Hanged Man - What's the thang on his head?

[divinerguy]

Okay, while I'm reading a thread about the Giant Rider-Waite, I pull out my deck and look at the Hanged Man. Behind his head is something that looks like a giant yellow poker chip.

What is it? Is it a halo? Is it the sun?

Does it have any significance in your readings?

Enquiring minds want to know?

[Abrac]

Hi divinerguy

That's a symbol of the sun, or a halo, however you want to interpret it. Here's a great link for info on the RWS symbolism:

file:///c:/Documents%20and%20Settings/user/My%20Documents/Tarot/Articles/TarotL/Sources%20of%20the%20Waite_Smith%20Tarot%20Symbols .htm

Take care

fools_fool

[okieinalaska]

In the book Tarot by R Place he calls it a halo. : )

It could stand for illumination or enlightenment...?

Amy

[Abrac]

Oh wow, let's try that again:

http://www.tarothermit.com/infosheet.htm

The actual page you want wasn't working just now when I tried it but it should be back up soon. This is a link to the site that has another link to the page you want. Click the link at the bottom of the page called: Sources Of Waite-Smith Symbolism.

fools_fool

[RChMI]

The nimbus about the Hanged Man's head relates to Water, in that there are 40 rays around the nimbus, and 40 is the numerical significant of the Hebraic letter Mem attributed to the Element of Water. Although many of the rays are obscured by his head.

This is the lesser of three attribution confirmations for Water within the card. The first being the downward triangle of the legs as representing the glyph of the Element Water. The second being in the shape of the Hanged Man's breeches as resembling the Hebraic letter Mem.

The nimbus also represents the quality of Air by its colour of yellow. Thereby indicating an intellectualizng or rational quality of the emotional state of water, rather than the spiritual aspect of a white nimbus.

[divinerguy]

Okay, so what's a nimbus?

[tarobones]

what's so complicated about a halo? I'm sorry, but all these obscure attributions from long ago seem to complicate what is really a basically simple image. A halo has always represented holiness, connection to the divine. That kind of simplicity of the image itself speaks far more powerfully to me than complexity, seemingly for its own sake. Peace and blessings to all, lovers of simplicity or complexity...................Michael

[RChMI]

A simple image, yes and no. Our understanding of the nature of the halo comes from depictions of Byzantine sacred art, starting with Constatine the Great. Who only converted to Christianity on his deathbed. And who was an Initiate in the Mithraic cult of Sol Invictus. Which had seven degrees within its movement, and whose sixth degree members were designated as such by the wearing of a nimbus. That degree being called Heliodromus, the nimbus was associated with the corona of the Sun.

[tarobones]

the halo harkens back much farther than Constantine.
http://www.trivia-library.com/a/what...f-the-halo.htm
BB, Michael

[PlatinumDove]

The halo may hearken back farther than Constantine but the quote from that article is:

"They did so to symbolize their relationship with the sun-god: their own 'halo' of feathers representing the circle of light that distinguished the shining divinity in the sky. Indeed, people came to believe that by adopting such a 'nimbus' men turned into a kind of sun themselves and into a divine being."

Constantine being a follower of Sol Invictus, was a worshipper of the sun.

Interesting how the halo around the Hanged Man's head, while being a pagan image of the sun (and thusly fire?), is now related to water (due to the 40 rays) through the Judaic alphabet.