The Hanged Man: Tarot Card Meaning

Meaning of the The Hanged Man card upright

A man hangs upside down from a living tree, his face calm and a halo around his head. He chose this position to see the world differently. The card calls for a pause, for giving something up and for looking at the situation from the opposite side.

The Hanged Man reversed

• stagnation
• pointless sacrifice
• resistance

Reversed, it shows delay that has become stagnation, sacrifice that brings nothing or resistance to a necessary pause. Ask yourself what you are really waiting for, and whether you are giving up something for no reason.

The Hanged Man in love and relationships

In love it suggests waiting, a willingness to yield or to see the other person's point of view. The relationship is in a state of suspension. Reversed, a one-sided sacrifice or a drawn-out uncertainty.

The Hanged Man in work and finances

At work the project is on pause, you wait for a decision or have to change your approach completely. It is a time for new angles rather than action. Reversed, wasted time and a refusal to adapt.

Symbolism of the The Hanged Man card

The living tree is a life that goes on even in suspension. The calm face and halo show that this is a chosen state, not punishment. The crossed legs form a figure four, a sign of order within the pause.

The Hanged Man in a yes or no reading

In yes or no spreads, The Hanged Man upright reads as “no” and reversed as “maybe”. The answer comes from the general meaning of the card (a pause, sacrifice), so always take the wording of the question and the neighbouring cards into account. Try a yes or no reading.