The Hanged Man

In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about The Hanged Man Tarot Archetype.

The Hanged Man Tarot Card Meaning

Part of the tarot archetypes, The Hanged Man is the twelfth trump, or Major Arcana, card in most Tarot decks.

Checkout this detailed breakdown of the meaning of The Hanged Man tarot card.

Upright Meanings

The Hanged Man card indicates feeling trapped or stuck in an unhappy or unsatisfactory situation or frame of mind, but one which the recipient has the power to free themselves from., either by changing their viewpoint or walking away.

The Hanged Man may signify lack of certainty over a dilemma and a feeling that things are not going as planned.

The recipient will benefit from externalising and viewing the situation from a new perspective, relaxing and trying not to control things, with the correct action becoming clear in this way.

The Hanged Man cautions of the need for mindfulness in one’s attitude towards oneself rather than engaging in negative thinking or being spiritually bogged down.

Letting go of old belief systems and embracing new spiritual worlds will allow a connection to the higher consciousness.

​In a relationship, The Hanged Man indicates discontent and the need to reassess where it is going, taking time to think things through before making big decisions, rethinking opinions on what the relationship should be and focusing on it’s positives.

For singletons, The Hanged Man indicates the need to get away from causes of unhappiness, resolve negative relationship habits or release feelings for an ex.

It also indicates the need to get rid of ideas about the ideal partner.

The Hanged Man indicates career stagnancy or uncertainty, with lack of clarity on how to progress. Now may not be the right time to make a big decision, instead being the time to just let things unfold as time makes them clear.

Financially, the recipient needs fresh perspective as worrying is making things seem worse than in reality or positives underappreciated.

​The Hanged Man encourages consideration of all treatment options for health problems and, rather than rejecting suggestions, consider treating issues from many routes.

The recipient needs to learn patience rather than becoming frustrated at the time it is taking to get better.

Reversed Meanings

The Hanged Man reversed indicates use of impulsivity and rash decision making as a distraction from inner unhappiness, with no thought as to the impact of this behaviour.

The recipient should consider if they are trying to avoid feelings or changes – what is the worst that can happen by facing reality?

Taking time to find clarity about direction in life and change behaviour patterns will help improve things.

Spiritually the card indicates a loss of direction, with gratification sought in the wrong places and the failure of old belief systems to work anymore.

Now is the time to explore new spiritual possibilities and find a new connection with the higher consciousness.

​If you are single, The Hanged Man in a reversed position indicates repetition of negative relationship patterns without learning from mistakes, rushing from one bad relationship to the next without taking responsibility for the role played in choosing these relationships.

Try to slow down, figure out why this pattern keeps continuing and what you need to resolve within yourself to change it.

If you are in a relationship, The Hanged Man indicates the relationship may not be working but you or your partner may be holding onto it for fear of being alone or starting over.

The relationship could be salvageable but you are not currently prepared to confront the issues you are experiencing.​

The Hanged Man reversed suggests things are going badly in the recipients career but they lack motivation to tackle this, blaming others and feeling powerless, despite it being a good time to regain control and decide what is wanted in their career.

Financially, the card indicates immense fear of financial hardship and that the recipient should seek professional help, with a new perspective helping things improve.

​The Hanged Man reversed indicates the need to consider alternative options to resolve health issues and whether other life problems may be exacerbating them e.g. grief, anxiety, stress.

Alternative and holistic therapies should be considered to complement traditional medication.

The Hanged Man Keywords

  • Feeling trapped
  • Confined
  • Self-limiting
  • Uncertainty
  • Lack of direction
  • Needing release
  • Letting go
  • Discontentment
  • Apathy
  • Disinterest
  • Stagnation
  • Impulsiveness
  • Negative patterns
  • Detachment

Learn About the Other Tarot Card Archetypes

The Major Arcana is made up of 22 cards (or trumps). Explore the other tarot archetypes here:

 

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