Mary El - The Hermit

psyte

I know this isn't a very timely response... but regarding the water glyph symbol, it's found on all the cards. Marie White explains it here:

http://newpathstarot.com/wordpress/index.php/the-mary-el-tarot-in-review/

The triangle in a circle is what I use for a signature. It was a symbol I was always fascinated with, I dreamed about it as long as I could remember and I had no idea what it meant at first. I know now its a pretty widely used occult symbol for water probably because it is so feminine in relation to fire and the upside down triangle resembles womens genitalia. At first I used it on everything but as time went on I started tucking it away more in the painting and sometimes left it out altogether. I think because I felt that the work wasn’t mine alone but more something that came through me not just from me.
 

ivanna

I love this card.
For me the hermit is surfing the wave, or at least he is trying it. In the same way he can surf the unconscious waves and bring the light save to destination.
 

cSpaceDiva

As the sea rages around him, The Hermit withdraws into his cloak, maintaining inner tranquility in the face of external chaos. Though he appears alone, he is never entirely cut off. The lamp that he carries burns continually as evidence of his connection to the source, impervious to the waters that swirl around him.

In time, the stillness that resides within will emerge, streaming from under his hood and calm even the surf that surges around him.
 

cSpaceDiva

In the companion booklet to the Limited Edition Majors set, Marie confirms that The Great Wave Off Kanagawa provided the inspiration for this card. She further states that the Hermit replaces Mt. Fuji. We no longer see him on the mountain, because he is the mountain. This makes sense to me when you think of someone who has isolated himself and gone so deeply within that he can no longer be swayed by external influences. He has become a rock.
 

PintzyPutes

The Hermits cloak resembles an Octopus (it has 8 tentacles). An octopus can camouflage itself when it feels threatened, and can avoid the dangers as it creates an illusion by blending into the surroundings. This sounds very much like a Hermit that wants to be left alone.