The Tarot of Eli 2, LLC: The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot- Key 12-The Hanged Man & The Archeon Tarot - Key 12-the Hanged Man

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The Hanged Man-Key 12 is full of meaning for the Occultist (Studier of the Hidden) and the Qabalist (Receiver). This card refers to the reversal of thought, which is seen in the "Mirror" of reflected and coagulated light that we call "the World". The Occultist knows that the unenlightened multitude have reversed the thought of I Am to Am I? By seeking outside for what is only truthful and hidden inside as Celestial Identity is upside down thinking.

All existence is dependent on Cosmic Law, and not manmade rules. Another meaning for this key-12 is to Suspend the Mind, something the Yogis, call Samadhi, a word with no equivalent in English; However, it is anexalted mental state that the aspirant becomes upon entry into the Divine Consciousness of Pure Being and/or the Divine Creative, where one becomes the one meditated on, instead of the meditator. Here there is a reverse of consciousness, where the subject becomes the object, as one looks down from the Astral of the Universal Collective Unconscious to the intimate sensuality of the awake consciousness.

This is the logical consequence of enlightenment (Our Soul is the Solar Self and shown around the head), where one is in a psychological state of believing that what they thought themselves to be, is totally lost and/or sacrificed to a greater principle of the Solar I AM.

Hence, this card represents an action of the Greater Self. The Son/Sun has resolved the dualities of male and female creating within himself the perfect balance of Mother and Father, (The Divine Hermaphrodite) which means sacrificing all vestiges of the personal self. In Tarot, the Hanged Man is but one aspect of the Perfected and/or Greater Self; other aspects are represented as the Magician (Magus), by the Lovers and the Sun. We are the Plasmic Entity that is called a Soul and/or Solar Self.

In more modern Western Hermetic- Qabalistic Tarot, the Universal Element assigned to this card is the Hebrew letter- Mem, which is water and is the "first mirror" and/or "Self-Reflection" of the I AM. In Water, images are reflected in reverse, (as they come from Air-Intellect) an idea carried out by the Key 12, symbolizing reflected Life, of Life in image, of Life taken by the forms of "occult" water and/or Cosmic Substance (Mother Binah's amniotic fluid), often known to Qabalists as the "Great Sea of Mother Binah"-the Creatrix and to Carl Jung as the Universal Collective Unconsciousness.

I have already mentioned that the Hanged Man represents "Suspended Mind", the occultist that invented the TAROT, (Before Latin became the Patriarchies official language) knew that man and mind come from the same Sanskrit root word-Manas. The title also refers to the utter dependance of human personality upon the Mental Cosmic Life.

The Art of the Rider-Waite-Smith-Key 12 features the human figure hanging from a Tau (T) cross made of living wood which symbolizes the Cosmic Life. The image is pointing out that his left foot is unbound bringing wisdom to the hanged man and advises him that the time to act is now.

The development of this Tarot image has changed slowly over time. At first the hanged man was illustrated as holding bags of silver, as if he represented Judas, relating to Gothic Humanism and alluded to "virtues". Hence, this card at first represented "avarice". Later, this "hung by one foot" became the image of punishment given to a knight who has displayed dishonesty or cowardice. Then in the 18th and 19th century, Tarot commentators linked this card's meaning to the "Dying gods" and/or gods hung in a tree (such as Odin/Christ etc.) and subsequently resurrected.

Really all this imagery helps us understand we are a Light (Plasmic)intelligence suspended in crystalline plasma/Matter and that this suspension is voluntary.

The Hanged Man of Tarot- displays a crown chakra of light (-The Sun of ourself light)- and/or a halo, with the figures foot rooted in the upper (Unconscious) center. This implies that this condition results from interactive waves of thought and experience (The body gives thought/information, in-form-action, which is experience) that happens between the awake conscious and unconscious, brought about by the use the Kundalini force, represented by the coiled serpentine rope that is wrapped around the RWS figures foot.

Kundalini is best described as the Cosmic Vital Sexual Force (maker of stars), a Serpentine flow of Plasma Electric and Magnetic energy from which all things are created and destroyed. Something that must be avoided by the untrained and/or untempered.

The legs of the Hanged figure, form the upside-down sign of Jupiter, the benevolent god. So, there is a subtle meaning here of "mercy", that is also the 4th Sephiroth of Chesed, on the Tree of Life. Hence, there is a reference to the practical fact that true peace comes from within.

This Hanged Man has found their inner Zen in what seems like an unusual placement of the Tree. However, we are "upside down" in this world, as our "feet" are rooted in the Celestial (Plasma) Realms of Akasha, and our intelligence/Head is being projected to the World of Malkuth/Earth, through the avatar we call our human form. Hence, "upside down".

The Rider-Waite-Smith- Hanged Man is simply at peace and relaxed there is no pain or Anguish on his face, as he is hanging in his bliss, completely relaxed. His hands are behind his back. 

If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise.

-Robert Fritz

The Archeon Tarot-Key 12-The Hanged Man is a different interpretation of this card that Crowley called "outdated". Here there is a desiccated corpse hanging from a cross bar, that is the perch for crows. Here stands a warning that you are at a crossroads and if you continue along your chosen course, you run the risk of endangerment. Therefore, stop and review the options presented by the crossroads. You may find that either path, left or right, offers a better route to your destination.

Even though going straight ahead might be the best course, the wise will always look both ways before crossing the street.

With similar numerical comparison, but not seen in the ant illustration, the crossed leg of the Hanged Man also equals the number 4 of the emperor, who is supposed to be the embodiment of community service.

Therefore, the legs on the RWS Card are dressed in red, the color of action and fire, the qualities of the sign of Aries and individuality. Also, dressed in blue, the colors of water/intuition/emotion, the hanged man obviously has a deep sense of his own spirituality and/or Prakriti.

On the RWS -Hanged Man the upper garment is blue, representing water (Hebrew Letter-Mem), as well as, the robe of the High Priestess, who symbolizes the "Universal Mind Stuff" which is often called the "Astral Plane" by many in the mysteries. For it is in the Astral Planes of "liquid light" that we begin creating thought into form.

In his book, The Tarot, Dr. Paul Foster Case states that "The Head of the Hanged Man is... LVX, in manifestation as the logos" which means that by his golden glow around the head which also suggests identity with the Emperor and the Hermit. Therefore, s/he is also compared to the Ancient of Days, reflected in the incarnate life of personality. The Roman numerals L, V, and X are respectively, 50, 5, and 10; making their sum 65 which is the Hebrew name for ADNI/Adoni--- Lord. The One Light is now the word made flesh and is also represented by the esoteric Hebrew word, IHSHVH=Yod-Heh-Shin-Vau-Heh and/or Yehoshua, because Jesus was named after the Hebrew Hero Yoshua (Joshua). This may be only important to the student that has had considerable advancement along the path of "Above all things, know thyself".

Therefore, mundanely, this is a human-soul reflection-turned-upside-down, inverted, and contrary to the way we view most people. In Qabalah, an "upright" person is one who is obedient to the Esoteric Law of Love, which is not the common way of thinking, seeing, or speaking as most people are subservient to fear. Hence, Jacob Boehme said, " to walk in all things contrary to the world". For those who don't know, Jacob Boehme was a German philosopher, Christian mystic, and Lutheran Protestant theologian.

Now some people may see this point of view antagonistic, but it is far from it. One need only look at the environment and see that most people are stuck in an emotional self-absorbed quagmire of fear of abandonment and/or rejection that is being constantly stimulated as a control mechanism by the word hypnosis of Patriarchy controlled media. This is why most people are "living" in a troubled mindscape making it impossible to have a good relationship with themselves or the world.

The False Ego: A Parasite of the Unawakened Soul

It is increasingly evident that many individuals, in their practice and experiment of Life, have inverted the natural order—placing the cart before the horse. Instead of the Higher Self directing the vehicle of the personality, the false ego has assumed the reins. This pseudo-self is not the true "I" of the Solar Soul, but a psychic impostor: a mental virus embedded through societal conditioning, fear-based programming, and unconscious inheritance.

This false ego is an anti-life construct—a parasite masquerading as the Self. Its survival depends on deception, convincing its host that it is them. Cloaked in the language of self-preservation, identity, and control, it whispers stories of lack, separation, and unworthiness.

These narratives distort emotional energy—what we may call energy-in-motion—into reactive loops, manifesting as self-sabotage, drama addiction, and a continual leakage of life-force.

From a Hermetic perspective, the false ego is a shell—what Qabalah calls a Qliphothic husk—drawing vitality from the true self while providing no light in return. It fears illumination, for to be seen by the Solar Will—the awakened Self that dwells in Tiphareth—is to dissolve its power entirely. When one becomes the conscious observer and begins to see through this entity, its dominion collapses. It is not slain by violence, but by exposure.

The Solar Individual, aligned with the harmony of the Higher Will, recognizes the false ego not as a flaw, but as a test of initiation. For it is only in transcending this counterfeit self that the true Magus emerges. The ego, then purified, becomes the servant rather than the master of the Soul.

Let’s explore The Hanged Man (ATU XII) from the Thoth Tarot through the lens of the false ego and its parasitic grip on personality—interpreted through Hermetic, Qabalistic, and initiatory symbolism.

The Hanged Man as the Crucifixion of the False Ego

The image of the Hanged Man—bound by one foot and suspended upside down—presents a profound Hermetic cipher for the soul entrapped in inversion. From the traditional view, he is not dying in agony, but surrendering in initiation. Yet, when interpreted through the lens of the false ego’s parasitic hold, this card reveals a powerful narrative of inner conflict between enslavement and awakening.

Tied by the Foot: The Personality in Captivity

The Hanged Man is not tied by the hands or the neck—symbols of will or life-force—but by the foot, which in Qabalistic symbolism relates to Nephesh, the animal soul or instinctual vehicle. The foot connects us to Malkuth, the Kingdom—the material world—and so to be bound by it is to be ensnared in matter, identity, form, and the illusion of self-derived from external structure.

This binding signifies the ego-personality caught in the snares of the false ego: a construct formed from imitation, programming, and inherited fears. The false ego takes root in this lower expression of the psyche, where it drains vitality while mimicking autonomy. Like a vampire, it clings to the outer life and dreads exposure to the Light of the higher Sephiroth, particularly Tiphareth, the Solar Self.

Inversion: The World Seen Through False Perception

The upside-down nature of the figure is a visual metaphor for inverted perception. The Hanged Man sees the world through the lens of illusion, distortion, and reversal—hallmarks of the false ego. What is actually freedom appears as danger; what is truly bondage appears as comfort.

In this sense, the Hanged Man is every soul in sleep, mistaking the voice of the parasite for their own. Yet, his passivity is paradoxical—for while he appears trapped, he is on the verge of transfiguration.

The Surrender That Slays the Parasite

In the Thoth deck, the Hanged Man is associated with Mem (מ), the Hebrew letter of Water—symbolizing consciousness, primordial fluid, and the womb of transformation. It is within the fluidic state of Mem—within surrender, immersion, and reflection—that the false ego is finally unmasked.

By ceasing resistance, the initiate no longer feeds the parasite through reaction. The Solar Will watches, breathes, and dis-identifies. It is here that the illusion of personality dies, and the True Self begins to radiate. In this way, the Hanged Man's stillness is a gateway—not to death of the being, but death of the false being.

The Path of Mem: Baptism, Dissolution, and Rebirth

Mem connects Geburah (Severity) to Hod (Splendor), indicating that the path of dissolving the false ego is not gentle—it is a severing followed by the cleansing fire of realization. The initiate must face the internal tyrant and expose it, allowing the old constructs to fall. This is the inner crucifixion required before true resurrection.

Conclusion: The Hanged Man as the Crossroads of Self-Liberation

In essence, The Hanged Man is the suspended moment before liberation, the alchemical solve et coagula in action. He represents the stage where the false ego is no longer sustainable, yet the true Self has not yet claimed the throne.

The rope that binds him is illusion. When the initiate looks not away, but through the illusion, the bond is dissolved. The false ego is not slain in violence but seen for what it is—a ghost sustained by ignorance. Once seen, it is dispelled.

Thus, the Hanged Man is not the victim, but the seer in preparation—the soul poised to turn itself right-side-up and walk the path of the Sun.

In numerology, the number 12 is often considered a powerful and harmonious number. It is associated with completeness, wholeness, and perfection. Here are some key characteristics attributed to the number 12 in numerology:

1. Completeness: The number 12 is seen as a complete cycle, representing the twelve months in a year, the twelve zodiac signs, and the twelve hours on a clock.

2. Harmony: It is considered a harmonious number, symbolizing balance and order. Many systems of knowledge, including astrology and ancient cultures, have revered the number 12 for its sense of balance.

3. Divine Order: In various spiritual traditions, the number 12 is often linked to divine order and alignment with cosmic principles. It signifies a connection to higher realms.

Now, in Gematria, where each letter of the alphabet is assigned a numerical value, the number 12 can be explored through the sum of the values of its corresponding letters. However, as Gematria typically applies to words or phrases, it's essential to specify the context or word you'd like to analyze in order to provide a more detailed interpretation.

The knowledge of the Law of "cause and effect" is self-evident; hence, the miseries affecting most people are the negative results of misuse of the Law "as I think, therefore, I AM". This is not a weakness nor a fault, it is the indoctrination and dogma of the programed brain that is profaned by the program of Patriarchal /Industrial Military Complex-Rulership, where slaves (involuntary service) are needed to fulfill the Wealth of the "few who rule the many" who use wealth as a power control mechanism implying wealthy people are the best and the poor people are the worst inciting "Self-loathing" and searching for a savior to come and somehow free them from slavery--- Religion is how a slave thinks.

Free, upright people know they are the Light of the Logos, Images of the Divine Creative, and that we incarcerate or free our own Selves as we Perceive ourselves to be. This is the knowledge behind the axiom of "Above all things, know thyself". Hence, the Hanged Man is also a card that implies a change of Self- perspective.

Some may see a "free choice" as a victory, over the mind virus of the "false ego", but in all instances of wisdom it is "total surrender". For as soon as the truth of Self is realized, total surrender is the only logical and sensible course of action as it is submission of personal consciousness to the direction of the Universal Mind of Love.

The Magician/Magus, foreshadows this submission by pointing his wand to the above, "stating Thy Will not My will". Paradoxically, this total submission of personal life to Life Itself, makes us intensely positive in our view of others. For now, we see them as "anothers", i.e., "Everyone I see, is Another way to be me". Anybody who fails to follow this course of "another", will become a human doormat.

Once we know ourselves to be vehicles to a power in which there are no insurmountable obstacles; I AM-Spirit-Mind-Body, which is another description of the trinity of "Supreme Being" and/or the True Ego.

Therefore, the idea presented by the Awakening or the Hanged Man-Key 12, is that mental attitude of "thy will not my will". This attitude comes from the understanding that our will is an elusive mask of words, plastered on our identity by "the false will of outside authority". Only "I AM" is our author. "Me" must become the "Will of the One I AM". Therefore, I (identity) Am (mind) Me (the assumption of "what I am"), must become One Will and One Way to enact that Will. "I AM", is the Truth, but what I am is an assumption of free will, a will that is only free, when one Knows themselves!

When thrown in a divination, The Hanged Man or Awakening-Key 12- implies:

• The instinct of sacrifice and devotion.
• Overcoming the ego.
• Changing one's ways.
• Redemption.
• Maturity.
• Finding Wisdom.
• The redemptive absorption (Surrendering to the One Will).

If reversed:

• At a Standstill.
• Being stuck hanging in the air.
• Not seeing any purpose in life.
• Resistance and self-sacrifice.

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