The image for the Hermit in the MAAT Tarot is the ancient Egyptian god Ra whose secret name was the Sun. Ra is indeed the hermit as he always sits alone in the daytime sky joined occasionally by the moon goddess alone. Ra was the supreme god in Egypt.

Ra reigned over every land in the world even foreign nations. Egyptian's found this to be true because everywhere they traveled there also was Ra (the sun in the sky). The image of Ra in the Hermit card is an old bearded man holding an hourglass; within the top chamber of the hourglass is the sun. The sun filling this chamber has reached its peak and now like the sands in an hourglass the sunlight will begin to empty into the bottom chamber of the glass.

The symbol of the hourglass represents the daylight hours, as light begins to diminish until reaching the shortest day on Winter Solstice, which occurs on or around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere.

I felt that Ra made a good fit as the Hermit. Traditional tarot symbolizes the Hermit as an old man or sage on the highest mountain peak and that fits in well as the symbol for the lunar cycle that begins on June 21st when the sun reaches its zenith and then begins to wane. The god Ra was also associated with the afternoon sun part of a trinity with Horus represented the morning Sun as it rose in the sky and Osiris the great mystery of the sun at night. Osiris was at the heart of the mystery religion or cult of Egyptian priests who initiated by descending into the underworld to relive Isis's loss and ascending into the heavens where Osiris could be seen as Orion in the night's sky.

The following example illustrates the idea of Ra's position in the afternoon and how it relates to Summer Solstice. If the year could be viewed as 24 hours the Summer solstice would be at high noon placing the full moon cycle of Capricorn at the very beginning of the afternoon.

Ra who is also called Amen-Ra or Amon-Ra is depicted as a Ram headed god. This also reflects the Capricorn image of a mountain goat. Goats and sheep are able to graze on the high mountain pastures during this time of the year. Goats and Rams who are genetically related to one another and were domesticated and cross- bred by early humans as a source of meat and milk as well as wool fiber for weaving clothes, ropes and even shelters like the yurt which is completely constructed of felted wool. Improving the quality of life and odds of survival for early humans. The domestication and breeding of animals like goats and sheep, also taught humans the importance of the male in reproduction. Which gave rise to powerful male solar gods. These solar gods became equally powerful to the prevailing female moon goddesses who had reflected the life giving power of the female menstrual cycle for the previous 30,000 years. These solar gods eventually usurped the role of earlier goddesses. As life changed for humans, domesticated animals became important as a resource to people who were settled and raising crops. No longer living a nomadic hunting and gathering lifestyle, goats, sheep and cattle provided wool, meat, milk and cheese and were a renewable source of wealth. Goats and sheep were cross- bred for specific traits like longer wool or better meat or more milk productivity, creating specialized breeds which are still very valuable to humans even today.

Other names Sol, Amun-Re, Amon-Ra, Apollo, Helios, Sekhmet, Horus, Jesus, and Amaterasu

 Symbols: mountain goats, fish, teachers, sages, wizards

Attributes: Culmination of the heights and depths,

Planetary Ruler: The Moon

Full Moon in Capricorn key phrase: "I use"

In a Reading: This card represents reaching some kind of peak. This card can also represent being lonely at the top. The card represents the wise old sage or master teacher who is above society and living alone on the mountain.

The New Moon in Cancer-inheritance

The coins also take the form found in the ancient Hebrew Kaballah a mystical tradition that has recently become popular in America. The images on my coins are Egyptian hieroglyphs I found in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Being a visual person I had a hard time associated the mystical names on the Kaballah's Tree of Life placements. However when I read the Chapter entitled The Doctrine of Eternal Life in the Book of the Dead the Kaballah's Tree of Life sprang into my mind and became understandable. I painted the hieroglyphs for each on the Tree. Considering how culturally/genetically close the Hebrews and the Egyptians were/are both nations fathered by the biblical Abraham, I felt making this leap was not too far fetched.

Think for a moment about what you have inherited form your family for positive or negative. What is it that your have inherited from your family? Did you inherit wealth, power or a bad reputation? Did you inherit your mother's hair, your grandfather's car, your hatred of brussel sprouts or your spiritual beliefs? We have a choice in some of what we accept as inheritance. Some things we may want to keep while others things we may decide to forego. What legacy would you like to leave for the generations that follow you?

In a Reading: This card represents some kind of inheritance or legacy. Alone it can represent a monetary bequest, an object or property that is inherited. It can also represent family genetics that are passed on from one generation to the next, physical traits for positive or negative. The type of legacy can be suggested by neighboring cards.

Traditional tarot meaning: inheritance

The First Quarter Moon in Libra-gestation

The young woman gives up her freedom so that the soul/falcon/child may manifest into the physical world. She nurtures and feeds herself and stays within the confines of the garden so this new life may come though her, giving up her time and her youth in exchange. Her reward in the end will be her child who will become a man/woman beyond her expectations. By the time her ambitions are realized her beauty and youth will only be a memory. And she may even forget what lies outside the garden walls.

There is also the idea here that if humans choose to control Nature humans are at once the ones being controlled. When human's made the leap from hunter/gathers and began to raise animals and farm they gained security but they also lost the Garden of Eden.

Traditional tarot meaning: comfort, stability and well being

In a Reading: This card represents a person who has inherited wealth and a comfortable life from her family. She may not have earned her wealth but she realizes the work it takes to maintain her lifestyle. She also represents the nine months it takes to gestate a fetus before a baby can be born. This card therefore represents stages of development and the work that it takes to get from one stage to the next. It can also suggest a symbiotic relationship.

The Full moon in Capricorn-Woman of Power

The Queen of Coins is a good card to meditate on when you need help getting your power back. Sometimes in the course of life we can give too much of our own power away giving others credit for things we have done or not taking time to appreciate what we have contributed. The Queen of Coins teaches us to put our golden coins safely into our own treasure boxes and not to give too much of our selves away. When you take care of yourself first you will have plenty to give to others.

Traditional tarot meaning: a woman with dark hair and eyes, and the zodiac sign Capricorn

 In a Reading: A woman of wealth and poise who supports the arts and volunteers in her community. She loves being a mother and devotes much of her time to her family. She will go to great lengths to keep her family and its reputation safe. Her children are well educated and have the best of everything in life.

 The Last Quarter Moon in Aries-The apprentice

The idea behind this card is not just the apprentice who learns a skill but of the importance of the apprentice as a physical receptacle of knowledge. The apprentice has the obligation of passing on the skills of the master who taught him. There is also the idea the apprentice will in time mature and surpass his/her teacher enhancing the skill itself. The apprentice is in a way also the final step in the life of his teacher. He is the person who brings his teacher to immortality by using his skills long after the teacher has passed from the physical world. And if reincarnation is possible the apprentice could one day become the teacher of his own teacher passing the knowledge back to his master once again, full circle.

In a Reading: This card represents a person who is learning or trying out new skills. It can signify the desire to change jobs or go back to school to learn a skill. It can also suggest dabbling in some new and exciting hobbies. It represents the joy and excitement of creating

Traditional tarot meaning: the apprentice

©2018 Julie Cuccia-Watts