The Hanged Man - A Broken Spirit and Contrite Heart

Any of us who have an interest or a passion for Tarot, remembers our first reading. It seems to leave an indelible impression on us either positive or negative or both.  This certainly was very true for me,

When I was first introduced to Tarot, many years ago, the reasons I had for wanting to a reading were pretty serious in retrospect. I was keeping a secret from people and somehow knew in the very marrow of my bones, this situation I found myself in was not going to end well. I was in denial, refused to trust my intuition, and pushed through to it's conclusion , which shook the very foundations of my confidence in the belief my ability to make good choices and right decisions. I no longer believed in myself and felt happiness was forever going to elude me.

My reading did not indicate specifically the answers I was looking for, but not being completely open, and honest with my question, I now see  this was the reason I did not get a lot of specifics.

The one card I remember in my reading that really bothered me at the time, was The Hanged Man. I thought it was ominous and full of dread. However the answer I was looking for was to be found within this card, which urged me to take a step back and distance myself from everyday concerns. Little did I realize at the time how much I needed to do this because my vision was completed obstructed in so many ways.

The most significant message I took away from this reading was from The Hanged Man. The long and the short of it was I was so broken from my circumstance, and in the long run it became my most important life lesson. I had sacrificed so much in just about every way and thought I'd gained nothing, however I was very wrong. I learned so much about myself, how to give of myself but not loose parts of my my soul in the process. My spirit was broken and my heart contrite for the things that I had done, or failed to do. My sacrifice became a gift of strength and insight over time, and I am very grateful.

Many of us don't realized the significance of a reading until weeks months or perhaps even years later. There are answers to our questions in our readings but they may not be clearly visible to us at the time due to our present state of mind. We may be myopic, and lacking insight, because we are so wrapped up in our situational events. This is why it is important to take that step back to do an inventory of the ourselves and what is really going on in our lives.

This card does not turn up for me often in my daily draw, or in readings that I do for others, but when it does, I pay close attention to decipher the meaning and message found within the most paradoxical and mysterious of cards.

 

Five of Cups - All Is Not Lost!

This card, the Five of Cups can represent some of the most difficult obstacles in our personal life, particularly in regards to our relationships, that are tested over time, and there are often regrets over past actions relating to betrayal. Not intentional betrayal of another necessarily, but toward one's self, and being honest.

It feels like we have lost absolutely everything we love, dreams have been unfulfilled, our hearts are completely broken, and we wear the cloak of mourning, as if there has been a death.
We say to ourselves " If only..."

The Five of Cups can look like a very bleak card, full of despair. Psyche who has betrayed Eros, desperately runs after her. The four cups are spilled on to the floor, but the fifth cup remains full and standing. But Psyche takes no notice. The full cup represents, all is not lost, if we take up the challenge and commit to making a brighter future.

Depending on our attitude towards our circumstances, struggles and difficulties we find ourselves in at present, it can feel impossible to see the lessons, to be gleaned from the situation. We can become myopic, and can't see the forest for the trees. We may find ourselves in denial about what has happened, getting caught up in our sadness, and trouble hearts. We don't see what there is to be grateful for, and there is to be learned. The cup isn't half full, it is full.

We can rise from the ashes as a stronger individual, having an attitude of gratitude. This make all the difference in our happiness.

Loss, tragedy, and heartbreak can give us insight, and even epiphanies. These can give us experience, strength and hope, that we can share with to others. Solutions hide in our obstacles. This has truly been my own experience.

Today all too frequently, people are either rushing into relationships or trying to get out by running away. We often don't slow down, and reflect on our lives long enough, to take an inventory of ourselves, to figure out what it is we really want, or need. Too often we want what we can't have, or don't want what we have, and then wonder why happiness seems to elude us, instead of appreciating and accepting, what we do have. Certainly if I am not happy within myself, we will never be happy with another, regardless of my circumstance.

We all experience loss in our lives. Some people experience more than their fair share of loss, but they are able to overcome, and they inspire others through their example, turning their weakness into strength.