Sexual Key To The Tarot: XII THE HANGED MAN

The tree itself is a phallic symbol, but rather than ending in a head shape, it ends with a crossbar, denoting cessation of sexual activity.  That the crossbar bears living foliage suggests that though the phallus is inactive, it is not dead.  The hanged man, it should be noted, suggests life in suspension, but life and not death.  This is suspended sexuality, not asexuality or impotence.

The Hanged Man's face is not one of suffering, but of entrancement.  This is the card of all sexual narcissists into which category all mastubators fall.

The Hanged-Man nature, early in life, adopts an idea of what his penis should look like, feel like, function like, respond like , and act like, not-withstanding biological facts to the contrary.  This is the card of self-lovers who feel their genitals are meant for some great and grand purpose, usually other than sexual intercourse.  Thus the nimbus about the head.  This nature would rather have the head of his organd (glans penis, clitoris) ''martyred'' than functioning in an unworthy manner.  This nature usually experiences a post-pubertal collision with the ''factos of life'' and is henceforth disillusioned.  Since these ''facts of life'' do not conform with this nature's idealistic outlook, it would rather suffer celibacy.

Some of the nature turn to chronic masturbation, finding auto-eroticism more to their liking than heterosexual activities with the impassioned and demanding sexual organs of the opposite sex.  Some do nothing at all, suspending their sexuality temporarily and perhaps enjoying only nocturnal emissions.  The Hanged Man nature thinks ''all women (men) are alike.'' He feels that the opposite sex does not understand him, which is true because they are normal, red-blooded humans who desire their fires of passion extinguished regularly.


In a reading this card suggests a dreamer who cannot accept everyday sexual responsibility, and though this card denotes a person indecision, it also represents an individual at the crossroads of ideal and actual sex.  It shows a youth (chronological or psychological) in need of sexual guidance and sex education.  The Hanged Man-nature is one worthy of a female's (male's) patience and understanding, for with the proper guidance this nature can become a veritable dynamo in the sexual bed. 

This card in a spread also means:  Too picky in sexual matters; trials with the opposite sex; sacrifice of sexual pleasure for ideals; emotional sorrow; sexual disappointment. 

This card advises the hanged Man nature forgive the opposite sex their so-called weaknesses; choose a sex partner only after taking into consideration your tendency to expect too much; apply the imagination and not idealism to a prospective partner.  

This card further shows an awakening after suspension and predicts the possibility of a highly pleasurable sexual future.

-excerpted from ''The Sexual Key To The Tarot'' by Theodor Laurence