Thoth Study Group - The Hermit

The 'play' of light in this card has me intrigued as I can see that the main source of light is emanating from the crystal lantern (with the sun) held in the Hermit's hand. However the rays of light across the Hermit's back and shoulders seem to come from a different source or are they a reflection somehow?

From Akron / Banzhaf's - The Handbook to the Cards:

Hand (lantern)

The old man holds a diamond at the focal point, the interior of which is illuminated by a sun with sixteen rays. This brightens the lower region, but also throws light into the upper spheres. Only the light of the crystal effects a straight line. Everything else is hidden and looks like a snapshot of a natural, flowering, and eternal movement. Within this eternal flow, the Hermit has been able to see the "Orphic Egg" and therefore the mystery, the original source of life, through an opening that again immediately closes . . .

Orphic Egg (world egg)

The "Orphic Egg" symbolises the origin of all things. The fact that the Hermit perceives the living nature for a moment in the midst of the movement - there is a wheat field in the background - shows the depth of the old man who sees the mystery of creation or the original source of all life . . .[/i]

I am curious what representation the "wheat" has in the background but could not see a further mention of it in the book. The only thing I can think of is that it could possibly represent the earth in some way / nature / growth - clutching at straws here so will be interested if anyone can shed any light on this

I also had some thoughts on the colour of the robe worn by the Hermit in this card. Being that to me red usually represents passion, drive, courage even - compared to say the Hermit in other decks that is usually wearing grey.

The Three-Headed Dog in the bottom right hand corner I was interested to learn represents "Cereberus" (underworld) / the three-headed Hound of Hell.

The Hermit personifies powerful repose and inner concentration. Just as the Moon card - the cross-sum of which he forms - deals with the opening up of inner spaces, this card focuses on the exploration of spaces of consciousness. In doing so, he penetrates into the mysteries and into the deepest abyss (Hound of Hell) . . .

I have to admit it, when I first noticed the dog (which my son pointed out while looking at the card propped up on the computer), it immediately brought to mind 'Fluffy' from the Harry Potter story, that guarded the entry to the Philosopher's Stone.

Finishing on that lighter note - hoping for some more serious input and would be interested to read other's thoughts on this card.

CreativeFire

PS. Have attached a scan of the card for ease of reference.

Links to some previous threads on the Hermit / related symbols as well:

The Hermit - IX and Snake Around the Egg

CreativeFire

CreativeFire said:

I am curious what representation the "wheat" has in the background but could not see a further mention of it in the book. The only thing I can think of is that it could possibly represent the earth in some way / nature / growth - clutching at straws here so will be interested if anyone can shed any light on this

Click to expand...

Gerd Ziegler makes a short reference to the "wheat" on "Tarot: Mirror of the soul"

"The transforming light of inner clarity fills, bit by bit, all levels of his being. The sheaves ripen, the fruits of his surrender to the internal self become visible. The grain can be harvested and shared with others. whoever has found the inner reality can share the experience of inner transformation with other seekers."

More on the Wheat

Crowley (and the Golden Dawn too) attribute the astrological sign Virgo to the Hermit card.

Crowley on the Hermit card at p. 89 in _Book of Thoth_:

"Virgo is an earthy sign, and is referred especially to Corn, so that the background of the card is a field of wheat."

I presume that Corn is meant in the generic sense of grain.

Perhaps the color red is used on the Hermit's garments to show the search he is on is dynamic and ongoing. The feeling I have always recieved from other Hermit cards, by the colors of black or grey, is the Hermit is at the end of his journey. The Thoth card suggests he is still on the path. In the book, Keywords for the Crowley Tarot by Banzhaf and Theler, they suggest the color stands for courage and strength.
I like the way the imagery appears behind the rays of light. It seems like the Hermit is searching in the "shadows" to find his enlightenment
The wheat, the light and the three-headed dog (who guards the entrance to the underworld) remind me of the story of Demeter( a Grain and Earth Goddess) and Persephone. When P. was kidnapped by Hades, Demeter was told Helios, the sun god(light), had seen who had kidnapped P. When confronted, Helios would not tell Demeter where her daughter was. When she heard this, Demeter took the form of an old women and went searching for her daughter. During the time she was searching , Demeter refused to let anything grow from the earth. In essence, Demeter acted like a hermit.

Re: Re: Thoth Study Group - The Hermit

Aun said:

Gerd Ziegler makes a short reference to the "wheat" on "Tarot: Mirror of the soul"

"The transforming light of inner clarity fills, bit by bit, all levels of his being. The sheaves ripen, the fruits of his surrender to the internal self become visible. The grain can be harvested and shared with others. whoever has found the inner reality can share the experience of inner transformation with other seekers."

Click to expand...

Thanks Aun for sharing this about the wheat - I like the bit about "The grain can be harvested and shared with others.".

I also thought with the wheat that as it was seeding (the heads formed on the wheat), that it some how represented a sense of maturity as well.

CreativeFire

Goldenhair said:

Perhaps the color red is used on the Hermit's garments to show the search he is on is dynamic and ongoing. The feeling I have always recieved from other Hermit cards, by the colors of black or grey, is the Hermit is at the end of his journey. The Thoth card suggests he is still on the path. In the book, Keywords for the Crowley Tarot by Banzhaf and Theler, they suggest the color stands for courage and strength.

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This makes sense to me Goldenhair - especially in regards to having courage and strength to embark on (and continue) the search.

I like the way the imagery appears behind the rays of light. It seems like the Hermit is searching in the "shadows" to find his enlightenment

Click to expand...

I had thought about this as well, as the actual rays of light from the crystal do not seem to reach the orphic egg in particular. Also as the Hermit is looking away from the light into the darkness.

CreativeFire

I have always found this specific depiction of Mr Hermit to be more than a little creepy. It is almost as though he is non-human. I even had the idea run through my head that he was in some way deformed, uncomfortable with this, and thus living a solitary existence. As for his pet?! Well, if I saw this guy coming towards me walking his (three-headed) dog, I might decided to run a mile.

Interesting what has been said with regards to the earthy aspects of this card. In his book, Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, Duquette writes, 'The Hermit carries the lamp of the Sun, with which he gives light to the world'. So, could we then argue that the Hermit provides light and understanding on the earth and earthly matters through the means of inner reflection and contemplation? Also, apparently the Hermit is the tall faceless figure in the Lovers card. Anyone have any idea as to why this is the case?

Duquette also raises the interesting idea that the Hermit is actually a large stylized Yod!!!

Also, what does everyone make of the sperm cell in the lower left hand corner of the card? If one looks closely at this cell, in particular the tip of the cell, then one can see a tiny embryo curled into a fetal position.

The Hermit represents the search of your inner most self, what you keep hidden. He shines a light into these dark recesses to allow us to examine all of ourselves. Who knows what we will find there? This is very scary. We should be frightened.
Perhaps the sperm symbolizes the new potential we will have in our life after we have examined our inner selves and learned to accept/change what we find there. There is a belief that all we need to learn we will find within ourselves.

Goldenhair said:

Perhaps the sperm symbolizes the new potential we will have in our life after we have examined our inner selves and learned to accept/change what we find there. There is a belief that all we need to learn we will find within ourselves.

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Yeh, I feel almost as though the sperm represents the core of our being. It is through union of the sperm and the ovum (is my terminology correct?) that the human-race is perpetuated. Could it be that the sperm represents going back to our roots, shedding what has happened after the union of the sperm and the ovum, to go back to a purer state of mind and consciousness?