Deirdre of the Sorrows - 12 - The Hanged Man

shadowdancer

Over time this card has been given so many possible interpretations, it is understandable why it can be confusing to the novice reader. Some teachings indicate a form of sacrifice is to be made for the greater good in the long term. Others may state it is about seeing things from a different perspective. Deirdre has indicated it could indicate a change in the way you think is needed, whereby it is not advisable to just hang around and wait for something to happen.

Here we have a man suspended by a rope tied to his right angle. His hands are behind his back. Are they tied behind his back, or has he taken this pose of his own accord? If they are tied, it may show his options could be a little limited for now. If that is the case, it may be better to do nothing for now and to wait until a time where he is less restricted. If they are not tied, why is he not making use of his hands in order to untie his ankle? Does he not realise he can actually release himself from this sense of inverted inertia?
We can also see a large star in the sky to the left of him, with some dark clouds moving away to and beyond the right of the card. Or are they coming into play? On the ground to the right we see what appears to be a brazier of sorts with flames coming out the top.
It is not clear what he is suspended over. Is it a pool? Or is it bare ground?
How would the reading differ depending on what it is he is suspended above?

I believe the presence of the star and brazier can portray a sense of synchronisation. The Star is burning bright and clear in the sky. It is asking you to be positive and look at what can be done to bring about the associated change for the better. The brazier could be there to ask you to burn away your doubts and fears, which can only hold you back. At the moment you are hanging around between the two. Only you can decide to actually galvanise yourself into taking some positive action instead of waiting to see what will come your way. Remember the clouds? If you do something positive they could clear away totally. If you dither or focus on the past, they may come into the card and really cloud the issue even further. I guess it does show the choice is definitely yours to take!

Therefore, this card may not always be negative. The context of the reading and position in a spread may steer the reader in one particular direction.

I think this also comes with a warning of inaction may be counter productive. What happens if change is needed, but there is hesitancy in taking that leap? The belief that taking no action, and choosing to hang around instead is a good option? If this happens, acknowledgment needs to be made that this will only get you so far. There is a danger the longer you leave things the harder they could become to deal with. I also understand that hesistancy can be borne from fear of making a mistake - so there is an inclination to do nothing and then just hope for the best.