Jaq, that deck is the Tarot of the Hidden Realm deck! It's a lovely deck, and every card is a close up like this, with more of the energy of a card than a set scene like most RWS decks!
Oh another one that I have from way back when - I love hollowing two cards, so here's that happening!
So, I mentioned in an Insta post earlier that the 8 of Cups felt like a prequel or origin story for The Hermit. It’s The Hermit, back in the real world, having made some great material achievements, yet finding it all so spiritually lacking that he chose to walk away. He’s collected so much, yet he finds that his cups are empty. As he walks away, there is a sense of sadness, melancholy. It’s got the vibe of a song I found years ago - “It Matters to Me” by Sans Seraph. You can almost hear the guy in the red coat sing “We almost had it all” under his breathe as he walks away. Yet, even with that sadness, this card carries hope. It’s the hope that comes with finally choosing yourself. It’s breaking that cycle of putting yourself out there, only to come back empty handed again and again. There’s so much strength in this card, in allowing yourself to try something radically different and leaving a broken situation. You don’t know where you’re going, but you do know 2 things - that the path will be difficult, and that it will be worth it all in the end.
And then, you’ve got The Hermit. He’s older and more grizzled - his clothes even have faded to grey. And yet, he feels so much more content and whole. Look at his posture, he stands as straight as his staff instead of leaning his weight into it. He is alone, and comfortable with that, yet also open to visitors to his little realm. He’s got a candle lit on his window, so to speak. The character in the 8 of Cups had been disapointed by people so much that it was preferable to leave it all behind, while The Hermit welcomes them to him, albeit from the top of a difficult mountain to climb. With the difference in age, posture and locale between the two characters, it’s easy to see a story of exploration, soul searching and growth between them. The Hermit has an air of wisdom and self-sufficiency that really only comes from years of exploring the world around you, while relying on nothing but yourself. I think it’s that self-reliance that changed his perspectives on people - he feels more understanding and not as easy to disappoint. He has become wise enough to not feel the faults of others as a personal failing to him. He just takes things as they are.
