Compare: Eight of Cups / The Hermit Tarot Cards

In this post, I’m going to Compare: Eight of Cups / The Hermit Tarot Cards. This is one of the card pairs that I used to struggle with. At first glance they seem so similar, but there are some subtle – yet important differences between them. 

Both cards relate to seeking answers to big issues and gaining wisdom. The difference is how the issues are approached and sometimes – what those issues are related to. 

How Issues are Approached

While the Hermit can be a suggestion that we look inside for solutions, it often relates to wisdom gained through the counsel of someone we trust –  whereas the Eight of Cups is more about walking away from things that aren’t working and looking for answers within. 

For example a priest, a therapist, or even a trusted friend can offer sage advice and often see things with a more open mind than we can when we’re in the throes of drama. These folks may offer suggestions or they may tell you that you need to figure things out on your own. If they tell you that you need to figure the out on your own, you’re in Eight of Cups territory – figuring it out on your own. 

This card tells us something isn’t working the way we want it to and rather than push through, we choose to acknowledge it, deal with what needs to be addressed, and leave it behind (at least temporarily). When we’re away from what’s been blocking us from being or going where we want to go, we can begin to pull apart the threads of a situation and develop a plan of action.

The Hermit	Eight of Cups
Looking Outward for Help	Looking Inward for Help
1. Wisdom offered / available 2. Wise counsel 3. Be open to advice and feedback 4. Wisdom may come from someone else, but the card may also be a suggestion to look inside for an answer	1. Soul-searching journey 2. Leaving behind what’s not working 3. More spiritually based 4. Period of introspection and solitude