Monday, November 10, 2008

A FOUND "HANGED MAN"

Old photo on the blog The Boat Lullabies

Wow, I just love finding Tarot images in odd places! (Though technically I did not find this Hanged Man, a friend emailed it to me knowing my Tarot-mania. Thanks, oino.) The blog does not go into anything about the photo, but I seriously doubt it was taken as a Hanged Man Tarot card.

What I love even more is the synchronicity these Tarot images found in odd places often radiate. I just included The Hanged Man in the UFO deck in my previous post and in my response to a comment a visitor left to that post, I talked a bit about The Hanged Man. Especially referencing how the UFO deck XII version shares a somewhat unusual slant on this card in that the surrender appears to be involuntary. Whereas, in my understandings of this card the surrender tends to be voluntary. In looking at the above photo, I tend to think it's a voluntary surrender as well. Of course, someone could have slung him up there against his will; just as in the UFO version that figure could be giving over to the suspension voluntarily. But ultimately what this all says to me personally is that right now (1) The Hanged Man is active in my life in a big way, and (2) that this issue of volition is an important one to be aware of. E.g., is any given instance in which I "surrender" actually to my own High Self's guidance, say, or am I justifying slipping into old people pleasing behavior?

Another message from The Hanged Man is to keep suspending judgments. That came to me now as I was typing this post. I tend to jump to conclusions to relieve any suspension (i.e. the suspense of not knowing) that I find hard to tolerate.

I just "heard" another message from The Hanged Man. That I am in one particular and very intimate way, suspending, i.e. holding back out of a bit of fear. I'll need to look at this one more closely, but I suspect just acknowledging that fear and figuring out the need beneath it will ease the situation.

By the way, I don't share these illustrations from my own life because I think they are insights others may find valuable. But because the way in which I come to them illustrates my basic approach to Tarot (along with intuition and the more traditional meanings): seeing how these images resonate with, reflect upon, amplify, inform, etc. the present. Even in the years when I was reading professionally for others, this was part of my approach.

* * * *

‘til next time, keep responding to High Self's prompts and enjoying The Tarot,





[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for Tarot poetry; Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka); and Yahoo DREAMJIN: Group for Dreamku – Haiku-Like Dream Poems.****

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8 Comments:

Blogger LGD said...

Now that I look at this again on your blog, I wonder if he's not really intending a Houdini-escape of some sort.

10:13 PM  
Blogger Lily-Wren said...

Hi Roswila :)
Hope you are well, I meant to comment on the last blog and say I hope all is well with your blossoming life :)

I can relate to the Hanged Man - I particularly like what you said about suspending judgements. I often thing I am non-judgemental and I am to a degree..however, I do ofen jump to conclusions in a situation and think I am 'right' 100%..often this can mean I get upset about things only to find I was completely wrong!
I can it 'building the house in my head before I have the materials!'

Anyway me dear, hope you are well. I currently have my partner staying over from the US until february. Its quite lovely but means I am not around the interweb as much!

Blessings
Melanie
x

3:31 AM  
Blogger Roswila said...

Hi Lily-Wren,

As always it's a pleasure to know you've visited.

An overseas partner? Wow. I have trouble with only two floors away in the same building from me. LOL! (Sometimes he'll just leave the room and I'll want to say "Get back here...")

I love your way of putting this:
"building the house in my head before I have the materials..." We humans can be champion builders based on little or nothing, can't we? I usually go to building when the not knowing is just too intense to bear or raises too many anxious possibilities. I'm slowly learning to ask first and when asking is not possible for a length of time, to tolerate not knowing until I can get more information.

I hope you really enjoy this time with your partner. It's a nice time of year to spend together with all the year-end holidays.

blessings!

11:22 AM  
Blogger Roswila said...

Hi LGD,

Yes! Oh, yes, I see it now, too. It does look like documentation for an Houdini-like escape attempt!

Hm, of course you may now realize I'm trying to fit that into my "compendium" of "meanings" for The Hanged Man. Let's see .... maybe, "Don't give up on trying to figure a way out of this suspension, this upside down time in your life, a way will come to you." :-) Or, conversely: "There's no immediate way out of this upside down, suspenseful situation; be patient and receptive until things change."

Thanks for your observation!

11:28 AM  
Blogger Eccentric Scholar said...

Wonderful photo and an insightful analysis, as usual! It's always so rewarding to visit your Tarot journal!

4:32 PM  
Blogger Roswila said...

So good to hear from you, eccentric scholar!

I'm enjoying now making sure I have the time in my life to pay attention to this blog (and my others). I've missed blogging and have had a good lesson in being assertive with my "significant other" (and myself :-D) in order to find the time.

7:37 PM  
Blogger LGD said...

"Hm, of course you may now realize I'm trying to fit that into my "compendium" of "meanings" for The Hanged Man. "

I was hoping you'd say something like that! I like your added suggested meanings :-)

10:47 PM  
Blogger Roswila said...

LOL, lgd, I'm happy to be of service.

My next post here, BTW, is going to be as many of my least favorite versions of Tarot cards as I can find. Thought that might make for an interesting approach, since I almost always go for those I find pleasing. :-)

10:53 AM  

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