Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings
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Key Words for the Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings
- Yield
- Suspend
- Surrender
- Sacrifice
- Non-Action
- Submission
- In-Between
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Introduction to the Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings:
Just the term "Hanged Man" can be offsetting, and has a tendency to put us ill at ease. However, take a moment to look at our hanged fellow - he shows no sign of struggle on his face. In fact, the whole scene of the card is rather serene with hues of blue covering the card. The Hanged Man's expression is one of complete calm and assurance - not what one would expect at the gallows.
This is precisely the point. There is no expectation with this card. All expectations, along with all actions have been suspended. The Hanged Man is in a state of purposeful, complete surrender, yielding his mind and body to the Universal flow.
When we pull the Hanged Man card it is an indication that we may be "hung up" in our own distracting thoughts, we're complicating things, or we need to step away from something. This card delivers a message that now is the time to ease off from "doing" and simply be for awhile. When we withhold action for awhile, and just take in the events as they happen we allow things to flow more simply. If, on the other hand, we struggle, fight, and insist on control - we are met with restriction and road-blocks every step of the way.
You might've noticed that keyword up there: "sacrifice." This strikes some fear into many hearts, but there is no reason for fear. The sacrifice the Hanged Man asks us to make is in the form of giving up things in our lives that do not serve us. By suspending ourselves (thoughts, actions, emotions) we can gain perspective in order to identify the habits we cling to that hinder our progress. Sometimes in a reading the Hanged Man can be a message that we should set aside our own needs for the needs of others around us too.
Key Symbols Relative to Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings:
This section focuses in on a few select symbols that can help us further define the Hanged Man Tarot card meanings.
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Legs:
The Hanged man is dangling by his left leg - our left appendages are symbols of higher awareness. We also see the man's legs cross in an odd formation one leg straight and the other crossed at a right angle. This is a symbol of a cross-roads - that our thoughts have bubbled up to a jumble that has got us stuck - we are at a cross-roads and at a loss for decision. This ties in with the Hanged Man's advice to take no action. Rather, calm yourself, be still, and yield to the situation - answers will come when we take the time to be still. |
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Head:
As mentioned earlier, there is no expression of struggle or discomfort on the Hanged Man's face. This is a process of voluntary surrender, and he knows the outcome will lead to benefit. Further, we see a halo at his crown - this is a symbol of enlightenment, and gaining higher awareness and insight.
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Ropes:
Ropes have long been a symbol of binding or imprisonment. We've all gotten knots in our shoelaces, and we all know what happens when we frustratedly tug and shake at those knots in an effort to loosen their hold. Never works. However, when we take a deep breath, and take the time to slowly pick away and loosen the knot we are finally able to get that knot free. This is the message - the more we struggle and rage against our circumstances, the tighter our knots will be.
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Key Questions Relative to the Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings:
When contemplating the Hanged Man Tarot card meanings, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you investing time to relax?
- Are you willing to sacrifice your expectations?
- Are you struggling with a decision or problem? Can you let it go?
- Are you over-extending yourself and need to take a "time-out" break?
- Should you wait a bit to make that decision you've been worried about?
- What activities in your life can you give up in order to allow more benefits?
- What beliefs and thoughts do have that hinder your progress? Can you give them up?
- Are there things/people in your life you are trying to control? Can you let go of that need to control?
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