XII The Hanged Man - 'Reversed Perspective'

At number 'XII' on Major Arcana road, The Fool comes upon a peculiar figure. 'The Hanged Man' is one of the most interesting cards in the Tarot and one of my favorite archetypes. It depicts an individual, suspended upside down by one of his ankles, seemingly very much at ease in this awkward position. It almost appears to be his natural state of being. There is no effort or discomfort etched on his serene face. He is utterly resigned to remain this way for as long as is necessary. He makes no attempt to right himself up, nor does he seek help or any more support than the strength of his own leg.

'Le Pendu' from Le Tarot Noir
by Mathieu Hackiere and Justine Ternel

THE HANGED MAN - Reversed Perspective

KEYWORDS 

Acceptance. Suspension. Sacrifice. Surrender. Resignation. Seeking redemption. Patience. Forgiveness. Giving in. Letting go. A different perspective. Flexibility. Adaptability.

Denial. Passiveness. Detachment. Apathy. Giving up. Inflexibility. Stubbornness. Unconventionality. An outsider. A rebellious streak. Impatience. Feeling stuck. Feeling tied down. 

THE LIGHT 

The Hanged Man exists in a state of complete acceptance of his predicament. Was it his choice or was the situation forced upon him? The reason is ultimately of little importance or consequence. What matters is how The Hanged Man is dealing with his strange reality. Regardless of what brought him to this uncomfortable situation, he seems to think it was not only worth it, but that he actually deserves to be in this less than ideal position. Judging by his serene, zen demeanor, one can even guess that he saw this coming and was already mentally prepared to suffer through it. 

This card is about accepting the inevitable, rather than pointlessly fighting what can't possibly be changed. It teaches us to put things on hold, to stop rushing and hustling around so much. It's about the sacrifices to our own comfort and our own wishes that life sometimes forces us to make. Sometimes, the right thing to do is to weather the storm, embrace the sudden instability and just wait for things to improve on their own. The best course of action can be no action at all. It's about a certain kind of mindfulness. Live the moment fully, be present, even in the most adverse circumstances.

'The Hanged Man' from the Sun & Moon Tarot 
by Vanessa Delcort

The Hanged Man can also represent voluntary pain, self-punishment, seeking redemption through a form of self-inflicted torture. It also signifies the need to look at the world from a completely different perspective. While giving the outward impression of being totally passive and absent, The Hanged Man is actually learning to appreciate a whole new way of experiencing life. He's literally turning the issue on its head and learning a lot about himself and the human condition in the process.

This is also the card of forgiveness. Forgiving ourselves or those who have mistreated us is one of the hardest things to do and often puts us in the Hanged Man position. Even though we've been wronged or hurt, often deeply, or we've caused severe pain to others ourselves, we nevertheless need to find our way to forgiveness. The experience changes us  and nothing will ever be the same again, but true forgiveness is a necessary step on our way to recovery and to regain essential peace of mind.

'The Hanged Man' variations. From left to right:
the Deviant Moon Tarot, the Elemental Power Tarot and the Tarot by Alexander Daniloff

    

THE SHADOW 

On the shadow side, the Hanged Man can be seen as an apathetic person who just gives up the fight. Someone who's no longer an active participant in his or her own destiny and becomes detached from reality to the point of self-abnegation. 

This card can also underscore a tendency to live in denial. The unwillingness to face the stark truth of our circumstances, much preferring to stay in an uncomfortable, but familiar position, pretending that everything is actually alright.

It can represent someone with contrary or unusual views who is incapable or unwilling to see the world as it really is. It can also signify a rejection of conventionality and a preference to live in a world where we create our own rules, often in total opposition to everyone else's expectations.

The shadow Hanged Man is also a sign that we're stuck in a particular situation, feeling tied down, unable to leave, or forced to stay by outside influences.

'The Hanged Man' variations
Left: the Joie de Vivre Tarot. Right: the Tarot of the Trance 

LITERALLY 

In a very literal sense, The Hanged Man is a call to channel our inner yogi. Do some handstands and just chill upside down for a while with our yoga practice.  

TAROT ACADEMIA 

The study of The Hanged Man's historical symbolism is quite eclectic and varied, encompassing lore ranging from old Medieval Christian Europe to Norse mythology. Let's take a look at a couple of these interpretations.

Originally called 'L'Impiccato' in Italy, a term that refers to a convicted individual sentenced to some form of punishment by hanging, it was later changed to 'L'Appeso' which translates simply as 'the hanging one'. The implied guilt from the original name was carried over from the card labeled 'Hope/The Traitor' in early Italian decks, such as the Visconti Sforza. 'The Traitor' is believed to be a reference to Judas Iscariot who, after betraying Jesus for money, was ridden with guilt and attempted to return the reward before committing suicide by hanging. This may be one of the reasons many representations of this archetype depict coins falling out of The Hanged Man's pockets. 

Another interpretation makes mention of the Norse God Odin as a possible Hanged Man parallel. Odin hung himself from Yggdrasil, the Norse Sacred World Tree, as a form of self-sacrifice. His ultimate goal was to gain more wisdom and knowledge, specifically on the mysteries of the Runes. After nine days and nights spent upside down, staring downward into the waters of the Well of Urd at the foot of the Tree, the secret of the Runes was finally revealed to him.

These two interpretations both carry the same theme of self-abnegation for a specific purpose. Judas Iscariot was seeking some form of redemption for his ultimate betrayal and Odin was searching for knowledge he believed was only attainable through extreme physical and mental duress. Their trials are reflected in the modern interpretation of The Hanged Man archetype, in the concepts of voluntary sacrifice and intense voluntary physical discomfort.  

A beautiful 'Hanged Man' from the Tyldwick Tarot by the late Neil Lovell

AN EXERCISE 

Searching for a new way to approach a particular problem? Find The Hanged Man in your deck and the two cards before and after it. These will provide the needed guidance on how to handle the issue in a new, possibly unorthodox manner.