What is the hanged man tarot card?
The ‘Hanged Man’ tarot card is the number 12 card of the Major Arcana. It has a negative opening and is considered a slow card.
The card is based on the realm of consciousness between the body and the mind.
Its original number 12 signifies optimism, creativity, and inspiration.
You can consider this card as a symbol of sacrifice. Because it also reflects the state of punishment, loss, rejection and general misery.
According to many tarot scholars, The Hanged Man is from surrender, which can have two broad meanings.
- The first meaning is related to spirituality and here it implies surrender. It is similar to a situation when you give up in a battle because all the experiences are coming in the way of realizing the original truth, the ultimate reality.
- The second surrender is materialistic, the selfless surrender to the pressure of circumstances, wherein you do not want to take any action and simply observe.
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The Hanged Man Description:
As we can see in the card, a person is hanging upside down from a cross-shaped tree. The tree has many literal meanings, such as symbolizing the horizon of the earth and the sky.
It refers to a tree whose roots are deep and long, as well as its height supporting the sky.
This meaning brings out the deep spiritual characteristics in this card because it resonates with the head stand posture of Yoga which can only be achieved with great focus and determination.
Here the “Taru” tree represents the living world tree. The person’s inverted body posture indicates his trouble, yet his facial expression is pure and calm.
A rope got tied from the top of the tree; It connected one end to the toe of the man’s right foot while his left is entirely free.
Here the rope is a form of punishment, and the smile on the face depicts control.
His hands are behind the back, so his figure is making a triangle symbol of balance.
The colour of his pants is red, which signifies vitality and energy.
His blue shirt is a symbol of his wisdom and self-confidence.
His golden hair and yellow aura symbolize his ultimate realization.
The Hanged Man tarot Guide
The Hanged Man upside down shows the great sacrifice is definitely for a more significant cause.
The Hanged Man card has a distinct outlook, and his extraordinary thinking of things makes him stand out.
These cards are about people surrounded by worldliness and attitudes. Such persons develop their understanding even when they are restricted.
That is proof of looking at his circumstances from a different point of view. The motive for his sacrifice lies in a higher cause.
This card asks you to remain neutral and calm while maintaining an inner balance.
You must have passion and energy for the right time. You should look from a new angle or point of view using your inner sense.
The card advises you to remain steady and analyze even in adverse situations.
Symbols:
- Living Tree: Potential for growth and knowledge
- The man’s bound foot: Sacrifice of will
- The dress: The blue colour for tranquillity and red is for passion
- The Halo: Enlightenment with a state of surrender
- Hanged Posture: Viewing the world from a different perspective.
- Key Number: Exceeding internal conflicts to realize one’s creative potential
Upright:
Keywords: trapped, confined, self-limiting, uncertainty, lack of direction, surrender, needing release.
Generally speaking, The Hanged Man tarot card indicates that you are in such a state of mind that you are not feeling happy in that situation.
You have the power to set yourself free, but you have to change your attitude.
The Hanged Man tarot card can also indicate that you are having trouble choosing the right path because nothing is going as planned.
You’ll need to change the way you look at situations and try to take control of things.
Reversed:
Keywords: apathy, disinterest, stagnation, impulsiveness, negative patterns, detachment
As the Hanged Man card usually involves discipline and understanding.
It would be a refusal to give up what should be left or to look at things according to another point of view.
In reverse, the card declares self-image, stubbornness, and narrow-mindedness. That person does not want to know who and what they are, refusing to surrender what they have.
The Hanging man’s energy is associated with gaining another perspective while in suspension.
In reverse, it represents feeling isolated from the rest of the world and seeing things in unexpected ways.
A person got caught in a detachment from the world, unfit to bring what he’s achieving. He sees the world itself again according to to convey that point. Reverse card, however, would recommend that the person’s suspension cannot be overcome by division.
When the hanged man is in reverse, he is like standing on a leg. He still got tied to the tree but now is in a better position to free himself.
In the reversed position, it suggests a delay; even so, he may take some time. Now he became a part of the crowd.
His yellow shoes and red pants may influence him to follow his passion, but he must use his intelligence.
The Hanged Man tarot health
- Upright –
The Hanged Man Upright advises you to consider all available treatment options if you are ill.
Yet, this doesn’t mean that you disagree with the ongoing treatment.
Here you need to take a different approach to continue treatment if the treatment is not giving much success.
You can also take this card as a sign that as soon as you wish your disease improves, it takes as much time.
So it would help if you give that time as a sacrifice to win the treatment.
- reversed –
If you are having health issues, then The Hanged Man in reverse suggests that you need to think differently to solve them.
The card can warn you about diseases like stress, sadness and physical anxiety like migraine, insomnia, and poor concentration.
Alternative and holistic treatments can end your health woes by easing your current medical treatment.
The Hanged Man tarot as feelings:
- Upright –
Does this mean that person has paused his feelings? Not really but it means that they need to suspend their feelings to focus on different areas in their daily existence.
On the other hand, it just means how they feel about you.
They may have rejected that they love you and, at the same time, are fighting against that feeling.
On the other hand, it simply means that there is no confirmation of how they feel about you.
Maybe they have rejected the feelings emerging towards you. But They are not ready to accept this too and they are caught in a conflict of emotions.
- reversed –
When the hanged man is upside down, this person feels uncertain and hesitant to adopt a change.
Even though this time may be an opportunity for activity, they are not pretty sure and ready to take a step ahead.
They have passed hesitation time, yet they remain. They lost the power to stand firm in their feelings.
In reverse, The Hanged man card indicates that the person is now interested in changing with the times. The basis of this coming change is the time they spent in self-reflection.
Soon they are now ready to move forward with new energy.
The Hanged Man tarot Career:
- Upright –
A hanged man in an upright position indicates uncertainty or waiting in a career.
Your work continuity is hampering because maybe you have been waiting for some new job or opportunity that has been delayed for a long time.
You can take this card as a sign; sometimes, you can’t change some decisions, which will take more time.
Alternatively, you may be in the process of making a significant change in your career.
All you need to wait till the right comes for that hard work to pay off, whether it’s a business partner, a colleague’s response, or a career change.
- reversed –
This reverse card gives this message; sometimes, you cannot influence the decision at some places, and things will take their own sweet time.
The card says you must wait for your hard work to bear fruit.
If you look at it alternatively, you may be in the process of making a significant change in your career. It will make you find the right path to get satisfactory results in your career.
Card Combinations with “The Hanged Man”
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FAQ:
The hanged man tarot zodiac sign
The hanged man is associated with the Zodiac sign of Pisces.
The hanged man tarot advice
This card advises the seeker to surrender and wait for the right time with a lot of patience. It also says that there is little which you could change in this situation so do not loose heart and hope and leave things on time.
The hanged man element
This card is associated with water element.
The hanged man card number
The hanged man is the 12th card of the major Arcana.
Jyoti Arya is an expert in occult sciences like Tarot and Astrology. She is an ICF coach and combines the eastern and western philosophies to orient the seekers towards clarity in life. Having expertise in tarot, she simplifies the complexities of human behavior and its resolution through her point of view.