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The Rider-Wait-Smith-Key 9-The Hermit, and the B.O.T.A. Tarot, greatly resemble each other, as most traditional tarot decks do. However, once again, the Builders of The Adytum tarot card, displays a Hebrew letter at the bottom right of the Card. In the case of the Hermit, it is the Hebrew letter-Yod, which means the Hand of God or The Hand of Mankind, for both are connected to the Great Image Maker. This letter Yod is also displayed as the Hoodie of the B.O.T.A. Hermit. The letter Yod indicates power, means, direction, skill, dexterity; However, it is the sign rather of inclination, tendency, aptitude, predisposition, or potency than of actual activity. In Qaballah this letter is the first letter of Tetragrammaton (YHVH), which means "4 letters", and is the "secret name of god", as it's pronunciation is critical to linking one with the ONE/ The Supreme One, having its seat in Kether. More over, Qaballists also say that letter Yod has upper and lower meanings. The upper part of the letter Yod represents the Kether, the Crown, while the lower half represents the 2nd Sephiroth-Chokmah-Wisdom- "Father God".

Attributed to Yod, is the sense of Touch, and the same Hebrew letter also meaning Coition, where the sense of touch is particularly active. Esoterically, the letter Yod refers to the experience of Union with the Supreme Self, the true I AM of the Cosmos and experience that is intensely pleasurable, and is often compared to the rapture of sexual ecstasy. Flesh-0-phobes may disagree with this comparison, but then they haven't read the Song of Solomon, or the mystical poetry of the Persian Sufi (Mostafa Jahaladine Rumi, for one) nor the writings and poems of St. Teresa of Ávila. Upon reading them, one will find out that the greatest minds known to mankind have no scruples about explaining the Spiritual orgasm within the human body as an extremely sexual experience. North-Below is the direction ascribed to Yod. For when we most perfectly remember ourselves we experience this blissful merging of personal consciousness with the Great I Am.

On both the Rider-Waite-Smith and B.O.T.A. cards are associated with Vigo the Virgin, whose color is yellow-green and whose musical tone is F-natural. Virgo is a mutable or common earthly sign and is attributed to the letter Yod. Virgo, is ruled by Mercury (key 1-The magician) and Mercury is thereby, exalted in Virgo. All this implies that Virgo is therefore, dominated by self-conscious initiative, and represents the highest manifestation in which self-consciousness is experienced. Therefore, The Intelligence of Will, is associated with the letter Yod and thereby, the Hermit.

There is a passage in the Qabalah which says, "Yod is above all (The Father) and with Him none other is associated." Hence, the Tarot Term the Hermit is used in Key 9, as a Hermit lives alone and is isolated. On traditional tarot, the hermit is shown alone and isolated on a mountain peak, far above the travelers for whom he is holding his lantern high as a beacon. There are no sexual connotations here, even though Father is the term used, for 0 is the One who is 2 (She/ He be them) it is a term use for the "First Expression" since the Phallus expresses and the Vulva receives. Expression and Reception are the two opposites that are linked as one, on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, they are linked by the Empress/ Daleth/The Door.

The White beard on the Hermit, declares he is the "Most Holy Ancient One", identified with the Primal Will (I Will Be). Another Qabalistic Title for the One is bestowed upon him by his gray robe, which suggests the One "Concealed with all Concealment". He is the source of All and yet he is also the goal of all endeavor.

As I have stated many times, 9 is the number of completion. However, there is more. This completion is inseparable from and really identical with, the primary idea which begins the process of manifestation. The sign that precedes all manifestation is 0, the Fool, and 9 the final figure of the digital series, denotes completion.

The Hermit stands in darkness, because what is behind our personifications of the Supreme Reality (The Supernal Triangle on the Tree of Life) is beyond the comprehension of our personal consciousness. The darkness also represents the hidden (occult) interior of the Universal Collective Unconscious of Divine Operation. One might say, darkness represents the dark matter/dark energy of the Universe. The snow on the peak illustrates the cold abstraction of the Ancient One, removed from the everyday warm realities of Life. Yet he holds aloft his own Warm Light, for the benefit of those who toil upward toward him. It is the light of the six rayed star whose interlaced triangles are symbols of the union of "As above, so Below". The six points also hint at Vigo, the sixth sign in the zodiac series.

Although the Hermit stands alone on the Mountain top, he is the "way shower", lighting the path for the climbing multitudes below. The staff, and implement of the Magician that refers to the Archetypal world, is in his left hand, implying he has no need to climb further. The Hermit also represents Causeless Cause which seems far-off and cold, an isolated abstraction. In reality it is related to every circumstance in our daily personal experience. It is the consciousness, the power, the substance, that is expressed in the least of our experiences. It is the source of our personal light and wisdom and therefore, the objective of all our aspirations. Crowley called it "Lust without need of result". Therefore, the Hermit is our "supreme will " within the manifestation of the Body. Only by the working of the subconscious body-transforming powers, will our bodies undergo the necessary subtle changes which make them fit vehicles for union with the Supreme Self/Supreme Spirit. A union in which the personal sense of self, disappears in the vastness of the I AM. Nothing else exists. For I AM denotes existence, but not as what. The "What" I Am, is assumed. Assumption is Illusion. Assumption is personality.

When the Hermit-Key 9-is thrown in a divination, it implies:

• The instinct to retreat from life.
• Flight from the masses.
• Introversion. 
• Truth.
• Knowledge.
• Finding one's Self.
• Disillusionment and self-discipline lead to clear discernment.
• Wisdom.
• Enlightenment.
• Emotional maturity.

When reversed:

• Narcissism.
• Rigidity.
• Hardness.
• Alienation.
• Bitterness and hostility towards life.

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