This card seems perfect for today, when the humdrum of Halloween settles down (and the sugar wears off) and we have honored the Beloved Dead. Today, try to take some time for yourself, alone and preferably in whatever nature you have available to you, and seek wisdom and peace.
Blessings,
Thistle
The Hermit – Usnea
Withdraw into sacred solitude; gather treasures from the darkness; emerge with the light.
A wreath of unseat lies on a bed of fresh snow. Rose hips, cottonwood twigs, dandelion roots, pine cones, and crow and gull feathers are tucked inside the nest for safekeeping. Three quartz crystals lie above the nest pointing north, while a single owl feather lies beneath. A candle is lit in the center of the offering.
Meaning: Rest and stillness are good medicine. Go within and listen for your own voice. Clarity is found in places empty of others’ thoughts and ideas. Usnea, also called “old man’s beard,” grows long and healthy on trees where the air is clean. Find your mountain. Ask for guidance from nature. There are many gifts to be gathered in dark times; rose hips, cottonwood, and pine cones among them. Seek understanding from the allies you encounter during your time alone. A reliable fire starter, Usnea may save a life on a cold night, just as the perfect insight can warm a dying soul. When you are ready, let wisdom glow.
Crafting with the Hermit
• Keep Usnea on your dashboard to remind yo to slow down.
• Create a wisdom nest. Add allies and symbols that guide your quest for understanding.
• Craft Usnea fire starters and light them before beginning council with a sacred circle.
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot by author Latisha Guthrie and artist Joanna Powell Colbert
Parting the Mists 
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