Sage Leaves: The Hermit, Jungian Archetype
Healing Ancestral Wounds Through Tarot
🌿 This week in Sage Leaves… 🌿
As the sun blazes overhead and the world hums with midsummer life, we step quietly into a new cycle shaped by The Hermit—a card of inner light, deep listening, and wisdom earned in stillness. This week in Sage Leaves, we begin exploring this archetype through a Jungian lens, discovering how The Hermit helps us pause, reflect, and realign with our own inner truth.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll walk deeper into his lantern-lit path—following his role in the Heroine’s Journey, and his quiet presence in readings focused on transgenerational healing.
Also waiting for you is the Tarotscope for July 8–14, 2025, offering insight into the week’s energetic currents and how to navigate them with heart and clarity.
And as always, you may find a few surprise offerings along the way: a herbal recipe, a flicker of plant wisdom, or a moment of reflection sparked by your questions. I’ve spent years listening where science, spirit, and ritual meet—and when something meaningful rises, I believe in passing it on.
Thank you for walking this path with me. I’m so glad we’ve met here, in the heart of summer’s light.
The Hermit: A Jungian Journey Within
In Tarot, The Hermit card shows a quiet figure holding a lantern in the dark. He stands alone, away from the world. This card is not about being lonely. It’s about choosing to go inward. In Jungian psychology, The Hermit represents a key archetype: the Wise Old Man. He is not a real person, but a symbol of deep inner wisdom that lives inside all of us.
Carl Jung believed that people carry many archetypes in their unconscious mind. These are symbols, patterns, and roles that appear again and again in myths, stories, and dreams. The Hermit is one of those symbols. When he appears in a reading, he asks you to pause. He invites you to reflect, to turn down the noise of the outside world, and to listen to your inner voice.
The Hermit is often linked to Jung’s idea of the Self. The Self is the whole you—the part that wants balance between your outer life and your inner truth. But to find the Self, you must go on a journey. This journey is not always bright or easy. It takes courage to step away from the crowd. It takes strength to look at your own patterns, wounds, and beliefs.
In this way, The Hermit is also connected to individuation. This is the process Jung described as becoming truly yourself. Not the mask you wear for others. Not the roles you play. But the full, honest you. Individuation often begins when you feel something is missing. Maybe life feels too loud. Maybe you’re tired of pretending. The Hermit appears when you’re ready to step back and listen to what your soul is trying to say.
The lantern in The Hermit’s hand is important. It lights the way, but only a little at a time. This teaches us that we do not need all the answers at once. We only need enough light for the next step. In Jungian terms, the lantern is a symbol of conscious insight. The Hermit shows us that we can bring light into the dark parts of our mind—the fears, the habits, the hidden hopes—and begin to understand them.
"The Hermit reminds us that within each of us is a flame of wisdom, always waiting, always glowing. The journey may be quiet, but it is never empty."
Sometimes, The Hermit also represents a guide. In dreams or in real life, we may meet someone who helps us turn inward. This could be a teacher, a mentor, or even a part of ourselves that whispers, “Look deeper.” Jung often said that the inner teacher is just as real as any person in the outside world. When The Hermit appears, it may be time to trust your own inner teacher.
The Hermit is also about timing. In our fast-moving world, stillness can feel strange. But The Hermit teaches that silence and space are necessary. They are not signs of weakness. They are signs of strength. Stepping away from the world does not mean giving up. It means tuning in. It means listening before acting.
As a Jungian archetype, The Hermit encourages maturity, insight, and deep honesty. He is not flashy or loud. He does not need attention. His power comes from being rooted, from knowing who he is and what he values. When this card comes forward in a reading, it may be asking you to stop chasing and start seeking.
What do you need to learn? What do you need to let go of? What part of you is ready to speak—but only if you become still enough to hear it?
The Hermit reminds us that within each of us is a flame of wisdom, always waiting, always glowing. The journey may be quiet, but it is never empty.
🌿 Reflection Prompt:
Where in your life are you being called to step back, be still, and listen more deeply? What truth might emerge if you gave yourself the quiet space to hear it?
🌿Sage Leaves Weekly Tarotscope
Tarotscope for July 8-14, 2025
As this new week begins, the sky draws its curtain on a restless stage, and the cards whisper the story you’re about to walk. On Tuesday, the Five of Wands rises with the Moon in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces, sparking tension, miscommunication, and the sort of friction that makes sparks—but not always fire. By Wednesday, you move through the clever shadows of the Seven of Swords, while the Moon in Capricorn opposes Jupiter in Cancer, challenging you to balance ambition and emotional truth.
Thursday brings a solemn breath as the Capricorn Full Moon crests and the Strength card appears—not loud, but powerful. This is a turning point, when control is best held in gentle hands. On Friday, the Ten of Swords marks a clear end, sharpened by the Moon in Aquarius sextile Saturn in Aries, a reminder that acceptance is its own kind of wisdom.
By Saturday, the air softens. The Nine of Cups appears with the Moon in Aquarius trine Venus in Gemini, and satisfaction returns, tender and well-earned. On Sunday, emotional harmony deepens with the Ten of Cups, even as Saturn turns retrograde in Aries, asking you to look inward and steady your foundations. Finally, on Monday, you stand taller in the face of resistance. The Seven of Wands arrives as the Moon in Pisces trines Jupiter in Cancer, offering intuition, conviction, and the higher ground you’ve worked for.
The days ahead invite you to move from discord toward defense, from tension toward triumph, and above all, to rise with purpose.
Tuesday – Five of Wands
You step into the week and find sparks already in the air. The Five of Wands shows five figures clashing with staffs. Each wants the lead. No one is listening. The Moon in restless Sagittarius squares misty Neptune, so confusion rises quickly. You may meet competing ideas at work, at home, or in your own mind. Everyone insists on being heard. Take note of the tension, yet do not chase every shout. The card says this conflict is temporary and creative. It challenges you to sharpen your purpose. Ask yourself why you care, then hold that line.
Wednesday – Seven of Swords
The mood shifts from open conflict to silent strategy. The Seven of Swords pictures a figure carrying five swords while glancing over a shoulder. The Moon in Capricorn opposes Jupiter in Cancer, forcing a choice between ambition and comfort. Someone may take more than they need. It could be you. It could be another person. Either way, the lesson is honesty. If you feel tempted to bend a rule, pause. If you sense someone hiding information, look closer. The card reminds you that skill without integrity breeds isolation. Claim only what is yours.
Thursday – Strength
Mid-week you meet the one major arcana of the spread. The Capricorn Full Moon grounds you, while the Strength card invites calm courage. A quiet figure holds a lion, not by force, but by gentle command. Strength tells you to direct the fire of Tuesday and the cunning of Wednesday into centered power. You do not shout. You do not hide. You breathe deeply and stay present. Capricorn urges steady steps. The Full Moon exposes any weak point in your plan, yet it also lights the path forward. Meet the lion within and without. Speak softly, yet mean every word.
Friday – Ten of Swords
Friday brings closure in sharp form. The Ten of Swords is a stark image: a figure on the ground beneath a sky of breaking light. The Moon in Aquarius sextiles Saturn in Aries, mixing clear thought with sober limits. A chapter ends. A mental loop finally snaps. You may feel the sting of disappointment, but the dawn in the card matters more than the blades. Let the old idea die. Free the energy it trapped. Saturn helps you accept the lesson. Aries gives courage to stand again.
Saturday – Nine of Cups
Relief washes in. The Nine of Cups shows a host sitting before nine gleaming chalices. The Moon in Aquarius trines Venus in Gemini, linking friendly ideas with heartfelt pleasure. You taste satisfaction after the shock of Friday. Celebrate progress. Thank yourself for facing truth. Share joy with people who lifted you through the week. The card also hints at self-care. Fill your own cup so you can pour for others later.
Sunday – Ten of Cups
Fulfillment matures from personal to collective. The Ten of Cups depicts a family under a rainbow of cups. Emotional harmony flows wider than one person. Saturn turns retrograde in Aries, asking you to check the structure of your dreams. What relationships deserve deeper roots? The card says love needs both feeling and effort. Use this day to strengthen bonds that matter. Express gratitude. Build rituals of connection.
Monday – Seven of Wands
The week ends with another Wands card, bringing the story full circle. The Seven of Wands shows a figure on higher ground, defending a position with firm resolve. The Moon in Pisces trines Jupiter in Cancer, adding intuition to confidence. Tuesday’s scattered conflict is now focused. You stand tall, staff in hand, ready to protect your progress. Opposition will appear, but you have what you need to meet it. The message is simple: believe in the space you claimed. Hold your truth with courage and grace.
Threads that bind the week
Numbers tell the arc. You start with a Five, move through Sevens, Nines, and Tens. All later-suit cards signal maturity and completion. Early tension evolves into closure, joy, and firm resolve. Two Tens confirm endings that clear room for growth. Two Sevens underline strategy and perseverance.
Suits create balance. Two Wands frame the week, marking conflict and defense. Two Swords cut false stories. Two Cups heal the heart. Strength in the middle anchors everything.
Only one major arcana yet it dominates. Strength teaches disciplined courage. It turns raw conflict into wise action. Place its lesson over every day: courage without kindness fails, and kindness without courage fades.
Astrology adds texture. The Capricorn Full Moon exposes reality. Saturn changing direction asks for serious review. Jupiter’s links offer grace. Neptune’s mist warns against lies. Together they echo the cards: see truth, own power, heal bonds.
🌀 Final takeaway
You opened the week amid clashing voices. You close it on higher ground, defending a position you earned. The path from Five of Wands to Seven of Wands shows growth from scattered energy to focused strength. Along the way you drop false plans, end harmful thoughts, and share genuine joy. Carry that clarity forward. Be ready to listen, ready to stand, and always ready to find courage in quiet control.
Until next week, may the cards guide you gently,
—Dr. Winkler
💫 Would you like a more personalized glimpse into your journey? If you'd like a tarot or Lenormand reading tailored just for you, I invite you to reach out. I’m honored to hold space with you as we explore the symbols and stories of your own unique path. You can connect with me directly:
That’s it for this week! Look for Sage Leaves in your inbox on Tuesday afternoons (North American time.) We look forward to exploring more about Tarot, Healing and more! Take care, be well, and good-bye for now!