VR Combo's: Ten of Cups/The Hermit

[Little Baron]

This is quite an interesting combination.

In one card, we have ten people. In the other we have just one.

In one card, there is movement and chatter. In the other, there is probable silence and stillness.

In one card, we have the youth of a new-born child. In the other, a man, with his hour glass contemplates the life he has lead and the last stretch of what he has left.

The first card feels very showy, when you place it next to the Hermit. His soul-searching almost makes the other scene feel staged and forced. People are surrounding that baby and making a fuss, but one day, that baby will probably become old and alone, like the figure in the second card. Reminds me of the Madonna line 'Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone'. Together in this combination, they almost mirror the RWS theme '10 of Pentacles', don't they?

I see excitement in the first card. The woman is proud to show off her child. And the others [especially the girl with her hands together], are happy to recieve it. I am reminded of a few friends of mine that were both unable to have children. Both have kids now, and despite worrying pregnancies, that girl's posture reminds me of how I felt when they all popped out healthy. It was such a relief. The card, for me, speaks of emotional support and feeling secure. But in contrast, I don't see the Hermit, as not having support and being lonely, as such. I see him as having a support far stronger, which is dependant on nobody else but himself. His support is to trust in his own vision; his own choices. With sharp contrast to the family scene, I also just considered that at times, maybe he might stand for celibacy. I wonder if he has a family. Or had a family once.

Need to think some more about this combo, but for now, it is throwing up some interesting feelings within me, that at the moment, I am not sure how to express through words.

LB

 

[a_shikhs]

Ok what about this interpretation with the Hermit and the 10 of Cups.. If you see it as a woman, maybe this woman went through a lot of pain and struggle and difficult times to have this baby. And now her wish is fulfilled and she is happy and content.

Back to the 10 of Cups and Hermit, I see this from the baby's angle. Now he is surrounded with family and friends and there is a lot of happiness around him. But then once he grows up, he has to face life alone with maturity and rational thinking and he has yet to learn from many experiences he will encounter when he grows up. My two cents.

Cant think of anything more now, but will definately post something different later.

 

[lilith_in_tree]

This is an interesting coincidence--I drew the Ten of Cups in my daily today, in fact the first daily draw I've done. And I've already considered the Hermit. So let me see what the two together say--
I think I focus most on the contrast between the two--the happy family, sharing a blessed event, vs. the solitary, inward-looking Hermit. They seem to have nothing in common. But I just had an interesting thought--there are two other possibilities for this combination, depending on whether the Ten is placed to the right or left of the Hermit. If it's to his left, perhaps he's looking back on his own life, before he went on his quest--could he be the man, who I see as the grandfather of the baby, remembering a joyous period in his life, now that he's reaching the end of his? Or is he the baby? Or, placing the Ten to his right, is he having a vision of the future? Is he imagining coming back into the cycle of life, after this one is over? I guess I'm having a Buddhist moment, though I'm not one , but this combination suggests to me all the stages of life and how, if one believes in reincarnation, we move through them again and again--birth, childhood, adulthood, old age, death. It's all there in these two cards.
I think that was a little long-winded, but I got on a roll there

 

[Little Baron]

I think what you say is very interesting Lilith. Because he actually reflects on the image, if we allow the cards to switch positions. It also becomes like a nostalgic remmonisance.

And there is a cyle, I can see that.

In my draw yesterday, the first card matched the family scene perfectly on a visit I made with my parents. One of my oldest friends was there and so too, were her parents and children. The house was buzzing with activity. But when both of our parents took her children out to the park and we were left inside with the tarot and a bottle of wine, she was far more reflective and I sensed a deep aloneness in her. Despite the surface dazzle of the children, she was not entirely happy in her marriage and I began to see her as The Hermit, harbouring these feelings and desiring something 'more' on her own, rather than the outgoing mother showing off the riches of her family that people usually see when they don't look into things deeper.

The 'ten' could be saying you have it all. But at the end of the suit, it might be saying 'but what next? .. is this it?!'

LB

 

[Jewel]

To me the combination really suggests life cycle, and reflecting on one's life. Life is is a cylcle. We are born, we age, we die, and (at least for those that believe in re-incarnation) we are born again. The life cycle could also be a metaphor for various things (i.e. a relationship).

Interesting combination card combination, almost seems to sum up to the meaning of the death card. Something ending and something beggining, but with a reminder to reflect back over time.

 

[Grizabella]

Have you noticed that the Hermit has wings and a scythe and an hourglass? I think he depicts Father Time. I haven't checked the book yet.

Right now, living as an extended family with my daughter, I really long for time alone sometimes. Raising grandchildren, and now living with my daughter where her three children are often all here, too, and one usually always is, I'm grateful when everyone is off somewhere else for a little while so I can be alone.

I know that younger people see old age as being a lonely time, but really it's not. I know it can be, as any age can be, but alone-ness isn't lonely. It doesn't have to be, anyway. One can be lonely in a crowd. Seeing this Hermit alone seems like a moment of peace and relaxation to me.

Being with a big extended family is joyous and rewarding and happy, but time alone is a treasure as well.


I just read the book entry and they do say that the picture depicts Father Time in the original painting. They say that the Hermit card used to be titled "Time".

 

[Baroli]

Very true about father time and time marches on as do the people in the 10 of cups at a family reunion of sorts, showing off the newborn. I think both cards deal with movement in time or life cycle. But to me the Hermit is just resting, before taking up time again and pursuing his life. Just as the baby is resting in his mother's arms before it is time to take up the gaunlet of life.

Baroli