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The Hanged Man Tarot Card Meaning

The Hanged Man Keywords

UPRIGHT: perspective | surrender | pause

REVERSED: resistance | stalling | delays

The Hanged Man Description

The Hanged Man Tarot card portrays a man hanging upside-down from a T-shaped cross of living wood, symbolizing a willing suspension and a shift in perspective. His calm and serene expression indicates a voluntary acceptance of his situation, while the halo around his head denotes enlightenment and new understanding. His right foot is bound to the tree, signifying attachment or commitment, whereas his left foot is free, suggesting underlying freedom and inner balance. His arms form an inverted triangle behind his back, representing transformation.

Dressed in red pants and a blue vest, he embodies the fusion of physical passion and intellectual knowledge. The Hanged Man embodies themes of surrender, pause in life's journey, and sacrifice for a higher purpose, highlighting the necessity of viewing life from different angles to gain deeper spiritual insight and understanding.


NOTE: The tarot card meaning description is based on the Rider-Waite deck and Decoding The Cards

Wishing For A Deeper Tarot Connection?

Decoding The Cards goes further than keywords and traditional interprations by providing exercises for each card in the tarot.

The exercises this book are designed to challenge you to delve deeper into the meanings of each card, as well as consider your own personal experiences in relation to the traditional meanings.

The Hanged Man Upright

The Hanged Man is a powerful message about the need for release from old patterns and a call to look at things in new ways. The card encourages us to step out of our comfort zone, embrace the unfamiliar, and open ourselves up to possibilities that may have previously eluded us. It is often seen as a waiting period where nothing seems to be happening, but the underlying message is that something new and exciting will emerge if we take this time for reflection. The Hanged Man reminds us to embrace our inner wisdom, listen closely to our intuition, and trust in the guidance of Spirit.


If the Hanged Man appears in your reading, it invites you to trust the process and get comfortable with change. As hard as it may seem, this is often exactly what we need for personal growth and transformation. 

The Hanged Man Reversed

The reversed Hanged Man indicates being stuck in a certain situation with no way to escape, and feeling like freedom is not within reach. This can be due to holding onto something that needs to be let go of or refusing to accept the fact that it’s time to move on. 


When this card appears in a reading, it can be a sign that you’re ready to take action but need to do so courageously. Taking this step will lead to the freedom and liberation that you seek. 


Finally, the reversed Hanged Man is a reminder that it’s time to make a decision or move forward with something; don’t let fear or hesitation hold you back from achieving your goals. Take a deep breath, allow yourself to let go of what no longer serves you, and move forward with courage and conviction!

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