Virgo & The Hermit
We have come full circle from the beginning of this blog series, which started with Libra last year, 2024, and we are now ending the series with the astrological sign of Virgo. In the tarot, the Hermit archetype is ruled by Virgo, which is card number nine in the Major Arcana. The number nine in numerology is the number of completion, transformation and pause - all positive qualities that the Hermit archetype embodies. It is the end of the single-digit numbers from 0 to 9. The Hermit, therefore, signifies reflecting on all that has been learned in the previous cards, beginning with the Fool number 0 up to the Hermit number 9.
As mentioned, Virgo is the sign associated with the Hermit card in the tarot. Virgo is an earth sign with the sun entering the sign around 23 August and leaving around 22 September. This time of year in the Northern Hemisphere was traditionally a time of harvest; the summer fruits, such as apples, blackberries, and plums, are ripe for picking. As well as the harvest, the pagan sabbat Mabon falls at the end of Virgo season, on the Virgo/Libra cusp signalling the time of the equinox, which falls around 22 September.
Represented by the maiden, Virgo is a mutable earth sign, ruled by the planet Mercury. The sign is said to relate to areas associated with work, health and service. Virgos are said to be known for their meticulous attention to detail and can dissect vast amounts of information, which leads me to think about the sign's anatomical connection to the digestive system - the filtering and dissemination of essential nutrients for the body. Virgos are also known to be analytical and have a thirst for knowledge, all attributes associated with their ruling planet, Mercury. The mercurial side of Virgo rears its head in the disguise of charismatic word play; there is a wicked cleverness to Virgo natives. The flip side, however, can lead to perfectionism, fussiness and the tendency to be overly critical.
Sidney Hall’s Astronomical drawing Virgo, 1831
The sign is associated with the harvest as the Sun crosses the constellation of Virgo during the late summer, a time of harvest agriculturally in the northern hemisphere. In Sidney Hall’s 1831 astronomical illustration of Virgo, we see the maiden holding wheat stalks in her hand by the star Spica, the brightest star in the Virgo constellation. In ancient Greek myth, Demeter is the goddess associated with harvest, agriculture and grain. Demeter and her daughter Persephone are particularly connected to Virgo as the constellation is clearly seen in the sky during early springtime, when Persephone is said to return from the underworld.
The Hermit archetype is also associated with the harvest. Taking into account what I mentioned earlier, the Hermit card signifies a call to reflect on all the lessons learned in the previous card from 0 to 9. We could look at this metaphorically as the harvest, harvesting the information and knowledge acquired through the lessons learned in the previous cards.
Tarot 101
The Hermit archetype is often seen as a wise elder or spirit guide who is here to guide us on our journey towards spiritual awakening. The journey, however, doesn’t always mean embarking on a journey in the physical sense. This journey, more often than not, is inward, a journey in search of the soul and our own wise truth.
On the Rider Waite Colman Smith rendition of the tarot card, we see a tall, older figure of a man, posture slightly stooped, wearing a long grey robe. He holds a long staff in his hand, his magic wand and a lantern with a glowing star in the other. Symbolically, the lantern represents the light that one shines to illuminate the path ahead. It is a time for introspection, a search for truth and a deeper understanding of the world and our reality. He stands high up on top of a mountain peak, with more mountains scattered in the distance, tiny in comparison to the figure of the hermit who dominates the space on the card. Note that the Hermit is already on the mountain; he has already decided to take the path towards seeking his higher purpose or the meaning of life itself. The sparseness of the landscape also points to the loneliness that may occur during the journey and suggests that the answers you seek require solitude, away from the distractions of society.
To me, wise wizards in fairy tales and fantasy novels look similar to the Hermit archetype. I think of Gandalf the Grey or Merlin. I think of Merlin in particular as a mentor, as, according to legend, he guided King Arthur to becoming King. The mountains in the background of the RWS card remind me of the rocky cliffs of Tintagel, a village in Cornwall, off the west coast of England, which is said to be the place where Merlin rescued the baby King Arthur and lived in a cave. When I visited Tintagel as a young teenager, I remember my mum’s excitement in finding the little cove and Merlin’s cave. At the time, teenage me had no interest whatsoever in the place (oh, how times change!). I remember it being such a remote place, a perfect spot for a hermit to guide and teach little Arthur and live in seclusion.
For me, when I get the Hermit card in personal readings, I feel excited as I know I’m going to allow myself time to pause and listen to myself and spirit, without distraction. I’ll give myself time to go inside my metaphorical cave and figure shit out. There is a fine sense of attunement that this card brings, which has a grounding quality; perhaps that is the earth sign connection. Many of the lessons I’ve learnt from this archetype have been about taking time to reflect in nature. As a pagan, this is something I thoroughly enjoy, contemplating and experiencing our beautiful planet earth, listening to the wind blowing through the trees, noticing the cloud patterns, bird song, and dew shimmering on blades of grass. That spirit that resides in all living things, that communicates with us through fractal patterns, fibonacci cauliflowers, snowflakes, perfect sunflowers and shadows. Nature is the perfect creator, our perfect teacher.
