12 | The Hanged Man
Model, Jason Gonzalez
"True surrender, however, is something entirely different. Surrender is the simple but profound wisdom of yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life."
-Eckhart Tolle
The Hanged Man is card number 12 in the Tarot’s Major Arcana. The number 12 in numerology is associated with divine order, perfection, and completeness. Connected to the number of months in a year, signs in the zodiac, and time on a clock. It can also be broken down further: 1 + 2 = 3, and when reduced to the number 3, it carries the frequencies of communication, self-expression, and socialization, as previously explored in The Empress’s card.
The Hanged Man’s lesson is about surrender and a call to shift the perspective to better see the situation at hand from a different point of view. Asking for the release of old patterns and old stories that no longer serve, to make way for what does. By pausing to reflect and reassess what may not be working, you can come to a place of being able to release what’s out of your control, rather than continuing to resist or fight it. Something new is emerging, and you won’t be able to see it unless you allow the time and space for it to come through. The Hanged Man shows us how to find the calm in the chaos and better see things unfold with new clarity.
General Meaning - Surrender, patience, new perspectives, pause, sacrifice, acceptance, & contemplation
When out of Alignment - Resistance, control, indecision, stalling, & stuck in old patterns
Navigating The Hanged Man’s archetypal energy-
The Hanged Man comes up to tell us it’s time to take a pause instead of continually plowing forward with force. If we choose to ignore its message, we’ll most likely face unnecessary obstacles or become unwell as a way to make us stop and take a pause. The Hanged Man brings a message that begins as a whisper and crescendos into a scream if necessary. However, this isn’t a punishment, but rather a moment to help shift perspective and see things in a different light, one that’s currently going unnoticed. Being able to listen to the nudge and let go of control, surrendering to the flow, helps you to see what’s emerging that was previously being overlooked. So when you find yourself hitting a wall, instead of applying more unnecessary pressure to the situation, try walking away and putting it down for a moment. Perhaps work on a puzzle, go for a walk outside, take some deep breaths, and drink some water as ways to release and help reevaluate from a different mindset. You’ll most likely realize something you hadn’t before, and that can make all the difference.
In this card, we see our Hanged Man hanging upside down from a tree by his legs, completely free of choice and seemingly at ease in the position. We can see golden light beaming around his head; this concentration of energy signifies spiritual enlightenment gained through the experience. He’s peaceful and content, enjoying the view and the altered perspective offered from this unique pose. In the background, we can see bare trees with their fallen brown leaves scattered on the ground, indicating it is late autumn, a season of letting go and surrender, just before the transition to the winter months. The Hanged Man is wearing red pants representing passion and a blue shirt symbolizing knowledge, paying homage to the classic Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck. This card shows us that sometimes the best answer is getting yourself into a new position to take in a different point of view, and let go of what’s holding you back.
Next up, navigating endings and what they can teach us with the lessons of Death. Stay tuned for the next card release in The Green Mountain Major Arcana’s journey next Friday, 7/18!
With love,
Megan Gonzalez
