Hanged Man vs Hermit

I would like to hear people's thoughts on the similarities and differences between the Hanged Man and the Hermit.

I see them as similar because in some respects they can both suggest the need for time out and the need not to rush the process.

To me the difference is that the Hanged Man is about looking at yourself and discovering your true self, your motivations, your purpose....... but the Hermit could be retreating to look at other issues.

Are the answers the hermit is seeking only related to the self or can they be related to other people? If they are relating to other people, are they more likely to be people who are close and somehow impacting upon the person?

Is the Hermit ever retreating from looking at himself. Sometimes we can only see ourselves with the help of others. In this case the cards could have quite opposite meanings.

Any thoughts?

IMO, The Hanged Man doesn't have a choice. He/she has to "stay where he/she is at" and absorb and watch. The Hermit takes the choice upon himself to do this. I see the Hermit can move but the Hanged Man cannot. The Hermit is mostly learning about himself where the Hanged man is watching others.

Hanged Man for me often represents...suspension and rest...sometimes, we simply need to stop midstream and "regroup" ...our strength...our ideas...rest.

Suspend action of something that is nearing completion?

The Hermit is often a more spiritual card, about reflection and meditation, by choice....I see the Hermit as one who has a habit of seeking within and of looking for higher purposes in events of life. More of a spiritual being, like the comtemplative monks...giving up the material in life...by choice in order to see life in its "bare bones" state....what's important, what isn't.


The Hanged Man hasn't given up anything...his clothing is still of the material world. He needs time....for rest, recuperation...sometimes we make decisions hastily as we rush head-long through life and we need to stop and think and rejuventate.

On some cards, the Hanged Man is near enough to the rope/chain/cord from which he is suspended, so that we realize he can "right" himself at any time.

Hermit represents longer term spiritual goals to me...about giving up control, while the Hanged Man may stand for "time outs" that could apply to any area of our lives.

Just some reflections.

terri

The Hermit is like "the once and future king"
because look: we see he is seeking the Sun.
But don't worry, The High Priestess gave it
to The Fool who carries it safely in his sack.

Why? The Emperor and The Hierophant have
made a power play to steal the light of truth.
Don't worry though ~ their fate's The Tower.

As for The Hanged Man, well he knows where
the Sun is hid ~ but what is behind his back!?

Vadella said:

IMO, The Hanged Man doesn't have a choice. He/she has to "stay where he/she is at" and absorb and watch. The Hermit takes the choice upon himself to do this. I see the Hermit can move but the Hanged Man cannot. The Hermit is mostly learning about himself where the Hanged man is watching others.

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I agree. The Hanged Man is put in a "hanging" position (somewhat like being in traction on a hospital bed ) and the question is - how will he act within that circumstance? Will he use the time to think and reassess his life or some issue of importance to him, or will he act the victim, or just hang there, stagnant? Although I would say, Vadella, that the Hanged Man can choose to watch himself as well - and see something new. But it is always borne out of delay or loss imposed upon him by circumstance.

The Hermit sets out willingly, answering a call within himself, for truth, for understanding. He is one of the wanderers of the Tarot, like the Fool, Death or the Chariot.

Helvetica said:

I agree. The Hanged Man is put in a "hanging" position (somewhat like being in traction on a hospital bed ) and the question is - how will he act within that circumstance? Will he use the time to think and reassess his life or some issue of importance to him, or will he act the victim, or just hang there, stagnant? Although I would say, Vadella, that the Hanged Man can choose to watch himself as well - and see something new. But it is always borne out of delay or loss imposed upon him by circumstance.

The Hermit sets out willingly, answering a call within himself, for truth, for understanding. He is one of the wanderers of the Tarot, like the Fool, Death or the Chariot.

Click to expand...

Helvetica,

Thank you. You're much better at explaining it. lol I would say that if the Hanged Man fought this he would then be exhausted. The best choice would be to cooperate and learn. Maybe we place ourselves in the Hanged Man position without knowing we will. Once he gets "well", he can be untied and leave.

I see the Hermitas being focused on development of the self ,a teacher ,a time for healing the learning of new skills etc for which we need time for ourselves.A sort of preparation for the hanged man who can sometimes mean self sacrifice for others as in the mother who gives up her career to look after her children or the many charity workers who give of their time to benefit others, I see the hanged man can be more of a shamenistic experience as the Shamen travels to other domains to obtain information which can be of benefit to the whole society,therefore although the outer life is stilled while inner paths are actively travelled we do come back with new and fresh information to share .Ultimately a very spiritual experience and often comes from the spirit and as such we don't have concious control over the Hanged man ,or at least we do not have the choice in the same way .
Or the Hermit looks within while the hanged man looks from within.
Blessings to all

I can see why you see them as similar, they are both on a spiritual path. But I see the Hanged Man as being in a position of gaining wisdom-doing an exercise to add to his/her knowledge (an ordeal that gives insight) but the Hermit is stopping and absorbing what he has already gained. Putting his life exerience into prospective.

See it, maybe, as the Hanged Man is eating a filling meal, while the Hermit is digesting it.

The Hanged man may have been put where he is, or he may have put himself there. It is still an active stance (choosing to stay still perhaps), while the Hermit is a passive stance.
Ace

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and contributions. I have enjoyed a great response to my first posted message and I feel sure I am going to learn a lot from being here.

Hope evryone is havinga wonderful week!

I agree with Vadella - for me the Hanged Man has no choice too. He suspended by one foot, with no way to touch the ground, analyzing things from an upside down poitn of view. Like the Hermit, he watches but he has been put there against his choice (in some decks you can see coins falling from the Hanged Man's pockets).

The Hermit knows what he's doing...he decided to walk his path alone to learn more about himself, the others...whatever he wants to learn. He chose to walk in the darkness with only one lamp and he come back from his isolation whenever he wants. He can more, when the hanged man cannot.

So they are different. The Hermit has the possibility of free will, the hanged man doesn't.

Yuko