the Hermit card fifteen times in a row!

solitude

In January of 2018 I got sort of obsessed with the tarot. I was going through a heady time, and was doing a lot of one-card pulls. It was during this time that I pulled the Hermit card fifteen times in a row! Let me say that again:

I pulled the Hermit card fifteen times in a row! 

I'm trying to replay this in my mind, because it seems impossible to me now. I remember it wasn’t just that I was repeatedly pulling that one card—the Hermit fell out of the deck and landed face-up on the floor (at least once), and also the same card was at the bottom of the deck (I think twice) when I pulled the cards out of the box. 

The mania of pulling the same card happened over multiple days, and it scared me. I was also pulling it a lot (like eerily a lot!) in the time surrounding this event. During the lead-up and aftermath, I was repeatedly pulling either the Hermit card, or the Two of Wands.

two of wands

This all happened during the final editing of Stories from The Messengers, my second owl book. This was a time when I was feeling both proud of my work, and terribly insecure about it. That may sound illogical, but any creative type should get what I mean.

I was using The Wild Unknown Tarot deck, written and illustrated by Kim Krans. Her drawing style is somewhat similar to my own. Below are the card descriptions from the book that comes with the Krans deck.

The Hermit

Solitude, Meditation 

IX 

The idea of being a hermit is not supported in our society, but in the realm of the tarot hermits are highly celebrated and valued creatures. Through meditation, solitude, and stillness they bring wisdom to all. When this card appears it's time to step back from the business of day-to-day life and focus on your inner realm. Become more self-aware. If you're intrigued by meditation, start now. Spend time by yourself. Your inner fire is ready to be lit… it will shine for all to see. 

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Two of wands 

determination, direction 

With the two of wands it's clear you are on your way to success. You've focused on a goal and have boldly painted all efforts in that direction. Since the suit of wands deals heavily with the mind, take this time to become more aware of your thought patterns, specifically toward yourself. What is the quality and tone of your thoughts? Mostly positive or negative? How well do you treat yourself on the journey to your highest dream? 

I never wrote about this at the time, and that seems odd, because I try to write about exactly these kinds of things when they're happening. My inspiration for writing this now is the recent announcement from Red Pill Junkie and Greg Bishop about their upcoming UFO Tarot project. More HERE

art by Red Pill Junkie

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