The Hanged Man - Foresight

I vividly remember seeing this card after having my first reading, given to me by a good friend.  My impression of this image of a man hanging upside down was very disconcerting. He looked like he was suffering. I was certain this couldn't be good at all, but I was very wrong in spite of my visceral reaction.

Being a Major Arcana card the Hanged Man has a positive spiritual message and urges us to take a time out, and symbolizes sacrifice for a greater good, acceptance and trust.

I was hangin' with the Hummingbirds this morning sitting outside on my front porch. As I watched them buzzing, darting around, they reminded me of that hyper state we can all find ourselves in when we are waiting in the fear and anxiety, that often is a result of not putting our trust in the unseen workings of the unconscious, while waiting in hope of a new and better life.  

We are spinning our wheels or like the Hummingbirds are rapidly flapping our wings, or hanging in mid-air, and seemingly not going anywhere. Some times we have to just have to stop and have a rest.

The Hanged Man is the natural outgrowth from the Wheel of Fortune. Here's Prometheus, who's name means 'foresight'. He was a Titan, who had the gift of prophecy and he had great sympathy for mankind and made a voluntarily sacrifice for a greater good. He doesn't look disturbed, worried or even uncomfortable in spite of his very precarious position.

We too can find ourselves in the same situation where we must have a real faith, which can only be gained through risking ourselves in life and we must be willing to trust in that Other, which knows better than our ego, what is right, and necessary for our development and growth.

We decide whether we move forward or back or just stay still. We are never completely standing still  in life. We are either going ahead  or backwards. It's up to us to decide. Taking time to withdraw, rest and reassess is an excellent way to find discernment.

The Hanged Man - What's the Slow Sacrifice? Hurry Up and Wait!

Hurry up and wait, is the common saying you'll hear, usually when we're in a hurry, trying to meet a deadline,but have to wait in a line-up some where. This saying describes the frustration and impatience we can feel when we're caught up in some kind of bureaucratic red tape, or stuck in a traffic jam. We do everything needed to meet our end, but other circumstances dictate the outcome and there isn't much we can do about it..

Hurry up and wait is a contradiction of terms for sure, and The Hanged Man can also seem the same, if we don't see the deeper relevance in our lives. On one hand, it looks to be a card of shear agonizing suffering, though the look on Prometheus' face is serene and peaceful. He is not fighting his situation and has surrendered to the circumstance he's in. He's hanging upside down in the blistering sun, not to mention an eagle is about to eat his liver! Ack!

Prometheus, according to Greek myth, made all the earth out of his own tears, having a deep sympathy for all humankind and has to accept that he must wait in darkness. His sacrifice is for the greater good, trusting in the unseen mystery, in hope of a new and better life for everyone.

At some point in we all make sacrifices, whether we want to or not. Some are self-imposed, others voluntary, and some are born out of circumstances beyond our control. We are often abruptly stopped in our tracks, are forced to slow down, and are perhaps we're not aware until later, that we have been given the gift and opportunity to take stock of our lives and to take inventory of ourselves.  

We now have an opportunity to slow down and really smell the roses, notice little things we never took notice or have taken for granted. We can now see the beauty or even accept the ugly things we can't change.