The Hanged One
One
with the flow
““Pause,
it’s necessary.
Feel,
it’s temporary.
Time suspended
for a sacrifice.
An inversion
of perception.
Calm waters
reflect the truth.
Ripples
dispel illusions
and teach the art of letting go.”
”
The Hanged One takes a necessary moment of pause. Suspended upside down they can see the world from a new perspective. They reflect in the calm waters below, the ripples create a halo of enlightenment—one realization leading to the next. Their hands, legs, and arms form the inverted triangle or alchemical symbol for water. In the Hermetic Tarot, this card is known as the “Spirit of the Mighty Waters.”
This card is ruled by the energy of Neptune and the element of Water.
In a reading, The Hanged One is a call to stop what you’re doing. Hit the pause button on the day to day and reassess the path you’re on. The pause can be a voluntary time of contemplation and release, but if you are resistant to it, it will be forced upon you in unexpected and disruptive ways. It suggests that there is something in your life you need to let go of or change. You may need to put the needs of others, or a cause bigger than yourself, above your own. Sometimes a little sacrifice is necessary to move on. If you are feeling stuck, use this time to help yourself get out of your rut. A new perspective will open up the path forward if you are willing to see it. Live in the current moment without worrying about the past or the future. The watery aspect of this card suggests going with the flow, acceptance, and emotional release. In this way, it sometimes relates to processing grief.
The reversed may suggest that you are resisting the call to pause and are trying to ignore your problems. You may be aware of your self-destructive behavior but for one reason or another just can’t put on the brakes. It could also mean that you are currently in the state of pause and are feeling frustrated because you are itching to start living again. Wait until the time feels right, you’re almost there. After being inverted it takes a little while for the blood flow to reverse and to get your head right. It may also suggest that you’ve been stalling on a decision for a long time and you need to just make one already. Accept that nothing will ever be perfect and life doesn’t always go as expected.
Right now we are all in a suspended state, forced to put our regular lives on pause for the greater good. It’s my sincere hope that we all come to some important realizations and accept new perspectives during this time so we can make the world a better place.
