Next in our series of diving deep into each tarot card for a better understanding is the Hanged Man. If you would like more insight into each card up to this point, I recommend going back and starting with the Fool, at card zero. Starting with the Fool means that not only will you get deep insight into each card, but you will also see how they build on each other, moving from one to the next.
We are almost out of the Destruction line in the Major Arcana (the second line). In this line, we are lessening. Something is being destroyed, and it needs to be destroyed so that we may move forward in our evolution on the third line of the Majors.
The Destruction line is no joke; it can create deep feelings of discomfort, ego upset, and rattling vulnerability. We see all of this and will discuss it in this post.
Looking at the numerology, we see 12/3 with this card. The numerology speaks to the capabilities within the mind to see clearly and harness an awakened power. There are invitations of rapid expansion, and creating an awareness that breaks the facades and shatters the ego. With this numerology and this card, there is an invitation to lessen the comfortable and known, and to grow in ways that challenge the self, and bring the self into connection with the Divine. Read more about the numerology here.
Surrendering to the Divine with the Hanged Man
The Hanged Man, coming after Justice (or Strength in certain decks), aids our transition into this subversion. Justice helps us move into the Hanged Man by helping us recognize universal order and how we are all moving in the cosmic cycles of As Above, So Below. Justice helps us approach this card by recognizing that these actions of surrender will reverberate and ripple back to us in ways that move us into new possibilities. It is scary and not easy, so have heart, dear one. The Hanged Man beckons, but you are not alone.
The Hanged Man says that your evolution is past the point of control, comfort, or security. The Hanged Man helps you lean into sacred surrender so that the features, powers, gifts, and capabilities you have can morph into something that serves the bigger perspective.
The first way that I read the Hanged Man is: Past the space of your control is where much of your wild nature can be found. This means that your wild reclaiming, finding, and integrating the precious parts of you that have been shelved, tamed, or compartmentalized will be found in letting go of your old self. With the Hanged Man, we have to give in. This may feel awkward, or wrong even, because when we were in Justice, we were just starting to move with this deepened awareness of how our actions create our reality. Cause and consequence, karma, and universal laws were all put before us, and now we must release, let go, surrender, and give in to everything?
Yes… This is the only way the teachings stick. The Divine comes in so hard, we have to see things from a different point of view and find clarity amidst discomfort.
Looking at our first four cards, we see the Hanged Dragon from the Tarot of Dragons at the beginning of this post. We see the dragon suspended, while a Jaguar plays with the feathered crown of the dragon. This is a beautiful reminder to find play and levity in the surrender and in the pause. The only way to handle the discomfort is to find the lightness in it.
The Mystical Dream Tarot, always full of symbolism, shows many details that we could decipher. Here, I want to bring attention to the burning clock. Time is both at a standstill with the Hanged Man, but also universal with the understanding of seasonal change and life/death/rebirth. The burning clock shows that we are at both ends of time, another thing that could feel disorienting.
From the Hush Tarot, we do not have a person suspended here, but they are stuck. This person is tangled at the feet, and they have no mouth. The snares around the feet symbolize the need to stop, reflect, and go inward (an invitation that is going to come with any Hanged Man). We have to take moments to pause in our lives, so that we may understand what is happening and make sense of it. The lack of a mouth symbolizes this internal reflection. We need to understand before we speak or react. Speaking without clarity means that we could further ensnare ourselves.
Finally, from the Dark Wood Tarot, we have an inverted vampire. The vampire represents the mystic aspect of the Hanged Man, but also shows an inverted connection to the human form. The vampire looks human, but unlike normal humans, the vampire is supernatural. This means they are connected to this understanding of suspension, and taking the time to look at things to reveal the truth. The Vampire, the Mystic, all understand the interconnection and deeper meanings.
Main invitations with the Hanged Man:
1. Past the space of your control is where much of your wild nature can be found
2. Weathering the natural turns and cycles of life provides you with the possibility of growing, evolving, and creating your magick from a rooted place
3. Do not fight for control over your evolution. Surrender and sacrifice into its process
The next way that I read the Hanged Man is: Weathering the natural turns and cycles of life provides you with the possibility of growing, evolving, and creating your magick from a rooted place. This means that as you move through the cycles of As Above, So Below, and you take the time to see these cycles from a different point of view, you can understand how your magick shows up in this world. You can grow, expand, create, and evolve from a place that is rooted and supportive for yourself, your magick, and your wild reclaiming.
If you were to look at the big chapters that you have gone through in your life, what about you has changed? How did you evolve from some of the greatest or hardest moments that you have survived? When you can see where your strength and wild spirit reside (at the very center of self), you can find clarity in the discomfort. You can pause and find yourself, even when everything feels chaotic. This is the gift of the Hanged Man: the ability to calm the ego and connect to spirit in such a way that the Divine can enter and sit with you. The wild spirit within is so at home, even inverted, within the self that the position doesn’t matter.
The hard part is getting to this place of comfort, so don’t feel dismayed when it is hard for you. It is hard for everyone. Some shadow energy with the Hanged Man is the refusal to come into this place. We must find calm in chaos. We must find the Divine and our wild spirits, even when it feels like everything is wrong or off-kilter. Not coming into the energies of the Hanged Man allows ego, comfort, and conformity to win.
Another shadow aspect is becoming so accustomed to this place of dreamy subversion that standing upright and going forward is now the hard part. As stated, we need to sit in this liminal, dreamy place that connects us to the Divine, to the internal, and our subconscious. However, the point of sitting in this space is so that we can embrace change, because the next card is Death. It’s needed to find the center, but we can’t stay here. We have to keep going.
The Hanged Man Represents the Sacrifice Before Evolution
Looking at the two cards above, we see an opossum hanging by its tail. The halo around the head speaks to the traditional imagery that to find enlightenment, we often have to sit on the brink of discomfort and find patience. This deep, life-altering understanding only comes when we are truly tested or pushed to the limit. The Opossum speaks of needing to lie low and have patience. Also, this creature could use a collective understanding from humans. They provide so much benefit to nature, but are seen as mere pests. We should all find some enlightenment and welcome these creatures more.
From the Ostara Tarot, we see a man who hangs in an uncomfortable position, and right below him lie a pack of sleeping wolves. He is truly at their mercy, and yet he knows that if he were to fight or resist the situation, the noise would wake the beasts. He is calm and shows an ability to trust himself and the universe. When working with the Hanged Man, we need to find that trust so that we can surrender. Trust allows us to open to possibilities. Resistance closes us off. When the Hanged Man comes forward, our deepest spiritual understandings or needs require us to stand before the Divine and be vulnerable as hell.
The last way I read the Hanged Man is: Do not fight for control over your evolution. Surrender and sacrifice into its process. Much like we discussed above with the Ostara Tarot, the Hanged Man shows that one of our greatest invitations is to find a sense of calm acceptance. Remember, we are in the Destruction line, so we need to let go. The destruction is going to take place whether we like it or not, as we will see with Death. Using our energies to try and control, micromanage, or cut and paste what we know to the journey ahead is simply a waste of energy.
It is better that we take time with this pause to more deeply understand, accept, and find a willingness to embrace the destruction and be part of the process. When we are actively a part of this lessening, we find the enlightenment with the opossum. We find the words needed and can eventually speak them into existence. We see the wolves as part of the cycles and see where they stand guard over the liminal, mystical, or mythic parts of our dreams and life itself.
From the Bird King Tarot, we see a tiny, adorable cat clinging to a tree. Her clumsy, yet playful demeanor speaks to growing pains, and that levity mentioned before. She will learn how to climb, like her fierce ancestors and wild cousins. She will get the hang of things. It takes time. The image shows the pause beautifully. The cat will either fall or climb. For now, she is in limbo, and the next move will be a deciding factor.
The Crow Tarot shows that the Crow needs to take time away from the rest of his flock, the noise, and the distractions of the external world. If you find that being alone is hard, I gently say, find a way to handle it. Seriously, learn to get comfortable with isolation and being alone. Constantly needing someone to be by your side shows that this is where your work needs to start. The Hanged Man cannot find the wisdom, understanding, and inner peace if they are not willing to go do it alone.
The Hanged Man from the Shadowscapes Tarot shows a similar scene, but here I want to draw attention to the ankh hanging from the branch in the upper right corner. The ankh is an ancient Egyptian symbol that speaks to life, eternal life, and rebirth. This is the wisdom of the Hanged Man- we embrace death and endings to cycles because this is how we are reborn.
From the Spirit Animal Tarot, the Bat is the Master of Suspension. The Bat symbolizes the ability to see in the dark (enlightenment again), and to use darkness (death) as a form of power. The Bat tells us that by looking within, we gain awareness to let go of what is unnecessary. We understand the stirring within our spirit and how it will take us to unforeseen places. We need only to trust and release. This is also shown in The Wild Unknown Tarot, pictured below.
What I wish to highlight in the Grimalkin’s Curious Cat Tarot is the need for humility. The cat is suspended by the crows, which could truly be an embarrassing blow to the ego. With the Hanged Man, we must have humility. Kicking and screaming, placing a lie around the situation, or trying to act like everything is as planned is only going to create more frustration.
Finally, from the Herbcrafter’s Tarot, we have Burdock. The guidebook mentions that a new way of looking at a situation is at the heart of the Hanged One. Burdock is an invasive herb, and indicates poor soil nutrients. However, taking the burdock leaves and mulching them into the soil will improve it, and the burdock will no longer be able to grow. Burdock aids the liver, cleansing held toxins that need to be released. Whether clearing the soil or the liver, change takes time. Trust and stay committed.
I hope you have enjoyed my breakdown of the Hanged Man. I love doing these deep dives.
I want to leave you with the poem I wrote about the Hanged Man in my book, Major Arcana: A Poetry Collection. You can purchase this book by clicking the link below. Enjoy!
The Hanged Man
Awkward in this surrender I move closer to the altar
of the land, where fastening and unfastening
is to be saved. I try to tell this to body and brain
as I move closer to the reach of the beasts,
those who have written their generations
in the ancestral calligraphy of survival.
They have seen the death of fathers and gods,
reared their babes on the brink of winter
and extinction. From womb to grave, this world
is held together by an infinite number of small things
smuggling out their magick as quickly as they can.
Ghosts cross over the fence of matter into spirit,
whisper dreams into the cups of our open hands.
Cottontail’s trail their magick through the grass,
always keeping one eye open in search
of the great eagle. They know he is a predator,
yet they keep a little awe for his magick
of holding up the sky, which holds the magick of rain.
Ashlie McDiarmid
Hello there! I hope you liked this blog post. As a tarot and oracle reader, my goal with my blogs is to offer you content, resources, and access to the tools that have transformed my life.
I believe that your own intuition is the deepest form of knowing, but here in my little corner of the internet, I share insights based in intuition and instinct. I share my love for nature, witchcraft, and the wild spirit.
- If your spirit is at home in wild places
- If you feel the need to claim your autonomy as ritual
- If you want to more deeply trust your own intuition
- If you want resources or connections to tarot, oracle, witchcraft, and wild sovereignty, then welcome!
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