Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings.   Today’s Tarot Tuesday blog post is about embracing your Inner Hermit during the Dark Half of the Year.    As the weather has turned colder in the last week, hibernation is truly beginning to set in.   Bundles of blankets and cozy sweaters keep the chill at bay, but the racing thoughts, anxieties, insecurities, and uncertainties rage.   This is Shadow; this is the introspection, I know I am feeling it, what about you?

That feeling of delving into the depths of introspective thought and the Shadow energies of an anxious mind is what has inspired this post.   It occurred to me that this is the energy of the Hermit, the Cloaked Figure in the Woodland surrounded by snow and guided only by the light of a single lantern.   The Hermit delves into the depths of the unconscious, seeking out truths beneath the surface.   The Hermit can also be an archetype we work with as we begin to confront those anxieties often triggered in the Winter and certainly often triggered by the holiday season for many people.   

Here is an example of introspective writing I have done to embrace the Hermit energy: With the help of the Hermit, lighting the way with the lantern, I can begin to see in the darkness.   As my sight slowly adjusts to the Dark Woodland before me, I can see the nuances of colors and textures around me, wondering which direction to go as I wander the dense expanse of Forest.   That lantern light in the distance guides me home to my true Authenticity, a place where I can gain some Sovereignty for my Soul.   As I get closer, I can see that this Hermit has antlers poking out from beneath the cloak and long hair flowing down the dress she wears, as this Hermit is Elen of the Ways, a Celtic Goddess of guiding grace, holding her lantern desiring to herald me further into the depths of this expansive Forest!   Trusting in Elen as she navigates the ways means truly trusting in myself as I follow the Light in the Darkness.   My heart is my guide, as much as Faery Queens acts as my guardians, aiding me to embrace the Hermit energy within this Winter season!        

My example above is one way to work with the Hermit energy: writing, journaling, sharing or not, your thoughts on the Hermit Archetype.   I have just shared above a brief meditation in first person about how the Hermit Archetype appears to me in my own life right now, which I hope helps inspire you to do some introspective work.   It is not unexpected to have a Celtic Faery Queen Goddess come forth in this meditative exercise, and Elen of the Ways does often draw near to me in Winter, but it was still a lovely insight to gain and share with my readers. 

Now I want to ask, do you see the light in the Darkness?   It may not be readily visible when emotions seek to overwhelm the senses, but that light is there, ready to guide you onward!    If you cannot as easily meditate in your mind or while writing (as I did in this post), I also suggest taking the Hermit card from your favorite Tarot deck and meditating on that image.   Or you can even just sit in a room with a candle burning and soft music playing to access your inner Well of Creativity and tap into the unconscious. 

I hope you have enjoyed this short, meditative, and introspective post that almost combined poetry with an informational post.   Did any of this inspire you?   It is a very different style of writing than I normally share, so do let me know if you enjoyed this in the comments below!   

Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a Hermit card artwork I found that really aligned with the insights I shared about the Hermit Archetype in this post!   I found the picture on https://yoshiyoshitani.store/products/the-moon-print-1. 

Further Reading

• Finding Elen: The Quest for Elen of the Ways edited by Caroline Wise