 | Drawing the Hanging Man is indicative of a feeling of disassociation from your peers, a recognitions that your personal values are inverted when compared to the values of the greater society. You are weighed down by your obligations and social expectations, and feel unable to develop yourself under this pressure. The Hanging Man suffers from the needs of society. The image is of a crucified man. The use of a Christ symbol is intentional, representing not only the values of western society, but also the idea of subservience and the denial of self. The figure is completely isolated, his cross hanging in the void of space, his suffering something which his peers cannot possibly relate to. The structure of this image speaks volumes to its meaning. The strange crook of the figures free leg behind the other forms a cross, representing the four alchemic elements of air, fire, water, and earth. These are material elements, indicative of the pressures of the world upon the figure. The head, arms, and cross-bar form a triangle, indicative of spiritual development; however, this triangle is pointed downward, weighed down by the material square formed by the legs The traditional meaning of this image varies greatly depending on the source; from death by violence to voluntary sacrifice.
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