2025 - The Hermit Year
Each year we live through has a corresponding tarot archetype associated with it, and the collective card for this year is the Hermit - number 9 in the Major Arcana.
We can expect themes of journeying inwards to seek answers, of respecting the need to retreat when the world gets loud, and of learning to trust our intuition. How comfortable are you being alone, in silence or stillness? Can you allow yourself the conditions you need to access your quiet but steady inner voice of knowing?
Those of us with strong introvert tendencies already get the benefits of taking ourselves away to recharge, but choosing to go inwards isn’t always about resting & recuperation. It can be about deep self-discovery, self-reflection and awakenings that challenge us. Sometimes we need a period of contemplation and transformation in order to truly discover our gifts and be resourced enough to offer them to the world.
A downside is that lengthy solitude can leave us feeling isolated, so it’s important to get the balance right. Or if our face-to-face interactions are limited due to health or circumstances, to be tender with ourselves and seek other ways to feel connected.
Things won’t always feel immediately clear in a Hermit year, because lantern light only shines so far ahead - it makes me think of the E. L. Doctorow quote:
“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”
Substitute ‘writing’ for ‘living through a hermit year’ and it also tracks.
In an ever-more conflicted world it’s vital to consult our internal guidance systems, and to be in close contact with our values. And to be able to do that, we need to be able to tolerate spending time with ourselves. In short, the world could use a bit of Hermit-ing right now.
Personally I love this energy, but if you don’t - I see you. It can feel stalled, stuck or lonely. You can trust though - if you allow your inner lantern to lead the way, when you emerge from your cave you will find you’ve changed.
With love & lantern-light, the Robber’s Daughter 💗
