The Magician & the Hermit Tarot Card Combination & Meaning
- What Does the Magician Tarot Card Mean
- What Does the Hermit Tarot Card Mean
- What Does the Upright Combination of the Magician and the Hermit Mean
- What Does the Reversed Combination of the Magician and the Hermit Mean
- What Do Other Magician and Hermit Combinations Mean
- How to Interpret the Magician and the Hermit Combination
- Our Final Thoughts on the Magician and Hermit Combination

Very few people truly understand how transformative solitude might be. It allows for immense wisdom to finally emerge and affect our conscious actions. The result? We’ll make room for the Hermit and Magician combination to paint an enticing picture.
What Does the Magician Tarot Card Mean?

The first card in today’s spread portrays a focused person in white and red attire. The belt around their waist looks suspiciously like the fabled snake biting its tail. The mysterious mage stands at the altar that holds peculiar elements. One can see a chalice, a coin, a sword, and what appears to be a stick. These items are not random, as one might think. They are the representation of the four Aristotelian elements. Another striking detail about the eponymous Magician is the way they hold their arms. One is pointing toward the sky, while the other is thrust downwards.
When upright, the card lives up to the peculiar gesture of its main character. The arms’ position speaks of the connection between the divine realm and the material world. The Magician is the missing link between them - a conduit who can take an abstract idea, infuse it with intention, and bring it to the real world. The card often comes to remind us that we are the real architects of our lives and that every tool we need to build happiness and contentment is at our disposal. They just need a spoonful of focus and purpose to make anything possible.
The upside-down card sees the mage becoming a bad influence. For starters, this Magician is prone to manipulation and abuse of their powers in pursuit of their gain. Next off, the card often points to the querent’s habit of letting their precious focus go to waste. Worse yet, the upside-down mage is also synonymous with the inability or unwillingness to tap into the creative powers one possesses.
What Does the Hermit Tarot Card Mean?

In the next card, we see a snow-capped mountain peak. An elderly bearded man graces it. He is wrapped in a gray cloak, suggesting many hardships and endless journeys. The recluse leans on a staff and holds aloft a lantern. It illuminates the otherwise dark surroundings and the path the Hermit is about to step on.
When upright, the old man in the image becomes the personification of introspection and search for inner truth. The Hermit urges the seeker to step back for a while, to do some very much-needed introspection. This has nothing to do with fear, the card insists. In truth, withdrawal is an act of the wise. Only in solitude can one truly hear the voice of their heart.
The meaning of the reversed Hermit tarot card is twofold, as it takes the initial interpretation and hurles it into a puddle of extreme behavior. On the one hand, the old man’s withdrawal becomes excessive isolation. It reeks of loneliness and conscious rejection of outside words of wisdom. On the other hand, the card speaks of a hardheaded refusal to introspect. Upon seeing this reversal, the querent might confront a bitter truth that they are completely unable to be alone with themself.
What Does the Upright Combination of the Magician and the Hermit Mean?

When the two cards meet in their upright position, they marry the ability to create change with thoughtful discernment. In other words, the querent is ready and able to manifest things, relationships, and situations that will be perfectly aligned with their authentic self. It’s not ego or unexamined impulse that drives the querent’s actions - they are backed by deep reflection and genuine understanding of one’s desires.
This pairing insists that now is the time for purposeful creation. The querent is called to bring forth their ideas and talents into the world. The only condition is that they do it with thoughtfulness and patience. Luckily, those two assets are easily accessible through introspection.
The cards urge the querent to finally take inspired action, especially if they have been putting it off for quite some time. After all, this upright combination will help you align your outer work with inner truth.
What Does the Reversed Combination of the Magician and the Hermit Mean?

The double reversal of the Magician and the Hermit points to an unfortunate disconnect between one’s actions and one’s wisdom. The mage takes the querent’s energy to create and either blocks or wastes it, while the recluse persuades them to ditch all attempts at self-reflection.
The sly tactics of this reversal usually result in actions taken without proper consideration or complete withdrawal from any activity because of the flimsiest chance there could be challenges ahead.
The cards urge the querent to realign their inner and outer worlds. This might be the perfect time to examine how they choose to use their creative powers. Besides, having a long talk with themself about avoiding self-knowledge is also in order.
What Do Other Magician and Hermit Combinations Mean?

- – Do one's talents truly matter if they hinge on questionable motivation? The upright Magician and the reversed Hermit tarot cards are inclined to say “Not quite.” This combination usually pops up to reassure the querent that their abilities to bring ideas into reality are strong. The only catch is that they are stemming from ego rather than authentic purpose.
- This might happen when the querent is actively pursuing goals left and right, never stopping for a moment to examine deeper questions about their path. Whether they like it or not, the querent needs to take some time off to be all alone. This is not going to hinder their creative powers. On the contrary, a bit of solitude and deep soul-digging will only enhance them.
- – Have you ever met a person who stuffed their head full of knowledge only to never apply it? This gives off energy similar to the pairing of the reversed Magician and upright Hermit. These cards indicate that while the querent is eagerly engaged in valuable inner work, they struggle to make good use of their insights.
- The cards encourage the querent to leave behind their solitude-induced contemplation and find ways to express their discoveries through practical application.
How to Interpret the Magician and the Hermit Combination?

- – When it comes to romance, the cards urge the querent to honor both creative engagement and personal space. Unwedded seekers might want to build a solid relationship with themself before they attract anyone else into their life. Established couples should find an equilibrium between individual development and comfortable togetherness.
- – In career spreads, the cards emphasize the importance of both visible achievement and behind-the-scenes development. This pairing encourages the querent to be visible in their work life at strategically appropriate times (and vice versa). The seeker would be wise to pursue not only external recognition but internal satisfaction as well.
- – In a financial context, the mage and the recluse warn against impulsive materialism. The seeker’s road to wealth should be illuminated by thoughtful values. The cards insist that the querent takes reasonably creative risks and steps back once in a while to examine their stance on abundance. This combination might pop up when the Universe wants the seeker to use their resources intentionally as opposed to absentmindedly.
Our Final Thoughts on the Magician and Hermit Combination

It’s not often that you see two very different archetypes come into contact and enhance each other rather than diminish. But this is exactly what happens when the Magician meets the Hermit. These cards know for a fact that real magic only happens in the space between doing and being.
This unlikely yet peculiarly transformative duo urges the querent to realize one simple fact - they are capable of shaping their reality through conscious intention coupled with the wisdom to see the right path. It’s like having the best hiking gear available and having the best guide possible. We dare you to take a step on the trail to see how far it can take you.