The Tarot of Eli, LLC: The Thoth Tarot-Key/ATU 12-The Hanged Man

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The Thoth-HANGED MAN- ATU 12, displays a curious image of Severity, and has the implications are quite different from the previous paths that connect the Personality and the Greater Self; Severity, because this is the Path of Mem (Hebrew letter-meaning-Water) that connects Hod (Splendor) and Geburah (Severity) on the Pillar of Severity.

The Hebrew word/letter-MEM, (Water) is a one of the three Maternal letters, and implies a Baptism in Maternal Waters, as the other two: The Path of Shin (Art) is a baptism in Fire, and The Path of Aleph-The Fool, is a baptism in Air. Of all these three Baptisms, the Baptism in Water (Unconsciousness, intuition, and emotions) is the central and pivotal experience of the entire Qabalistic Tree of Life.

The Soul or Psyche is the Alchemical First crucible of Principle, also called the Thinking Principle and is referred to the physical image of Water because it is like water in wave motion, and fluid flow.

There is a concept in alchemy often referred to as the "first crucible" or prima materia. This idea represents the primal substance or original essence, the foundational matter from which everything else is derived (such as the Ocean in the 4th world-Kingdom- of Qabalah). The alchemical work is essentially the purification, transmutation, and elevation of this first principle or prime material to higher forms.

In practical terms, the "first crucible" represents both a literal and symbolic vessel. Alchemists used crucibles to contain the base elements for their work, enduring high temperatures that would transform the material within. Symbolically, the crucible represents the alchemist's own being, where psychological and spiritual transformation occurs. For this reason, some alchemists equated the crucible with the human soul, which endures trials and processes that refine it toward enlightenment or the Philosopher's Stone.

Alchemists believe that beginning with this prima materia or first principle in the crucible, they could initiate the transformative stages of nigredo (blackening), albedo (whitening), citrinitas (yellowing), and rubedo (reddening), which represent the spiritual journey of refinement.

The lowest expression of the First Principle is first found, by the upward traveling initiate, as the Astral Fluid that is drawn down the Path of the Universe into Yesod, the Foundation Sephiroth. This Thinking Principle, the Astral Fluid, is found as the Stable Intelligence, by virtue of consistency, in all Sephiroth and Paths as it underlies everything that is pointing downward.

Hence, the Spirit is "drowned" in the Maternal Waters where upon, perceiving itself as a Soul, as an intrinsic and inseparable part of the One Consciousness. Carl Jung, who coined the phrase. Collective Unconscious, describe this Water of Mem (Universal collective Unconscious) as a "...boundless expanse full of unprecedented uncertainty, with apparently no inside and no outside, no above and no below, no here and no there, no mine and no thine, no good and no bad.".

To him the First Principle of the Alchemists was also described as Water, as he states,

"It is the world of water, where all life floats in suspension: where the realm of the sympathetic system, the soul of everything living begins; where I am individually this and that; where I experience the other in myself and the other-than-myself experiences me.....the collective conscious is anything but an encapsulated personal system; it is sheer objectivity, as wide as the world and open to all the world."

I would highly recommend that the aspirant reads the works of Carl Jung, on the Universal Collective Unconscious, thus gaining a modern understanding of ancient wisdom. To put it another way, in the state of consciousness of which the Unconscious is the "first state", we are "always the subject that has an object", a reality that is totally turned around in the Universal Collective Unconscious where, we are "the object of every subject", as stated by Carl Jung. This concept totally agrees with Qabalah, as we are the object of every Subjective Sephiroth on the Qabalistic Tree of Life.

What flees from the mind of the Religiously educated who seek "holy Spirit", is the fact, that it has taken the "I-mage-nation", the Realm of the Creatrix, untold trillions of years to produce a condensed Spiritual Self, which can be intimate with both subjective and objective worlds. We, each of us, are that Whole Condensed Spiritual Self, who is a condensed version of all the Tree of Life and therefore, the Universe!

The object of "Above all things know thyself", is to do you "religiously", not create one. There is no other religion as a point of worship since you are the image of the Divine Creative and religion is manmade! Hence, above all things be true to thyself!

In other words, our subjective Self, "I AM" becomes objective Self, "Me", when immersed in the Maternal Waters on the Path of Mem. THE HANGED MAN is where the invisible becomes visible.

The Serpent Path.

The initiate knows that we must move constantly upward (upward is inward and the serpent path in Qabalah) on the Serpent Path of the Tree of Life, for only through the hindsight gained by going to a higher Sephiroth, can we experience an understanding of the qualities of the lower Sephiroth.

The Path of Mem leads to Geburah (Severity) which is directly above Tiphareth (Beauty); Geburah is the Fiery or Active part of the Higher Self and is shown as Red in color; the color of Mars. This further illustrates the point that Geburah is the fiery-blood- energy on the Pillar of Water below Binah. In the Thoth Tarot card of the HANGED MAN, the Womb of Binah is where the hanging figure's foot is held; from the oval of the Egyptian Ankh, which is the cross like symbol (also called the Tau cross) of both Divine Androgyny and Infinity.

The Egyptian Ankh is one of the most recognizable and powerful symbols in Egyptian mythology. It represents life, immortality, and the connection between the material and spiritual worlds. The Ankh resembles a cross with a loop at the top and is sometimes called the "Key of Life." In ancient Egyptian iconography, gods and pharaohs are often depicted holding the Ankh, emphasizing its association with divine life and power. The loop is thought to symbolize eternal life or the soul, while the crossbar may represent the balance between masculine and feminine energies or the elements coming together in unity.

In Qabalistic interpretation, the Ankh takes on layered meanings, especially when viewed within the framework of the Tree of Life. Qabalah often interprets symbols through the lenses of the Sephiroth and paths, finding resonances that connect back to universal spiritual principles. Here, the Ankh aligns most closely with Tiphereth, the sephirah of harmony and beauty, symbolizing the balanced heart or the center of the soul's journey. Tiphereth is seen as the central balance point between the divine (upper sephiroth) and material realms (lower sephiroth), much like the Ankh embodies the bridge between life and the afterlife.

In Qabalistic thought, the loop of the Ankh can symbolize the Ain Soph (the boundless or infinite) and unity with the Divine. The cross of the Ankh could be viewed as the intersection of different forces or the four elements, which in Qabalah are unified through the balancing, harmonizing role of Tiphereth. This unity connects the Ankh’s symbolism to the mystical concept of the Chiah, or the life force present within every individual, transcending physical life and reflecting the continuity of spirit.

While the Egyptian concept of the Ankh focuses on eternal life and divine energy, Qabalah emphasizes the journey of the soul through balance, transformation, and harmony within a structured cosmology. Both concepts share a deep reverence for the life force and its connection to the divine but express it through slightly different cosmological and metaphysical frameworks.

To the one who has inwardly traveled the Paths to this point, it is to be noted that the Path of Mem, the HANGED MAN, must be approached very differently than the lower paths.

Here, the mediator becomes the object of one's own meditation.

The individual becomes the "other" which was previously the object of pursuit; the "other" now becomes the initiate. Thus, it can be said, that the personality meditates in pursuit of the Higher Self, who then becomes or envelopes the Personality of the pursuer creating a Higher Sensual Self....A self often stated as having "Magic Abilities".

Therefore, The Hanged Man symbolizes the savior-God- man or Hanged God of many religions; Odin (hung on a giant Ash tree called Yggdrasil) Jesus on a cross, and Prometheus hung on a mountain, as painted by Paul Rubens. The Moon symbolizes-Mensis (Latin), Mona (Mona Lisa is old English for The Moon), month, money, menopause, Menstruation, manna, menat (amulet) and much more. It shows us that the Moon is about the Womb and the regeneration of form. That is why the Violet-reds are primary colors for all living things and are "of Mother's blood", as every baby can attest.

Hence, Mem is a Maternal letter meaning the Element Water and the Amniotic Fluid of the Womb. This is of no surprise, since the Gnostic believe that the Homo-Sapient is a G.M.O., manipulated evolution of a marine mammal, rather than ape, and that Noah's Ark and the Flood is a hierarchic presentation of the facts of life. The Sumerian's, believed our "angelic" forefathers, the Anunnaki (Meaning: "Those who from the Sky came") spliced their DNA with a marine amphibian and Homo Erectus being, which at time was as close to a biped on the earth. Hence, the Homo Sapien is a Genetically Modified Organism (G.M.O.) created by "those who from the heavens came to earth" and/or the Anunnaki in Sumerian. Hence, our feet (foundation) in the heavens and our head (intelligence) placed on Earth.

There are many scientists that also believe the marine mammal/homo erectus theory because of the fact we have more in common with marine mammals than apes. I would suggest you research this scientific argument over theory, as I am about the Tarot here and not seeking to become an anthropologist. I am not making this up!

Yes, the hypothesis suggesting that humans may have evolved from an amphibian-like ancestor rather than a strictly ape lineage challenges traditional evolutionary views. This perspective typically comes from those examining unique human traits, especially those related to water, and how they might align more closely with an aquatic or semi-aquatic ancestry.

This theory, often linked to the “aquatic ape hypothesis,” argues that several human characteristics are more consistent with traits found in amphibians or aquatic mammals than with our closest primate relatives:

1. Bipedalism and Upright Posture: Proponents argue that our upright, bipedal posture could have developed from wading in shallow waters, where an upright position would have made it easier to move and see over the water. This is a trait seen in some semi-aquatic animals who stand in water to forage or spot prey.

2. Hairlessness and Subcutaneous Fat: Humans are relatively hairless compared to other primates, a trait that is more common in aquatic and amphibious animals, which helps them move efficiently in water. Additionally, humans have a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, unlike most land mammals, which also resembles adaptations seen in marine animals for insulation.

3. Breath Control and Swimming Reflex: Unlike other primates, humans can hold their breath voluntarily, which is essential for swimming and diving. Newborns also exhibit a “diving reflex,” a primitive response where they hold their breath automatically in water, similar to behaviors seen in aquatic species.

4. Tears and Sweat Glands: Humans have eccrine glands that produce copious sweat and also have tear-producing glands that can expel salt—a mechanism that might have evolved to maintain fluid balance if early humans had a semi-aquatic lifestyle, similar to salt regulation in amphibians and marine animals.

5. Nasal Structures and Ear Canals: Our nostrils are oriented downwards, unlike the more forward-facing nostrils of other apes. Some proponents argue that this helps prevent water from entering our noses when in water. Additionally, certain ear structures, often impacted by “swimmer’s ear” in modern humans, may point to regular aquatic activity in our evolutionary history.

The idea here isn’t that humans directly evolved from amphibians but rather that certain traits seen in amphibious or semi-aquatic animals may have been a significant part of the selective pressures shaping early hominins. This hypothesis is still very much in the realm of speculation and has not replaced the widely accepted theory of human evolution from primate ancestors, specifically the great apes. Mainstream scientists argue that while these traits are interesting, they do not necessarily indicate a fundamentally aquatic or amphibious phase in human evolution, pointing instead to evolutionary developments in various terrestrial environments. Which is just another blatant example of Academia trying to and control knowledge, rather than expand and liberate it from rule.

To continue: The Hanged Man represents the baptism that is also a death. Death being a transformation from one reality to another, as is birth where the Water Mammal must become a land-mammal and therefore, "dead" to the Sea: a death in one area and birth into another.

The symbolism of the Hanged Man is also often attributed to Self-Sacrifice without recourse, but this is really an errant idea. In the last Aeon of Osiris, the Hanged Man represented the supreme formula for adept-ship for the figure that is hung is the Spirit "drowning"(baptized) in the Astral Fluid, before becoming manifest in form. The Astral are flowing layers of "light" where all the Forces and Forms of the "Above Sephira" meet to combine in a manifestation as a physical birth in the material world.

To the flesh-o-phobe, this material birth, would be the effect of spiritual purity being sacrificed to fleshy debasement. However, often the greatest flesh-o-phobe knows unconditional love as the trinity of love, Eros-love of flesh, Philos-love of family/brotherly love, and Agapé-Love of Spirit/Spiritual love. Love of the body is part of the whole spirit that is unconditional love.

To the Spirit, this is the way of transforming from idea of experience of Self, to an intimate Self-Awareness: from any-thought to discerning thought. Being in the flesh requires the Spirit to become aware of its thoughts and how they affect living simply by the reactions of those thoughts in the very living form that "cloaks it". Think ill, be ill, think well be well etc.

Ideas or visions, in the Aeon of Osiris, were considered more important than the flesh, and the destruction of bodies in the name of idea/visions (Commonly called, "...For the Greater Good") seemed a just cause. In the Aeon of Osiris, it could be said that the foundation of thought was the ruling of definition by the few who enforced definition on the many.

In this new Aeon/ Age of Horus, the idea must "expand and liberate the living from their own self-imposed limits, allowing the Foundation of Love ("Love thy neighbor as thyself') to become the "common mind", a state of Psyche, where union rather than ruler sponsored divisionism becomes the conscious foundation of all action.

As shown on the Thoth Devil card, the foundation of Earth intelligence, the "instinctual mind", is built on the foundation of "forget me not", I.e., Fear of rejection. The Soul Psyche is founded on the foundation of "I AM", a fearless statement of Presence.

Simply stated, the self in manifestation is more important than the ideas forged by ruler defined self, no matter how utopian the ideas are. However, the caveat here is that you must first love yourself....as you can't give to another what you don't have, thus requiring that above all things you must know yourself!

The Aeon of Horus is the age where the *Hu (God) man (mind) realizes it is the child of God, a Spiritual Sacrament, and becomes the Christ/Buddha consciousness on Earth, uniting the Above and the Below which means Body and Spirit. That union is seen in the Thoth-Hanged Man, whose foot is connected to the Ankh (symbolized in the West as the Rosy Cross) which is a combination of Goddess- God/Womb and Phallus and is known as a symbol for eternal universe in a sigil of Mankind (head- arms and torso).

The ancients knew that if it was made manifest, it was a truth, because Creation made it. Ideas are not a truth unless they can become "made manifest" by the Power of Creation and/or the ability to do work. In a more personal note, you exist because you're supposed to! The judgment of "you" has already been made by The Divine Creative, who obviously approved your manifestation! In other words, the obviousness of your presence proves you are worthy of being! This kind of thinking doesn't bode well for those who wish to "rule you", so dividing you from your "god" by a religion made of "good and bad" flesh hating rules, will pervert the Sacrament of "Will to be" and will assure your enslavement.

The Hanged Man illustrates that being born into the World is a baptism, not a trial to prove your worth!

*Hu is Chinese for "God" and "Man" came from the Hindu Manas, meaning "Mind": However, to be noted, this was before Latin was appointed as our official scientific language by the Military Industrial Complex and/or Patriarchy. The body was once viewed as the Sacred Temple of the Divine.

The Hanged Man presents a special meaning to the adept, the legs are crossed so the right leg forms a right angle to the left leg, and on the Thoth tarot card, the arms are stretched out at an angle of 60 degrees, to form an equilateral triangle. The symbol thus presented is that of the Triangle surmounted by the Cross which represents the descent of light, into matter, to redeem light by giving it intimacy with creation! To the Alchemist, the descent of light into matter was seen as the chemical known as Sulphur.

I AM is the name of Existence and must become aware of itself "as being"! The process of redemption continues in the symbolism of the green disks terminating at the head and limbs, representing the influence of Venus which is the planetary symbol of love, grace, and beauty. You may note that the Central Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, is called both Beauty and the Christ Conscious/The Sun. The Hang Man represents the redeeming value of baptizing idea in flesh, so that it may Live and "Know itself"!

Correspondences: Key-12- The Hanged Man & Key 18-The Moon:

This card association represents the High Androgynous Self. The Moon represents the Feminine-magnetic- sub-conscious and the Hanged Man represents the Masculine-electric- reasoning conscious; their perfect union producing the Super-conscious. To the Greeks, the sub-conscious was known as Aphrodite and the masculine reasoning conscious as Hermes, together they are known as the Divine Hermaphrodite.
 

• The Astrological sign: Moon-Pisces
• The astrological planet: The Hanged Man-Neptune
• Form: Moon-I believe
• Motion: The Hanged Man- I seek myself and I don't seek myself. (Again, Form is Female, and motion is Male---The Qabalah is all about polarities.)
• The Associated Rune-stones: Moon-Isa, the rune that impedes, a standstill, said to be born of ice: The Goddess Isis. (Woman is magnetic---containment and container so that energy can become form.)
• Rune-stone for The Hanged Man: Perth, the rune of mystery, initiation, becoming whole, forces beyond our control.
• Primary colors: Violet-Red----(secondary: magenta, mauve, deep rose, wine).
• Corresponding Chakra: The Brow Chakra or Third eye (6th chakra),which is the energy point of intuition, light, color, seeing (color-seeing as in Auric Seer), thought, information, inner and outer meditation (our bodies are Meditated into being), visualization, imagination, spiritual perception, dreams, fantasy, clairvoyance, oneiromancy (the ability to see through dreams)...The Chakra of purpose and patience.
• Minerals and Stones: Rubies, garnets, sugalite, rubellite (violet-red tourmaline), and violet-red chalcedonies.
• Corresponding Musical Notes: Moon-B. The Hanged Man-G#.
• The Hebrew letters Qabalahh): Moon-Simple Letter--Sleep.  The Hanged Man-- Maternal Letter--Water.
• The Tree of Life Paths: Moon-Qoph, Corporal Intelligence.  The Handed Man-Mem, The Stable Intelligence
• Symbols of Meaning: Moon-Back of head, Ear.  The Hanged Man-Water
• Associated Plant Essences: The Moon- Sandalwood, Marjoram, Melissa, or Lemon Balm.  The Hanged Man-Mugwort, Spikenard, or Valerian, Myrrh.

The Psychic abilities

gathered from Meditating/scrying on The Moon and The Hanged Man: Clairvoyance- the art of "clear-seeing" which is the ability to see beyond the veils imposed by the physical eyes or time-space. Oneiromancy- the ability to see through dreams---such as an Oracle and/or Oracular -sight.

The Thoth Key 12-The Hanged Man the Universal Principle of Surrender, Breaking Old Patterns.

The Hanged Man represents a state of consciousness that recognizes a need for a pattern break; where we recognize that we need to change our mental posture, a kind of reverse thinking, to get out of a mental rut that is "Baffling" us. The image is a metaphor for "upside down" thinking, as Baffling, was a medieval practice of hanging a debtor or thief with one foot from a scaffolding.

Therefore, this card may be seen as a kind of crucifixion of the self-conscious personality to get rid of egoistic patterns that are no longer constructive. On the Thoth Tarot card, the repetitive patterns of rutted thought are represented by the background of squares within squares.

Rather than being a card of baneful potencies, when viewing the Hanged Man, we are remindedthat our "hang-ups" are preventing our growth, and we need to free ourselves from undue self-imposed limitations.

As stated, the reversed cross holding the foot of the Thoth Hanged man is known as the Egyptian Ankh which is a symbol of universal life force (Union of Female and Male force) and is an inheritance constantly accessible to us for creative making (a magic term for manifesting). We often bind our creativity by indoctrinated cultural thinking (cultural/racial egregore) which results in doing the same thinking repeatedly and expecting different results. This is a form of insanity brought on by denial induced dogma and indoctrination, which rejects our divine inheritance and bleeds us dry of our energy as our life force is constantly being used to repress our own motion by feeding our emotion to a false soul and/or egregore. Therefore, in this state of blindness, we feel bound, or nailed in place and can see no way out.

The solution is in surrendering to our inner and/or shadow self, knowing that we weren't created to be anything other than a Divine being and that in us all is a Great Mind that creates, sees error, and corrects it. Trust in oneself is not that hard to do, because we are good enough for The Divine Creative to create as It's Image--we ought to be good enough for ourselves!

Therefore, The Hanged Man of Tarot represents the Principle of Surrender to break old habits. The Thoth Path of Mem, THE HANGED MAN- Key 12, has a reverse figure on the card that represents the Higher Self/Soul imposing a complete reversal of perspective which is a suspension of individual consciousness within the collective Unconsciousness.

Much like the reflected image in the mirror, where one is looking at the Real non-reflected image that is now the reversed object of reflection. This is however, a willing suspension, done by an initiate's conscious effort, a type of sacrifice or baptism, where the perspective of "I Am" is cleansed of the illusions of the material world.

Because one's individual perspectives are "self-dreams" and often contrary to the Greater Self perspective of the Universal Collective Unconscious, the Thoth Deck HANGED MAN is shown in a suspected state of crucifixion that images the myth of the Dying God. (Dionysus. Osiris, Odin, Christ etc.).

Some of my more observant student aspirants have asked why the Hanged Man is crucified on the Left-hand Path or one side of the Tree of Life as it would seem logical to have him spanning the Tree. The reasoning behind this one-sided nonfiction, is because this is an intellectual experience, as shown by the legs positioned into the upside don number 4 which is suspended above the Triangle (3) implied by the positioning of the arms. Four is the number of the Emperor who is ATU-4 of the Thoth Deck Tarot and represents the Rational qualities of the Mind. The 3rd Sephiroth is the number of the Empress, the imaginative qualities of the mind (also seen in the number 12,1+2=3). The hung image is just a positioning the rational qualities of the mind over the desire principle which often results in suppressing desire. The admonition here is that suppression of desire will stop mental growth.

The HANGED MAN is also a form of repose, while the WHEEL OF FORTUNE is activity therefore both the Wheel of Fortune and the Hanged Man form a balance that is known as the activity and passivity of the One thing/Energy.

Therefor the HANGED MAN represents openness without end (a passive state), while THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE, is the exact opposite, as it encloses in eternal motion, i.e. making a limited thought pattern and/or Form. When Mem (Water-consciousness) is closed, it becomes the Ankh (a form of the Tau cross) Therefore the Ankh, shown in the Thoth card also represents Mem reversed or "consciousness turned inward".

In Crowley's card of the HANGED MAN, the figure emphasizes the cross-triangle, and is suspended from the Ankh, being attached to this form of the Tau Cross, by a coiled serpent that symbolizes: "The creator and destroyer who operates all change". There is also a lower coiled serpent that represents the effect of the Work of God: As Crowley states in his book of Thoth: "Through his work a Child is begotten, as shown by the Serpent stirring in the Darkness of the Abyss below him." 

In Qabalistic thought, the serpent is a complex and multifaceted symbol, carrying associations with both wisdom and temptation, creation and destruction, as well as spiritual and material realities. The serpent appears in various forms throughout the mystical tradition, often embodying energies that move between worlds or realms, bridging the material with the spiritual, and signifying both lower desires and higher knowledge. Here are some key characteristics of the serpent in Qabalah:

1. Symbol of Knowledge and Revelation

The serpent in Qabalah is associated with the pursuit of knowledge, both divine and forbidden. This is seen in the Garden of Eden story, where the serpent tempts Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In Qabalistic interpretation, this can be seen as a metaphor for the soul's desire for enlightenment and awareness, even when it involves the risk of leaving behind innocence. The serpent, in this context, often represents the unfolding of hidden wisdom.

2. Associated with the Path of Teth on the Tree of Life

The Hebrew letter Teth (ט), which corresponds to the Tarot card Strength, is associated with the serpent. Teth itself symbolizes the coiled energy within the self, often linked with primal forces that need to be tamed or harmonized. The serpent here is viewed as the inner strength or kundalini energy that, when controlled and directed, becomes a source of spiritual empowerment and endurance.

3. The Serpent and the Sephiroth: Paths of Ascension and Descent

In Qabalah, the serpent is often depicted as ascending or descending the Tree of Life, which represents the levels of creation from the divine (Kether) down to the physical (Malkuth). This ascending and descending serpent symbolizes the process of spiritual awakening and the challenges of navigating one’s way through the material and spiritual worlds. In this sense, the serpent can represent the Shekhinah, or divine presence, as it ascends to reunite with the divine source, symbolizing the elevation of matter back into spirit.

4. Serpent as the “Nachash” and Duality of Good and Evil

In Hebrew, the word for serpent is Nachash (נחש), which has the numerical value of 358, the same as Mashiach (Messiah). This numerological connection suggests that the serpent embodies the duality of good and evil, both the potential for divine enlightenment and the risks of moral downfall. The serpent, in this respect, represents the unfolding process of enlightenment, where human awareness can lead either to spiritual ascent or to a deeper entanglement with material desires.

5. The Serpent of Wisdom: Ouroboros and the Cyclical Nature of Existence

Another Qabalistic interpretation of the serpent is the Ouroboros, the ancient symbol of the serpent eating its own tail. The Ouroboros is often interpreted as a symbol of eternity, unity, and the cyclical nature of existence. This serpent represents the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth, as well as the interdependence of all things in creation. In Qabalah, it is seen as an embodiment of the Ain Soph—the boundless or infinite energy that encompasses all creation.

6. Kundalini and Spiritual Awakening

The serpent also has associations with the concept of kundalini, an energy coiled at the base of the spine that, when awakened, travels upward through the body, activating higher consciousness and enlightenment. In Qabalistic terms, this energy is a life force that moves through the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, ascending toward the crown or Kether, and representing the spiritual journey of awakening latent divine potential within.

7. The Serpent and Sexuality

The serpent in Qabalah is often tied to primal energy, which includes sexual and creative forces. In the Qabalistic framework, sexuality is understood not only in its physical sense but also as a metaphor for union, generation, and the blending of polarities (such as male and female, active and passive forces). This aspect of the serpent underscores its role as a force of life and vitality, urging humans toward creation, whether in physical or spiritual form.

8. The Serpent and the Qliphoth (Shadow Side)

While the serpent can symbolize wisdom and transformation, it is also associated with the Qliphoth, or the "shells," which are seen as the shadow side of the Sephiroth. This dark aspect of the serpent represents the distorted or unbalanced forces that arise when divine energy is misused or misunderstood. In this capacity, the serpent serves as a reminder of the need to balance and integrate one's shadow aspects to avoid the perils of unchecked desires and ego-driven actions.

In Qabalistic thought, the serpent is a potent and ambivalent symbol, embodying both the perils and the promise of human experience. It challenges the seeker to transmute lower instincts into higher understanding, to integrate wisdom with compassion, and ultimately to harmonize spiritual and material realms within themselves.

As I have stated before, this is the card that shows the reversal of perspective, where the individual self-conscious, reflected in the light of Solar consciousness (reflecting Psyche), becomes the Universal Identity of the Real Person and/or Soul/Psyche that has manifested "selves" as individual identities that mimic the maker of things, i.e., the Divine Psyche. This reversal of self-binding thoughts removes the caged thoughts of indoctrination.

  Successful scrying of this card will reverse perspective.

When the Hanged Man Tarot Card is thrown in a divination, the Querent is:

• Experiencing moments of enforced sacrifice, even punishment.
•  Enforced sacrifice such as forced by the State.
• Punishment, Loss of an often-fatal involuntary nature.
•  General suffering.
• However, if the accompanying cards are of a deeply metaphysical/spiritual nature, this card is about giving up old, unhealthy habits, for new regenerative habits.
• To the immortal Soul/Psyche, sacrifice is an illusion, simply because, loss is before gain, error is before correction; ignorance is before knowledge; unknown is before understanding and sacrificing an errant identity to gain the Real Persona ""I sight" that is the Soul....you get the picture!
• The Principle of Surrender to break old patterns.

•  A time when one must accept reversals.
• Depending on the dignity of the accompanying cards, THE HANGED MAN, represents a state of mystical death in the form of a change of consciousness.
• If Ill defined:
• Loss that may not be voluntary and general suffering.
• Bound by emotional past.

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