground. She has purposefully separated herself from distractions in order to get back to the source of that quiet spring of wisdom that every single one of us has. She has made the commitment to listen to it, and so has devoted a part of her life to solitude and purity, i.e. alone-ness.

This brings us to the second portion of Virgo/Hermit energy, which is solitude. Many of us associate the sign Virgo with the Virgin. This does not give a total picture of what the image truly stands for. Virgo is traditionally depicted as a young child holding a sheaf of wheat. The image is meant to signify the completion of a cycle. The child signifies the beginning of life, of journeys, or anything that has a beginning.

The sheaf of wheat is the symbol of the culmination of that process of growing. The child and wheat together signifies the completion of a life cycle and the transformation of information gathered from this. To put it another way, you have a bag of seeds and you plant them. Days go by. The seeds germinate. Then they flower. They make fruit, they ripen. Then you harvest them. You grind the grain into bread and eat it. It keeps you alive. A swath of time has passed since you first threw the seeds in your garden. The connection between the child (seed) and the sheaf of wheat is transformation. This is the singular process whereby all living things fulfill their point in life.

The Hermit.

Now, what this has to do with solitude is what makes a cycle the same as the line that outlines a picture. The boundary of one process and another is what highlights the differences between them. All of us can identify a circle in a group of triangles. This is because we recognize the singular shapes of each.

Virgo being associated with virginity, while there is a correlation between this energy and Virgo in a relationship, really has to do with the idea that when a virgin is a virgin, they aren’t penetrating, entering, or interacting with anyone else. It is one person complete to themselves. It is one process unfolding, complete in its fulfillment. The Hermit card is a card of solitude. Rarely will you get this card and say to yourself or the querist, or one who asks questions, “Have you ever considered going to Mardi Gras?”.

Finally, the Virgo/Hermit energy holds within it a deep need for health and wholeness, which is linked to service. Sick entities are ones that need assistance with the daily routines of life, and Virgo/Hermit is very much involved with making sure these routines are carried out. For Virgo, this is indicated by its home in the sixth house of health and work. It is associated with the details that need to be maintained for a smooth life.

For the Hermit, the wisdom imparted by times of solitude are meant to be shared with others. This also implies service. On the mountaintop, the Hermit does not shine her light for herself, but rather, so that others can find their way through the many toxic distractions that can plague a person, or crowd them out from discovering the truths they are meant to make contact with in their lives.

One particular story that I enjoy about the Hermit card, is that it is a depiction of the philosopher Diogenes, who made his home in Syracuse (the Greek one) and lit his lantern in broad daylight. He walked through the streets shining it in the faces of all those who passed him by.

Finally, a youth could stand the curiosity no longer and asked him what he was doing. Diogenes looked the youth straight in the eye and said, “I am searching for an honest man.” This anecdote illustrates very well the power inherent in Virgo/Hermit energy: when we nurture the Truth that is inherent in each of us, we become spirits contained within material forms. Wisdom makes us into lanterns lit from within.