Tarot readings can be a helpful tool for navigating life’s uncertainties. But some cards, like the Hanged Man, just raise more questions.
If it shows up, don’t be alarmed. The Hanged Man tarot card meaning isn’t as unfortunate as it appears. When you see any kind of death in a tarot card reading, it usually points toward a rebirth.
Did you pull the Hanged Man tarot card? Keep reading to find out what it wants you to know.
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How the Hanged Man Tarot Card Looks
The Hanged Man card shows a man tied to a wooden plank in the shape of a T. Green topiary hangs at either side of the top of the wooden plank. His right foot is tied to the middle of the plank where the horizontal and vertical pieces meet together. The man’s left leg hangs at a 90-degree angle.
The man is wearing tan moccasins, red leggings, and a baby blue long-sleeved tunic. Behind his head is a golden halo. We’ll dive into more of the meaning behind that halo later on.
Is the Hanged Man Tarot Card Always a Bad Sign?
The Hanged Man tarot card meaning doesn’t spell bad news with every interpretation. However, it does hold a powerful influence as it is one of three powerful cards in the middle of the Major Arcana.
Looking at the card itself, a person receiving the Hanged Man tarot card may feel like they are about to die or get into trouble. The cultural significance of how they punished individuals in ancient times does hold some weight as to why most people feel this way.
In the late 1300s, people who betrayed the city of Milan and throughout the Lombardy region were tied by one foot and hung from a wooden plank until they died naturally. While they were still alive, hanging upside down with the blood rushing to their head, the person was still allowed to eat and drink until they died.
However, the Hanged Man tarot card’s meaning goes beyond these negative connotations. It could mean that you are entering a new life where you must rely on a different mode of thinking than what you are accustomed to.
However, there are different meanings of how to interpret the Hanged Man card based on if it is shown upright or reversed. Let’s compare and contrast these interpretations for further understanding.
The Hanged Man Tarot Card in the Upright Position
If the Hanged Man is upright during a tarot reading, it exhibits various meanings for different parts of your life’s purpose. Overall, seeing this card upright signifies it is time to let go of the past to move on to the future. You might feel stuck where you are now, but finding your center can get you back on track.
Making sacrifices is essential for integrating healthy changes into various sections of your life. Seeing an upright Hanged Man means you must take time to reflect on something not working in your life. Despite uncertainties you may be experiencing, you can work on your spiritual development while transitioning to a new phase.
Meaning for Love and Relationships
The Hanged Man may signify you are experiencing a toxic romantic bond, familial connection, or friendship. Analyze who brings you happiness and surround yourself only with positive influence. Reduce your exposure to those hindering you from having peace and inner stability.
Meaning for Career and Money
You may see an upright Hanged Man tarot card if you are specifically receiving a career and money tarot reading. The wealth you desire may not be in your favor at the moment. Whether it’s trouble finding a more lucrative job or working hard towards a promotion you have not received yet, stay the course!
Meaning for Health
Seeing the Hanged Man card about your health may not be a great sign. Maybe you have a chronic illness, issues in your pregnancy, or an underlying health problem that you eventually need to address. Take this as a sign to get help if you feel related symptoms.
Meaning for Spirituality
The Hanged Man tarot card symbolizes transformation. Seeing this card means you are transitioning from one phase to another, which could require you to dig deeply into your spiritual mindset for guidance. You must embrace a new perspective if you desire different results than what you are getting out of life now.
The Hanged Man Tarot Card in the Reversed Position
If you see a Hanged Man tarot card reversed in a reading, the interpretation is you are trying to make changes in a situation after making a sacrifice with no success. Evaluate toxic cycles in your life that may make you feel stuck.
Meaning for Love and Relationship
While you may be waiting for a change in your relationships, you do not have to wait any longer! Old cycles and perspectives are fading and replaced with new energy to refresh your relationship. This is the time to be sure you meet your partner’s needs while being able to communicate your own effectively, respectfully, and lovingly.
Meaning for Career and Money
If you have been making changes to excel in your career and make more money, seeing the reversed Hanged Man is a sign that you feel your efforts are not yielding fruit. This may also indicate that you are procrastinating on an important choice that will transform your career. Whatever that decision, make it now to propel forward!
Meaning for Health
If you receive a health tarot reading and see the reversed Hanged Man, you could be stalling on an important decision to get your health back in order. For example, if you are overweight and want to change your diet, now is the time!
What habits are contributing to your poor health? What are healthy alternatives to these unhealthy habits to improve your physical, emotional, and spiritual feelings? Try a more holistic, natural approach to get yourself on the right path.
Meaning for Spirituality
Receiving the Hanged Man tarot card may mean you feel you lost your spiritual sense of self. What you may have believed for a long time is not doing justice for your life. Reform your mindset to receive more spiritual benefits in your daily endeavors.
Important Hanged Man Tarot Card Combinations
If you see the Hanged Man tarot card with one of these other tarot cards, they have significant meanings.
The Hanged Man and the Hierophant
The Hierophant is another Major Arcana card like the Hanged Man. Seeing the Hierophant means keeping true to traditions and following important rules.
The main similarity between these cards is that they have neutral-colored skies. Hence, this tarot card combination signifies that while uncertainty exists, you cannot take it as a completely negative message. Go about your life the best you can and expect curveballs.
The Hanged Man and the Lovers
The Lovers card is another member of the Major Arcana. Seeing this card showcases a foretelling of something important behind a close relationship in your life.
Both cards together mean it’s time to make burdensome decisions in an interpersonal relationship. Sacrifices may be needed to make the bond work. If a single individual witnesses this tarot card combination, this may be a sign that they will enter a new relationship.
The Hanged Man and the Wheel of Fortune
Now is the time to take a leap of faith if you see the Hanged Man and the Wheel of Fortune in a tarot reading. You may not like taking risks, but sometimes they are essential for the greatest changes that could happen in your life.
If you have been waiting for the right time to confess your love to someone, do it now. Make that move to open the business of your dreams no matter how much hard work it takes.
The Hanged Man and Judgement
The Judgement card symbolizes renewal in your life.
The cards together display that something life-altering is about to happen. If old toxic cycles are plaguing your life, you will be met with a renewed mindset to make more positive decisions. Sacrifice will be imminent, but that change will bear much fruit.
Did You Get the Hanged Man?
Maybe you got a Hanged Man card during a tarot reading and you are wondering what it means for you. Ask your psychic as many questions as possible to understand the overall interpretation. Remember that the Hanged Man does not always mean something negative, but it could signify that changes are coming.
