The Hanged Man

Keywords & Phrases:
Transition. Readjustment. Limbo. Paradox. Sacrifice may be necessary. Bored with life. Anticipation of progress. Stasis. Seeing life from a different angle. Changing priorities. Relinquishing control. Taking a step back to move forward. Suspension. A new perspective. Reversal. Slowed action. Taking your time. A testing period. A lesson to be learned. Cosmic consciousness. Enlightenment. A unique viewpoint. A new angle. Dancing to a different drummer. Spiritual attunement. Selflessness. Sacrifice. Commitment. Dedication. Flexibility. Adaptability. Daring to be different. Breaking with the past. Readjustment. An apparent standstill. Reflection. Higher wisdom. Higher wisdom. Listening to your inner self. Unconventional behavior. Contradictions. Suspending disbelief. A rite of passage.

Summary:
One of the most mysterious cards in the tarot; the Hanged Man is paradoxical, mysterious, and imbued with the frustration of trying to solve a cryptic crossword. The simplest of interpretations are given first, followed by the more compelling but enriching paradox of this enigmatic card.

This card means you are at a crossroads and may have to stand back and look carefully at all the issues involved; or it may mean that you simply get out of a rut. You are in limbo about what you want to do next, or are going through a cease-fire.

The complexity of the Hanged Man invites you to do exactly the opposite of what you think is right to do, and thereby gain results. The more you want something, the more you have to give up on the wanting and then it will happen. The paradox is that as soon as you make these contradictory moves, you find what you are actually seeking.

Finally, the Hanged Man says that it is time to get go of emotional baggage, and that you will soon be released from any pain or emotional hurt because you are opening your mind to living for the moment, not for the past.

Think transition, postponed plans, a life in suspension, stagnation, and frustration. You need to do a 180 in how you perceive something. After all, a person hanging upside down doesn't see the world in the same way as someone standing on the ground.

This marks the point in the Fool's journey when he begins to question the deeper meaning and purpose of his life. The old beliefs and ideas have lost their meaning and no longer satisfy him, but he is confused about his new direction. The Hanged Man is the nonconformist of the Major Arcana. Unresponsive to anyone else's opinion, he goes his own way and does what he thinks is best.

Adjust your point of view, reverse your established order of doing things. The decision you're waiting for is delayed. Make an effort to avoid victim consciousness; this standstill isn't permanent. You're stuck in a rut because of rigid ideas and fixed concepts. If no one seems to agree with you, it may be because others have moved on and you have not. Release ideas and associations that are obsolete. Turn your life around by letting go of negative beliefs.

When two worlds are turned upside down, one within the other, when what appears strange becomes normal and what was normal becomes strange. This is the fey of the Hanged Man, the fey of the upside down.

It is not easy to immerse oneself in the depths, holding one's breath for the sufficient time. Yet it is the only way to enter intro contact with another realty, to understand different languages and forms. The hanged man, without renouncing his own world and identity, has dived into another world, with the intention of understanding and discovering. Just like that, with his head down, he is a bridge, a link between the two worlds.

And what he discovers is not so strange. The fish are not enemies or indifferent, and they look at him, also curious and friendly. Although it is difficult to hold his breath, he has discovered, in the eyes of a much feared enemy, the same look of understanding and friendship.

Now is a time to pause and suspend activity. You need to reevaluate your attitudes, goals, and priorities while remaining true to your spiritual values. Time appears to be moving slowly and you may feel like you are in a state of suspended animation. This is a testing period and there is a lesson to be learned. You are in the middle of a major transition and feel caught between the old and the new. You are capable of unselfish dedication to a significant project or ambition. Yours is a unique perspective that others may not appreciate or understand.

Hanging by his foot (versus his neck), and having a serene countenance and a glowing halo, the Hanged Man is a symbol of willing self-sacrifice in order to attain something of greater value. The Hanged Man seeks to attain understanding, spiritual enlightenment, or the good of others. While the Hermit searches for spiritual growth by retreating from society, the Hanged Man does so by withdrawing from activity, and so this card can suggest meditation. It also may indicate redemption or atonement through sacrifice and suffering, or transcending the self-centered dictates of the ego.

Your hectic pace has kept you from examining deeper aspects of your life. Stop what you are doing long enough to quietly ponder your course of action and consider it from a new perspective.

The wait of nine days and nine nights are the keys that open the doors of knowledge and wisdom. I am Frigg, Scandinavian goddess, wise of Odin.

The Hanged Man tries to possess beauty and truth. Only after he is himself transformed does he know that you cannot possess truth and beauty; you must become them.

Questions:
What do you expect from the sacrifices you are making? What are you devoted to? How are you hung up? What do you need to get straight? What do you need to give up? What are you trying to escape? How are you seeking higher knowledge?