“Hi, I’m Kyra Oser, and this is ‘Altered States in Audio’s The Hermit Tarot: Lantern of Wisdom’. In this series, I take you on a tour of different tarot card decks from around the world using altered states of consciousness. Today we’ll be exploring a meditation based on The Hermit tarot card from the Rider-Waite and Smith-Waite decks, and focusing on developing intuition in seclusion, seeking truth, and finding purpose.
These dream journeys, guided meditations, and hypnotic explorations will help the cards communicate to you in a personal language that’s unique to who you are and what you seek. By returning to these cards and recordings over time, you’ll find that new messages and guidance will continue to be revealed to you”.
Please forgive the motorcycle sounds. The Hermit must not be far from the city!
Lantern of Wisdom
“Please do not listen to this recording while driving or operating heavy machinery.
Feel the tension draining away from your muscles as you let go of any worries or concerns. Let that relaxation move through your muscles, bones, organs, and cells, beginning with the top of your head, stretching out to your extremities, and circulating with an ever-increasing sense of letting go as you enter into a deeper and deeper state of unconsciousness. Slow down your breathing, and as you inhale slowly, hold your breath, and exhale even more slowly, you may notice your body’s adapting to the slower speed that you’ve chosen for your breath. Everything is slowing down with you and around you to the point that you feel deeply relaxed, but also focused enough to listen to the suggestions that are associated with the theme of this meditation, which is connecting to your intuition and inner wisdom.
Think about the description of the Hermit tarot card. I’ll guide you through it as you imagine placing yourself in the role of the wise Hermit, and by doing so, you will acquire their wisdom. A man whose beard matches the snowy mountaintop where he walks is holding a staff in one hand and a lantern in another. The lantern’s a sign that he’s in the dark, but his wisdom or inner guidance lights the way ahead. While he might seem to be alone, his staff denotes support from another source. He wears a robe and this means that he’s hidden from most, at least for now. This card takes place at night, and therefore the dawn is not far away on his journey.
Now, picture or imagine, visualise or pretend that you’re looking down at or feeling the weight or texture of your clothing, which is like the robes you see in the tarot card image of The Hermit. Grounded into the reality of your new role as the hermit, you look up and gaze into a scene that takes place at night, on a safe, secure pathway. Perhaps you’re in a mythical setting, or maybe this is somewhere you've been before. This should be a place where you feel relaxed and well so that you can concentrate on the messages you receive.
The Hermit’s Lantern Lights the Way
Imagine you're holding your own lantern, and this guiding light carries you forward as you journey along the path. This lantern will highlight three messages for you today, from your intuition, your higher self, or a higher form of knowledge. A staff is in your other hand, guiding you to sense what is on the course ahead and giving you stability if the path becomes wet or rocky.
These messages might appear as a scroll or book that someone left behind upon or to the side of the path, or a feeling you receive in your body or spirit. The message will come to you by something you can see, hear, or feel, and no matter how you sense it or see it, the information is just as valid. Perhaps you open the book or scroll that you find and read what it says. Or if you’re more auditory, listen for a sound or message that arises from the text. When you are ready, pause on the path to see, hear, or sense the first message you’re meant to know about today, coming from this scroll or book. It might be a message for you or for the world.
Starlight Guidance
Once you’ve gathered that first message, take a deep breath, inhaling slowly, holding that breath, and exhaling even more slowly. And now really just letting your body slow down, continue walking. Suddenly you encounter a fork in the road, where the path diverges in more than one direction. Look up at the stars in the sky. Do they have a message for you that you can see or feel? Ask the stars or the universe or the galaxies to show you which way to go. Sometimes the stars will light the way, and other times, you’ll feel an impulse to take a certain path after consulting or looking at the stars. As you gaze upon the night sky, you see snow falling around you. There’s already snow underneath your feet and while you’re warmed by your clothing, you can hear or feel the crunching of snow beneath your feet. Even in the evening, you’re able to see or sense snowcaps on the mountains or hills ahead, just like in that tarot card image. Pause to enjoy this cooling feeling. Listen to the sounds of the wind. Continue to carry your lantern forward, and notice how that light that you hold is what’s helping to move you forward on your path as the stars continue to brighten your way ahead, and as you discover your next and final message of this meditation.
Magical Campfire Scrying: Meditation in Motion
Off the path, you notice a campfire. There’s no one around but it looks like someone’s left this warmth behind for you or anyone who needs it. As you walk off the path to approach the friendly campfire, you notice the light around you brightening despite the darkness of the night sky. The robe you wear is that of a wise sage, and it’s illuminated by your lantern, by the stars that shine upon you, and now through the flickering of this inviting campfire.
Let yourself be comforted by the heat and cosiness of the fire. Look directly into the flames or feel their warmth. You notice that there’s something magical about this fire. It’s generating heat all on its own yet there doesn’t seem to be a soul around except you. However, you don’t feel alone. You may sense that you’re being supported and that this fire is a sign of the unseen forces that have been guiding you all along on your journey. Feel the warmth enveloping you from this fire, from head to toe. Warm your hands. Listen to the sounds of the wind again. Perhaps you hear behind that wind the hoot of an owl or the motion of another animal somewhere in the distance. Perhaps there’s a forest nearby. You’re definitely not alone, not even literally. You only need to listen for the sounds or pause and look for these sources of light along your path to know that there’s something or someone else out there accompanying you on your supposedly solitary travels.
Focus again on the magical, mysterious campfire. If you stare at the flames long enough, you’ll start to see or hear or feel an image or sound or physical sensation forming. This is fire scrying, an ancient method of seeking answers in the movement of the flames. These flames are almost like tarot in motion, only there is every possible shape or sound that you can visualise or hear through the fire. Another way to think of this part of the exercise is as a moving meditation, moving you spiritually and emotionally towards some higher form of knowledge or wisdom. Let the flames take you to a deeper state of relaxation as they reveal a message you’re meant to know. That message will be shown to you in the flames, or it will be said to you through the crackling sounds of the fire, or maybe even sung to you through the motions of the wind as they create a song just for you that moves through the sound of the flames. Now let that message come to you within the conduit of this magical campfire, as you pause.
Sharing the Light of Intuition and Wisdom
You now have three messages that you’ve collected on your journey tonight. They might connect or they could be separate pieces of information that help you or help you to help others in the future. Like The Hermit, you carry within you the bright light of knowledge and wisdom that will guide you throughout the days and nights and that will continue to connect you with your intuition which can then be shared with those who need that extra light on their path.
You notice that the campfire is becoming smaller and smaller. As the flames diminish, your lantern seems to shine brighter in contrast with the darkness of the night. Taking that light of wisdom with you, allow yourself to be energised by the knowledge that you can return to this path at any time for new messages, not only from The Hermit meditation but also from The Hermit tarot card itself, anytime you encounter it in a reading. You can allow yourself to feel strengthened by your ability to connect with this inner wisdom at any time, no matter who or what is on your path, and especially in times of solitude. You can return to this journey at any time to connect with your inner wisdom, to amplify your intuition, or to receive messages for those who seek guidance from you.
Finally, feel yourself returning to your sense of self by stepping out of the role of The Hermit that you’ve been portraying throughout this meditation. I will count from one to five and when I say “five” you will become more awake, aware, and alert. Alternatively, if you wish to continue resting or meditating, you can ignore the numbers and drift off into a relaxing slumber. One, becoming more aware with every number I say. Two, hearing the sound of my voice more distinctly and clearly with every passing syllable. Three, stretching, yawning, starting to move if you feel like it, or at the very least becoming more aware of your physical body and your identity. Four, taking everything from this meditation which will in any way be beneficial to you, and five, eyes open, and wide awake. One, two, three, four, five, eyes open, feeling wide awake, very aware, full of energy, empowered by your rediscovery of and connection with your own intuition and ever-present inner guidance, and ready to be reconnected with wisdom at any time and in any form where you may find it, throughout this day, in the evening ahead, and in all the days and nights ahead”.
Time Travel Tarot: Preview Posts from the Future
“Meditation News Station: Long-Term News for a Change”
“Adventure to the Future I: Predictive Dreams and Future Life Progressions”
“Altered States in Audio’s Hypnosis for Confidence I: Extreme Esteem”
“US and World News from the Future: Weekly and Monthly Predictions”
“Grief and the Afterlife IV: Coming to You Live from the Other Side”
“History’s Mysteries Solved: The Psychic Time Traveller”
“The Realm of Dreams: Exploring Dream Meanings and Precognitive Dreaming”
“Metta (Loving-Kindness) Meditation I”
“The History and Spirituality of Past Life Regression Exploration”
“Music as Meditation: Musicality and Spirituality”
Hypnotherapy and Psychic Readings
For hypnotherapy services, psychic tarot readings, medium readings, past life regressions, or dream therapy, please book an appointment here.
*Psychic readings are for entertainment purposes only and are not performed by a licenced medical practitioner. Please consult with a medical doctor regarding all health concerns. Please consult with your financial advisor regarding all financial decisions. Any consultation you receive is subject to your own interpretation and you agree to take full responsibility for your interpretation.
Altered States in Audio: The Hermit Tarot