The Willing Isolationist

Some of us are called to leave the ordinary, everyday, work world and isolate from others. History is replete with individuals who find it necessary to live outside of their

community, even if it's only for awhile. Whether it is to create a space to think, make music, meditate, paint, or write, some folks are not exactly social beings everyday, all of the time. As a twin, I personally had a fascination with aloneness from a young age and developed a deep inner universe full of questions, wonder, and where books kept me company.

Stick your head in the sand about politics, or prefer to not watch the news about Hamas' sadistic massacre of Israelis; although it's understandable because many reading this post are empathetic and we feel it, are not types of social isolation at focus here. Rather, of interest is a particular kind of isolating that hinges on one's intention. I'm reminded of the tarot card The Hermit. Traditionally, he is depicted as a contemplative, hooded old man who holds a shinning lantern atop a mountain. He's not up there because he hates people. Quite the opposite. He will become a beacon of light in the darkness for many. You see, The Hermit willing isolates but has a simultaneous ethical and moral obligation to return to the city he once seemingly abandoned to share the light of his recently obtained wisdom.

Moses comes down from Mount Sinai, sees the Golden Calf, goes back up the mountain where the hand of God engraves the Ten Commandments, then Moses goes back down the mountain, deals with idolators, and moves the Tent outside and away from the the Israeli encampment, away from any further impurities due to the idolatry. Now it is called the Tent of Meeting where Moses speaks to the Lord God face to face . (Exodus 33:6-11)

Moses is an archetype for the isolationist who seeks to purify himself, to receive knowledge and then becomes a guiding light for others. For our purposes, of course the mountain is a metaphor, but purification rituals and isolation for a time can be real. In this context: Jesus in the wilderness; the shamanic practices of the Yanomamo in the Amazonian forest requires a period of social isolation, time to connect to the animal and plant spirits, and then heal fellow villagers; or a spiritual seeker doing an intense meditation retreat in Big Sur, California is Moses-lite when she returns to her Berkley neighborhood compelled to open an apothecary store selling supplements and vitamins. At it's best, even a period of depression coupled with loneliness can be a vehicle to connect with your spiritual core. Heal thyself before you can heal others. Often people turn to God in their darkest hour. As the famous Psalm 23 emphasizes, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

What we do with this divine guidance is a personal question to answer. It may include a greater-than-oneself purpose. However, it is understandable not everyone can achieve the mountaintop, or be like Moses, a great statesman who lead a group of people to become a nation. However, his example, which I term "Moses-lite" is embedded in the tarot card, The Hermit. In a traditional deck it is ninth in the suit of Trumps. In my humble opinion, never mind that useless sequencing. The Hermit correlates to the 10th letter in the Hebrew alphabet, which is Yud. She sometimes sounds like a "y" as in yes, or is used as a vowel. Her numerical value is also 10. Her symbolic meaning is perfectly fitting to our analysis since Yud is associated with the guiding hand of God.

As a meditation, use her sacred geometry to visualize sending blessings of wellbeing to yourself, and others, even your foes. Now, imagine the divine hand sprinkling many Yuds over yourself or others, as if the letters were tiny flower petals raining down guidance and protection.

In Psalm 23, it's not exactly a rod and staff that's imperative, rather, it is the symbolic hands holding those now sacred objects that leads one to safety. The Yud informs us the function of a guide and guidance is precisely the role of The Hermit when she comes down from the mountain, or returns after a silent retreat. This isolationist may be likened to a modern day prophet if she takes up the virtuous conduct to give back and share her new found wisdom. Frankly, not everyone can afford a luxury retreat facing the Pacific Ocean or is a shamanic initiate. In the hustle of our everyday, work world it is not easy being single and loneliness is rampant. However, the modern day Hermit pushes through negativity. He takes heed of his mystical calling and willingly goes it alone wherever. Later, he hopes to return to the hoi palloi and share what he has discovered.

There is a tale about a boy. The villagers thought him a fool because after school he would spend a long time alone in the forests. Children were usually afraid of these places. It was here, by himself, where he found the quiet time to contemplate the wonders of God. This boy was born in 1698, in the Ukraine, and would later be called, Rabbi Israel "the Baal Shem Tov", a famous Jewish mystic, healer, and the founder of Hassidism. One story tells of when he saw the Jewish people threatened by tragedy, the Besht (an acronym for the Rabbi) would go to a particular place in the forest where he lit a fire, recited a particular prayer, and asked for a miracle to save the Jews from the threat. Because of the Holy Fire and faithfulness of the prayer, the miracle was accomplished, averting the tragedy.

On October 15, 2023, the Jewish community and neighbors of many faiths followed the Besht's ritual when we gathered in the Santa Barbara town square. Although not a forest, we lit candles to memorialize the lose of innocent lives recently murdered by "Hamas" in Israel, and prayed to God for the miracle of Peace with the Palestinians.

Street Tarot