The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man in Tarot marked with the number XII represents an arm carved in wood that resembles a cross. A young man is tied to it with his right leg, while the other leg is bent at the knee. The Hanged Man has his hands folded behind his back, which together with his legs visually form two triangles referring to his elements. On the Hanged Man we can see young leaves hanging down and a gray background color. The person depicted in the Hanged Man is wearing a blue shirt, which refers to emotional and spiritual matters. His red pants and yellow shoes on the other hand refer to action and movement. The Hanged Man has also a yellow halo around his head which symbolizes light, enlightenment, and wisdom. Even though he is in this uncomfortable position, he looks happy and calm. This is due to the fact that the Hanged Man has consciously and voluntarily escaped from the world into the depths of his soul's contemplation. This is needed for him to look at things differently and find answers to questions. As soon as this happens the Hanged Man will be ready for action again. So the card in its meaning points primarily to the moment when things come to a halt on the physical plane, while on the mental plane the Hanged Man realizes his inner journey and metamorphosis.

The Hanged Man in an upright position first and foremost in its meaning always indicates a moment when things will come to a standstill. Although this card does not answer the question of how long this will last, this time is needed to change your views. For this reason, the Hanged Man in the upright position encourages you to rest and to isolate yourself mentally for a while from external distractions. Very often, therefore, the upright Hanged Man is read as a complete lack of action and movement. However, this should not block your inner activity, which will help you to change your life. The Hanged Man in an upright position very often heralds forthcoming changes, which can manifest themselves in any area of life. From a more practical point of view, the Hanged Man in an upright position is not a good sign for material or love matters. This is because it brings a lot of questions into your life during this downtime that you need to get answers to within yourself. The upright Hanged Man is also an affirmation and meditation card that will help you achieve inner peace and purification. Although this card points to significant events in your life, this period of stagnation will not last forever. The Hanged Man in an upright position will soon allow you to get back on your feet and move boldly through life with new thoughts and goals.

The Hanged Man in the reversed position is a card that is a serious warning and is a harbinger of further delays in the matter in question. It should also be interpreted as a complete detachment from the real world. This may be due to the use of stimulants or simply a conscious escape from difficult problems. However, in the case of the reversed Hanged Man, it is not enough to wait out the current situation, because passivity can lead you to an even greater crisis. This card can also be interpreted as the moment when you should finally let go of the spiritual world and take action to help you out of a difficult situation. The person depicted on the Hanged Man in the reversed position may also have a problem looking at the questioned matter in a different way. Because of this, the decisions you make may be rash and ultimately wrong. This card, reversed, therefore, warns against acting in situations that require thought, and against stagnating when your initiative is important. It encourages you to change bad habits and to analyze your actions. The reversed Hanged Man is not a good card for risky actions and for that reason it recommends great caution also in financial or professional matters.

In such questions, the Hanged Man in an upright position very often indicates that there is no change or development in the current situation. This in turn can have both a positive and negative meaning depending on what point in life you are at. So if the current situation is satisfactory for you then the upright Hanged Man indicates that everything will remain the same in the near future. So the card does not foretell a new relationship nor does it indicate the end of an ongoing relationship. On the other hand, if the upright Hanged Man represents another person in your life then the card will foretell a moment when your acquaintance may come to a complete halt for some time. In relation to emotional matters, the Hanged Man in the upright position is a symbol of being stuck in a certain stagnation, or even reaching a certain spiritual crisis. In any case, however, the upright Hanged Man will herald significant changes in your love life, but first it will become necessary to isolate yourself for some time from people who may be important to you. Although this card points to some problems between partners, the upright Hanged Man will help you to get out of your current difficulties. In order to do so, you will need to re-evaluate your life and make some significant changes in your intimate relationships.

The reversed Hanged Man is a card that can have a particularly dangerous message when it comes to relationships. It symbolizes the moment when one of the partners shows total unwillingness to make any changes. However, such behavior accompanies a situation in which the current relationship is experiencing a serious crisis. But instead of drawing conclusions and doing the necessary work on the relationship, the figure depicted on the Hanged Man in the reversed position has decided to run away. And although this is only realized on the mental plane, it can ultimately lead to the end of the relationship. This reversed Hanged Man should be interpreted as a moment when action should be taken instead of waiting. With this card, it is very likely that you know exactly what you need to change so that your love life finally becomes a source of happiness instead of suffering. Thus, the Hanged Man in reversed position encourages you to learn from the past and to free yourself from the role of victim in your life. It also advises you not to hold on to relationships just because of fear of possible loneliness. If you have already done so, the reversed Hanged Man will be your cue to open up again to new people in your life. Remember, however, that a healthy relationship requires balance, not sacrifice.