You are the Hanged Man (Hanging Ghost)
Self-sacrifice, Sacrifice, Devotion, Bound.
With the Hanged man there is often a sense of fatalism, waiting for something to happen. Or a fear of loss from a situation, rather than gain.
The Hanged Man is perhaps the most fascinating card in the deck. It reflects the story of Odin who offered himself as a sacrifice in order to gain knowledge. Hanging from the world tree, wounded by a spear, given no bread or mead, he hung for nine days. On the last day, he saw on the ground runes that had fallen from the tree, understood their meaning, and, coming down, scooped them up for his own. All knowledge is to be found in these runes.
The Hanged Man, in similar fashion, is a card about suspension, not life or death. It signifies selflessness, sacrifice and prophecy. You make yourself vulnerable and in doing so, gain illumination. You see the world differently, with almost mystical insight
Frankly this is all too vague to make sense of, but I like the tale of Odin.
I'm not fatalistic though, nor am I especially self sacrificing, at least no more so than some. Though the last two sentences may make some sense.
I'm the hanged man... could be right...
You are the Hanged Man
In most readings, the Hanged Man is a card of pause, a moment where you pop your head out of the cubical farm to see The Matrix. I don't think the description provides a good explanation of the card because it's actually a very good card. Yes it's about introspection and pause, but the person it describes is a bit different. The most frequent association is with Jesus; a person who has inner peace and strength, an outsider.
Sacrifice is a poor word for the card though people frequently equate Jesus with sacrifice so I suppose it gets thrown in there. If anything, the Hanged Man does not consider or participate in what is not important. What appears to be sacrifice is merely lack of caring about the ephemeral. The card is about finding foundations, acting in ways which are true to yourself, and interacting with the world in those ways. In stead of
sacrifice, think
forsaking.
The Hanged Man has not been executed. He's not even dead. He's in an act of suspending himself from the worldly, trading it for the spiritual. Body suspension is a very old act of western esotericism. It is a way of freeing one's self from illusions of the world to focus upon what is inner and forcing yourself to be at peace with who you are. People who are into bondage get this innately. They understand that bondage is illuminating and, ultimately, freeing of the spirit.
The Hanged Man is the ultimate expression of the examined life.
You are The Hermit
Prudence, Caution, Deliberation.
The Hermit points to all things hidden, such as knowledge and inspiration,hidden enemies. The illumination is from within, and retirement from participation in current events.
The Hermit is a card of introspection, analysis and, well, virginity. You do not desire to socialize; the card indicates, instead, a desire for peace and solitude. You prefer to take the time to think, organize, ruminate, take stock. There may be feelings of frustration and discontent but these feelings eventually lead to enlightenment, illumination, clarity.
The Hermit represents a wise, inspirational person, friend, teacher, therapist. This a person who can shine a light on things that were previously mysterious and confusing.
OK, well, Uh, i guess, maybe.
I'm FAR from virginal. I participate in current events. I DO tend, however, to draw my inspiration from within. I definitely desire peace, and have no issues with solitude. Still, I enjoy good company.
Yeah, this card just isn't the right card. They messed up.
Don't take the card too literally. It is a card of virginity but only in some cases. If you look at the occupations of The Hermit you find people who are involved in interacting with others so the isolation aspect of the card doesn't apply in the literal sense. Few of us are truly hermits. It's more a card about introspection, being more self-directed than socially-directed. The Hermit is, pretty simply, a person who tends to seek knowledge and utilize that knowledge for the direction of his or her life. It's someone who trusts their own judgment and prizes rationality. It's also a warning not to become too wrapped-up in yourself lest you become a crazy cat lady.
Jason, that is a very powerful experience. If I had a similar experience I would be spooked. But on some level I take the interpretations of the cards as a way to help us see what we cannot see about ourselves otherwise.
I've had some uncanny experiences which are so far beyond the realm of coincidence that there had to be some kind of force at work. I'm not saying the force is supernatural, but perhaps some kind of force which is not yet understood or discovered beyond what the Jungians may be onto. My relationship with the tarot is bizarre. I have no explanation for why I use it or why I read them or use them for some kinds of meditation. They are far less about telling the future than for the very reason you state. Tarot seems to express a great many human archetypes and experiences. Much of a reading is about explaining what is going on right now and where it came from. That illumination can be invaluable and, frequently, contradicts what the cards say will come to pass if the present course is not altered. From them I have discovered that the future is not written in stone. It can be altered by conscious action and if someone I read for decides to change their future, then they do so. Sometimes they don't and what the cards say will happen, does. That may be self-fulfilling prophecy but I never tell someone they can't change what the cards say; in fact I always say the opposite, "It is written only if you decide to write it." The caveat is that not everyone feels empowered to change their future. Many people feel trapped by forces outside of themselves whether it's drugs, institutions, other people, economics, or the forces of the world at work. These are the shackles represented in The Devil. If someone does not realize they are the catalyst of change, then they cannot accomplish the change necessary to make a happy choice out of an unhappy situation. Telling someone that usually isn't enough, but
sometimes it is.
My card was the Empress. Grrrr.
I could have sworn I checked 'Male' in the first question.
Why Grrrr? This is an excellent card. The Empress is balance of energies, physical and spiritual, made manifest in life. It's about cooperation rather than domination, about creativity brought into being, about creating harmony in ourselves and others. Much more than Justice or Temperance or The Star, it's about enjoying the riches of a balanced and realized life whether you seek that as a goal or have achieved it. All in all, an excellent card.
Of course it also means you have a secret desire to be a drag queen.:tongue:
:smile:
