Year 2025: The Hermit

Meaning Making: The Great Mystery Traditions

I want to take a look into the energetics of the year 2025 from a numerological and archetypal lens. I've been drawn to esoteric tools that describe the conditions of time for many years now. I find it valuable to have an anchor and context to understand my experience as time hurdles relentlessly forward.

But before we get into all that, I want to address these mysterious frameworks directly for a second.

When someone brings up astrology, numerology, tarot, magic, (languages of the mystical), in conversation there are many who become immediately skeptical. Which, I can respect. Skepticism is good, without it we are defenseless fools.

Besides, there are undeniably many untrustworthy people who claim an esoteric and spiritual framework. Brad Troemel drags out the most extreme embodiments of these people from the trenches and displays them on his 20 slide carousel instagram posts. Sometimes we may even stumble upon the ill intentioned spiritualist on our own, out in the wild. There are evil and delusional people who exist within every organized religion and spiritual framework. So sure, yes, no matter what modality or tradition someone is claiming, be skeptical! Check their values before you hand them ye precious trust.

Of course a good dose of skepticism of the mystical also comes from those who demand scientific evidence and material proof of such phenomena. The “I will believe it when I see it” type of guys. The rational intellectuals.

This idea that skeptics should be presented with digestible proof of the mystical can feel highly presumptive sometimes. I have nothing against science and proof, but to force the ephemeral mystery traditions of past and present into the sterile and reductionist box of the colonized scientific framework of today seems like she may be…err.. dead on arrival. Death by asphyxia.

To demand 1 dimensional proof of the great mysteries, something that has pulsed through the veins of humanity for millennia, is kind of thick headed tbh. The existence of the mystical is not in question. The spiritual experiences and practices of humans have been the site of connection, meaning, purpose, compassion, revelations and self knowledge since forever. This is realer than real, with or without the approval of a scientific framework that hinges upon the philosophy that matter is the fundamental substance of the universe, and that all things are made of matter.

Girl, what about consciousness?

One man's pseudo-science (trash) is another man's meaning (treasure) I guess.

Leonora Carrington 1969

All that being said, I would be delighted to live in a world where science and the mystical can join forces. Of course, they are already deeply interwoven, some of us humans just need to catch up. Denial can only last so long and their (perceived) separation contributes to our cultures collective ailments, I reckon.

For me personally, learning the languages of the esoteric gives me tools to hammer a crack into the tired and harmful normative structures we are encased within. Many beloved and enduring mystery traditions are steeped with nuance, mytho-poetics, and red burning heart. As a collective I hope we run towards forms of communication that expand and enlighten us as such.

Numerology & Tarot

Numerology is an ancient divinatory practice that spans many centuries and cultures. There are several different systems and schools of thought under the umbrella of numerology and countless lenses to understand and work within those systems.

My working definition of numerology:

The study of numbers through the lens of archetypal meanings and occult interpretation, grounded in the natural law and order of the universe.

Jasper Johns “0 through 9” 1961

Similarly, tarot is an archetypical visual language of symbolism most commonly believed to have emerged during the early years of the European Renaissance. Like numerology, there are countless ways to engage with tarot. I am charmed by the card's uncanny ability to pierce the unconscious mind by using archetypal images as fundamental building blocks to the human psyche.

Tarot has a way of reaching beyond the walls of consciousness to show us deep truths that have otherwise not fully been revealed to us in the conscious light of day. Of course sometimes the truth we need is not that deep after all. Sometimes, truth is just sitting right there in plain sight, and we need that extra mirror to reflect back to us what we already know. Tarot is good at that, too.

Year 2025: 9, The Hermit

Numerologically speaking, 2025 is a 9 universal year for all of us in the Gregorian system.

2+0+2+5=9

9 is a number of graduation that marks the completion of a cycle in numerology. Next year we collectively get booted to the beginning again with a number 1 universal year, but for now we are left to close the shimmering circle as we bring this current cycle to a close.

As a society in our 9 year we are reflecting, processing, and sorting our experience. We are feeling the discomfort of wearing an outfit that we have far outgrown, so to speak. The beginning of this cycle began in 2017 (universal 1 year). In both 2017 and 2025 Donald Trump was sworn into office, but more importantly, many Americans embraced the rise of fear and hate fueled fascism more overtly.

Throughout this 9 year cycle, many of us have struggled to understand how to meaningfully oppose fascism in the empirical core, and more to the point, how to cultivate a liberated people and planet. Many of us come to the end of this cycle feeling somewhat beaten down as it seems the inflammatory themes of 2017—racism, class inequality, police violence, reproductive rights under attack, fascist control on the rise, inflation, housing in-accessibility ect. ect. are flaring up even brighter in 2025. We have been through the wringer and many of us are disillusioned beyond belief.

On the other hand, the energy of the 9 collective year emphasizes a clear turning point. Those of us who are all in for collective liberation are about to go down a path: we can get ourselves organized and in solidarity OR we can be corroded and consumed by the rotting mass of late capitalism. It's kind of like we really start to figure this out, or bust.

Various depictions of the Hermit Major Arcana

During this cycle many of us have been stumbling through lessons and failures in our communities and learning how to show up for the granular and unglamorous work that true solidarity requires. If we continue learning how to take decisive, faithful, consistent, and aligned action, I do believe the energetic support is there for us to get cracking along a new paradigm en route to 2026, our new beginning.

*** 2017 and 2025 are not only connected numerologically but also astrologically.***

We just entered Venus retrograde in Aries and, low and behold, the last time Venus went retrograde in Aries was spring 2017! So take a sec to remember what was going on for you in spring of 2017 and pull that thread all the way through to the present and see what patterns emerge.

Here we are and that is where we must start.

In Tarot, number 9 corresponds with the Hermit Major Arcana. The light keeper who holds ageless wisdom in his unwavering hands. The old wizened one who is known for his direct relationship to god, without the need for a middle man.

The Hermit corresponds with the astrological sign of Virgo, the natural organizational queen, the grounded virgin of pure intention. The abundant reaper of the harvest. In its least offensive light, the term virgin simply means:

“one who belongs to oneself”

Virgo rules over the digestive system, speaking to this sign's strong sense of discernment and editing abilities. Virgos have a beautiful skill in seeking out what to delete and what to save, what can stay and what must go. This is a necessary function of the 9 year in numerology: reflection, sorting, and discernment.

Virgo Constellation, Sidney Hall 1825

Together many of us are engaging in the confusing and jumbling process of discussing what is and is not working in our efforts towards collective liberation. We have been trying and failing, sprinting and stumbling. This is a good time to call upon the Hermit, the Virgo, the Virgin, to help us effectively sort through all this accrued data. Not to mention, last years 8 Strength year has hopefully built our endurance to deal with our problems more directly as a collective.

The Hermit, alone on the mountain peak, asks us to hold our truth, even if it burns our hands and sets us apart from the majority. In Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack states:

“Though the Hermit withdrew from society, he did not withdraw from humanity.”

This speaks to a major tension in the collective right now. Many of us are lucid enough to understand that if we continue down the trajectory of dominant culture, doing what is expected of us and keeping our heads down in society, then we will end up making endless concessions to the ruling class at the expense of one another and the planet. Every red line will be crossed and there will come a time where no one is exempt from this violence.

Let's take a hint from this collective Hermit year and lay down everything we know about society, because this normalcy poisons us.

Hermit depiction by Leonora Carrington

For the sake of humanity, allow us to be guided by wisdom, even if it sets us apart from the dominant culture. It is lonely and frigid to be among the people who walk ahead of the crowd, but having those who ignite guiding lights in the sea of darkness makes a profound impact on our collective trajectory. Lights cluster together and grow. Conversations turn to friendships turn to communities turn to movements turn to paradigm shifts when lights ignite and find each other in the dark.

This is evolution at play. We evolve by stumbling towards the keeper of the light, and drinking in his unrestrained truth. We watch him commune with god directly from the highest peak of the mountain. When we travel back down to the world with the light of truth in hand and the presence of god in heart, we are forever enlightened by this wisdom, and so the world moves an inch. The structure of society is slowly abandoned for the survival of humanity.

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