Major Arcana

The Hanged Man

Tarot Card Meaning

The Hanged Man tarot card from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck

Upright

  • surrender
  • new perspective
  • letting go
  • pause

Pause and see things from a new angle. Surrender control to gain deeper understanding.

Reversed

  • stalling
  • resistance
  • indecision
  • needless sacrifice

Refusing to let go or making unnecessary sacrifices. Stop resisting the inevitable.

Symbolism

A man hangs upside-down from a living T-shaped tree by his right foot, his left leg bent behind the right forming a cross. A golden halo surrounds his serene face — enlightenment through willing surrender.

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