Altars - The Hermit {IX}

The Hermit Altar

 The Hermit - such a simple guy. Sort of.

In my Tarot Archetypes class, we take "Journeys" to "meet" the archetypes represented in each of the 22 Major Arcana (except for The Lovers).

I am only just realizing part of the significance of my journey with The Hermit as I write this: I walked up to him and we hugged and then I "fell" into another world, the darkness of the inside of his cloak being the portal. What only just occurred to me is that this arrangement is representative of the fact that Hermits are internal! There was a whole WORLD in there! Which is to say that there is a whole WORLD inside of ME, of whom the archetypes in my own journeys all represent some part, naturally.

Hermits seem so simple on the outside. Even this altar is very simple and clean. But the world on the INSIDE is RICH and COMPLEX. It's hard to show it on the altar, as it is a non-tangible aspect of oneself. It is also hard to describe to an outsider- like a dream or one of those moments when "you just had to be there" to get it. I guess it is like that in me, a little bit. This must be partly why I am so drawn to expressive arts! This is where the communication happens. The internal shows up externally- even in other people's art! I suppose that's why we make art at all... Communicating and representing some part of this deep, inner, collective consciousness-type experience.

When my husband and I first got together, we had an emotional conversation about communication. He wanted me to talk more. I tried to relate to him how difficult this can be for me by asking him: What if I demanded that you paint me a picture every day? To me, it is the same kind of challenge- What we should do is have meetings where he talks my ear off and I make some art- a fair exchange! He still gets bent out of shape on this point and I still don't demand paintings... Though, perhaps I should! ;D

I'm not sure if my Artist self has everything to do with The Hermit in me- but there is a special relationship there. The Hermit is the card associated with Virgo (my sun sign), while the card associated with Cancer (my husband's) is The Chariot. After doing our numerology and figuring which cards we each had as our Life Lesson card (this work can be found in the book: Tarot for Your Self by Mary K. Greer), it was interesting to find that we each have the other's card! It's no wonder we got together! Apparently, we have a lot to learn from one another...

Anyway, enough about me and my marital [and life] challenges. Back to the Hermit.

  The Hermit finds his own inner light and shines it forth for others/for the world!
Though, most of the time, I suppose, The Hermit is in the process of finding that light. At least, that's where I find myself, at the time. Perhaps one day I can begin to shine.

~Aunt Magic