L'Apesso: The Hanged One
Verse
“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.”
Keywords
Upright: Time to pause. Sacrifice. Release. Be open to a new perspective. Processing grief. Necessary change.
Reversed: Resisting the call to pause. Ignoring problems. Indecision.Self-destructive behavior. Stagnation.
Correspondences
Planet: Neptune
Element: Water
Aroma: Balsam, Neroli and Pink or Blue Lotus
Description
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.”
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 a 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.
Design
I’ve always loved the mythology behind this card, that being of Odin’s sacrifice to obtain the Runes for humanity (well really for himself, but we did benefit). It is told that he hung from the great tree Yggdrasil, floating over the well of Urd for 9 days and nights until the runes revealed themselves to him. It was a sacrifice of himself, to himself, as a God to obtain greater knowledge.
The figure of the Hanged One is often in this inverted tree pose, which I find very poetic. It also represents the cross, another symbol of sacrifice. This pose, as well as the mudra I’ve posed their hands in, also forms the inverted triangle or symbol for water, the element this card represents. The reflection in the water represents the reflective meditation they are in.
I’ve added blue lotuses throughout the deck on any cards that feature a body of water in tribute to my patron deity Nefertem and the inspiration he has given me to revitalize these cards. They represent the origin of life, rebirth, the victory of the spirit over the senses, intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge, which makes them very appropriate to the meaning of this card. The blue lotus is also known to evoke visions and aid in rest.
Key Symbols
Ripples: Change and creation, gentle disruption
Blue Lotus: the origin of life, rebirth, the victory of the spirit over the senses, intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge.
Mudra: the symbol for water, a meditative state
Reflection: literally reflecting
Color Theory
Green: Green: Love. Compassion. Emotion.
Blue: Truth. Clarity. Communication.
Purple: Intuition. Spirituality. Psychic energy.
