What I hear in the silence

Last week, I took myself on one of my favourite hikes. It is an 8 kilometre - 5 mile loop around a human-engineered lake. It is one of my favourite walks. It’s flat. It’s a loop. It’s peaceful despite being only a few minutes drive from home. I sometimes go with Kelly or with friends but my most frequent companion is me and me alone.

The bridge at the Island Lake Conservation Area

2025 is the year of The Hermit. (That’s because 2 + 0 + 2 + 5 = 9 and 9 / IX is The Hermit card in the Major Arcana. I first discovered this system in May Greer’s ‘Tarot for Your Self’ back in the early 00s.)

The Hermit invites us to listen to the silence. It calls us to go inside, sometimes one of the scariest and most intimidating places to be. The nature of the Hermit isn’t to provide us with comfort. Nor is the Hermit here to teach us or give us information. The Hermit’s role is to ask us questions as opposed to give us answers. As our guide, the Hermit uses their light and takes us places where no one else, including ourselves, is often willing to go: up a treacherous peak, into a dark cavern, or along an isolated path.

When I seek out the Hermit’s wisdom, I find taking myself to a place that facilitates, that really almost forces solitude, helps. Nature somehow enhances the silence for me. Winter further adds to the silence.

Not at first.

The earthen dam at the north end of the conservation area

Initially, I’m listening to my own narrative: “I’m cold…  I’m tired… I don’t really want to be here… I should have brought a coffee… Isn’t it coyote mating season? I should have brought my whistle!…” Which gradually shift to a running commentary of issues, ideas, and musings of the day, many well outside of my circle of influence but taking up bandwidth just the same. But when that internal narrative runs its course, when there’s little left, I find it easier to walk in silence. Follow my breath. Gaze into the solitude. And listen. Silence is often where I find the voice of the Hermit. The guide who waits as the guide on the side for all the distractions to run their course. The sage who presents themselves as the voice inside the Empty.

2025 is the year of The hermit. It is the year to seek out that voice.

I invite you to pull the Hermit from your favourite deck and use it as a talisman to help you use time, space, silence, and solitude, in whatever way works for you, to reach inside what is at times the most challenging place to be… inside yourself.

A Happy and Blessed 2025 to you.