The Light in the Lantern

From the Wayfarer Tarot, the Hermit; from A Curious Oracle, 'Mudra:'

          This is such an interesting portrait of the Hermit; instead of holding the light outward, he holds it close to his face. This card makes me think of a personal inventory, taking a look at the causes and conditions that have shaped my life. 'Causes' are simply a necessary ingredient (like the acorn that can create an oak tree). 'Conditions' are the circumstances that make it possible for the the cause to develop and grow (intentional actions). I'm basically a conditioned being. Yet Joseph Goldstein explains there is a way to break this chain of conditioning:

If there’s something pleasant, we want it; something unpleasant, we desire to get rid of it. But if instead of ignorance in the mind there is wisdom and awareness, then we experience feeling but don’t compulsively or habitually grasp or push away. 

What is my relationship with my world? The answer will provide the light for the lantern. In Buddhism, mudras are hand gestures - a form of non-verbal communication and inner resolve. I think the Hermit would choose Buddha's 'earth-touching mudra,' a gesture made when he awakened. It represents a combination of skillful means (wholesome choices) and wisdom. In other words, I stop focusing on blame, start looking within and begin to make more mindful decisions.