The Hanged Man
At first glance most people think the card The Hanged Man is upside down. Suspended by his ankle from the branches of the tree above him, his hands are behind his back and his left leg is bent at the knee. The man is youthful and beautiful in appearance his body is trim and haloed in the golden glow of the beautiful sunset behind him. His only adornment, a simple loincloth, alludes to the severity of the situation he is in. It is somewhat alarming to turn the card around and see that the Hanged Man’s face is an expression of calm. The calmness is generated from his willingness to hang there (hands held behind him rather than untying himself) in order to make the sacrifices in the now that will create the future he wants.
The Hanged Man can talk about a time of feeling stuck, life being put on hold. The Hanged Man shows us how we can be changed and transformed by the forces we experience as we walk our life’s path. If Hanged Man has come to you today, look inside yourself. Are you making the appropriate sacrifices (i.e. doing the right things) to manifest the life you desire? Are you being too selfish? Is it time to get down off the rope and get your hands dirty building that foundation? Are you throwing away your stores of energy unnecessarily? The Hanged Man calls you to adjust to your positions, to evaluate where you are and to look ahead to the life you want. The Hanged Man reminds us that a period of respite during transition can help us to move in the right direction again.
