Another side of the Hermit is the solitary learner. The one who returns to nature to dig in and find both himself and God. There is a feeling that to be a Hermit one must be a “Very Serious Person.”
Today’s card reminds me that some days it’s okay to be the crazy cat lady (or man). Well, maybe I’m reaching on this card. But truly, I like this Hermit from the Tarot of the Cat People. It’s a rather unusual deck. It was published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc in 1984.
Is our Hermit going into the cave or coming out? I know I need both solitude and companionship to feel balanced. If I get too much of one, I crave the other. Maybe the Hermit is the first one to have mentioned guests and fish both smelling bad after three days?
Another side of the Hermit is the solitary learner. The one who returns to nature to dig in and find both himself and God. There is a feeling that to be a Hermit one must be a “Very Serious Person.”
I have to wonder though…how much life can you learn if you are serious all the time? In today’s A.Word.A.Day newsletter, there was a quote that really spoke this for me.
“Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play.” -Heraclitus, philosopher (500 BCE)
Isn’t that the truth?
Have you ever watched a child playing? The focus and intensity would awe an Olympic athlete. They are all about the game. There is nothing else in that moment for them.
When is the last time you felt that focus? That “nothing else” intensity?
Today’s 180 second commitment is going to be hard. Grit your teeth. Grin and bear it. Just muscle through, okay?
Today I’m asking you to commit to 180 seconds of fun. Three minutes of doing something for the sheer joy of it.
A. Count the petals on a flower.
B. Tell someone a long, involved Shaggy Dog story.
C. Skip down the hallway.
D. Throw a ball for your dog (or go to a dog park and throw it for someone else’s.)
Have fun for three minutes today that doesn’t include any thoughts of “I shouldn’t” or “I should be doing something else.”
Come out of the cave and play.
The Hermit, Tarot of the Cat People, U.S. Games Systems Inc, 1984
Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.
Today’s card makes me happy. I particularly like the headpiece the woman is wearing, don’t you? I’ve had a hat just like that in fact. Not that color, but the same pose. I can see why this might be called a fascinator.