The Hanged Man Reversed and Tarot Reversals

 The Hanged Man reversed is today's #amtarot card.

What does it mean that a card is reversed? It means that in a reading, the card appears upside down--standing on its head, as it were. The cards energies are either blocked or manifest in an unconventional way.

You can have fun with The Hanged Man who, because he is hanging upside down, appears to be reversed when he is upright. So when The Hanged Man is reversed, the card is standing on its head, but the figure appears to be upright. Wrap your mind around that.

The Hanged Man shown here is in its upright position. In this position, he hangs down with one foot tied to a tree whose upper branches look like a cross. Most of us would find the position constraining and uncomfortable, but The Hanged man seems quite content. With his halo and serene expression, many Tarot scholars have labeled his appearance, saintly, other worldly.

One thing is clear. If you were hanging upside down, you would see the world in a very different way than the rest of us. And The Hanged Man does not seem to care what others are thinking--despite the physical constraints on his body, he is off in his own world.

So one interpretation of a Hanged Man reversal is forced conformity. Keeping up appearances even if your heart isn't into it.

Today's astrology supports this. The Moon in Virgo sets a tone of doing one's duty. later today it will conjoin Saturn, which certainly represents conventionality and the demands of a material world. It does not seem to be a combination that supports The Hanged Man's escape into his spirituality.

What do you think? Comment here or at #amtarot.

To me, the reversal of this is being forced into an unnatural conformity.

Comments

[Theresa Reed]

I am loving your concept so much - your insights are amazing. I love how you are tying this together! Brilliant interp, great writing!

I especially like the "Forced conformity" interp.