Sage Leaves: The Hanged Man, Jungian Archetype
Healing Ancestral Wounds Through Tarot
🌿 This week in Sage Leaves… 🌿
As the Autumn Equinox draws near, the balance of day and night begins to tilt toward darkness. The air cools, the light slants differently, and the natural world ripens into its full maturity before it begins to release. This is a season of pause, reflection, and surrender—a season perfectly mirrored by the archetype of The Hanged Man. In this week’s Sage Leaves, we begin our journey into this figure through a Jungian lens, not asking what The Hanged Man will do, but how this archetype moves within you, shaping your inner balance as the outer world shifts.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll trace The Hanged Man further—into the Heroine’s Journey, and into the layered work of transgenerational healing. Archetypes rarely shout; they whisper, they invite, and they reshape us with quiet insistence.
You’ll also find this week’s Tarotscope for September 9–15, mapping energetic currents and offering guidance for walking with steadiness as the season deepens. And, as always, there may be treasures at the edges: an herbal blend to steady your breath, a thread of plant lore, or a reflection stirred by your own questions.
Thank you for walking here with me as we cross the threshold into autumn, a season of both harvest and inward turning, where balance and surrender guide the way.
The Hanged Man in A Jungian View
The Hanged Man is one of the most puzzling cards in the Major Arcana. At first look, the image seems troubling. A man hangs upside down from a tree or beam. His face is calm, his body at rest, and a halo often surrounds his head. What could this mean? To answer, we can turn to Carl Jung’s ideas about archetypes and the deep structures of the human psyche.
Jung believed that humanity shares a collective unconscious. In this space live universal patterns called archetypes. These archetypes appear in myths, dreams, and symbols across cultures. The Hanged Man is one such archetypal image. He represents the seeker who surrenders in order to gain wisdom. He is the one who chooses stillness and reversal so that insight can grow.
From a Jungian view, The Hanged Man embodies the archetype of sacrifice. This does not mean destruction for its own sake. Instead, it means letting go of control in order to gain a higher truth. He shows that growth sometimes requires giving up the ego’s demand for certainty and power. This mirrors what Jung called individuation. Individuation is the lifelong process of becoming whole by integrating both conscious and unconscious parts of the self.
"The Hanged Man teaches that true illumination comes not from force,
but from surrender to the deeper rhythms of the soul."
The card’s upside-down posture is rich with meaning. It suggests reversal of ordinary perspective. In Jungian language, this is the ego’s confrontation with the shadow. When we see life only one way, we miss half the truth. By flipping the viewpoint, The Hanged Man forces us to see what is usually hidden. Jung taught that facing the shadow, the rejected or ignored parts of ourselves, is essential for psychological balance. The Hanged Man signals that such confrontation may feel uncomfortable, yet it brings illumination.
The halo around The Hanged Man’s head connects him to the archetype of the Wise Old Man. This figure appears in myths as the sage, guide, or prophet. In Jungian terms, the Wise Old Man represents inner wisdom that arises after struggle. In The Hanged Man, wisdom does not come from conquest but from surrender. The light around his head tells us that clarity is possible when we stop resisting and allow insight to come from within.
Another important aspect is patience. Jung often wrote that psychological growth takes time and requires trust in unconscious processes. The Hanged Man embodies waiting without panic. He shows us the archetype of the Initiate who pauses at the threshold of transformation. The pause is not passive. It is active waiting, a time of preparation, like seeds resting in the soil before they sprout.
The archetype of the Martyr also plays a role here. In Jung’s view, the Martyr is not simply a victim but someone who embraces suffering as a doorway to meaning. The Hanged Man is suspended, unable to act in the normal sense, yet his choice to accept this position gives it power. This aligns with Jung’s idea that suffering, when faced consciously, can lead to deeper awareness and a renewed sense of life’s purpose.
For the individual, pulling The Hanged Man often signals a time to release control. It may ask you to pause, to reflect, or to see a situation from an entirely new angle. From a Jungian stance, it is a call to let the unconscious have its say. It urges you to stop pushing and to allow integration to unfold in its own rhythm.
In summary, The Hanged Man as archetype is a symbol of surrender, reversal, patience, and eventual illumination. Jung would see him as a guide to individuation, reminding us that wisdom often comes when we let go of ego control and open to the deeper currents of the psyche. By hanging between worlds, he bridges the conscious and the unconscious. His calm acceptance models a path toward wholeness.
Reflection Prompt:
Where in your life are you being asked to pause and release control, and how might shifting your perspective reveal wisdom you have not yet seen?
🌿Sage Leaves Weekly Tarotscope
Tarotscope for September 9-15, 2025
As the week unfolds, the air is thick with challenge and transition. Swords and Wands dominate the spread, reminding you that conflict, burdens, and endings often arrive before clarity and renewal. The Hierophant and the Wheel of Fortune steady the arc, anchoring you in wisdom and reminding you that cycles always turn. What begins with struggle ends with vision, showing you that even in heaviness, new horizons are forming.
Tuesday – 5 of Swords
The week opens with tension. The 5 of Swords reveals the sting of conflict, the sharp edge of words, and the emptiness of hollow victories. With the Moon in Aries trine Venus in Leo, pride mixes with passion, and you may feel pulled to assert yourself even when it costs connection. The lesson is not about avoiding conflict but about recognizing when winning is not worth the damage. You may need to step back, reflect, and ask whether this battle is worth fighting.
Wednesday – 6 of Swords
The 6 of Swords follows naturally, guiding you away from stormy waters toward calmer ground. The Moon in Taurus squares Pluto in Aquarius, stirring a clash between stability and transformation. You may feel the tension of leaving behind what is familiar. Yet this card tells you that movement is necessary. Wednesday is a day for quiet transition. It is not about rushing into the future but about allowing yourself to cross the threshold from conflict into clarity.
Thursday – 10 of Wands
By Thursday, the weight is undeniable. The 10 of Wands signals burdens, responsibilities, and the strain of carrying too much. With the Moon in Taurus trine Mercury in Virgo, the theme is effort, work, and persistence. You may feel overwhelmed by obligations, yet the card reminds you that you are close to completion. This is the burden of nearing the end of a cycle. On Thursday, consider where you can delegate or set down what no longer needs to be carried.
Friday – 10 of Swords
Friday brings the sharpest turn. The 10 of Swords is a card of endings, collapse, and surrender. The Sun in Virgo sextile Jupiter in Cancer adds a paradoxical blessing: even in endings, there is growth. You may face a loss or a realization that something cannot continue. The image of the 10 of Swords often looks final, yet its message is also that the darkest night is followed by dawn. This is a moment of closure, painful but necessary, clearing the way for renewal.
Saturday – The Hierophant
The Hierophant arrives on Saturday, offering structure and tradition. With the Sun conjunct Mercury in Virgo, clarity and order are emphasized. The Hierophant represents teachers, systems, and sacred knowledge. After the intensity of endings, this card steadies you. It calls you to lean into practices, mentors, or communities that provide grounding. Saturday is a day to reconnect with wisdom larger than yourself and to honor the structures that give life meaning.
Sunday – Wheel of Fortune
Sunday turns the page. The Wheel of Fortune spins, reminding you that nothing stays the same forever. The Moon in Gemini trine Mars in Libra adds momentum and movement, making this a day of synchronicity and change. You may find doors opening or the sense that fate is shifting in your favor. The Wheel is neutral—it is about cycles, not guarantees—but it teaches you to accept the ebb and flow of fortune with grace.
Monday – 3 of Wands
The week closes with the 3 of Wands, a card of vision, anticipation, and future growth. With Venus in Leo sextile Mars in Libra, creativity and collaboration support forward motion. After a week of conflict, burdens, and endings, you now look ahead with expectation. The 3 of Wands is not the final arrival but the sense of something on the horizon. It encourages you to prepare, to remain open, and to trust that your efforts will bear fruit.
Overarching Themes
Swords and Wands
The week is dominated by Swords and Wands. Swords bring conflict, transition, and endings, while Wands carry the weight of effort and vision. Together, they describe a story of struggle, burden, and eventual renewal. This is a week of mental battles and physical responsibilities, rather than emotional fulfillment or material concerns. The absence of Cups and Pentacles is striking: feelings and material comfort are not at the center of this narrative.
Two Major Arcana
The Hierophant and the Wheel of Fortune act as anchors. The Hierophant offers guidance through tradition, wisdom, and structure. The Wheel reminds you that cycles of rise and fall are part of life. These two cards bring spiritual weight to a week otherwise filled with difficult challenges and responsibilities. They suggest that while the week may feel heavy, there is a larger framework of meaning and a turning of cycles at work.
Recurring Cards: 5 of Swords and 10 of Wands
These recurring cards demand attention. The 5 of Swords repeats the theme of hollow victories and the dangers of pride-driven conflict. It asks you to examine where winning is not worth the cost. The 10 of Wands recurs as well, emphasizing over-extension and the risk of carrying too much. These two cards together warn against fighting battles that drain your energy and taking on burdens that are not yours to bear. They show a cycle of conflict and overwork that must be broken for true progress.
Numerology
The numbers form a clear progression. The 5 of Swords brings conflict and disruption. The 6 of Swords offers transition. Two 10s (Wands and Swords) point to endings, thresholds, and the completion of cycles. The 3 of Wands, arriving at the week’s end, brings the promise of growth and vision. This is a journey from discord to closure, ending with anticipation of new opportunities.
🌀 Final takeaway
This week’s story arc is one of challenge, burden, and eventual renewal. It begins with conflict and hollow victories, moves into transitions, and demands that you confront endings and overextension. Yet through it all, the Hierophant steadies you with tradition, and the Wheel of Fortune promises change. By Monday, the 3 of Wands shows you standing on the shore, looking to the horizon, ready to embrace what comes next.
The recurring cards remind you not to waste energy on battles that leave you empty and not to exhaust yourself carrying loads that could be shared. This is a week of endings and new beginnings, of cycles closing and others opening. Trust the process, lean on wisdom, and look ahead with steady vision.
By week’s end, you are asked to release what no longer serves and to trust the rhythm of change. The recurring cards remind you to lay down needless battles and lighten the burdens you have carried too long. The Hierophant offers guidance, the Wheel promises movement, and the 3 of Wands points to horizons just beyond reach. Step forward with steadiness, knowing that endings clear the way for beginnings already on their way to you.
Until next week, may the cards guide you gently,
—Dr. Winkler
💫 Would you like a more personalized glimpse into your journey? If you'd like a tarot or Lenormand reading tailored just for you, I invite you to reach out. I’m honored to hold space with you as we explore the symbols and stories of your own unique path. You can connect with me directly:
As the equinox steadies the scales of light and dark, may you find your own balance between release and renewal. Let The Hanged Man remind you that surrender is not defeat, but an opening to wisdom that waits in the quiet. May the harvest of this season nourish you, and may the gathering shadows teach you to trust what ripens unseen.
That’s it for this week! Look for Sage Leaves in your inbox on Tuesday afternoons (North American time.) We look forward to exploring more about Tarot, Healing and more! Take care, be well, and good-bye for now!