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The Twentieth Path — The Hermit & the Intelligence of Will (Yod)

From the Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom

Paul Foster Case designates the 20th Path—corresponding to Key 9, The Hermit—as the Intelligence of Will, a profoundly Hermetic title that reveals the Path’s secret nature: the preparation of the Adept as a vessel of Primordial Wisdom.

This is the Path where the seed-spark of Yod awakens within the aspirant, drawing the Solar Self upward toward the sphere of Chesed. It is the Path on which the Adept learns the difference between desire and Will, between the noise of the ego and the whisper of the Divine.

🔹 Yod: The Seed-Fire of the Hermit

Letter: י (Yod)
Path: Tiphareth → Chesed
Title: The Intelligence of Will
Astrological Correspondence: Virgo (Mutable Earth)
Planetary Ruler: Mercury
Esoteric Element: The Seed of Fire
Thoth Tarot: The Hermit holding the Lamp of Tiphareth and the Orphic Egg of regenerated life

Among all twenty-two letters, Yod is the smallest, yet the most potent. Qabalists call it “the primal seed of all other letters”—the initial point through which the Infinite Light first concentrates into specific form.

Crowley called Yod “the spermatic spark,” the divine instigation of the Logos. Yod is Kether beginning to become “something,” the first contraction of Ain Soph Aur into a point of becoming.

Thus, Yod expresses Divine Will in its purest, most concentrated form.

And so the Hermit, who bears Yod, is not merely a solitary wanderer—
he is the Seed of the Magus, withdrawn not from the world, but back into the center of Creation.

🔮 The Hermit as the Archetype of Inner Will

1. Yod as the Divine Spark of Selfhood

The Hermit’s lantern contains the Sun of Tiphareth, the True Self, the Golden Child. His staff is the phallic Yod-force itself—Will as the living axis of the Adept.

Where ego desires and wanders, Will concentrates.

Where ego reacts, Will initiates.

The Intelligence of Will is the means by which the Adept perceives the existence of Primordial Wisdom—Chokmah as the Logos, but here filtered through the Solar Self into individualized purpose.

2. Solitude as the Mechanism of Magical Concentration

The Hermit withdraws not as an escape, but as a preparatory contraction necessary for power.

Magically, contraction precedes expansion.
Silence precedes utterance.
Yod precedes the entire alphabet.

Thus, the Hermit embodies the magician in the pre-formative stage—the precise moment when:

• personal will is stripped of conditioning

• emotional turbulence is quieted

• the noise of the lower astral is neutralized

• the Adept listens for the Voice of the True Will

Without this phase, all outer action is wasted.

The Hermit therefore becomes the inner gestation chamber of the Magus. Before the Adept can wield the Wand (Will-in-Action), they must first become the Yod-point, focused and unfragmented.

3. From Tiphareth to Chesed: The Ascent Into Mastery

The 20th Path rises from the Solar Ego-Soul (Tiphareth) toward Chesed, the sphere of:

• divine law

• mercy

• cosmic authority

• the perfected “Architect” principle

This ascent teaches that true Will is never tyrannical or self-assertive. Will must harmonize with Mercy—otherwise it becomes severity, which belongs to the next Sephiroth (Geburah).

Thus the Hermit cultivates a Will that:

• refines rather than compels

• elevates rather than dominates

• illuminates rather than blinds

The Adept discovers a paradox here:
Will is strongest when it is aligned, not when it is forced.

Through this Path, the aspirant becomes a channel for Dharmic Order—the universal architecture of Being. Will becomes a tool of harmony, not aggression.

🜏 Virgo, Mercury, and the Hermit’s Alchemy

Virgo is Mutable Earth—matter undergoing refinement.
Mercury rules Virgo—the Mind acting as a guide and psychopomp.

Together, they form the Hermit’s alchemical formula:

Mercury (mind) + Virgo (purification) + Yod (seed-fire) = Alchemical Distillation

In the Thoth card, the Hermit holds the Orphic Egg, symbolizing:

• the seed of future creation

• the unborn potential of the Adept

• the synthesis of all earlier paths (0–8) into a new emergent identity

Virgo’s analytical power ensures the Adept doesn’t mistake emotional impulses for Will. The Intelligence of Will is intelligent precisely because it discerns.

🜂 The Esoteric Function: Will as the Voice of the Soul

The Hermit teaches:

• Will arises from the Soul, not the personality

• Will is a seed, not a storm

• Will is silent, not loud

• Will prepares before it acts

• Will is the Light within, not the pressures without

This Intelligence instructs the Adept that:

To Know Will — withdraw into the Seed.
To Prepare Will — strip away illusion.
To Act in Will — illuminate the path for others.

The Hermit is not a recluse.
He is a beacon turned inward until the inner flame becomes strong enough to guide others outward.

This is why the Thoth Hermit radiates light that pierces darkness—
Will is luminous.

🗝 Conclusion: The Hermit as the Maker of Magi

The Twentieth Path is the mystery of Yod—the primal impulse through which the Adept becomes a conscious participant in the divine unfolding.

Paul Foster Case names it the Intelligence of Will because:

• it is the mechanism by which Divine Intent becomes known to the individual

• it is the stage where the Adept learns to distinguish Will from desire

• it is the preparation of the Magus before ascent into greater authority

• it is the inner refinement through which Primordial Wisdom shines into the mind

• it is the birth of the Adept’s true function in the Great Work

The Hermit is the seed-phase of Adeptship—the place where:

Light contracts into a point,
the Soul reveals its direction,
and the Magus is quietly born.

The Formula of the Princess

A Hermetic Overview of the Final Heh in YHVH

In Hermetic Qabalah, the Divine Name YHVH (יהוה) is not merely the “Tetragrammaton”—it is the master formula of manifestation, the skeleton key to all magical operations. Each letter is a phase in the creative process:

• Yod (י) – Fire, Father, primal Will, the Hermit

• Heh (ה) – Water, Mother, the fertile matrix, the Empress

• Vav (ו) – Air, Son, Logos, the Hierophant/Prince

• Final Heh (ה) – Earth, Daughter, the Princess

The entire structure of the Tarot Court Cards maps onto this formula, with each Court family representing a different permutation of YHVH. But the Princess—the final Heh—is the true pivot of the magical cycles.

She is the one who makes the formula real.

She anchors the forces of Fire, Water, and Air into Earth—into density, into form, into the field of consequences.

Crowley declared:
“The Princesses rule the new Aeon.”
For she is not only the result of the formula—
she is the seed of the next formula entirely.

Let us examine this deeper.

✴️ YHVH as the Formula of Manifestation

The Tetragrammaton describes the whole arc of magical creation:

1. Yod – Will

   • the spark

   • the Logos in seed form

   • the Father inseminating possibility

2. Heh – Understanding

   • the receptive womb

   • archetypal gestation

   • the Mother as matrix of form

3. Vav – Formative Logos

   • the architect

   • the Son/Sun

   • the connector between Above and Below

4. Final Heh – Manifestation

   • the Earth, Daughter, and Princess

   • the crystallization of all prior forces

   • the final link that makes the Name complete

But the final Heh is not passive.

She is the Initiatrix of cycles, the Priestess of Manifestation, and the future Mother in waiting.

Her womb is the Earth, and thus the Princess carries within her the seeds of all potential futures.

🌱 The Princess as Prima Materia

Earth as latent power

In the Thoth system, each Princess is Earth of one of the elements:

• Princess of Wands – Earth of Fire

• Princess of Cups – Earth of Water

• Princess of Swords – Earth of Air

• Princess of Disks – Earth of Earth

Earth here is not dead matter—it is dormant, unawakened, potential yet unrealized.

Crowley describes the Princesses as:

• “The thrones of the Ace”

• “The ultimate receptacle of the elemental force”

• “The generators of the new Aeon”

The Princess is the astral womb, the field of becoming, where the influences of the other three letters finally cohere into embodied reality.

She is the Shekinah, the indwelling presence of divinity in the world of form.

The Princess is not the end of the formula—
she is the hinge upon which the next cycle turns.

🜍 Why the Hermit (Yod) Is Central to the Formula

The Hermit is the living Yod, the spermatic spark of Fire, the wand of concentrated Will. His phallic lamp is the luminous seed that penetrates the darkness of the Earth-womb.

In the alchemical-Solar mysteries:

• The Hermit is the active initiator.

• The Princess is the receptive power of manifestation.

• Their union produces the Son/Sun (Vav).

• And this Logos regenerates the Mother (Heh) for the next cycle.

This is the alchemical wheel of becoming.

Yod inseminates Heh-final, and the cycle of creation restarts.

The Hermit’s Virgo attribution deepens this paradox:
Virgo is Mutable Earth, the Virgin Mother-Womb.

Thus the Hermit is both:

• the seed, Yod

• the soil, Virgo

He is self-contained generative power, the magical androgyne who carries the seed-force capable of fertilizing the Princess and initiating Aeonic regeneration.

🜂 Hermetic Alchemy of the Princess

In alchemical terms:

• The Princess = Prima Materia
  raw matter, chaos of potential, the Earth of the Work

• Yod/Hermit = Philosophic Mercury
  the transmitter of Wisdom, the alchemical seed

• Their union = Secret Fire
  the hidden spark that awakens the Work and initiates transformation

The Princess is “inert” only in the sense that Prima Materia needs a spark to begin fermentation. She is the chaos womb, the place where form is rearranged, destroyed, or reborn.

When activated by the Hermit’s Will, the Princess becomes:

• The Mother

• The power of the Ace in manifestation

• The carrier of the Aeon-to-come

• The tower of vengeance against corrupted forms

• The throne of renewal

Thus the Princess is the true alchemical engine of the Court.

🔁 Aeonic Implications: The Princess as World-Soul

Crowley emphasizes a radical idea:

Every Princess contains the seed of the next Aeon.

Why?

Because Earth (final Heh) is where all karma, all patterns, all expressions finally meet consequences. If the Daughter is corrupted, the collapse of an Aeon follows.

But when she is awakened—
the Daughter becomes the Mother,
and a new Aeon is conceived.

Thus:

• The Princess redeems the formula

• The Princess fulfills the formula

• The Princess begins the next formula

This is why she is called:

“The Throne of the Ace,
the womb of all future possibility.”

🜏 Summary: The Princess as the Fulcrum of Manifestation

The Formula of the Princess is the occult mechanism through which Divine Will becomes embodied Being.

• Yod (Hermit) is the seed of Will.

• Final Heh (Princess) is the Earth womb where Will is realized.

• Together, they birth the Son/Sun (Vav) and regenerate the Mother (Heh).

• The Daughter then becomes the Mother, restarting creation.

• Every Princess holds the seed of the next Aeon.

Thus, in the deepest Hermetic sense:

The Hermit awakens the World.
The Princess rebirths the Aeon.
YHVH becomes a spiral, not a line.

The Formula of the Princess is the law of magical manifestation—
the Divine cycle of fertilization, incarnation, renewal, and creatio

Individuals with the Sun in Virgo often exhibit distinctive characteristics associated with this zodiac sign. Virgo is ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication and intellect, influencing their traits. Here are some unique characteristics of someone with their Sun in Virgo:

1. Analytical and Detail-Oriented: Virgos have a keen eye for detail and are highly analytical. They excel in tasks that require precision and attention to minutiae.

2. Practical and Grounded: Virgos are known for their practicality and down-to-earth nature. They prefer tangible, realistic solutions and are not prone to flights of fancy.

3. Organized and Efficient: Virgos thrive in organized environments. They have a natural ability to streamline processes and ensure efficiency, making them excellent planners and organizers.

4. Service-Oriented: Virgos derive satisfaction from helping others. They often find fulfillment in acts of service and are willing to go the extra mile to support those around them.

5. Critical Thinkers: Virgos have a sharp mind and are critical thinkers. They enjoy problem-solving and are adept at finding logical solutions to challenges.

6. Modesty and Humility: Virgos are typically modest and humble, preferring to let their actions speak louder than words. They may downplay their achievements and seek improvement continually.

7. Health-Conscious: Virgos are mindful of their well-being and often adopt healthy lifestyles. They pay attention to diet, exercise, and overall self-care to maintain optimal health.

8. Worry Prone: While their analytical minds serve them well, Virgos may sometimes overanalyze and become prone to worrying. It's important for them to find a balance and not let anxiety dominate their thoughts.

9. Discerning Tastes: Virgos often have refined and discerning tastes. Whether it's in the arts, fashion, or any other aspect of life, they appreciate quality and craftsmanship.

Understanding these traits can provide insights into the personality of individuals with their Sun in Virgo. Keep in mind that the overall astrological profile, including the Moon and rising signs, contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of a person's characteristics.

The Hermit, Thoth, and the Wise Companion of the Dawn

A Hermetic Expansion on the Solitary Seeker and the Baboon of Thoth

The Tarot Hermit—Key 9 in both the Thoth Tarot and traditional systems—is the archetypal figure of solitude, contemplation, and inner mastery. He is the secluded Adept, the sage who retreats not from fear of the world but in devotion to the inner Light. Both the Thoth ATU IX and the Medieval Feathers Tarot – Key 9 depict a lone, elderly figure, emphasizing that this card expresses the wisdom of accumulated ages, the lifelong discipline through which the Soul’s luminous Will (Yod) awakens.

This Hermit is the terrestrial expression of the Egyptian Thoth—the ibis-headed god of wisdom, writing, magic, timekeeping, and the measurement of cosmic order. As Hermes to the Greeks, he became the intellectual ancestor of the entire Hermetic Tradition. And in the Thoth Tarot system, the Hermit’s deeper identity is unmistakable:
He is the inner Thoth within the Adept—the solitary scribe of destiny.

But where Thoth appears, a lesser-known figure follows just behind him:
the sacred baboon, his animal double.

Though unnamed in Egyptian texts, this companion carries intense symbolic weight, enhancing our understanding of the Hermit’s nature.

🐒 The Baboon of Thoth: Companion of the Dawn

In Egyptian iconography, Thoth sometimes appears as an ibis-headed deity, and sometimes as a baboon seated upon a crescent lunar disk. This is not merely an alternate form—it is the raw, instinctive, primordial reflection of his wisdom. Where Thoth is the refined intellect, the baboon is the ancient instinct of knowing, the animal soul paying homage to the solar and lunar cycles.

1. Wisdom and Ancient Knowledge

Baboons were regarded as profoundly wise creatures. Their expressive faces and social intelligence led Egyptians to perceive them as guardians of secret knowledge. Thus, in the Hermit card—where the Adept consults the inner guide—the baboon represents the pre-rational wisdom that underlies conceptual thought.

Thoth = abstract wisdom
Baboon = instinctual wisdom
Together = the full spectrum of consciousness

Just as the Hermit bridges Chesed and Tiphareth, the baboon bridges the natural and the divine.

2. Worshippers of the Sun: The Dawn-Chanting Initiates

Egyptians observed that baboons gathered and chattered at sunrise as though greeting the Sun with liturgical devotion. Thus they became sacred to Thoth, who measured:

• the hours

• the lunar cycles

• the seasons

• the reckoning of time

The Hermit’s lantern—his inner Sun—echoes this.
The baboon is the herald of its rising.

This symbolizes the Hermit’s function as the one who welcomes the dawning of inner illumination. The baboon’s chattering is the natural corollary of the Hermit’s profound silence:
harmony between instinct and enlightenment.

3. Justice, Balance, and the Scales of Maat

In the Weighing of the Heart ceremony, Thoth records the results while a baboon acts as an assistant or mediator to the scales. The baboon embodies:

• fair judgment

• impartial instinct

• the intuitive discernment that precedes rational verdict

This links the Hermit to Divine Justice at a subtler level than the card Justice (Key 8/11).
The Hermit is not the enforcer of law—he is the perceiver of it.

He is the one who sees truth before it becomes form.

4. Patron of Scribes and Archivists

Thoth is the god of:

• writing

• magical formulae

• sacred texts

• Divine accounting

Thus baboons, often depicted holding writing palettes, became symbols of scribes and scholars. In Hermetic Qabalah, this is deeply significant: the Hermit (Yod) is the seed of the Word, the primal spark that precedes the Logos (Vav).

The baboon, therefore, represents:

• the first stirring of the Word

• the instinct to articulate

• the primordial attempt to record one’s reality

The Hermit’s staff (Yod), lantern (Sun), and the Orphic Egg (Thoth card) are the refined symbols of this same function.
The baboon is the primal scribe before the alphabet—
just as Yod is the primal point before the lette

🜏 The Hermit as Thoth Incarnate

The lonely seeker of the Hermit card is not simply “a wise old man.”
He is the vehicle of Divine Wisdom, the human face of Thoth’s guiding intelligence. Like Thoth:

• He is solitary but not isolated

• He is the witness of inner truth

• He is the measurer of spiritual cycles

• He is the scribe of the Soul’s unfolding

• He is the guide between worlds (psychopomp)

The Hermit is the Adept who internalizes Thoth until wisdom becomes second nature.

And when the baboon appears in this symbolism, it reminds us that:

• Wisdom is instinct before it is intellect

• Devotion to the Light is natural before it is religious

• Justice is intuitive before it becomes ceremonial

• The Soul knows before the mind understands

Thus the Hermit carries both the ibis and the baboon within him—the divine intellect and the primal knowing.

The Hermit stands alone, but he is never without companions.

🜂 The Hidden Initiation

The Hermit and the baboon together express a secret:
Wisdom requires both silence and instinct.

The ibis is the precision of mystical understanding.
The baboon is the raw soul greeting the dawn.

In the Adept, these become one force:

• The lantern = awakened consciousness

• The staff = focused Will

• The solitary road = the spiritual quest

• The baboon = the instinctive devotion to the Light

This completes the Hermit’s formula in the most ancient Egyptian sense.

Arcane Tarot – Key 9 – The Hermit

The Ancient of Days and the Mountain of Gnosis

The Arcane Tarot – Key 9 – The Hermit presents a striking departure from the traditional lantern-bearing seeker. Here we encounter the Ancient of Days, a venerable sage standing upon a solitary mountain peak. His staff is the Wand of Wisdom—the stabilizing axis of Will—yet the illumination does not come from an external light. Instead, a halo radiates from his head, symbolizing enlightenment that arises from within rather than without.

This imagery emphasizes the most fundamental Hermetic truth:
the Light you seek is already in you.

Where the Thoth Tarot shows the Hermit holding the Sun of Tiphareth in his lamp, the Arcane Tarot suggests that this solar fire has already been internalized. His halo becomes the crown of illumination—Kether reflected in the microcosm—guiding him through the darkness of the world and the wilderness of the psyche.

He stands alone not as an exile, but as one who has reached the summit of inward ascent. His solitude is sacred, chosen, purposeful.

✨ Upright Meaning: The Call to Inner Illumination

The Arcane Hermit signals the time to step away from external noise and withdraw into the sanctuary of your own inner truth. This is not isolation born of fear, but intentional solitude—the alchemical container in which real insight forms.

You are invited to:

• pause

• reflect

• listen inwardly

• reconnect with the guiding flame of your own wisdom

The Hermit is never lonely. He knows the deepest companionship is with the Higher Self.

❤️ Relationships: Reclaiming Inner Space

In the context of relationships, this card suggests a need for space—not to withdraw permanently, but to remember who you are outside the dynamic of partnership.

Through this temporary stepping back:

• clarity is restored

• boundaries are honored

• old wounds surface for healing

• authentic connection can return

When the individual reconnects with their own Soul, the relationship may grow stronger and more real.

💼 Career: Solitary Insight and Self-Direction

For career matters, the Arcane Hermit encourages:

• introspection

• reevaluation of goals

• working independently

• rediscovering your true motivations

This is a time to step outside the expectations of others and listen for your own professional truth. Your inner guidance system is more accurate right now than external advice or group pressure.

You may be called to temporarily withdraw from collaborative chaos to regain spiritual and mental clarity.

🔄 Reversed: The Shadow of Avoidance or the Need to Return

When reversed, the Arcane Hermit highlights the tension between solitude and isolation.

This can indicate:

• fear of being alone

• avoidance of self-examination

• retreating too deeply into withdrawal

• using isolation as a shield rather than a sanctuary

If loneliness has become burdensome, or if introspection has tipped into overthinking, this card advises stepping gently back into the world.
Reconnection—even in small steps—restores balance

🜏 Hermetic Integration: The Ancient of Days as Inner Teacher

The Arcane Tarot’s Hermit aligns beautifully with the Western Hermetic concept of the Inner Master—the ancient intelligence within that guides the aspirant through the Path of Yod. The mountain is symbolic of the ascent into higher consciousness, while the halo represents the illumination of the Neshamah, the higher soul.

Where other decks depict the Hermit seeking the Light, the Arcane Hermit is the Light.

He embodies gnosis, the awakened state toward which all true Hermetic seekers aspire.

According to Crowley the Hermit is the symbol of a blood engorged lingam after ejaculation, hence the white hair looks more semen like and the spermatozoon is shown released into the "fertile dark" of the Subconscious, and swimming towards the Universal/Orphic egg above it.

The Hermit (Yod) is the active principle—the spark of divine Will or Solar seed. He represents the initiator of the process.

• Yod (Hermit) is the sperm or flame entering the Princess (Earth matrix).

• His seed-force fertilizes the dormant Shekinah (Princess), bringing forth the Son (Vav) and initiating

The Orphic egg represents the "egg of Akasha" and it being wrapped in a serpent also implies fertilization.

Cerberus.

The figure of the Thoth Hermit is staring at the Orphic egg, which is conterminous with the Universe, and is wrapped in the iridescent many-colored serpentine energy of Mercury that fertilizes it. The Thoth Tarot card, with its three headed guard dog Cerberus that guards the gates of Hell, represents time; one head represents the Past (head facing backwards), one head the Future (head facing forward) and one head represents the Present (Face looking at hermit). Cerberus also recalls The Greek Legend of Persephone and Hades.

The reference to the Hermit's mastery of time is shown in the Tarot as his ancient gray beard and his accompaniment of Cerberus. I would suggest that the student read the legend of Hades and Persephone to further have fun understanding and contemplating this card's connection to the "underworld" of the Subconscious mind: the Nephesh. This knowledge is also shown in the legend of Inanna and her underworld sister Ereshkigal.

In this Thoth Trump, is illustrated the secret of life and all its workings. For instance, Yod=Phallus=Spermatozoon-Hand=Logos=Virgin. Crowley says in his book of Thoth:

 "There is perfect identity, not merely Equivalence, of the Extremes, the Manifestation, and the Method."

As you may note, in both Decks, ATU/ Key 9, is about the solitary person who walks the path that leads to the Higher Self and perfection of the soul. It is the image of the Adept-Magus and their detachment from the material world of man.

S/He's often so far advanced in psyche, that most people find them difficult to comprehend. Hence, they seem solitary in their journey, totally at peace in their presence. However, this does not deter their willingness to light the path for those who wish to know the depths of self.

The Hermit Card corresponds to the archetype or the "selfless servant of the Self", who is searching for truth in the Souls that operate human beings in their name. The Hermit does not represent a gender. Rather the Hermit represents willful action--hence an action of "Will-to-force". Deep within our internal silence, we will find this intelligence, whose wisdom is always available; one just needs to go into deep introspection, listening only to the pregnant silence of the Greater Self. Just as Moses led the Hebrews, we also have an inner Sun/Son who is a true Hermit and who will lead by example.

There is an ancient Greek and Roman connection to the Hermit and Virgo -the Virgin and time-space.

In Ancient Greek religion and mythology, Hestia (/ˈhɛstiə, ˈhɛstʃə/; Greek: Ἑστία, "hearth" or "fireside") is the virgin goddess of the hearth, her Roman counterpart, was also the virgin goddess of the hearth and the right ordering of domesticity, the family, the home, and the state. This also connects the Hermit with the Virgin-Virgo.

In her story, Hestia is the firstborn child of the Titans, Cronus, and Rhea. Cronus was the god of Time; Therefore, connecting her to time/space.

Greek custom required that as the goddess of sacrificial fire, Hestia should receive the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. In the public domain, the hearth of the prytaneum functioned as her official sanctuary. Whenever a new colony was established, a flame from Hestia's public hearth in the mother city would be carried to the new settlement. Therefore, the Hermit is also connected to the feminine virgin- Maid, of the triple goddess of Maid-Mother-Crone. One finds that the male and female are never separated. Separation is merely the fantasy of divisionism.

There is an ancient Greek story of a hermit that is attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes of Sinope, who was a prominent figure in the Cynic school of philosophy. Diogenes was known for his eccentric behavior and his scathing critique of social conventions. One of the most famous stories about him is that he would walk through Athens in broad daylight carrying a lantern, searching for an "honest man."

When asked why he carried a lantern during the day, Diogenes reportedly replied that he was looking for an honest person but had yet to find one, highlighting his belief that true integrity was exceedingly rare. This act became a symbol of his critique of the dishonesty, corruption, and hypocrisy he perceived in society.

This image of Diogenes with the lantern has parallels with the Hermit card in the Tarot, where the Hermit holds a lantern as a guide toward truth and enlightenment. In both cases, the light represents a quest for truth—Diogenes’s search for an honest person, and the Hermit’s search for inner wisdom and insight. The symbolic resonance is similar, though the motivations differ: Diogenes was challenging society, while the Hermit seeks wisdom from within.

When the Hermit-ATU 9/or Key 9-is thrown during a divination:

• A search for wisdom and truth.
• Counsel and sound judgment.
• Knowledge.
• A solitary soul.
• Meditation.
• A time of re-evaluation and soul searching.
• Discretionary caution.
• Inner wisdom is often called enlightenment.
• Spiritual inspiration pointing the way on life's journey.
• Contemplation, introspection, and space.
• Needing more knowledge can only be attained by listening closely to the inner self.
• The Divine Marriage within.
• Completing karma through service.
• A stage in life where wisdom is sought through introspection and isolation.
• Using your work in the world and uniting it with the Spiritual realms to attain the Highest state of Mind.
• Being yourself by pursuing the "above all things, know thyself", deep inner philosophy.

If ill defined by the surrounding cards, it implies:

• Stubbornness to the point of foolishness.
• A closed mind,
• Bad advice.
• Isolation.
• Only looking at the surface value.

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Experience Tarot Readings with a Magus of the Thoth Tarot

Most people think Tarot is about fortune-telling, party tricks, or vague “mystical” predictions you’ve seen in Hollywood films. But the Tarot of Thoth—when read by a trained Magus—is something far more profound.

As a Western Hermetic Magus and Master of the Thoth Tarot, I offer one-on-one online readings that go beyond surface-level card meanings. Each session is a direct resonance between myself and the querent—spirit to spirit, mind to mind, body to body.

This is not about guessing your future. It is about awakening clarity, unveiling hidden forces, and aligning you with your own Solar Self. The Thoth Tarot is a Book of Universal Archetypes, encoded with Qabalistic, astrological, and alchemical wisdom. A reading with me brings these forces alive in your life in real time.

How My Readings Differ

• Beyond the Mundane: I don’t just “interpret cards.” I read the dynamic flow of your Spirit–Mind–Body alignment through the Tarot’s Qabalistic architecture.

• Direct Resonance: My one-on-one sessions are not mechanical. I attune to your presence and read both the seen and unseen currents shaping your life.

• Hermetic Depth: As a Magus, I integrate the Tarot with the Tree of Life, planetary forces, and the Divine Archetypes that govern transformation. This opens insights that ordinary readings simply cannot access.

• Empowerment, not Dependency: My goal is not to trap you in predictions, but to empower you with vision—so you can consciously co-create your path.

Why Choose a Magus Reading?

Because a true Magus does not read for you—he reads with you. Together, we explore your unique resonance with the living archetypes of the Tarot, peeling away the illusions of false ego and awakening your authentic Self.

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