The Hermit

It takes many years of study and meditation to gain knowledge of the soul and become a beacon of wisdom. This kind of learning process is often a solo journey wherein we withdraw from outside influences and rely instead on our deep well of inner resources. The wisdom that we seek at these moments comes from the most silent place within us, and we can only gain access to this wisdom by turning our attention, over and over, to the still, small voice that speaks to us from our core. Don’t think that such a path is only for those people who have a strong spiritual inclination. The door to gaining access to this divine guidance is open to everyone. It’s for all of us. The Hermit describes a time when we need to look inward. Perhaps we need to ascertain a deeper meaning for something that is happening in our lives, but we’re not going to find the answers we seek from any source outside ourself. As we enter a period of deep introspection, friends and family might view us as pensive or even aloof and inquire of us “a penny for your thoughts?” Now is the time to unplug, disengage, and meditate. Allow your mind to free-associate, to wander, to daydream in quiet surroundings. Make yourself comfortable in your favourite place, and start looking inside, paying attention to what you might see, feel, and discover there. To calm your mind, it’s helpful simply to observe your breath, as it goes in, as it goes out. Pay attention to whatever thoughts you might be having and to the sensations you feel in your body. When tension arises, breathe it out and away. As your mind settles and your body relaxes, you’re naturally drawn and guided into higher realms of consciousness. There you will find information or knowledge that’s waiting to be untapped, and you'll understand everything you need to realize in your life right now. The path of the Hermit is a solitary one. Your isolation becomes the doorway and entry fee to your inner world. As you go ever deeper inside yourself, stagnated chunks of indigestible duality are left behind. Whatever ordinarily causes you confusion and keeps your mind functioning at its most superficial dimensions is caught in a sieve, and what passes through to the bowl beneath is the golden truth. Let this truth guide you when you surface back into the world where you can apply this new found wisdom to goals that you wish to attain.