Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings
The Spirit of the Mighty Waters
The Spirit of the Mighty Waters
Card Number: XII
Element: Water Hebrew Letter: mem Hebrew Letter Meaning: Mother letter: Water; Value: 40 Path 23: Geburah (5, Severity/Strength—Mars) to Hod (8, Splendor—Mercury) Color Scales in the Four Worlds: Deep blue. Sea green. Deep olive green. White flecked purple Themes and Keywords: Dissolution. Sacrifice. Renunciation. Redemption. Immersion. Baptism. Crucifixion. Listening. Change of perspective. Suspension.Time out. Cleansing. Earned or bought wisdom. Lucid dreaming. Stillness.Meditation. The power of water. Roads less traveled. Waiting. Self-abnegation.Annihilation of self in the beloved. Enlightment process. Healing Crystals : Beryl, Selenite Hanged Man Keywords
UPRIGHT: Pause, surrender, letting go, new perspectives REVERSED: Delays, resistance, stalling, indecision Numerology 12(twelve)
The Hanged Man card is the twelfth Major Arcanum. 12 expresses cosmic or spiritual order. For example, there are 12 signs in the Zodiac and 12 months in the solar year. With all the symbolic references to The World Tarot card, it’s interesting to note that 12 is 21 backwards, which reinforces this card’s message of a commitment to a spiritual, rather than material life. |
HANGED MAN DESCRIPTION
The Hanged Man Tarot represents the path from rational thinking to an understanding of the divine order. The Hanged Man’s intellect, symbolized by the yellow colour of his shoes, hair and the rope holding him to the cross is the tool used to attain higher knowledge.
The Hanged Man is dressed in red and blue. When combined, these colours symbolize divine love. The Hanged Man’s legs form a cross, just like those of the dancer in The World, symbolizing balance. Unlike the dancer, the Hanged Man’s arms are tucked behind his back, signifying a state of inner balance.
But the Tau Cross from which the man hangs is an implement of initiation, not execution. Look at the green leaves on the crossbar of the Hanged Man Tarot card, the serene expression on the man’s face and of course, the halo. This is a symbol of life, not death.
The Hanged Man is dressed in red and blue. When combined, these colours symbolize divine love. The Hanged Man’s legs form a cross, just like those of the dancer in The World, symbolizing balance. Unlike the dancer, the Hanged Man’s arms are tucked behind his back, signifying a state of inner balance.
But the Tau Cross from which the man hangs is an implement of initiation, not execution. Look at the green leaves on the crossbar of the Hanged Man Tarot card, the serene expression on the man’s face and of course, the halo. This is a symbol of life, not death.
UPRIGHT HANGED MAN
When The Hanged Man Tarot card is upright in a reading, it’s a sign you have gained an awareness of your true purpose and you are committed to pursuing it.
The Hanged Man generally shows that you are at a crossroads - one with only two options i.e. in or out, up or down, yes or no. You may Find yourself very much wanting to do "something" but having no idea what it is or how to do it. If that happens, that's a clear sign that you should stop, relax and look at ways that you might need to let go of attempts to control life/situations/people/things.
The Hanged Man generally shows that you are at a crossroads - one with only two options i.e. in or out, up or down, yes or no. You may Find yourself very much wanting to do "something" but having no idea what it is or how to do it. If that happens, that's a clear sign that you should stop, relax and look at ways that you might need to let go of attempts to control life/situations/people/things.
General: It's possible that there is an outdated attitude or wish that you need to let go of. Any sacrifice that you make will open up your life to something even more positive than what you "let go of." All in all, this should be a thoughtful, reflective time, particularly if you are willing to look at it or how you might best serve your own interests by being willing to change.
Work: Nothing much may seem to be happening and you may well be sick of it. This is a great time to figure out if there is anything that you personally can do about it, if this is the case and if there is not an action that you can take, then try not to take the slowness of the wheels of change personally. Things will change. It just may not happen on your timetable. Relax or else look for different work.
Love: You may need to "let go" of a vision of a particular kind of relationship as being "the only way that you can be happy." If you're in a long-term relationship, it too may well be at a crossroads. If you think the relationship is fabulous, be sure and find out "where your partner is" with the state of affairs.
Finances: If things are tight, this is an important time to "open up the flow" of prosperity by giving away some of what you have, even if all you have is a piece of bread. If that's the case, know that there is someone nearby who would probably give their right arm to share that piece of bread with you. Find them and share them. Something as simple as this may start the wheels turning to bring your "prosperity" into better times.
Health: You may change your mind radically about something that you think is wrong with you physically. This is not a siren song to just ignore everything your doctor has told you, but give it some deep thought, do some research.
Work: Nothing much may seem to be happening and you may well be sick of it. This is a great time to figure out if there is anything that you personally can do about it, if this is the case and if there is not an action that you can take, then try not to take the slowness of the wheels of change personally. Things will change. It just may not happen on your timetable. Relax or else look for different work.
Love: You may need to "let go" of a vision of a particular kind of relationship as being "the only way that you can be happy." If you're in a long-term relationship, it too may well be at a crossroads. If you think the relationship is fabulous, be sure and find out "where your partner is" with the state of affairs.
Finances: If things are tight, this is an important time to "open up the flow" of prosperity by giving away some of what you have, even if all you have is a piece of bread. If that's the case, know that there is someone nearby who would probably give their right arm to share that piece of bread with you. Find them and share them. Something as simple as this may start the wheels turning to bring your "prosperity" into better times.
Health: You may change your mind radically about something that you think is wrong with you physically. This is not a siren song to just ignore everything your doctor has told you, but give it some deep thought, do some research.
REVERSED HANGED MAN
Reversed or inverted in a Tarot reading, The Hanged Man Tarot card can mean that your gifts and insights have set you apart from the crowd and sometimes, you are feeling extremely lonely and isolated.
When it comes up in reversal, The Hanged Man generally shows a life or situation at a crossroads - one with only two options e.g. in or out, up or down, yes or no. This is not a time to attempt to control people, outcomes or situations, it is a time to look critically at yourself and your options and to be deliberate in your progress. If you don’t know what to do, at all, it’s often a clear signal to do nothing. General: When the Hanged Man shows in reverse, it’s possible that the time has come to let go of an outdated attitude, situation or friendship. Think things through first, of course, but be aware that a sensible sacrifice made now of something that no longer works for you will open up your life to something even more positive than what you “let go of.” In reversal, this card particularly encourages you to not fight change. Work: If things are not going well at work when this card appears, it’s important that you resist the temptation to blame everything and everyone besides yourself. At the same time, it’s important that you don’t blame yourself for everything and paralyse yourself from being able to move forward. You may need to ultimately change something major about your current work; give some thought to what your “ideal” situation may look like. Love: Again, when it comes to the Hanged Man in reverse, the theme is generally one of letting go. You may need to “let go” of a vision of a particular kind of relationship or a relationship with a certain person as being “the only way that you can be happy.” If you’re in a long-term relationship, it too may well be at a crossroads. |
Finances: When the Hanged Man is reversed, you may be unsure about what to do with regard to your financial situation. One of the most important things to realize now is that you are not alone and you don’t have to try to do everything on your own. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you need it.
Health: When this card appears in reverse and you've not been feeling well, this can be a very important time to consider some radical changes in your habits to see how it affects your health and if it improves it. You may change your mind radically about something that you think is wrong with you physically.