XII The Hanged Man

This card has its energies related to the planet Neptune

When the Hanged Man appears in a reading, it means that you need to let go of something and move on. You may be holding on to something that does not bring you satisfaction in the current question, like unrequited or harmful love, a job that will not get you anywhere, a promotion that does not come out, etc.

While it is a card that signals that you can wait a while, it is also a card that suggests that you can get out of this inertia and take action, trying to speed up or change things. It is a card that represents a dead end, something that is stagnant and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. It seems that some force is restricting the mental situation or the current moment. There is a feeling at play that you cannot accomplish something because of incredible inertia. Detachment can often require a sacrifice on your part, it can be painful, but once you are able to leave whatever it is, you will feel free from the chains that held you back.

A little more about the card The Hanged Man...

The Hanged Man is the Tarot card number 12 and depicts a man hanging of his own volition, in a state of total inertia. The symbolism this brings is that, like the Hanged Man, the situation in question may be stagnant and there will be no evolution at the moment.

In the card, we see a man who has his arms tied behind his back, suggesting the state of restriction he is in. He is trapped, hanging in martyrdom in a kind of suspended animation. The tree has its roots in the underworld while supporting the heavens. While one foot is tied to the tree, the other is free. Time seems to have stopped for him, things do not change and he is out of action.

The card also symbolizes sacrifice for the greater good, as does Neptune, the planet associated with the Hanged Man. It suggests that we should reflect in order to break bad habits, situations and behaviors that restrict and harm us in the situation at hand or the current moment of our lives.