The Hanged Man Tarot Card Meaning
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The Hanged Man Meaning
A somewhat controversial card, The Hanged Man is about faith and surrendering to higher forces. It shows how the skies influence our earthly circumstances through real, grounded situations and problems. One needs to believe and let go, allowing the flow of time to take them where it may. Emotions are the uniting force we carry within, and this card shows how we are to feel rather than struggle to control. The Hanged Man speaks of sacrifice in its purest form, teaching us that each choice comes with a price, and we must be responsible to pay it to achieve our desires.
Love
Announcing big changes, The Hanged Man doesn’t necessarily indicate happiness in relationships or new romances. Instead, it suggests that we need to change our perspective, embrace circumstances out of our control, and accept our partner as they are. It encourages us to focus on our own heart and what we truly want from romance, learning and resolving patterns inherited from our ancestors.
Career
In a career reading, The Hanged Man typically indicates situations out of our control and points us towards other areas of life needing attention. It suggests that a project will succeed if we don’t interfere with its natural progression. This card emphasizes moving with existing energies and atmospheres, seeking personal peace of mind rather than initiating new ventures. The focus should be on inner peace to prevent distortion and potential collapse.
Health
The Hanged Man may seem like a bad omen, but it represents a deep opportunity for healing. It shows that physical troubles stem from distorted beliefs and perceptions. As our minds cleanse, we become stronger and healthier. This card reminds us to change our perspective, look within, and address internal processes rather than relying solely on external authorities and treatments.
The Hanged Man Reversed
The reversed position of The Hanged Man seems natural in some way, but it really shows our attempts to control destiny that are wasting too much of our energy and time. Some things should be just as they are as well as some parts of our personality, and when this card appears upside-down, it shows us that however hard we try, we cannot change what should be loved and embraced however it might seem. It calls for a deep process of self-love and acceptance, and gives information about possible struggles, manipulation, sleazy or cheap alternative ways to get things done when they aren’t at all necessary. It stands for stubbornness and our lack of readiness to accept the truth, as it is. This position calls on us to embrace our imperfections and forgive ourselves for not being perfect in terms of convictions brought on by other people who also never thought they are good enough.
The Hanged Man Time Line
Past - Our circumstances were what they were meant to be. The card of The Hanged Man shows inevitability, the natural flow of life and the order of things that might seem strange but is really in our own best interest. It always changes us, allows us to transform and grow, and set in the past, it speaks of situations that really turned out to be extremely beneficent in the long run, even though they pushed many of our buttons when we were inside them.
Present - The call for spiritual work, meditation, divination and letting go, this card invites us to dive into the Waters, figuratively or literally, to be who we are as we are in any circumstances that might arise, showing how beauty can be found in every problem we have today. It is a wonderful ally to give us the reversed but healthy perspective to contrast and compare with our own, and its presence in this moment shows that we are ready to transform, change our beliefs, and finally release the spasm of guilt or judgment that we have been carrying for a long time.
Future - Changes this card brings are never small, as it allows us to see the other side, stand in another's shoes, and brings the center of serenity into our daily matters through spiritual work. It is something to strive for, our authenticity set in place, in oneness with all other things surrounding us. In a future reading, it announces big turns, changes of pace, and ways in which we won’t be able to control circumstances so we can learn about much larger things in our life. It assures us that however things turn out, they will be the best fit for our authentic personal needs.
The Hanged Man History
Even in distant history, this card was meant to represent self-sacrifice and the blessings of giving up on our body for a higher cause, rather than punishment for the crime. The Hanged Man wasn’t always hanged upside-down though, with the exception in Tarocco Siciliano where he was hanged by the neck. In general, it was connected with capital punishment for a crime, but stood as the symbol of peace being found through such destiny, of debts repaid and the wholeness of responsibility set in place to set our spirit free. It was meant to represent the natural punishment, one that allows us to rid of karmic debt and misdeeds from the past that brought us to the unpleasant or dangerous position to begin with. It has always been the point of full responsibility for the past and all our mistakes.