The Hanged Man
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| The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, The Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World. | |
| Wands | Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Page, Knight, Queen, King. |
| Cups | Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Page, Knight, Queen, King. |
| Swords | Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Page, Knight, Queen, King. |
| Pentacles | Ace 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Page, Knight, Queen, King. |
| Aces, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes, Sevens, Eights, Nines, Tens, Pages, Knights, Queens, Kings | |
A tarot card. Position 12 in the Major Arcana.
Contents |
Description
Rider Waite Deck
(From The pictorial Key to the Tarot by A.E. Waite)
The gallows from which he is suspended forms a Tau cross, while the figure--from the position of the legs--forms a flyflot cross. There is a nimbus about the head of the seeming martyr. It should be noted (1) that the tree of sacrifice is living wood, with leaves thereon; (2) that the face expresses deep entrancement, not suffering; (3) that the figure, as a whole, suggests life in suspension, but life and not death. It is a card of profound significance, but all the significance is veiled. One of his editors suggests that Éliphas Lévi did not know the meaning, which is unquestionable nor did the editor himself. It has been called falsely a card of martyrdom, a card a of prudence, a card of the Great Work, a card of duty; but we may exhaust all published interpretations and find only vanity. I will say very simply on my own part that it expresses the relation, in one of its aspects, between the Divine and the Universe.
He who can understand that the story of his higher nature is imbedded in this symbolism will receive intimations concerning a great awakening that is possible, and will know that after the sacred Mystery of Death there is a glorious Mystery of Resurrection.
Meanings
- reversal, suspension of mind
- Sacrifice all emotion to chance and submit personal sense to the random objective evaluation of the world.
- initiation (this meaning is highly debated)
- a really confusing situation, the seeker can't do much to change things
- methaphorical hanging: inabillity to let go of something/someone
- reversal of something, either real or methaphorical
- older meaning, sometimes used with Tarot de Marseille style decks: a traitor
Reversed Meaning
Everything above when the situation is really bad or painful for the seeker.
Correspondences
- Links Geburah to Hod as path number 23 of the Tree of Life
- Colour blue
- the alchemical element of Water
- The direction East to West (from the Sepher Yetzirah)
- Yetziratic Intelligence - the Stable intelligence
- Musical note G sharp (Paul Case)
- Hebrew letter Mem meaning Water and also the number 40
- Organic Time - The Fall of the Roman Empire The Roman Empire grew and was put to a time of testing. The continued evolution of the human collective called for an initiation to burn away I-centered growth and develop We-centered growth. Note the births of Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed. The laws and mental limitations of the Roman Empire had to fall in order for the Earth's people to grow and learn.
