Dion Fortune famously said that Magic is the art of changing consciousness according to Will. For me, this card- the Hanged Man- is perhaps the most magical in all the tarot. It's an explicit invitation to obtain the ability to change your consciousness... by first making a deliberate choice to surrender your will. Surrendering your will as it currently exists to God/Goddess/the Universe/your own higher self, however you relate to it, in order to grow and gain in wisdom and insight.
This doesn't mean you'll never have your own will again. But it'll be transformed, count on it.
This card often shows up for a querent who is experiencing or has recently come through an extremely challenging time, and needs must regroup. That challenging time was likely unexpected and potentially devastating. The person's initial reactions to it may be entirely justified but no longer serve them. They're stuck.
It seems to be human nature to cling to what's familiar. At this time however, what is familiar is unhelpful and even a hindrance. The familiar reactions and coping mechanisms are no longer working.
The traditional image of the Hanged Man depicts a young, healthy man suspended upside-down from a tree or sometimes a gallows. One leg is crossed behind him and his hands are bound behind his back. Interestingly, his face, which is often surrounded by a halo of light, is serene. It's not an image of pain and anguish, but of patience and quiet.
Occasionally this card is titled the Hanged One. Rarely is it illustrated with an image depicting an actual execution by hanging.
Sometimes, despite all our hard work and best efforts, things go wrong. When this card shows up in a reading things have gone really wrong. The most important thing to know about the Hanged Man is, this is not a message of simply giving up. This is a message about deliberately pausing, waiting, achieving calm in a state almost like suspended animation.
Stories of hanged gods appear in various religions worldwide; Odin and Jesus come to mind. What makes them similar is that they each represent a deliberate choice to renounce active will in exchange for something greater. By surrendering will, waiting without making demands, peace and understanding eventually enter in. It is an initiation of the highest order. One which will profoundly affect you all the rest of your life.
The way forward is never guaranteed to be easy. But you will be better equipped to manage it.
Reversed, this card may indicate a need for the querent to examine honestly their motives in behaving as they do. Are they acting on selfish impulses and a desire for control over others? Alternatively, the Hanged Man reversed may indicate that the querent is stuck in a pattern of blaming others for their own setbacks or problems. They may be fearful of the efforts and possible sacrifices required of them to make real progress. It can also represent a period of uncertainty and enforced inactivity, waiting, which is unwelcome and resented by the querent.
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Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome.