Welcome to Part 5 of "The Hero/Fool's Journey"! To recap, the Hero/Fool has navigated around the question of defending himself, his beliefs, his partnership or someone/something he is responsible for, he has made a committed movement in one direction and is beginning to fully embrace and acknowledge his Inner Guide/Higher Guidance.
9. The Hermit
What does the Hermit have to tell us? What does it mean to be the Hermit?
Only when the Hero/Fool has broken the The Lovers-Chariot-Strength cycle and discovered the correct key can he enter the hermitage (see first card). The key, of course, is locked within yourself, and is handed to you when you have proven yourself to be worthy or ready for your inner Lion (or however you see your True Self). The hermit calls you from the responsibilities and expectations of regular daily life to a time of solitude, to further become acquainted with your True Self, your inner wisdom and knowledge, to hone your intuition. It is about taking the time to master your spiritual gifts, the same gifts or tools given to the Magician. It is a time of practice and study, prayer and meditation, reflection and introspection. It is the Vision Quest card to truly uncover your "Star", your goal, your true soul's purpose. Or to gain clarity on how to attain it. The Hermit carries his lamp with him at all times, the inner fire, a reminder of his "Star Dream" and eventually is ready to re-enter the world. But his awakening doesn't change the fact that the world is full of ups and down, unpredictability, hardships and struggles, and surprise joys.
IN BETWEEN CONCEPT THAT CONNECTS THE HERMIT TO THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE: The Hero/Fool is stepping calmly into the unknown, once he has firmly committed to pursuing his Star Dream.
10. The Wheel of Fortune/Fortune's Wheel
What does the Wheel have to tell us? What does it mean to get the Wheel?
The Hero/Fool leaves the hermitage and sets out to seek his fortune (abundance, love, success, career, etc) and life presents a lot of opportunities or possibilities that are not set in stone, but rather shifting sands. The Fool is called to always make decisions with wisdom, because the Wheel is impartial. The Wheel spins according to your actions and intentions, and can just as easily stop or spin the other way. Just like spinning the Wheel in the game show Wheel of Fortune, you truly never know what you're going to get. You might get "good luck" when you feel you don't deserve it, or "bad luck" even though you only ever tried your best. Life is unpredictable and we won't always understand why things happen the way they do. But be sure that our every action and decision is being recorded in our Book of Life (see middle card). Be vigilant, because every twist and turn is ultimately a test. The Wheel asks you, How do you want this to be recorded in your book? There is an image of a man in the sword (third card) who also asks you, Are you acting in truth? (swords represent truth and clarity)
IN BETWEEN CONCEPT THAT CONNECTS THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE TO JUSTICE: The Hero/Fool is being warned to stay alert and act with integrity when making decisions.
11. Justice
What does Justice have to tell us? What does it mean to get Justice?
Whether the Hero/Fool has made choices based on inner truth or not, justice always steps in after the Wheel has been spun. Justice is the universes reaction to the Fool's action. Sometimes the Divine's idea of justice won't match the Hero/Fool's. Sometime Justice is exactly as we expect it and there is a happy outcome. However, sometimes Justice tells us we need to view things from a different perspective and make some significant changes. In some ways, Justice (a.k.a Karma) is not blind at all. Sometimes Justice even feels cruel, but it's always for our Greatest Good, regardless of what we think our "greatest good" is. Justice is the Divine bringer of Balance & Truth.
IN BETWEEN CONCEPT THAT CONNECTS JUSTICE TO THE HANGED MAN: The Hero/Fool is moving through turmoil, manoevering through conflict.