I’ve been sitting here on this Halloween night contemplating the karma of being alone in life. I occasionally get swept up in a bout of self-pity about that – especially on the holidays – but being alone is a reality for so many people these days.
According to a December 2025 analysis by the Pew Research Center, based on 2023 Census data:
* 26% of Americans aged 65 and older live alone.
* 31% of women aged 65 and older live alone.
* 19% of men aged 65 and older live alone.
* 38% of Americans aged 85 and older live alone.
The federal Administration for Community Living reports a slightly higher figure of 28%, or approximately 16.2 million people
And that’s just physical solitude, of course. A recent study found that almost 60% of the population has felt seriously isolated over the previous year of their lives, even if they live with someone.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEING ALONE
The Tarot distinguishes between several different kinds of solitude: voluntary withdrawal, loneliness, spiritual retreat, emotional isolation, and even exile.
The Hermit is the obvious choice, but several other cards suggest solitude, sometimes quite strongly.
1. Four of Swords — Voluntary Withdrawal
Probably the strongest alternative to the Hermit. The Four of Swords represents retreat from the world, rest, contemplation, and the need to be alone. Unlike the Hermit, who seeks wisdom through solitude, the Four of Swords withdraws to recover, heal, or regain perspective.
2. Eight of Cups — Walking Away
This is solitude as a deliberate choice. The figure abandons familiar emotional attachments and journeys alone into the mountains. It can indicate leaving relationships, communities, or situations that no longer provide emotional fulfillment. There’s an element of spiritual searching here that closely resembles the Hermit.
3. Nine of Pentacles — Happy Independence
One of the most positive solitude cards. The woman stands alone in her beautiful garden, enjoying the fruits of her labor. She is self-sufficient, comfortable, and apparently quite content without companionship. This is solitude without loneliness.
4. Five of Pentacles — Loneliness and Exclusion
Here solitude becomes painful. The figures are outsiders, separated from the warmth and security represented by the illuminated church window. Although two people appear in the card, it can represent emotional isolation, abandonment, and feeling excluded from society.
5. The High Priestess — Sacred Solitude
The High Priestess represents inwardness, silence, and withdrawal from ordinary social activity. Her solitude is contemplative and mystical. Unlike the Hermit, who actively searches for truth, she sits quietly and allows hidden knowledge to reveal itself.
6. Four of Cups — Emotional Withdrawal
The seated figure appears disconnected from the world around him, absorbed in his own thoughts and feelings. This can represent voluntary isolation, but also emotional disengagement, dissatisfaction, and an unwillingness to participate in life.
7. Nine of Wands — Defensive Isolation
This is solitude created by mistrust. The figure has been wounded and now stands guard, expecting further attacks. The card can suggest someone who has withdrawn from relationships because previous experiences have made them reluctant to trust others.
8. Two of Swords — Self-Imposed Isolation
The blindfolded woman sits alone, her crossed swords creating a barrier between herself and the world. This can represent psychological isolation, emotional self-protection, or a refusal to engage with difficult realities.
9. The Hanged Man — Solitude Through Suspension
The Hanged Man is physically isolated, suspended between heaven and earth. His solitude is a state of surrender, contemplation, and separation from ordinary activity. Like the Hermit, he gains a different perspective by withdrawing from conventional life.
10. Eight of Swords — Psychological Isolation
The bound and blindfolded woman appears completely alone, surrounded by swords. Her isolation is primarily psychological. She feels trapped, powerless, and separated from possibilities that may actually be available to her.
USING THE CARDS WE’VE BEEN DEALT
Sometimes being alone is temporary, sometimes we need it to heal, and sometimes it’s simply where life has brought us.
Sometimes it’s simply our karma.
We can sit outside the church window with the Five of Pentacles, mourning what we don’t have, or we can cultivate our own beautiful garden with the Nine of Pentacles. We can build walls around ourselves with the Nine of Wands, or we can pick up the Hermit’s lantern and discover what treasures might be waiting in the darkness.
So, on this Halloween night, I’m going to light a candle, raise a glass to all the other solitary souls out there, and remember that even when we walk alone, the journey goes on.
