Daily Draw - The Hermit

I want to show you one of the most beautiful cards I have ever seen. This one comes from the Templar Tarot, which I have fallen completely, utterly in love with. Here we see the Hermit, as an angel, wings torn asunder. One of the striking things to me about this deck is that while angels abound, they are not the bright, perfect angels we often see in imagery. These angels have been tested, and they are sometimes worse for the wear. Even so, I find them hauntingly beautiful and I love them deeply.

There is no way to know the gender of this angel, but I imagine she is me, wrapping herself up tight against the world, deep in retreat with her thoughts and her God. I am not surprised to see a message about isolation and withdrawal, because I am well aware that this is a season for that, for me. What I am endlessly pleased to note, however, is that this is my favorite card from this deck, and I scanned a picture of it only because I wanted an excuse to write about it, at some point. Then my cards obliged me by providing it for the card of the day. Beautiful synchronicity at work!

The LWB from the deck describes the angel figure as John the Baptist. "A cloaked and hidden figure stands in a grim land without comfort, yet the location is high and close to God... The Hermit is the teacher who points out truth in the chaos of life through reflection and introspection." I have been led by faith through some pretty tight places, and I don't doubt that there are more to come. Nonetheless, it is a comfort to know that wherever we go, we can find that quiet place within ourselves, and fill it with light and love and just bask there to recharge.

I see the Hermit as a reminder that God speaks softly, most often, so we have to have the ears to hear. I often get the Hermit when I need to spend time alone, which is maybe more often than some people, because that is where I find the most rest in healing, in solitude, in deep reflection, in prayer and meditation, all of which is terribly simple to say, simple to do, but not as easy as it sounds, if you know what I mean *wink*

We all know I have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to decks, but this one is really speaking to me. I think it does a good job of appealing to my Christian sensibilities while not excluding the other mysteries that exist in our wonderful, perplexing world. I love God, but I don't think that means only in church, and I don't think it means to be closed minded.

Happy Monday to you all! I will be posting a review of the mass market Touchstone Tarot very soon!





These images are from Templar Tarot by Allen Chester and Radiant Rider Waite by US Games.