deviant moon--IX The Hermit

Mallah

Wondering what you all think of this card...I love the DM deck, and there are a few cards that "irk" me...this is one. The imagery and meaning given in the LWB certainly would apply to a "reversed hermit" to me...

But P.V's reversals (actually quite refreshing) would make the hermit reversed about rejoining society...

This guy is running from the world, screaming and hiding...

Is this just an effect of the dark nightmarish twist that the deck has?

What about the hermit who chooses to sequester her/himself...take a little sabbatical, no? This just seems so extreme...anyone else?
 

Bhavana

The Deviant Moon Hermit - Yikes!! One of the creepiest in tarot. I wonder sometimes about this deck - the artist's renderings sometimes make me think he was just trying to make everything as wild and creepy as possible, without any real consideration for what the card itself stands for. The explanation in the LWB doesn't come close to the angst, terror, complete insanity on the face of the being in the card. If I didn't have my own ideas about the Hermit, or know the traditional definitions, and just decided to read this card at face value, it would not be good things...not at all! The archway, the smokestack, the moon in the background?? They are in half the cards, so no profound meaning there. But, at least the Hermit has his little pet, the dead fish at his feet. So he isn't totally alone in the world.

Another card that makes me long for the companion book. Maybe it will shed some light on these things.
 

Mallah

Actually, I picked up on something this morning about it...

The Hermit is very like the Empath...those of us with the "Gift (?)" tend to isolate ourselves because of the feelings washing all over in crowds...they can be very confusing and sometimes we can feel just like it looks on that card...and it's not even US.

I think the deck is awesome, and most of it isn't really creepy...just...stylized. But most of the cards seem to have much to do with the meanings of the cards. IMHO.

This one just seemed kinda jarring. I think I'll give it some slack...it's a "shadow" deck and our shadow selves, which are often shoved away into the shadows and nooks and crannies of our souls, can sometimes feel this way...
 

Bhavana

I love the deck too. I just don't use it very often, other than to look at it and study the cards. And I do agree that many of the meanings are spot-on - however, the Hermit isn't, at least not the way I see it. If I were reading totally intuitively, that Hermit would not be a very pleasant card, by any means.

Your empath idea is an interesting one. Being somewhat of a recluse myself, I can relate to that. But the way I usually see the Hermit is looking within for answers, not really isolation from the rest of the world. There are other definitions that come to me too, for example, when I think of the typical Hermit, the robed figure with the lamp, I remember somewhere hearing the phrase "The Light of the World" connected to the card, and that makes me think of an old painting of Jesus, also called "The Light of the World" where he is holding a lantern and knocking on a door...supposedly a person in need of "saving" is on the other side. The door is covered with weeds and ivy, in some renditions of the painting you can see bats above the door - and in general, it is a sort of eerie work of art.
Here is a link to someone's blog where the painting is posted if you want to see what I mean:

http://zenandtheartoftightropewalki.../05/18/the-light-of-the-world-by-holman-hunt/

Maybe this painting of Jesus is partly what RW artist Smith had in mind when she created the traditional Hermit?

Now the Deviant Moon Hermit, as I said in another post - angst, terror, phobia, insanity - all bad things when I look at that card! I suppose I could be taking the art too literally, but that's the feeling I get from it...and from several other cards in the deck.
 

Minotauro

jesus.

yes I sometimes relate the hermit to jesus , when he seek solitud and the devil tempted him.
I think this cards is here to remind us , we arent really alone , nor we can be or at least it is extremply dificult. maybe it represents WANTING to be left alone. to get away from the world.

it reminds me of those times when one feels " if you could just let me THINK for a minute ,if you could leave me alone! , left me to think! I could figure it out! " so in that sence it makes sence to me , even if it isnt a very traditonal meaning...
 

tarotlaura

yes I sometimes relate the hermit to jesus , when he seek solitud and the devil tempted him.
I think this cards is here to remind us , we arent really alone , nor we can be or at least it is extremply dificult. maybe it represents WANTING to be left alone. to get away from the world.

it reminds me of those times when one feels " if you could just let me THINK for a minute ,if you could leave me alone! , left me to think! I could figure it out! " so in that sence it makes sence to me , even if it isnt a very traditonal meaning...

That's how I see him too. Because we all have those days when things, people, the world in general bothers us to the point were we feel like we're going to go insane if we are not left alone to figure things out. it will be very interesting to read Patrick's take on this when the book comes out.
 

cronegoddess54

The Hermit is very odd for sure...his/her body language is interesting....naked to the world, knees and feet clinched together, arm on head, hand covering eye, and yet spread open, mouth open, red lips. and painted toe nails, dead fish at side. Almost like wanting to be alone but not really..like the child in a way, pouting? Wanting to see, and not wanting to see, be alone and not want to be alone. Yes, Patrick needs to get that book out to us! Hear he is working on the Swords now......
 

Elendil

A silent scream...as if the knowledge is too much.

BTW: I have never really understood exactly why the rotting fish 'is a reminder that we can never hide from ourselves' (LWB). Thoughts anyone?
 

Mallah

Amen to all of this...but maybe, he's the IMPULSE to hermit ourself...the calm serene hermit is the established hermit who's been at it awhile...he's calmed, he's centered...he's no longer running....

But this is (perhaps) the Impulse, initial drive to run away and sequester ourself...get me outta here...stop the world, I want to get off! We are frayed and frazzled, our nerves are sandpaper.

Different decks all depict various facets of the various cards, why not this one? Maybe this is a "newbie" hermit who's just in the process of retreat...he hasn't gained his composure yet.

He reminds me of Gollum, hiding in his cave beneath the Misty Mountains
 

cronegoddess54

A silent scream...as if the knowledge is too much.

BTW: I have never really understood exactly why the rotting fish 'is a reminder that we can never hide from ourselves' (LWB). Thoughts anyone?

I agree just what is the dead fish?? We can never hide form ourselves? Well, on the funny side..maybe the Hermit has not taken a bath for awhile and he may be a little stinky like a dead fish? That would be hard to get away from..lol. A lot of fish in this deck...