NATIONAL HERMIT DAY

NATIONAL HERMIT DAY

National Hermit Day on October 29th recognizes the hermit in all of us. This day encourages a temporary retreat to embrace that isolating instinct for mental and emotional renewal.

#NationalHermitDay

The word hermit comes from the Latin ĕrēmīta, meaning "of the desert" or solitary dweller, reflecting the deep isolation sought by early religious hermits. A "hermit" is traditionally a person who lives, to some degree, in voluntary seclusion from society.

No matter how social a person is, everyone needs to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Hermits know how to avoid the public. They have mastered the ability to live independently without social interaction. Paradoxically, some of today's modern conveniences—like remote work, e-commerce, and home delivery—may make it more probable and easier to adopt a comfortable, hermit-like existence without truly cutting ties.

Hermits know how to avoid the public. This seems to be extra important as we seem to live in a constant connectivity digital age, the ability to find true solitude has become a modern luxury. No matter how social a person is, everyone needs to take a deliberate break from the constant noise, hustles, and obligations of everyday life.

As masters of living independently, herms can live without without the need to have social interaction. However, National Hermit Day celebrates only a single day of withdrawal, emphasizing a temporary, deliberate retreat—it is not a lifestyle change. It's simply a retreat into your own quiet someplace, isolated from the rest of the world. 

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL HERMIT DAY

This single-day celebration suggests that we disengage from the world for the day. Turn off the phone. Putter around the house. Enjoy your secluded little neck of the world. Be hermit-like for the day. When you're ready, come back to the rest of the world refreshed and invigorated. 

Oh! Before you do slip off into the hermit world, use #NationalHermitDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL HERMIT DAY HISTORY

October 29th is believed to honor Saint Colman of Kilmacduagh died in 632 A.D. This Irish Saint spent a seven-year hermitage in the Burren Forest in a cave in County Clare, Ireland. Saint Colman chose to live in isolation and viewed to have possessed profound spiritual discipline. This date and National Day are linked to Saint Colman's memory and the legacy he left. 

Hermit FAQ

Q. Is there a word for a group of hermits?
A. Yes. The collective noun for a group of hermits is an observance. We find it quite fitting that we observe National Hermit Day whether there is one or an entire observance of them.

Q. What does it take to be a hermit?
A. The solitary lifestyle of a hermit demands the ability to be self-sufficient. A hermit must be able to provide the basic necessities of life, including food, water, and shelter. Those who choose to be isolated in the wilderness need survival skills such as hunting, gathering or growing food, access to potable water, and the ability to build and maintain a shelter. However, not all hermits choose the wilderness for their isolation. Sometimes, their wealth allows them to isolate in the midst of large cities, rarely making contact with other human beings. 

Hermits require the ability to go without human contact for long periods of time. Despite what many t-shirts and memes claim (aka "It's too people-y out there."), most human beings require human contact, if not for their physical survival, for their sanity.