Contemplating The Hermit In Virgo Season

We are in Virgo season, here as the summer fades in preparation for autumn. In the tarot grand trumps, the Hermit is the card of the zodiac sign of Virgo. Virgo is a mutable, earthy sign with a yin polarity. This is fitting as The Hermit is a solitary seeker shining a lantern into the dark night.

As the sun transits Virgo, contemplate on the image of the Hermit, and how these lessons apply to you right now. The Harvest Full Moon is best celebrated this year on Saturday night, September 6th (2025), and is also a Lunar Eclipse (Sunday, Sept 7, 2:09 pm.) This full moon in eclipse ushers us onward toward the Sabbat of Mabon and the autumnal equinox on Monday, Sept. 22nd.

From that auspicious moment forward, the balance point tips into the deep darkness, as nights lengthen. The vitality of nature also withdraws into itself to rest. Turn your own focus within, and see which of your own harvests are ripening right now.

Virgo’s Hermit Holds the Lantern to Light the Way into Autumn – Image by Heron

The Hermit Tarot Card

The character of the hermit is often misunderstood, because they neither fit into the superficial norm of the crowd, nor do they care to fit into the norms. For this reason, this image of the Hermit is often associated with a time of solitude; striking out on your own for a while.

For example, if this card came up in a relationship reading, I might interpret a time of being purposefully single. If it came up in a reading to clarify one’s employment, it may suggest a time to leave a job, consider self-employment, or merely seek your fortunes elsewhere. However, The Hermit card most often presents itself for deeper reasons than just needing some “alone-time.”

I spent a year working with these mysteries in my own Great Work of magick, and I learned that it has much to teach the seeker of a Witch’s wisdom. Witchcraft in itself is an inherently solitary adventure. Even when we are in a coven and working toward common goals, each witch in that circle is still sovereign unto themselves.

The image of the Witch has long been that of the wise, strange hermit living alone in that cottage on the fringe of the forest, and for good reason. We tend to seek comfort in our own counsel and company alone in nature. Besides, when you find kinship in every rock and leaf and animal, a witch is never alone. The buzz of nature is all the crowd a sensitive person can sometimes tolerate.

The Lantern

The Hermit holds out their lantern, light beams split the darkness ahead. Their back is turned away from the obvious, as they peer into the mysterious depths beyond. When I meditate on the image, I see both the seeking and the the discovery of an internal light of fulfillment. That which The Hermit seeks is found within themselves.

Once we un-shutter our inner light, it shines into the shadowy corners of consciousness. It also shines throughout the cosmos so we can find our own way into the mysterious beyond. But before we may discover the hidden truths, we must first face our own shadows. After we are at peace with our inner animal, we can achieve true wholeness and empowerment. Integrating both light and shadow of our five-fold selves is the key to a Witch’s magick.

That is asking a lot, but then again, witchcraft is demanding; it regularly asks us to stand apart. Until we turn away from the blaring din of the crowd, we can never quite hear our own inner voices. Until we leave behind the glaring light of all the obvious illusions in the daylight, our inner eye will struggle to focus on the subtleties revealed by darkness.

The Darkness

This inner clarity transforms us on all levels. In the Thoth Tarot by Lady Frieda Harris, the darkness that the hermit explores is filled with ripened wheat. Gerd Ziegler in his book Tarot: Mirror of the Soul describes the mysteries peeking through the wheat as, “…the fruits of his surrender to the internal Self become visible. The grain can be harvested and shared with others. Whoever has found the inner reality can share the experience of transformation with other seekers.” (1)

The Hermit has inevitably figured out some things that would be valuable to share with others, but they are unlikely to suffer the pestering of fools. They offer deep relationships of Spirit, and if others cannot join them there, they’re happy to keep to themselves. This sounds like many of the elder witches I know: they have a lot to share, but little tolerance for superficiality.

As we transmute through Virgo into the new season of Autumn with Libra, our magick shifts into integration. The whole seasonal magick of Autumn is about integrating the lessons we’ve learned into our being. We take stock of our accomplishments, and what else needs to be done. Resign the societal chorus for a while, and go solo so you can hear your own inner voice. The sociable-ness of summer wanes, and we are given a break to withdraw.

The Moral of the Story

The hermit-times of Virgo give us sacred permission to draw more closely to those of like-mind who share and support the path of Witchcraft we tread. Who would that be in your life? How can you share what you’ve been learning with them? And for the rest of the folks who just don’t “get it,” don’t worry about them. “Live and let live; fairly take and fairly give.” (Rede of the Wiccae)

In your Great Work of Magick for balance between the light and shadow, review any goals you set for yourself this turning of the wheel, and take stock of what yet needs to be completed. Remember that Virgo is famous for organization and list-making. Have fun with it!

Blessed be,

~Heron

PS I’ve you find this kind of thing interesting, you’ll LOVE my first book: Elemental Witchcraft: A Guide to Living a Magickal Life Through the Elements, and the accompanying online course I created: The Pentacle Path of Elemental Witchcraft. We are enrolling NOW for the coming turn of the wheel.