The Hanged Man
Major Arcana · XII
- pause
- surrender
- new perspective
- letting go
- stalling
- resistance
- indecision
- pointless sacrifice
In the picture
A man hangs upside down by one foot from a living T-shaped tree, his other leg bent behind his knee and his hands behind his back. His face is calm and a halo shines around his head.
Upright meaning
The Hanged Man has stopped on purpose. The card suggests a pause, a waiting period or a willing sacrifice that lets you see things from another angle. Struggling won't help here; letting go of the usual way of looking at a problem often will.
Reversed meaning
Reversed, the pause turns into being stuck. You may be delaying a decision, resisting a change you know is coming, or giving something up without gaining anything in return. Ask what you are waiting for.
About the Major Arcana
The 22 Major Arcana are the trump cards of the deck, numbered 0 to 21 from The Fool to The World. Read in order they tell the story of a journey, and in a reading they tend to point to big themes and turning points rather than day-to-day events.
