Upright Keywords:
Feeling trapped, Confined, Self-limiting, Uncertainty, Lack of direction, Needing release, Letting go
Reversed Keywords:
Discontentment, Apathy, Disinterest, Stagnation, Impulsiveness, Negative patterns, Detachment
Upright Meaning
The Hanged Man highlights the importance of time and waiting. When appearing upright in a reading, it suggests that you need to pause right now and reflect on your journey.
You may be feeling anxious that things are not moving forward as quickly as you would like, but there is a reason for this. The universe has the plan and you must wait until it is time.
A pause is often what is needed. You must welcome this time to stop, reflect, and meditate on your situation. If you have a decision to make, the Hanged Man is telling you that you must wait for a while until deciding what to do. With this pause, you are able to look at things from a new perspective.
For The Hanged Man, this time of waiting is also a time of enlightenment. When he is upside down, he can look at the world from a new angle. When you get this card in a Tarot reading, you may need to take a new perspective on things. Are you feeling frustrated about a certain situation?
Perhaps you are trying and trying to work something out but nothing seems to happen? The Hanged Man is asking you to take a step back and pause. It is time to search for a new way of looking at things, allowing alternative ideas to flow.
There is an element of sacrifice that comes with the Hanged Man. This may refer to the action and progress that you are sacrificing right now in order to put things on hold. Or, it may reflect a different sacrifice that you have had to make recently. You understand the importance of this sacrifice, even if others may not.
Reversed Meaning
When the Hanged Man is reversed, he reflects rigidness and stagnation. If you receive it in a reading, it is time to reflect on your attitude towards your life and the world around you. Do people accuse you of being too stuck in your ways? Do people with different views to you annoy and upset you?
The reversed Hanged Man is demanding you to loosen up and to learn other ways of looking at the world! Trying new things and meeting different people will allow you to gain a new perspective on things. This may be difficult at first, but in the long term, it will significantly impact your happiness.
The reversed Hanged Man might also suggest a feeling of resentment and sacrifice. Perhaps you feel as if you give so much to those around you but get nothing back. It is time to work out if this is true, or if you are just feeling sorry for yourself.