Images from the classic Rider Waite Tarot represent The Hermit and The Moon birth cards.

Tarot Birth Card Meanings: The Hermit and The Moon

Your path is all about navigating secrecy and solitude

Your Tarot birth cards are special guides meant to help you find your way. Based on your birth date, these cards carry messages of encouragement and reminders to help you stay on track.

The Hermit and The Moon are united by themes of mystery, so if you have this pair in your Tarot birth card lineup, you have a special opportunity to explore these themes and make them your own.

MEET THE HERMIT + THE MOON
Mystery, Solitude, Darkness
Gifts: Trustworthiness, Calm, Comfort with shadow
Challenges: Avoidance, Distance, Obfuscation
Advice: Make time for rest and relaxation. Stay open to meaningful connections. Notice hidden beauty.

Interpreting The Hermit (#9) and The Moon (#18) Birth Cards

The Hermit is a model of deep introspection and wisdom. Often shown as an old man walking by the light of a lantern through the snow, this card stands for the times in life when we have to face the world on our own. No matter how much others love and support us, they can’t learn lessons on our behalf. They can’t do our healing. The Hermit is able to walk solely by the light of his lantern, which contains an illuminated six-pointed star. This symbolizes a commitment to truth and continued learning.

The Moon represents a land of hidden desires, long-held secrets, and even our most haunting sources of shame. This card has a lot in common with the world of dreams -- you’re never quite sure what’s real and what’s not. The Moon itself is a bit like The Hermit’s lantern in that it lights up the darkness and gives you just enough to see by. You’re not going to find any absolutes in the world of The Moon, but you can engage with mystery and begin asking the right questions.

Together, The Hermit and The Moon Tarot birth cards call you into bravery and inspire you to face what’s suppressed or unknown, even if you have to do it alone.

The gifts of The Hermit and The Moon

Each set of Tarot birth cards suggests certain talents and natural abilities. Here are a few associated with The Hermit and The Moon:

1. Trustworthiness

The Hermit and The Moon are both fantastic with secrets. If these are your birth cards, you most likely have a proven track record of respecting confidentiality and holding people’s privacy sacred. You don’t need to gossip or spill the tea in order to prove your worth or find acceptance with others. Instead, you know it’s much more rewarding to show your loved ones that they can count on you to be a respectful sounding board.

2. Calm

When life is rocky and stormy, you can feel like a haven of serenity for others. You carry a certain sense of quiet reflection wherever you go. This is mainly for your own benefit, a way of protecting yourself, but it’s also true that people gravitate to that energy. You can use this gift to offer intimacy and security in your community.

3. Comfort with shadow

You don’t need everything to be bubblegum and sunshine. Your special relationship with The Hermit and The Moon helps you be a little more at ease with the “dark” sides of life, the things that most people hide or consider taboo. This might include your own failures and weaknesses, but it could also be related to your family or your culture. You shouldn't have to be forever looking at the bright side of things -- the shadows contain beauty as well.

The challenges of The Hermit and The Moon

Alongside the gifts, your Tarot birth cards can indicate some particular obstacles. Here’s what to look out for as you get to know The Hermit and The Moon:

1. Avoidance

Both The Hermit and The Moon suggest a tendency to retreat from the real world. You can use this habit to your advantage, perhaps by nurturing an active imagination, but you can also be a little too eager to run away from your problems. The solution could lie in rewarding yourself with a solo activity you really enjoy after you reach important milestones or have difficult conversations you’ve been procrastinating.

2. Distance

The Hermit’s preference for solitude could set you up for keeping others at arm’s length. Vulnerability may not come naturally to you, and while that’s understandable, you could miss out on some crucial wisdom if you refuse to share yourself openly with anyone else. You know how much it means when someone else confides in you, and returning the favor will help them feel safer and more secure in that choice.

3. Obfuscation

Just as The Moon can be full of murky imagery and messages, you can be murky in your communication with others. You might do this purposefully or by total accident, but either way, a habit of disguising the truth can create problems. People might wonder if you’re tricking them and trying to make them feel foolish, or you may just wind up with a situation where it feels like no one knows the real you. Prioritize clarity, especially with people who mean a lot to you.

How to work with The Hermit and The Moon

1. Make time for rest and relaxation.

Perhaps even more than other people, you need time to yourself. You thrive when you have ample opportunities to log off, go into the woods (literal or metaphorical), and reconnect with your core self. This can’t be an “I’ll get around to it when I can” kind of priority. Give yourself the gift of regular me-time.

2. Stay open to meaningful connections.

You know you can rely on yourself, and that’s a powerful thing. Still, you can benefit from relying on others occasionally. Look for people who can meet you where you are, who will respect your boundaries and privacy. Their support can help you explore your inner world with even more confidence and curiosity.

3. Notice hidden beauty.

You’ll find a lot of satisfaction from observing the sweet moments that others overlook. Whether you fix your eye on a tender interaction between a parent and child, a small backyard garden, or a thought-provoking passage in a book, be sure to savor it. Taking even just a few extra seconds to appreciate what you’ve found will fill you up for hours.

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Curious about other birth cards and what wisdom they hold? Use our Tarot birth card calculator to explore the possibilities!