September will be a time of unleashing our inner sun, merging the solar illumination of once-hidden aspects of our being with our outward-facing selves. This will be a portal of layered opportunity and legacy, a time stamp in 2025 where our internal gates and labyrinths suddenly align to create a clear path forward. Walls dissolve as we remember we can simply pick up our purple crayons and draw our own doors. Feelings of being “at the mercy” of someone else fade as we shine lanterns into the darkness of our subconscious, allowing the tales of our desire and agency to swim towards the light. The Hermit is our archetype for September, and there are three magic layers to this divination.
First, The Hermit corresponds to the zodiac sign of Virgo, where the sun will be from August 22 – September 22, making it a particularly timely card for the month and emphasizing the magic of Virgo qualities in the collective. Second, The Hermit is number nine in the major arcana of the Tarot, just as September is the ninth month of the year. Third, The Hermit is the tarot card associated with 2025 numerologically, as 2025 is a collective nine year (2+0+2+5 = 9). Three is the number of the magician, and nine is the number of completion, mastery, and evolution. There is so much possibility here. September is a big picture point of reattuning to our values and visions, as well as a tender, boots-to-the-ground threshold of remaining invested in the present work. September is the perfect month to weave it all together, so to speak. Reach down into your core and prioritize time to integrate what you’ve been learning so far this year.
The Hermit offers a spiritual lens for all earthly lessons, helping us to bridge magic and the mundane in ways that are pragmatic and wise. Take curious stock of your emotions and desires. Notice where you feel blessed and where you feel drained, where you feel hopeful and where you feel burnt out. Remember that you have the free will to adjust your sails and reimagine your carryons accordingly. Perhaps most importantly, remember that this is your timeline. The Hermit does not meet urgency with urgency. They do not ascribe to the experience or expression expected of them. Meet yourself at the crossroads with your own lantern and your own grace. It’s practical to honor your natural timing, and it supports all of us in divesting from the demanding matrix of the overculture. “Slow down to speed up,” and “trust in your process,” are valuable idioms here. In order to engage most effectively with this energy, we’re invited to invoke with another numerological nine archetype: the Nine of Swords. As we sit with all we’ve been learning this year, many of us are facing inner demons and releasing old energetic splinters in order to create space to experience more fulfillment. Nine of Swords energy is not easy, but it can be incredibly cathartic when met with tenderness and trust in the process of releasing detrimental patterns, painful experiences, and harsh ways of thinking. Sometimes we simply have to process a fear by being with it, in order to free ourselves. It may also be helpful to remember you don’t have to engage with this energy alone. Verbally processing with your loved ones, a trusted therapist, or your good spirits can be incredibly supportive when we’re in a Nine of Swords portal.
If these points of contact feel inaccessible, start by sharing it all in conversation with a tree (trust me). The point is for the energy to exit our field, and the subterfuge of ignorance will just prolong an uncomfortable process (but also, if that’s your thing, by all means). And, as with all aspects of releasing big energy, trust that salt water is also an essential guide and ally. Tears, sweat, sex, and finding your way to the ocean will all help with catharsis and feelings of homecoming. It’s time to let some big stuff go. Feel the resistance, and do it anyway. Friction is a friend. The Knight of Swords is the secret sauce to making the best of this powerful month in each of your exquisitely personal ways. Let things come up as they come up. Meet your swords as they greet you instead of digging for them, and remain devoted. Practice attuning to your vision and desires at your own pace, and be moved by events in real time. The Knight of Swords brings helpful information and opportunities, often in ways that appear out of thin air. The element of surprise is strong with this archetype, and there’s a certain magic in recognizing your personal frequency of grace. Grace is not one-dimensional or explicitly “good.” Grace holds authentic presence no matter the situation, allows us to witness and hold many things without taking on weight, and keeps us connected to a well of creative inspiration and possibility. This is the state of being that allows these butterfly-blessings to land in your hand. Remember you’re doing this work to create space for what you desire.
Get acquainted with the idea that everything you’ve experienced so far this year — the good, the bad, and the ugly — has all transpired in collusion with your vision to create a path where your desires can arrive. For some of you, they’re already here. The roots are already deep and strong. Now you just have to keep tending to the garden so your vision can truly bloom. I say this lovingly, without urgency or expectation: Don’t let the expansion of this month pass you by. Greet your own spirit and visions with a candle and a nod, and get to work. As the great Toni Morrison said, “You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” •
Beth Metal is a practicing witch, spirit channel, and card reader who lives in Providence with her calico cat, Arrow. She is available for private readings, parties, events, and spiritual consultations. Find her on instagram (@nearbeth_experience) or check out her website (nearbethexperience.com) to learn how to work with her or get in touch. You can also write to Beth at askawitchmag@gmail.com with your quirky questions, curious concerns, or sticky situations for a chance to receive complimentary spiritual guidance in our next edition of Ask a Witch.
Illustration by Maddy Bormes