Tarot Card Comparisons: The Thoth Tarot- Key 9- The Hermit & The SpellCaster's Tarot- Key 9-Hermit

* Primary Path Color: Yellowish-Green

* Musical Note: F

*Meaning of Yod: Hand

* Astrological sign: Virgo

* Hebrew Letter: Simple Letter-Sexual Love

* Esoteric Title: The Prophet of the Eternal, The Magus of the Voice of Power.

 

(Dr. Paul Foster Case)  Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom: " The Twentieth Path is the Intelligence of Will, and is so called because it is the means of preparation of all and each created being, and by this intelligence the existence of the Primordial Wisdom becomes known."

The Path of the Hebrew letter- Yod, is represented as The Hermit-Key 9 and connects Tiphareth (Sephira # 6- Beauty. Also known as the Christ-Buddha center) and Chesed (Sephira # 4-Mercy. Also the Architect of Manifestation). The Path of Yod is the very point of origin of our manifest Universe, it represents the self-sustained primal beginnings of manifestation. A direct contact with the Divine Source of All-The Divine Creative.

Virgo is attributed to the Twentieth Path and the Hermit card. Virgo reminds us that the Hermit"be ever-virgin, pure, and totally innocent". It represents a gateway to the bridge between Macrocosm (Macroprosopus) and Microcosm (Microprosopus) which give it certain qualities of the invisible Sephiroth- Daath (knowledge) represented by the very isolation of the figure. To look upon this figure suggests to me, Diogenes in search of the honest man---maybe even Moses emanating his rays of light. 

This solitariness is even defined in the word Hermit, which comes from the Greek word meaning desert. It is a known fact that during the third and fourth centuries, extreme asceticism and societal withdrawal where considered a means of perfection. Many ascetics lived in the desert to achieve this.  As our understanding progresses along the Tree of Life, we see how more important it is that we let the card suggest such images as they will.  Images of a desert, is a very potent one. As a concept, the desert is an expanse of earth as indefinably vast as the ocean and as we consider Binah, the 3rd Sephiroth, in the image of deep, dark, endless waters, we are able to see the desert as a crystallization out of Binah's vast sea of Unconsciousness. The Hermit is the same expression of energy conscious as the Fool; The Hermit, is at once the wise old age of the Child (Horus) and the virgin beginning of a new sequence. 

The Hermit's principle is one of union. The Hermit represents the first point of awareness by the Higher Self and/or Real Person, with that of the Supreme Spiritual Self (Greater Self of the Buddhists)  this is explained by the most erotic of imagery (As in the Hindu Tantric Temples). However, this is not the outer sexuality of coition, for this card is the essence of isolation and singularity. Therefore, the Hindu god Ganesh, with his "phallic" trunk would represent the Qabalistic Hermit.  This is "self-contained" and "self-sustaining" sexuality of the Anima and Animus; the inner Soul- dance of polarities attributed to communion of Chokma and Binah and or Shakti- Shiva. The Red Cloak on the Thoth Hermetic Tarot Card shows his roots with Binah the Red or Geburah aspect of Mother Binah. This could be called Mother's Blood which makes all form -alive and which all Living form is made of! Hence, the Yod is considered to be phallic; it is the Male-Fire (electric force) which rushes out toward the Female-Water (magnetic force) .  A Yod (hand) is the All-Father in manifestation below the Abyss, which is related to the Logos (word of God).

Here the Esoteric meaning of the Hermit card seems to suggest that we need to first withdraw from the extremes of society and practice asceticism as an advance towards perfection.Here the word Hermit suggests a crystallization of idea out of Binah's (Mother God) vast Ocean of Understanding, a kind of island in a wine-dark sea. But these explanations are as dry as the desert and need more intimacy to internalize them and therefore the more erotic images are presented. So no matter how the Hermit is described, it is communion, a preeminent union of Fiery Father Force from Kether (the Crown) with Binah- "will to form".  The Waters of Unconscious-Imagination form force into Crystallized light and the birthing of Form. As a harmonic of communion,  Beauty (Tiphareth- the Christ-Buddha center) radiates as the first point of awareness by the Supreme Spiritual Self, The Divine Anima, where she names her Husband, as the Animus (Soul) their union, to be felt internally, can only be explained in the most erotic imagery.

On the Tree of Life, Tiphareth (6-Beauty) is the Logos center, an objective link between subjective-Creator and objective- Man (as above so below). Remembering that the Paths are subjective and therefore Arcane, the link with the objective is on the Path of the Hermit.  This is to say, that Tiphareth is the objective center that can only be understood as transitional energy subjectively on the Path of Yod. To look from above down, by rising above Tipareth toward Chesed, on the Path of the Hermit, is to see subjectively ---and experience of "spiral hind-sight". The Hermit on both the Thoth and the SpellCaster's Tarot, is carrying a "light" of his "own inner Sun", or "enlightenment"; On the Thoth card this is a lantern, with an inner sun and on the SpellCaster's Tarot, the Hermit is holding a candle, with hand presented to stop the wind from extinguishing it.

The hand is, man's ultimate creative tool, hence, attributed to Yod and The Hermit is the very hand of the Divine Creative. On The Thoth Hermit is the Orphic Egg wrapped in a serpent, that represents the ancient Orphic Mysteries interpretation of the Cosmos encircled by the Fiery Spirit, i.e. Yod. 

On the Thoth Tarot illustration of the Hermit, the three Headed Dog (Cerberus) that "guards the gates of Hell"--has been tamed by the Hermit.

The spermatozoon image, on the Thoth Tarot card, represents the Yod energy in the material world, while the  completely hidden staff transmits the sexual force. Aliester Crowley stated, "In this Triumph is then the entire mystery of Life in its most secret workings.

Yod=Phallus=Spermatozoon=Hand=Logos=Virgin" . The Lamp refers to Tiphareth, and makes a statement about the very nature of Light. The Yod is The Hermit, The Path of Heh is The Emperor and the Path of  Vau is the Hierophant and all are functioning to the side of the Pillar of Mercy on the Tree of Life--a trinity from Chesed to Tiphareth to Chokmah, and back to Chesed. Thus we have a very valuable subject of meditation.

You may have noticed the different spellings of the Hebrew letters when interpreted in English----Kaballa-Qaballah-Qabalah-Caballah or Yod- or sometimes-Yud---this is because there is no real English spelling of Hebrew Letters so spelling is up to the interpreter. The Letter Yud is spelled as Yod in the Qabalah as in: The Path of Yod-The Hermit; 9th Key.

The Biblical story of Yod (Yud) is about Yosef [Joseph]. The English "J" didn't exist until the thirteenth century. 

The story of Yosef--defines the Hebrew letter Yod. A young man was sold into slavery by his brothers because of his magic ability to foretell events in his dreams. This form of clairvoyance, disturbed his brothers, so they plotted to dispose of Yosef---but for a profit! So they took him out to the desert and sold him into slavery. Upon coming home they told their father (Yacob) that he was killed and showed him the blood stained special robe of many colors as proof. The Tarot Hermit Card represents this story well with its depiction of a lone man in the desert carrying his own lantern of light.  We know by reading the story of Yosef, that instead of bemoaning his fate, Yosef "knew himself" and with this inner trust that nothing happens without a "good" (God) reason to stay open minded and therefore, use his talents as needed.

Later, because he was fearlessly  able to use his abilities to interpret the Pharaohs dreams, he became a court adviser, and was able to help his starving family survive. He could have sought revenge, although he did ask for an apology; However, when he saw the remorse of his brothers he forgave them.

 

Therefore, the Tarot-Hermit reminds us that to live in the past, is a "wanna-be-person", a phantom personality rooted in the past can't live today nor is it able to be open to the opportunities that are presented to it.  Since its eyes are focused on the past, this past personality is unable to see in the now of the moment and is not a Real Person.  A personality that carries its own Light, (enlightenment) is a personality of the Now; one who is present and of the Soul/Real Person.  Hence, such a personality trusts the Inner-Light that radiates it, and knows that "things happen" for a life expanding purpose. This  Story of Yosef and the Power of Yod, explains the introspective Tarot Hermit.

The personal story of Yosef represents those dark moments in your life when you are confused, misunderstood, underappreciated and depressed by events. During these moments of spiritual and physical darkness is when we must look toward our own "inner Light" that leads us forward in Life. The Power of believing in yourself comes from a knowing that your life is full of purpose (God doesn't create what God doesn't want) and everything that happens to you is for a life-motion expanding purpose. Recognize your uniqueness, and that your special talents can be applied to expand and liberate your world from the past limitations. Meditate on the Power of Forgiveness, and release yourself into the World of "I Am" rather than the death of "I Ain't", that living in the past  as a "self denial" can only give us. Be the only one who defines you, solitary in your self-trust, and walk in the deserts of individuality undivided from your Soul----Soul and body are a erotic ternary communion of "I Am Me"!  Only your inner Self can  Define your outer-self in this functioning communion---you are not man-made---------you are a Spiritual creation! " Above all things, know thyself!"

 As stated:The Tarot- Hermit is an expression of The Fool, same energy that is at once wise old age of the Child (Son/Sun of God) and the virgin (Virgo) beginning of a new sequence. However, it is often difficult for the Student of the Qaballah to understand that Yod is also the simple letter meaning: Sexual Love.

This Hermit card is one of union. It symbolizes the first point of awareness by the Higher Self (Yosef) of the Supreme Spiritual Self (Yod) that can be explained often in only the most erotic of imagery or in "sacred symbols", such as the Lingam-Yoni images of the Hindu or the more subjective lemnistrate and/or Mobius loop of the Magician card. This "lazy 8" symbol, shows one circle, one line, twisted into two circles. For that is the truth of the sexes.

But this card is the essence of isolation and singularity and is not about sexual coition. The sexuality here is self-contained and self-sustaining as it is the Communion of Two High States of Conscious Energy. Higher self and Supreme Spiritual Self. The Higher Self being the builder of The Personality, while the Supreme Spiritual Self is the Expression of Spiral Energy----The Serpentine Conscious Energy. Yod is related to Kether as Kether is isolated at the top of the Tree of Life, and is self-contained. It also forms the graphic root for all of the other letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  Therefore the Yod is also phallic. It is the Male-Fire-conscious and/or The Sun that rushes out toward the Female-Water-Unconscious and/or The Moon. One cannot escape the erotic imagery which is often depicted On Hindu Temples but it is rarely seen as one individual divine creative who is made of two states of Spirit; One aspect of the One Mind,that is expressive and another aspect that is receptive.

 

 Again, the beauty of the Tarot Trump, is that they are subjective and require a deep inner contemplation to begin understanding the "I Will Be", the "I Will Force" and "I Will Form" in Quantum invisiblity of Self. For instance, Yod  means Hand  which is humankind's most creative tool when linked to imagination, the most creative Mind. The open hand, besides blocking the wind,  represents the primal beginnings of manifestation since before anything can be built by human beings the hand must be open to grasp the tools necessary to begin.Such as the keys of Qabalah and "the sands of Time" from which everything is formed.

In the Thoth and SpellCaster's illustration we can see the Hermit has grasped the Light. Thus the Hermit represents the Hand of God  Before anything is created by humankind, we must have the idea or conception of a thing, that percolates out of the vast sea of consciousness that is Binah (The Scarlett Womb-man; man meaning Mind) who is represented by the Red Robes of the Thoth Hermit. Or the simple Crescent Moon on the SpellCaster's Hermit card.  The hand of God is a title also know to be that  of Moses, who led his people out of the desert into the promised land.

Often, the Hermit, who is Grandfather of the masculine trinity of Son, Father and Grandfather, is related to the Christ figure, but he is better related to the Hebrew pathfinder Moses, who led his people across the Egyptian desert. In fact, an early Gnostic sect, The Simonion Gnostics, that had taken its name from Simon- Magus, first described in the Acts of the Apostles, that the Logos was objectified as Moses. These second century Gnostics taught that the Book of Exodus was an allegory of the soul being led by the Logos (Moses/Hermit) through the desert of human life into the spiritual promised land. Many of us of the Western culture, know the story of Moses as a Thaumaturge (Arch-magician), whose staff is a wand of enormous power that can strike water from rock and turn into a serpent upon his bidding. The "Magi's wand", turning into a serpent force, is  an allegory that refers to the use of Kundalini (Yod) force by the Adept Magician. This serpentine force is a Sacred Fire that is the essence of the Logos transmitted by the phallic wand. To a Tantric, this wand would be called the Divya Linga: Divine Lingam. This Divine lingam is shown as Mose's / Thaumaturge's serpent staff.

In the more Arcane Mystery,The Yod itself, represents the Phallus that ejaculates its fiery vibration into the Vast Red Sea of Binah, Mother's Blood.  The Yod, is often shown as a magician's Wand, or the wand in the hand of the Queen and Princesses. The mystery of the Wand is that it represents the Primal Phallic expression into the Space-Womb- conception of all Form, Imagination. That fiery vibration is often called the Word of God (Greek term: Logos), which in biblical tales, was spoken to Moses via a burning bush. Here the word of God is not issued directly, but comes through Moses as an intermediary, which is the function of the Logos, so Moses may be considered the tool of God or to more explicit, the Hermit is the  Phallus of the Logos which ejaculates it's vibration of Light (vibration/idea) into the vast Dark Red inner Womb/Ocean of Binah.

The physical symbol for him that "pollenates creation", is the Spermatozoon where one alone fertilizes the Orphic egg. Thus in the Thoth Tarot Hermit card we have the symbol of the Spermatozoon, and the Orphic egg (the Universe) encompassed by a many colored serpent that represents the iridescence of Mercury.

Hence, the spermatozoa is shown on the Thoth card, next to the light of the Lantern that is held by the Hermit, suggesting this very interpretation. Also in the light of the Thoth Hermit's Phallus-Lantern, is the three headed dog guardian of the Gates of Hell, a Greek symbol known as Cerberus, who in this card is tamed by the Hermit and can be compared to the Passions tamed by the Hermit; Inner-Passions, that if are untamed can become Hell. The one Head of Cerberus looking back, is representative of keeping past memory (me) while the two heads forward, suggest a Union that is progressive (I AM). 

 As stated before: The mysteries of Life are truly shown in the  Thoth Hermit Card, as we have Yod=Phallus=Spermatozoon=Hand=Virgin (Astrological sign Virgo). The Virgin conceptual meaning of ever-pure and totally innocent. What was not mentioned is that The Hermit card is also considered the Bridge between the gab of Macrocosm  (Macroprosopus) and Microcosm (Microprosopus) which simply means between the Invisible and Visible cosmos. This Bridge between the seen and unseen, if done as Magus, can also be called the Human Personality, who is itself, in a vast desert of its own reality while floating in the Great Sea of Unconscious energy known as the Universal Collective Unconscious; solitarily floating, for no one is there but your own self-conceptions!

In a sense all of us are Hermits,for we never are made to think or feel  by "another". For our body is a Hermit, living in it's own waste land or fertility, produced by what we think we feel;  we cannot feel another person's  thought so to blame another for your depression or happiness is pure denial.  We may react to the expressed thoughts of others, but that is us thinking about the meaning of their Words and reacting to our own thought. Hence, not  a truth, not a real, just a self-centered phantom- perception of ourselves! If we fear (fear failure, fear inferiority, fear ability, fear rejection etc.) more than love ourselves, we are living in Hell! Know this self-love must be virginal, pure and innocent without narcissism which is a superiority complex; another domain of Hell.

The Hermit Tarot cards suggests that to manifest in your purity of Light, a Christos, or Buddha-Self, you must have intercourse with the Vast Dark Sea of Binah.  Hence, experiencing The Understanding of the Mother of all Form and the Fiery Passion of the Father and know you are The Beautiful Child of Goddess-God (The Divine Creative).  When your "I"'s (identity of three- I AM Me-the three heads of Cerberus), you'll recognize your Beauty in others, as your eyes ("I"s) are now enlightened by the Inner Love that created you.

 Hence, from the deep solitude of inner contemplation, we learn that there are no "others" just "anothers" as all that we see is "another way to be me". Me, who is isolated in our own perspectives and errantly demanding that everyone else worship our illusions, as we do, is to create a self waste land that is our own inner Hell. 

Both Tarot Cards suggest that it's best to understand that"only to thine own self " can we be true. Our Soul/Psyche is a mirror, so it is best to treat others as you wish to be treated and enjoy the different perspectives of "others" as fascinating experiments in Self-Awareness.  As the Hermit card suggests, you can only achieve this bliss, by traveling the solitary inner desert of the ascetic and learning the comfort and peace of your own Inner core of Self. When I AM comfortable with Me, I find that I Am equally comfortable with You! So once again, we must know ourselves, for in truth, we can only see ourselves projected as a reflection in the Mirror of Binah's Vast wine dark Sea of consciousness. Therefore, we are transmitting our reality upon another, as if we created them. The Hermit can only "See itself" in the vast desert of mind and it helps to carry the Light of Love---to see where you are going---Heaven or Hell, they are both a journey in self-conscious perceptions/projections. For this Universe is merely a Simulation of the Divine Creative, as it invents It's Self.

To those persona's who are on a mundane journey where a better credit score is the ultimate quest, this card has mundane meanings in a reading; However, as a meditation device, skyring this card will aid in understanding the God Trinity of THE HERMIT -YOD, THE EMPEROR-HEH, AND THE HIEROPHANT-VAU. There is a clue to a deeper understanding in the placement of the letters, Yod, Heh, Vau, on the Tree of Life. as the letters work together as a trinity from Chesed (Mercy) to Tiphareth (Beauty) to Chokmah (Wisdom) and back to Chesed. Many rewards come to those who research, study and meditate introspectively.

 In summery: The Hebrew letter Yod, shown bottom left of Thoth card and is the foundation of all other Hebrew letters, which are combinations of Yod in various ways. Being the first letter of  Yod Heh Vau Heh (Tetragrammaton), Yod represents the The Father who is Wisdom (Chokma); he is the Highest form of Mercury, and the Co-Creator of all worlds who is known as the Logos.

On the Thoth card, the Hermit is arranged in the form of Yod carrying a blazing lantern, whose central sigil is in the likeness of the Great King of Fire (Yod is the secret fire) and is the Sun/Son itself. He wears the colored cloak of  Mother Binah/Understanding, in whom he gestates.

By realizing this symbolic card, we know that the Hermit is both creative and is the  fluid essence of Light, i.e. the Life Force of the Universe. His fertility is shown by the back ground of wheat sheaves on the Thoth Card.

There is a reason the Trump, Keys, are called the Major Arcana, (major secrets) as yet another Thoth Deck Card, Key 9, The Hermit, show us a pictorial representation of the entire mystery of Life in its most secret workings. We are looking at the "First Fertile ejaculation of  Spritual-Solar energy as visible Light" in the dark energy universe.

-Michel de Montaigne, Of Solitude

Therefore in mundane terms, the Hermit card represents the Universal Principle of completion, contemplation, and introspection. The Hermit symbolizes the "wise-way- shower" who lights the way of wisdom in the experiences of life and is an invaluable inner resource for assisting us and others in our daily lives.

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The association of these cards with Astrology is in the sign Virgo and Planet Mercury.

In astrology Mercury rules both Gemini and Virgo and in Tarot, Mercury corresponds to both the Lovers and the Hermit.

The astrological form of the Hermit is I learn and the astrological motion of the Magus (magician in some tarot decks) is I seek myself through what I serve.

The corresponding Rune-stones are: Hermit-Jera, the harvest rune-stone, beneficial outcomes, and the span of one year. 

Also, the Magus-Algiz, the rune of protection, the spiritual warrior, the one whose battle is with himself.

Algiz (also Elhaz) is the name conventionally given to the " z-rune" ᛉ of the Elder Futhark runic alphabet. Its transliteration is z, understood as a phoneme of the Proto-Germanic language, the terminal *z continuing Proto-Indo-European terminal *s.

The associated primary colors Yellow-Green, Secondary colors lime-green. This correspondence of the Hermit and the Magus is also associated with the Third Chakra (solar plexus) which governs will power, wishes, metabolism, humor, wisdom, ego, reactions, ideas, intellectual analysis, and fear of rejection. The Third Chakra is the spiral energy of the intellect.

The stones/minerals associated with this correspondence are: Peridot, moldavite, jade, jadeite, aventurine, green kunzite, green containing tourmalines of uvite, feridavite, verdelite, watermelon-yellow green fluorites and chalcedony.

Letters of the Qaballah are: Hermit-Simple letter- Sexual Love (English translation) The Hermits Path is : Yod , The Intelligence of Will. The symbol of meaning is : Hand.

Qabalistic letter for the Magus; Double letter- Life-Death and the Path is: Beth or Bet, the Intelligence of Transparency. Symbolic meaning-House.

The plant essences: The Hermit- Sage, wintergreen, and caraway. The Magician- Dill, lemongrass, sorax or Benzoin.

The psychic energy involved in the correspondence of the Hermit and the Magus, is associated with meditation and the ability to surrender the conscious mind to the super-conscious (self to Greater Self) which unlocks exploration and knowledge of the whole self for the expansion and liberation of the personality from self-imposed limits of knowledge and understanding. In other words, the key to "Holy Spirit". Therefore, skrying is enhanced when all these mineral, plant, and musical note correspondences are used together in one sitting.

To be an excellent reader of Tarot-a Tarot Seer- we must remember that the conscious mind learns only by association. From letters, to word, to idea, all of which is an association in the subconscious mind. A correspondence that has taken effort and years to the point of automatically producing associations with out any conscious effort. 

The conscious mind functions solely through associations/correspondences in everything it learns, and thinks. Sharing common associations produces success in communication which is why we have a "school system". This is ability to see correspondence also aids the Tarot Seer in communicating messages from the Invisible (Divine) to the querent (asker of questions) so that clarity in communication is served. Messages from the Divine are in energetic form and must be given image to be understood by the process of association. To someone who is not a Qabalist, this all may seem "deep" which communicates too much effort to some, but to the diligent seer---deep is where we reside.

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