The Hanged Man XII

Keywords & phrases

• New perspective
• Bigger picture
• Embrace change
• Waiting
• Meditation
• Sacrifice, surrender
• Humility
• Pause, delay, stuck
• Release old patterns

First impressions

For me one of the strangest cards in the deck. What an odd position this person has put themselves in. But how calm they seem.

What is happening in the card?

A fair-haired young man hangs by one leg upside down from the branch of a tree. He wears red leggings, sky blue tunic and yellow shoes to match his hair.

The Hanged Man’s arms are folded behind his back, his free leg bent behind the tied leg creating a shape like an inverted four. If turned upside down the posture is similar to that of the figure in The World card. A shimmering halo encircles his head.

Despite the awkwardness of his position, The Hanged Man emits a sense of peace and calm. How can he tolerate this situation? What can he see from there that we can’t?

How can we relate to this card?

We can relate to the Hanged Man in situations when we feel stuck or when we see that events may not be following the path that we wanted – that outcomes may not be as we imagined for ourselves. These are times when we may need to find a different perspective or tap into a higher wisdom to find answers and to allow events to simply unfold without becoming attached to a certain outcome.

To do this we must take a pause and step outside of our mundane everyday business in order to enter a different state – calm, receptive, perceptive, without ego. How you do this is up to you – meditation, breath, yoga, a walk in the woods or a blow on the beach.

Somehow putting yourself is a different position, or state, where you can see things from a new angle. 

Message & affirmations

Today, I let my ego step aside and I show up in my relationships and work with humility, tolerance, patience and faith.

My personal experiences of this card

The Hanged Man for me provides a little prompt to take a step back and consider a bigger picture.

At the time of writing, I’m house hunting. This is anxiety-inducing and exciting in equal measure (sort of). There have been a couple of disappointments so right now I’m hoping for some third-time luck.

Finding a home for myself and my daughter has been at the top of my list of goals and dreams for a long time. There is a huge emotional attachment to the idea providing a perfect home. But what I’ve learned is that I mustn’t get too hung up on a particular outcome in this situation. 

Instead, I must wait and trust that events will flow for the right opportunity.

The most important message for me is that I can choose how I look at things. I can choose what my attitude will be in the face of adversity. I can choose to show up with an abundant, grateful mindset rather than one of lack and disappointment. I can choose gratitude over entitlement. Humility over ego.

I’m not talking about mindless, toxic positivity here but the ability to take a moment to change perspective in order to open myself to all possibilities and promote a different, perhaps better outcome.

Events, situations & readings

In a relationship spread:
Perhaps you are feeling a little stuck in your relationship… how can you move things forward? How can you look at things differently?

In a work, business or finance spread:
Patience and big picture thinking may be required in business in order to achieve your goals. Keep an open mind. 

In a health and wellbeing spread:
Is it time to take a pause to restore your energy? How can you take better care of yourself – mind and body, heart and soul?

Reversed:
Are you holding on too rigidly to an idea or an outcome that is no longer viable or serving you and those around you? It may be time to turn things on their head and see what shakes out.

People & interaction with other cards

With Temperance, the wisdom offered by The Hanged Man is to be patient and trust that the right set of circumstances will eventually come about to allow for an outcome that is aligned with your highest good. With The Star, this guidance is amplified. These three cards in a reading would also bring a strong self-care message.

With other big hitters of the Major Arcana, such as The High Priestess and The Hermit, you are encouraged to look within and connect with your higher self in order to find that new perspective. While Death urges you to release thoughts that would keep you stuck in old patterns and hold you back.

Questions, prompts & insights

Where are you feeling stuck in your life right now? Have you become attached to a certain outcome that is not working out? How can you release that attachment and open yourself to other possibilities?

Do you need to look at a situation with new eyes, new thoughts a different mindset?

Featured decks:
Main image from The Rider Waite Tarot.