Hanged Man
12
Rules: Pisces
Exaltation: Leo
Planetary Association: Neptune
Color: Light Blue
As a Yes or No question: Depends on the question; but in most cases, the answer is a No.
Upright: Patience, Sacrifice, Pause, Surrender, Wisdom, Odin, Letting Go, New Perspective, Faith, Fate in God/Universe’s Hands, Martyr, Fate
Reversed: Refusing to Let Go, Playing the Victim, Missed Opportunity, Ego, Impulsive, Rash Decisions
Hanged Man Symbolism
A man is seen, hanging upside down from a healthy green tree. His hands are behind his back, possibly bound, possibly sat in contemplation. Only one leg is tied to the tree branch. The other leg forms an inverted number four. When four is in reverse, we see someone who is waiting for spiritual wholeness.
The blue color (as seen on his shirt) is symbolic of water. Water will reverse an image in the reflection of its surface and the Hanged Man’s keyword is “reversal” because he reverses his thoughts and everything that he thinks he knows.
The red color (as seen on his pants) denotes a passion for his beliefs. Think of the Hanged Man, similar to Odin. He sacrifices himself, for the passion, belief, and desire to hold power. There has to be a will and passion, to sacrifice yourself so boldly.
Around his head is a shinning yellow light, which is similar to the “lightbulb” cartoon effect. That light bulb moment we all have, and so poignantly seen in old cartoons, as a literal lightbulb over the querents head. The yellow light is symbolic of the life-breath of the eternal light in all and everything.
Hanged Man Upright Summary
The Hanged Man is all about pausing, meditation, reflection and seeking the higher knowledge from within. Sometimes, to find the truth, we have to let go and allow the truth to find us. Again, similar to Odin, you may be on the brink of spiritual discovery. The problem is, the only way to find it is to fully release. Which may in itself be a sacrifice. Letting go of control, is hard for any person, just to varying degrees.
The Hanged Man can also be about sacrificing a belief or something else to gain insight into a situation. In rare instances, the Hanged Man can indicate a martyr someone who sacrifices his life for the greater good. On a more banal level, this could be a person who gives to charity, while forfeiting their yearly vacation. It’s all about perspective. What is a sacrifice to some, may not seem great, but we are not here to judge. We haven’t walked in their shoes.
Past – In the past position, the Hanged Man suggests having lost something, but for the better. Sacrifice, but for the greater good, even if it’s your own greater good. Sometimes sacrifice seems harsh or brutal at first, but we adapt and grow from it.
Present – The Hanged Man in the present position shows a present harsh relative we have to face. We can either sacrifice, and let go, to grow as an individual, or we can choose to not, remaining stunted in our current situation. Do we let go or do we grow? Ultimately the choice comes down to the querent, and what they want for themselves as a person.
Future – In the future position, the Hanged Man reminds us that we face choices every day. Choices that as in the present position speaks to, can either stunt us or allow ourselves to flourish. You will be faced with the choice to pause and reflect soon. Take it or remain in the stagnant position you find yourself in, in that relative presentness.
Reversed Summary
In Reversed, the Hanged Man can be a bit of a victim mentality, someone who will shoot themselves in the foot, the complain the universe is doing this to them. There is a martyr for a greater good and a martyr who always has something going wrong while doing nothing to fix their situation. We all know the difference between these two kinds of people. Sometimes we have no one to blame for our situations but ourselves, and that’s okay. It’s part of the human condition, we aren’t always going to get it right every time. The difference is recognizing fault, instead of acting like the victim.
Song for the Hanged Man
Cover Artwork: Nik Lacey