At first glance it may appear as if the Hanged Man has got himself into a tricky situation that he doesn’t know how to get out of. 

On second glance however, we can see that he (or she) is quite happy with his situation. He’s literally “just hanging around.” Suspended as you will, in a bid to suspend time.

He needs to stop. Just for a while. But it is a necessary pause to his life and what’s going on around him.

I’m a big believer in pushing ourselves when we need to. The demon Depression would prefer to keep us stuck in the same spot: never moving forward and never making any progress.

Just stuck in our own misery and despair. 

However, there are times when we shouldn’t push ourselves. Times when we should take a break, sit still, and pause before our next adventure begins.

The Hanged Man turns up for us when we need to stop. To take stock of what’s going on around us. To rest before life becomes busy and tumultuous again. 

No decisions are required here. All you need to do is stop.

Grab a pen and paper and spend some time with the Hanged Man. Let your mind wander wherever it needs to go. This exercise is about recognizing what’s going on around you without making any judgements or forming any opinions. You’re just the observer here.

Here’s some questions to get you going:

• What colors do you see in the card:
• Can you see any of those colors anywhere else in the room?
• What do those colors remind you of?
• What smells/aromas does the card bring to mind for you?
• What kind of tree is he hanging from?

These may look like pointless, almost silly, questions to be journaling about, but there’s a method to the madness here. 

When we have Depression we often get stuck right where we are. We’re not able to see what’s going on around us because we have to concentrate so hard on getting through the next moment.

When we stop, really stop, not just pause for a moment, we can take a good look at what’s going on around us. When we deliberately look for small details it shifts our heads and our focus away from what pains us and gets us to focus on minor things that might just make us smile.

But, it takes practice. Particularly if the demon has a strong hold on us. Working with the Hanged Man card regularly will help you to retrain yourself to stop and take stock of your surroundings.

It’s another effective tool that lessens the power that the demon has over us.

Fiona Tate, AKA the Depression Muse, is a Lilithian Witch, Writer, and Mental Health Mentor. She’s on a mission to reduce the global suicide rate to zero through her Mental Health Membership Site: Black Orchid Alchemy. Follow this link to receive a free copy of her book Depression Sucks, and this link to receive new installments of her online vampire novel: The Childless Mother.