The hanged man is a suspended man who carries the number 12 on the deck. The hanged man is a man who is suspended from a tree, upside down. He is called the hanged man but this is not accurate, since the hanging is on his foot and not on his neck. The Hanged Man being suspended does not constitute an execution, something terrible or deadly, it is just being suspended observing, and its meaning varies greatly if the card comes out in one position or another.
Letter correspondences:
- Kabbalistics associates this card with the planet Neptune, with the letter Lameth and the number 30.
- Esoterically it is associated with the sign of Libra, the element of Air, and the season of winter.
- In numerology, it represents the number 12 or 3 (12=1+2= 3 ).
12 is the highest octave of 3, representing careful planning and orderly growth leading to spiritual development. 1 (beginning) + 2 (the force of reasoning) = 3 (the product of regeneration).
Graphic description of the letter:
The card shows a suspended man, upside down, hanging upside down from the living world tree, rooted in the earthly world and supported by the heavens. Given the serene expression on his face, it is believed that he is hanging on the tree of his own free will.
His right foot is tied to the tree, but his left foot is free, bent behind the knee, and hidden behind his right leg. His arms are bent, with his hands joined behind his back, forming an inverted triangle.
The man wears red pants that represent human passion and the physical body, a blue coat for knowledge, and yellow shoes that represent his high ideals.
Around the head of the hanging man, there is a bright yellow halo showing spiritual achievement, with a gray background of invisibility suggesting a reminder not to flaunt your spirituality.
The reading of this letter is the final delivery, for having been suspended in time and for the martyrdom and sacrifice that man makes for the common good. This is an archetype of meditating voluntarily willing to break old patterns of behavior and bad habits that have restricted you until now.
The Hanged Man in a vertical position:
General meaning:
This card represents Being in Suspense, it is the suspension or postponement of plans and goals, restriction, letting go, sacrificing for something or others.
It can symbolize altruism, selflessness, and a certain disinterest in worldly things. It is passivity and the time to leave things still, in a parenthesis.
The Hanged Man is a card especially related to sacrifice, where you may be sacrificing yourself for the common good, letting something go to achieve a greater good, or perhaps excessive sacrifice that borders on martyrdom.
Ask yourself if the sacrifice and attitude you have taken are worth it or if you are not realizing that you are sacrificing yourself for something that will not make sense.
Although its image seems to convey something negative, it has nothing to do with any hanging, on the contrary, if this card comes out expecting a final result it is very good, it tells us that there will be success, especially if what you are looking for is related to a topic intellectual or emotional.
The man is hanging by his own decision and will, this is evident in the serenity that his face transmits. He is not forced to be like this but he does it to have a new point of view.
To represent a person, The Hanged Man will say that he is now without free will, without the power of decision, he can do nothing now to move or modify things since it does not depend on him.
However, the character of sacrifice and common good that the Hanged Man possesses indicates faithful, willing friendships that provide help and advice.
If we try to describe a particular situation, the Hanged Man’s letter tells us that it is stopped, at a standstill, on standby, nothing can be done other than being a motionless witness of what is happening.
Circumstances dominate us and our hands are tied to be able to act. It’s time to wait.
Love:
In love, it indicates that the relationship is going down a dead end, everything is still in a deep impasse. It can be an ambiguous relationship with twists and turns where one or both partners do not know where they stand or if the relationship is sailing toward a specific port.
It can tell you that perhaps it is time to “let go” of things, since no matter how much you have tried to look at things from all possible levels, it doesn’t seem to work. Maybe one of the two is too idealistic and is never satisfied with what he has and gets.
It also means that one or both of them make excessive sacrifices to fit in, giving up their own will to be and choose. A little sacrifice and giving up things is necessary in every relationship, but self-denial and martyrdom, the renunciation of yourself, does not lead to anything good.
Job:
Regarding work, The Hanged Man also tells us that you must raise your self-esteem and your worth. The sacrifices you make for work, for the company, may not work out the way you want.
It is a moment of stagnation where you must consider that perhaps you should change jobs since you are on a dead path and it is not up to you to change or reverse it.
If you are willing to be patient and let things resolve themselves, then continue with what you do, regardless of apathy, lack of enthusiasm, and poor communication with colleagues, partners, bosses, or dependent employees.
The situation will change, but it does not depend on your actions and you do not know when it will. If there is another good opportunity, you could change course, but remember that the main point is to do nothing for the moment.
Money and finances:
Savings are a priority now, there may be expenses that were not in the plans or a clear waste that will throw things out of balance. Don’t make superfluous expenses.
But this letter also has another meaning, which is giving and sharing, sacrificing oneself in some way for another or others. If you are in a good time, share, give, or toast.
And even if you’re not having a great time, share what you have, even if it’s just a piece of bread. Giving leads to receiving, what you give comes back multiplied. That is a very important lesson from hanging.
Health:
There is a situation of abandonment towards you and your health, neglect, you do not take care of yourself, it could even indicate a major depression, based above all on your lack of self-esteem and the little value you give yourself.
If you are looking for improvement, it will happen but very slowly. Follow the instructions and do not innovate too much.
Spirituality:
It is crucial now to let go of any negative beliefs, any self-limitations. Remember the idea of the “self-fulfilling prophecy” that you decree, happens, is written as in stone, so be very careful with what you allow yourself to say or think about your life.
Make sure that the “prophecies” you are making about your life bear some resemblance to the life you want to see and have.
