THE HANGED ONE
This week we float between seasons: summer solstice and Litha have passed, and summer is truly here in the Northern hemisphere. The solstice is a moment to take stock, to sit still and absorb what’s happening around us, to plot the second half of the year, and to reflect on the first. This is the perfect moment to meet the Hanged One, a figure who is happy to pause, reflect, and hang out.
The Hanged One
This card can feel a little scary, and remind us of mortality and death, but I think of it as akin to savasana: a deep pocket of rest that puts us in touch with our mortality, and yet fills us with the peace and joy of being present in our bodies. Death is the destination we’re not hurrying towards, but which sharpens our pleasure at being alive.
When we are used to experiencing adrenaline, or the effects of trauma, rest and relaxation can feel counterintuitive: allowing our muscles to relax can give a stronger sensation than our familiar contractions. In pandemic times, for some of us, hunching over our screens has become powerfully connected to our “free” time. The Hanged One asks us to stop scrolling, to release ourselves from adrenalized patterns, and to trust ourselves to just be, with nowhere to go. We already know the destination, there’s no wrong way to get there.
In The Modern Witch deck, The Hanged One echoes the balance and symmetry of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, showing a figure suspended by one knotted thread, acrobatic and effortless. They are wearing fishnets and trainers, their head haloed with light: transcendent as saint.
What is a saint? A person who can be still in moments of chaos, who can withstand and even thrive. Every time we stay with the work, we are saints. If we are lucky, we can be tethered like The Hanged One, not chained, as with The Devil. We can let the living wood of the tree support and nourish us, knowing we can test its weight with our bodies. This card is visually connected to the suit of wands: the fiery red of the outfits, the halo of light, the living wood. This is a card of tending a fire, not striking a spark. Everything is as it needs to be.
Writing Prompt
Write your own hagiography. You can take inspiration from my secular saints from my book of rituals to write a prayer, incantation, or account of a real or imagened saint. You could choose to write a short story about a character who endures transcendentally. If you are writing memoir, is there a moment wher the protagonist becomes so powerful that they are radiant, haloed with light?
Writing Ritual
Find a quiet space, and wear somthing comfortable and comforting. Bring water, a hot drink, a notebook and pen. Set a timer for five minutes, and hang as loosely as you can: let your body take the shape it needs to. Let your back unfurl like a lily over a rolled towel or blanket, use a door frame to hang from, or settle into child’s pose with your wrists draped over a cushion. Feel the gravity in your body, don’t tense against its force. When you're finished, write what comes.
Tarot Spread
Please use these questions however you find most supportive. You can as these questions of the tarot deck, or you can use them as prompts for discussion with a writing accountability partner, trusted friend, or journal prompt. This week we are keeping things very simple, taking a cue from The Hanged One.
What do I need to let go of in my writing?
Where will I feel resistance
What is possible if I do let go?