Apologies for being gone so long, though I will add that I cannot guarantee that I won’t miss some days in the coming weeks. I have some personal health issues that will be taking precedence over most things, though my will is to do this as much as possible.
The Hooded Man seems an odd figure for a time of year when many of us are quite busy with gatherings with family and friends, holiday concerts, shopping, and decorating. Perhaps we are being guided to a simpler celebration this year – to scale back and not wear ourselves out so much. Maybe take some time to go within and remember that part of the purpose of wintertime is to rest our souls and bodies and to journey within.
Blessings of Avalon to you all!
THE HOODED MAN
READING POINTS: The time of the Hooded Man is here. Whether he appears in the guise of an inner guide and mentor or simply as a state of mind, you will understand that now is a time to withdraw and rest. After a long journey through the Wildwood, many emotions and experiences need to be absorbed. This is the beginning of understanding – not just of yourself, but of the universe. The hermit-like Hooded Man appears differently for everyone. Whether through meditation or solitude in the mountains, through prayer or holidaying in a secluded place, his light will illuminate the way to the heart of the endless cycle of being.
DESCRIPTION: A lone hooded figure stand before an ancient oak. It is midwinter. Thick snow covers the ground and the branches of the tree. The Hooded Man is dressed in an evergreen holly and berry cloak. He holds a stout staff in one hand and a lantern to light the pathway in the other. In the great tree is a battered and moss-covered wooden doorway. Through the swollen timbers, a warm light spills into the evening gloom. The inside of the great tree appears inviting, a haven from the chilling air. Above the doorway is a wheel-like wreath of holly and evergreen foliage. On a cold stone rising from the frozen earth a wren watches and waits.
MEANING: After the trials and tribulations of dealing with the primal forces that confront you on the wheel of the year, a space is needed for stillness and contemplation. For the spiritual warrior or seeker looking for esoteric knowledge, the complex matrix of symbolism and insight may confuse the intellect and shake the reality. The Hooded Man (also known as the Hermit or sometimes the Robin-i-the-Hood, the deeper archetype of the Outlaw of Sherwood Forest) offers a steadfast light in the midwinter world and a steady staff on which to lean and gather your mental resources. His shining lamp illuminates the darkest recesses of feat and incomprehension and guides the way to the doorway that leads into the heart of the great tree. He knows that knowledge is light and sometimes only earned with sacrifice and stoicism. Such things offer admittance to the great mystery of the woodland and show the seekers how they may find the wisdom to advance through the wilder reaches of the forest. Within its ancient heart lie locked countless secrets and the profoundest treasures of wisdom.
The Hooded Man survives even in the cold empty winter landscape because of his wisdom and his will. He is at one with the harshness of the climate because he draws upon the strength of the evergreen holly that that even winter cannot turn to dust and has stored spiritual nourishment to sustain him. He has absorbed the lessons and knowledge that his journey has afforded him; and to those who have followed his path and now are tired an in need of solace, he waits to pass on wisdom, comfort, and guidance.
On a small rock nearby is the wren, the sacred bird of kings, revered as an oracle and a keeper of secret wisdom. The wren is an ancient totem bird that flew highest of all creatures by riding on the back of the great eagle, thus earning itself the title of King of All Birds. It serves as a reminder that the smallest of the Earth’s creatures is capable of soaring to the greatest heights and seeing beyond the furthest horizon.
This time of rebirth is both inward and mystical, and yet outward and universal, beyond the narrow boundaries of human civilization and moral codes.
The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artists Will Worthington
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