The Hermit Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love and Yes/No
The Hermit is the card of quiet reflection. It invites you to step back, listen to your inner voice and find your own answers.
- Solitude, reflection, inner guidance, wisdom.
- Yes or no: upright leans not yet, reversed leans no.
- Astrology link: Virgo, in the Golden Dawn system most decks follow. Systems vary.
On this page (13 sections)
- The Hermit at a glance
- The Hermit in one minute
- The Hermit upright meaning
- The Hermit reversed meaning
- The Hermit in love and relationships
- The Hermit in career and money
- The Hermit as a yes or no answer
- Quiz: does The Hermit fit your situation?
- Reflect on The Hermit
- The Hermit and astrology
- Cards often paired with The Hermit
- The Hermit FAQ
- Keep exploring
The Hermit at a glance
| Number | IX, Major Arcana |
| Keywords | Solitude, reflection, inner guidance, wisdom |
| Astrology | Virgo, in the Golden Dawn system most decks follow. Systems vary. |
| Yes or no | Upright: leans not yet. Reversed: leans no. |
The Hermit in one minute
| Good or bad? | Neutral to cautious. It asks you to pause. |
| As a person | A wise mentor, or someone who has withdrawn to think. |
| As advice | Step back, reflect and listen to your inner voice before deciding. |
| As a warning | Isolation if the pause turns into avoidance. |
The Hermit upright meaning
The Hermit shows an old figure on a mountain peak, holding a lantern with a star inside and a staff. The lantern lights only a few steps ahead. It is a picture of wisdom found alone and of guiding yourself one step at a time.
Upright, The Hermit means a time for solitude, reflection and inner guidance. You may need a break from the noise to think clearly. It is not loneliness. It is chosen quiet, so you can hear yourself.
A real-life example: someone who is always busy and surrounded by people feels lost. They take a weekend alone, switch off the phone and realise what they actually want. That is The Hermit.
The Hermit reversed meaning
Reversed, The Hermit can mean isolation that has gone too far, loneliness or withdrawing from people who care about you. It can also mean refusing to look inward, or avoiding solitude because you fear what you will find.
- Signs: shutting people out, feeling lost and alone, or filling every moment so you never have to think.
- What may help: reach out to one trusted person, or schedule a little quiet time on purpose.
The Hermit in love and relationships
If you’re in a relationship
A need for space, or a time of reflection in the relationship. Take time to understand what you want, and communicate it. Reversed, withdrawal or emotional distance may be hurting the connection.
If you’re single
A good time to be on your own and focus on yourself, without pressure to date. You may be learning what you really want. Reversed, loneliness or avoiding connection.
The Hermit in career and money
Reflection before the next step: a time to think about your direction, to study, or to work independently. For money, review your finances carefully. Reversed, isolation at work or avoiding a decision.
The Hermit as a yes or no answer
On this site every card follows one rule. The Hermit upright leans not yet: it is a time to pause and reflect first. Reversed, it leans no: the pause has turned into a real stop. This is a guide for reflection, not a prediction. For a quick one-card answer, try our free yes/no tarot reading.
Quiz: does The Hermit fit your situation?
Reflect on The Hermit
Pick an area of your life for three questions to think about.
The Hermit and astrology
Most decks link The Hermit to Virgo, the sign of careful thought and quiet service. Systems vary, so follow your deck's guidebook if it says otherwise. To learn more, read about the planets in astrology.
Cards often paired with The Hermit
The Hermit looks different from deck to deck. Our guide to the best tarot decks for beginners explains which pictures are easiest to read.
Some links on our deck and book pages are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
The Hermit FAQ
Is The Hermit a good or bad card?
Neither. It is a card of reflection. It is positive when you need quiet to think, and a warning when solitude turns into isolation.
What does The Hermit mean in love?
Space and reflection. It can mean a break, or time alone to understand what you want. It does not automatically mean a breakup.
Is The Hermit a yes or no card?
In our site-wide rule, The Hermit upright leans not yet: pause and reflect first. Reversed it leans no.
What does The Hermit mean with other cards?
With Strength, quiet strength. With The Tower, reflection after a shock. With The Sun, clarity after time alone.
Keep exploring
- Browse all tarot card meanings
- New to tarot? Start with tarot for beginners
- Quick answer: our free yes/no tarot reading
How we made this page
Written and edited by the Centaurus team. We aim to be clear about what is tradition, what is our own reading, and what is fact.
How it works
We describe the card in the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, give a plain meaning for upright and reversed, then add love, career and yes/no readings. The quiz and reflection tools are for thinking, and nothing you type is saved or sent.
Sources and background
- Imagery and symbols: the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, drawn by Pamela Colman Smith for A.E. Waite (1909).
- Meanings: informed by A.E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911, public domain) and modern teaching, then written in our own plain words.
- Astrology links follow the Golden Dawn system. Other systems assign different signs and planets, and we say so on the page.
- Yes or no rule on this site: every card leans Yes, Not yet, No or Maybe, and reversed cards shift one step more cautious.
What this page cannot do
Tarot cannot predict the future, and a card does not decide what you should do. Decks and readers differ, so meanings vary. It is not medical, legal, financial or mental-health advice.
Affiliate disclosure
Some links on our deck and book pages are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.
Spot a mistake?
Tell us through our contact page. We check every report and fix errors. See also our privacy policy.
Tarot is a tool for reflection and entertainment. It cannot predict the future and is not a substitute for professional medical, legal or financial advice.