I often respectful retreat from social occasions in exchange for more time to focus on a project. I will admit I didn't go all in on this. I stayed in communication with my friends, went to social gatherings and hosted a friend who visited for a week.
I recognized this would be an ideal time to go on a 10 day silent Vipasina retreat. Yet I backed down from this challenge, favoring staying on track with work and life commitments. I did meditate on a daily basis. In particular I used an app called: Balance.
The Hermit is deeply connected to all the previous archetypes. Like most of the arcana, they support the Chariot Archetype which aligns a person with a life purpose and meaning.
Video made using NightCafe AI Image Generator based of my drawing. The audio is me reading what I wrote about the Hermit Archetype above.
While I was studying The Hermit I was invited to attend Burning Man with some friends. I knew my higher self and spiritual path recommend I not go, and instead focus on Collective Allies and my career. It's obvious that The Hermit Archetype would not go to such an extroverted celebration. But the opportunity remained as tickets kept being available. I thought about it a lot, seeing it as a once in a liftime opportunity, and a portal to another dimension, one sutable for The Magician Archetype, which I feel so in alignment with naturally. It felt like a calling I could not ignore. 10 days before the event, a ride situation and camp emerged so I finally said yes.
I justified it by recognizing the next archetype is The Wheel of Fortune, which can be traditionally celebrated with a symbolic ceremonial burning of a straw man. So I jumped ahead without fully completing The Hermit Archetype and went to burning man. When I got back I recognize that I had bent my spiritual path to justify going on a grand adventure. So I admitted to myself I had not graduated The Hermit Archetype, and continued my embodiment of a month after Burning Man.
Sobriety and sacred sacrament use is a part of The Hermit for me. It's a more stoic archetype, not seeking a quick high or a burst of energy. This way of being is also a big part of The High Priestess, the archetype located directly above The Hermit as it is the 2nd card of the first row.There are a lot of parallels between The High Priestess and The Hermit as they are intimately connected.
When I was struggling with the decision to go to Burning Man, I consulted with my higher self, and my high priestess archetype mentor. I was clearly advised not to go. Which I did accept mostly, but I couldn't get it out of my head, and decided to go against the good advice. Which I now regret, even though I accept my choice and did have an amazing time.
The 2nd card on the 3rd row is "The Tower". This card is associated with loosing something that has been built up after a spark of insight or major life event. It is often an emotionally challenging card that leads to a feeling of separation or isolation.
I felt this when I returned from Burning Man and realized I had made a mistake. despite how much fun and how memorable it was, I had been ripped away from paradise to return to my life with less money and feeling further behind. I had lost something I had built up and suffered from it.
I also felt the Tower Archetype when I broke up out of a relationship and felt conflict with some of my friends. I lost a lot of emotional support and love from people in my life. I used the unpleasant emotions to help me more easily turn away from social obligations and make more time to get my life sorted out. From this hurt and determined place, I worked hard on my projects, got good rest, exercised and let go of some of the simple pleasures and escapism I am used to indulging in.
I took the hermit drawing I did and brought it in to NightCafe AI to colorize. It was great to see what it was able to do while staying true to the original drawing.
I made breath work videos that showed a breathing meter on the screen so you can breath at a deeper rate while tuning into the uplifting music. I'm still working on refining this so the breathing rate matches the music better.
I have kept a lot of drawings from my youth. These are 2 drawings I did in that I titled: The Hermit:
Previous Associations with The Hermit Archetype (2001):
