Hermity Monday

How interesting that today's card is The Hermit, because it is associated with Virgo, and the full moon was in Virgo yesterday. This week's decks are Legend: Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson, and Camelot Oracle by John Matthews, art by Will Worthington.

The Hermit card means a need for solitude, for withdrawing into oneself for quiet contemplation. It can also mean a meeting with a wise teacher. Today at work, I hope to meet with my manager to discuss my work programme for the week, and then I will be working from home tomorrow, and possibly the next day, I don't know yet. That filling I got in my tooth last Tuesday popped out on Friday night, can you believe that? Of course it didn't pop out until after 6 pm, so I had no way of calling the dentist to make an appointment to get it fixed. So I have to go in to work today and call from there. Fingers crossed I can get an appointment tomorrow, when I had already planned to work from home anyway, but I'm pretty sure my managers will be understanding and also allow me to work from home another day if I'm unable to get an appointment for tomorrow.

All of the cards in Legend: Arthurian take their content from the stories of King Arthur. For Hermit, Ferguson has chosen the period of time when Lancelot flees from court life after he and Guinevere have been caught committing adultery. He goes to the forest where he lives in penance and prayer as a hermit until he returns to Arthur's side in the final battle against Mordred. At least that's how some versions go.

St Ambrusca's Well 

I've got the companion book that is available separately from the deck called 'A Keeper of Words', also by Anna-Marie Ferguson. In the book, she explains that Lancelot is nude amid the roots of trees to symbolise his closeness to his own foundations; the torch in his left hand symbolises the subconscious, a reminder to watch for insights in dreams. The spring is meant to be St Ambrew's Well, which symbolises a 'long forgotten source of inspiration and fulfillment.'

Accompanying this card, I've drawn a card from the Camelot Oracle, the Doubtful Path. Interestingly, this path leads the Hermitage! 'This is a difficult path for many of us because it is hard to find. It is a road of choices, not always easy to see, yet it brings you to the Hermitage, a place of contemplation and reassessment where you may stay for a while, away from the noise and stresses of your everyday life,' reads the companion book by John Matthews.

I believe today will be day of making appointments and plans for my working from home days, which will be like days in the 'hermitage'.