The Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings
The Hanged Man’s Upright & Reversed Meanings
Ideas: Compromise, normality, resumption
Traits: Active, calm, impatient, peaceful, protective, tolerant
Emotions: Contentment, gladness, relief, satisfaction
- Actions:
- Agreeing to disagree
- Claiming back your power
- Defending your current belief
- Meeting others halfway
- Picking up where you left off
- Refusing to give in
- Seeing things the normal way
Ideas: Perspective, reversals, sacrifice, suspension
Traits: Contradictory, farsighted, flexible, humble, passive, patient, uncomplaining
Emotions: Eagerness, frustration, hope, optimism, uneasiness
- Actions:
- Making the best of an unforeseen change
- Making sacrifices
- Pausing to reflect
- Seeing growth opportunities
- Suspending disbelief
- Thinking out of the box
- Viewing things from different angles and perspectives for another wisdom
Ideas: Blame, martyr, rescue
Traits: Conformist, fixed, obedient, sadistic, submissive, vulnerable, unappreciative
Emotions: Guilt, neglect, pity, shame, suffering, sympathy
- Actions:
- Being a martyr
- Blaming others
- Keeping rescuing others
- Profiting at the expense of others
- Refusing to adapt to new situations
- Taking kindness for weakness
The Hanged Man’s Advice
Personal Growth
One sign of maturity is your ability to deal effectively with the unexpected. Rather than be decimated, look for the lesson. If you’re true to your own values, no disaster will get the best of you.
Relationship
What doesn’t move forward isn’t growing. If you’re hanging by a thread, it might be time to grab the scissors. If you can learn from what’s not working, do so, but don’t equate learning with having to stay.
Career
Occasionally, no amount of effort will move a project to completion; progress simply isn’t the cards, despite your best efforts. Learn from setbacks; turn disappointment into opportunity.
Spirituality
Sometimes the best action is no action at all. Suspend your need to have a hand in things. Consider, too, the value of small sacrifices. What you give away will come back to you greatly multiplied.
The Hanged Man’s Symbols & Insights
The Inverted Traitor
Renaissance audiences would immediately recognize a hanged man as a traitor because hanging traitors by one foot was a common practice. Are you bound to any old habits that, in this situation, betray you?
The Serpent
One occultist taught that the image of the Hanged Man was “originally” drawn right-side up, as a man stepping over a snake (thought to be a representation of the missing virtue of Prudence). What would be your most prudent course of action now?
The Halo of Enlightenment
The Marseilles Hanged Man is clearly being punished. As they mapped concepts of sacrificial enlightenment to this card, occultists added the halo. What have your own trials taught you? How might those lessons apply now?
More About The Hanged Man Tarot Card
- Predictions
- A traitor is revealed.
- One of your friends is working against you.
- Change your ways or suffer the consequences.
- Timing
- When you least expect it
- Affirmation
- “I am open to seeing things from a new perspective and am willing to let go of my preconceived notions.”
- Archetype
- The traitor
- Hebrew Alphabet
- Mem/Water/40
- Numerology Number
- 12 = 1 + 2 = 3
(the result: expression, productivity, output) - Astrology Element
- Water
- Astrology Planet
- Neptune
- Myths/Spirits
- The Crucified Christ
- Isaac as a sacrifice
- Prometheus bound
- Jonah and the whale
- Lazarus
- Any hanged or sacrificed god
- Judas
- Storyline
- One of the main character’s allies is discovered to be working secretly for the antagonist.
- Questions to Ask
- How can I radically alter my perspective?
- How might being stuck actually be a blessing in disguise?
- How can I help myself see the glass as half full?
- Related Pages
- Tarot Card Meanings Guide
- Tarot Birth Card Meanings
- Exploring Today’s Tarot
- Consulting the Tarot
- Traditional Tarot Card Meanings
- Thirteen Fun Things to Do with Tarot Cards
- Where to Go to Learn More
