[donnalee]

I recently saw the very interesting Hanged Man diving card in the Gay Tarot. I do not have this deck and wondered if the meaning is very different from the traditional meaning. Does anyone have this deck/book who can discuss the meaning of this card in this deck, please? Thanks! It just looks like a more active and powerful card to me in comparison to the usual RW-type Hanged Man cards.

[Lee]

Hi donnalee,

Here is some past discussion.

[danieljuk]

I hope Lee doesn't mind me sharing the part about it from it's LWB
the key phrase for this card is living in the moment and LWB meaning "Being fully absorbed in the present. Nonattatchment to goals. Seeing things from a new angle".

It has all the classic traits of the Hanged Man, seeing the new angle. But the living in the moment part is not what I traditionally associate with say the RWS. That taking of a risk and just living in the dive in the card, it is a bit different. It does make me now think a little differently about the RWS. The card's take is a different angle of a classic, rather than totally different with no connection to tradition

[GrailKing]

Hi donnalee, my take on the Gay Tarot Hanged Man is that it more accurately reflects the Hanged Man experience from a man's perspective. I always had a little bit of an issue with the traditional portrayal since he seems so immobile hanging from a tree. I think in today's world most men experience a Hanged Man period while being more physically active, yet the inner contemplative work is still occurring.

I also like the idea that the diver is experiencing time in a much more slow motion kind of way compared to the crowd watching his dive. I noticed this slowing down of time when I used to ride horses over jumps. As the rider, you are aware of every stage of the movement from approach to take off to landing and then the eventual re-balancing and "collecting" of the horse. Every second can be a lifetime in this moment. A diver seems to communicate this same philosophy. So, to summarize, I think the Hanged Man in this deck communicates the feeling or perception that time and events are slowing down and taking forever to pass, meanwhile everything is being noticed and cataloged and experienced. When you come out of this period, life resumes with a resounding splash!

Michael

[donnalee]

These are all great insights: thank you all. I am learning that each deck has its own take on cards, and I wasn't able to put the time lapse into perspective somehow--I just thought 'it happens, takes a second or five seconds, so where the real hanged parts?' These replies have helped a lot with that. If there are going to be more, I'll learn from them too!