Tarot Card The Hanged Man: Meaning and Interpretation

The Hanged Man, also called The Victim or The Hanged One, is the 12th major arcana card in the tarot deck. This card represents entering a challenging phase, willing sacrifice, overwhelming circumstances, or being stuck in limbo.

The Hanged Man Archetype

The Hanged Man embodies the archetype of a martyr hero. This card represents choosing to accept unavoidable changes for something greater.

To understand this card's archetype, consider the legend of the Norse god Odin. He hung himself from the world tree Yggdrasil, pierced himself with a spear, and went without food or water for nine days. In return for his sacrifice, he received hidden knowledge that he then shared with his people. Unlike Christ's messianic sacrifice, Odin chose this path entirely on his own.

Other examples include Apostle Peter, who was crucified upside down, and Prometheus, who sacrificed himself so humanity could receive fire.

Ultimately, The Hanged Man serves as a powerful reminder that we sometimes need to make tough choices because they'll lead to something better. It also shows us that we sometimes need to shift our perspective on life and embrace new situations to keep moving forward.

The Symbolism of The Hanged Man Card

The Hanged Man isn't purely a "negative" card when you look closely at its imagery.

At the card's center, a man hangs upside down by his right leg from a crossbar, echoing the Christian crucifixion. His other leg is crossed over the one he hangs from. This position represents letting go of the material world and releasing earthly attachments.

The fact that he hangs by his right leg rather than his left shows this was his choice. The Hanged Man's hands are bound behind his back, showing restricted freedom and lost control over his circumstances.

The Hanged Man's head appears to glow with light, suggesting spiritual awakening and a new way of seeing things through the wisdom earned by sacrifice.

The crossbar is not a dead tree. It has new growth, showing life force, renewal, and rebirth. The Hanged Man isn't dead or dying—his face shows no pain. Instead, he seems to be in a trance, caught between life and death.

The Hanged Man card in the Waite deck holds deep symbolic meaning, reminding us that change and shifting our perspective are sometimes necessary.

The Key Meaning of the Hanged Man Card

The Hanged Man card signals inevitable and often painful changes, voluntary sacrifices, deep immersion in challenges, and a sense of powerlessness against fate. It warns of a period of forced inactivity—any attempts to take action will backfire. The card's very name warns that the more someone struggles to escape the noose, the tighter it becomes around their neck. The card insists that you can survive this period (and maybe even benefit from it later) by accepting change, staying flexible, observing events from a distance, or sacrificing something important.

The arcana speaks of inevitable and painful changes

The Hanged Man card can also symbolize the need to set boundaries in relationships, stop fighting for control, and free ourselves from what holds us back in the past.

Generally speaking, the card reminds us that sometimes we need to abandon our usual ways of thinking and acting.

The key aspect of the Hanged Man card is overcoming the fear of change and being ready to face new challenges, even if they seem overwhelming. It helps us realize that adaptability can become a strength, not a weakness.

General Meaning of the Hanged Man Card in the Upright Position

The Hanged Man card is one of the most symbolically significant cards in Tarot. Its general meanings in the upright position can be as follows:

Adaptation and Adjustment: New circumstances force you to adapt. This could involve changes in work, home, relationships, and more. The card might also signal the need to abandon familiar thought patterns.
Spiritual Development: The Hanged Man urges you to prioritize the spiritual over the physical, seeking balance between material and spiritual aspects of life.
Lack of Control: Sometimes, the Hanged Man card signals a lack of control over a situation or limited freedom to act.
Self-Sacrifice: This card represents the willingness to make selfless acts to achieve important goals, even if it means giving up personal desires.
Hard Choices: The card might signal a difficult choice between different life paths and the need to make a decision that could be unpopular or challenging.
Reevaluation of Values: The appearance of the Hanged Man can signal a reevaluation of your values and the emergence of new life priorities.

The Hanged Man speaks of a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of a higher goal

Overall Meaning of the Hanged Man Card in Reversed Position

When the Hanged Man card appears in a reversed position, its meaning becomes more intense, according to tarot experts at zoomboola.com. Below are the general meanings of the Hanged Man card when it appears reversed:

Resistance to Change: Essential changes come too late (or don't happen at all), making the cost of staying stuck unavoidable.
Pointless Sacrifice: A sacrifice that won't deliver the results you want and will waste your time, energy, and resources.
Material Attachments: An inability or unwillingness to let go of them; resistance to dropping habits that block spiritual growth.
Violent Situations: This card can signal violent situations, both physical and emotional. Harsh experiences that may cause psychological trauma.
Missed Opportunities: Wasted potential that could have created positive life changes but slipped away.
Loss of a Loved One: When this card appears reversed, it can signal the upcoming loss of someone close to you. This might mean physical death or the end of meaningful relationships.

In a reversed position, the Hanged Man is a rather gloomy card

The Meaning of the Hanged Man Card in Love in the Upright Position

When the Hanged Man card appears in a love reading in the upright position, it can have the following general meanings:

A crisis in the relationship, where partners can't communicate effectively, possibly leading to fights and breakups.
Fading feelings and a lack of emotional closeness in the relationship.
Feelings of loneliness and isolation, where one partner can't get understanding or support from the other.
Declining intimacy, which can stem from both physical and emotional problems.
Emotional burnout in the relationship, which might push one partner to step back.
Daily issues that kill the joy in your relationship or create stress in your personal life.

Overall, the upright Hanged Man in love readings signals a dry spell in your relationship, where you and your partner can't find common ground or solve problems, creating fresh challenges and uncertainty.

The Arcane Indicates a Barren Period in the Relationship

The Meaning of the Hanged Man Card in Love in Reverse Position

When the Hanged Man card appears in reverse in a love reading, it carries the opposite energy of its upright position. Below are the general meanings of the Hanged Man card when it appears reversed in Tarot readings related to love:

Fear of change and clinging to the "love status quo" – avoiding uncertainty or new challenges even when it's damaging the relationship.
Material obsessions that block relationship growth – think fights over money or possessions.
The urge to escape a draining relationship where one partner feels trapped or held back.
Self-sacrifice for love – giving up your own plans, freedom, and dreams to keep the relationship going.

Bottom line: The reversed Hanged Man in love readings signals fear of change, risk avoidance, money obsessions, relationship insecurity, and missing spiritual connection.

The card speaks about the fear of changes in the sphere of love

The Hanged Man as the Card of the Day

If The Hanged Man shows up as your card of the day, here's what it means:

Upright position: The Hanged Man warns of a tough, stressful day ahead. You'll basically need to ride it out and accept that today won't bring positive changes. Better to stay put, watch what unfolds, and learn from the experience. Ask yourself: what would you sacrifice to solve a major problem in your life? The Hanged Man forces deep reflection – time to reassess your goals and figure out what you really want.
Reversed: fear of change and shutting down new opportunities. Here, the reversed Hanged Man helps you recognize the fears and blocks that stop you from embracing new chances and moving ahead.

What the Hanged Man Card Warns About

The Hanged Man offers warnings and guidance based on your specific question or card spread. Generally, this card points to:

Time for change – releasing what's outdated to welcome what's coming.
Being ready to sacrifice and face tough choices.
The need to adapt when circumstances shift.
A heads-up about fears and doubts that could block you from making hard choices and progressing.
Time to see familiar situations from a fresh angle and get clearer on what's really going on.

Anita Martin astrologer