REVERSAL
SUSPENSION
SACRIFICE
The Hanged Man is one of the most mysterious cards in the tarot deck. It is simple but complex. It attracts, but also disturbs. It contradicts itself in countless ways. The Hanged Man is unsettling because it symbolizes the paradox of action in our lives. A paradox is something that appears contradictory and yet is true. The Hanged Man presents to us certain truths, but they are hidden in their opposites.
The main lesson of the Hanged Man is that we “control” by letting go – we “win” by surrendering. The figure on Card 12 has made the ultimate surrender – to die on the cross of his own travails – yet he shines with the glory of divine understanding.
He sacrifices himself, but he emerges as the victor. The Hanged Man also tells us that we can “move forward” by standing still. By suspending time, we can have all the time in the world.
In readings, the Hanged Man reminds us that the best approach to a problem is not always the most obvious. When we most want to force our will on someone, that is when we should release. When we most want to have our own way, that is when we should sacrifice. When we most want to act, that is when we should wait. The irony is that by making these contradictory moves, we find what we are looking for.
letting go
- having an emotional release
- accepting what is
- surrendering to experience
- ending the struggle
- being vulnerable and open
- giving up control
- accepting God’s will
reversing
- turning the world around
- changing your mind
- overturning old priorities
- seeing from a new angle
- upending the old order
- doing an about-face
suspending action
- pausing to reflect
- feeling outside of time
- taking time to just be
- giving up urgency
- living in the moment
- waiting for the best opportunity
sacrificing
- being a martyr
- renouncing a claim
- putting self-interest aside
- going one step back to go two steps forward
- giving up for a higher cause
- putting others first
Some possibilities
- Magician – acting, doing
- Chariot – self-assertion
- Seven of Wands – defiance, struggling against
- Ten of Wands – struggle
- Four of Pentacles – holding on, control
Some possibilities
- Fool – faith in what is, going with the flow
- High Priestess – suspending activity, waiting
- Strength – patience, taking time
- Four of Swords – rest, suspended activity
- Ten of Swords – sacrifice, martyrdom
There are no separate explanations for reversed cards. The meaning of a reversed card depends on what the card would mean if upright. A reversed card shows that a card’s energy is present but at a lower level. For some reason, the energy cannot be expressed freely, normally, or completely. It may be:
- still in its early stages
- losing force and power
- blocked or restricted
- incomplete
- inappropriate
- being denied
- only present in appearance
See Lesson 17 for more information on reversed cards.