This wonderful painting gives us an image of great joy. The Hanged Man’s radiance illustrates the wonder that can come to us if we align ourselves with nature,rather than society’s values. The Hanged Man’s body blends with the hills and the sky. His hair seems to take root in the Earth,while his arms,open to life,join the arc of the rainbow. Those who work with the human aura and the chakra system of energy pulses in the body know that each chakra radiates a color. These colors exactly match the rainbow–but only when the body is upside down. This is on reason why yoga and other disciplines urge us to stand on our heads. the Hanged Man prepares us for the next card,Death,which signifies a release of the ego. Even though some assume the Hanged Man must symbolize sacrifice,he actually radiates joy rather than suffering,because although the card can signify giving something up,something else arises that is more valuable. For example,some people are apprehensive about becoming parents because of all they will have to sacrifice. And yet,they find that the joy of being with their child washes away any sense of loss. The Hanged Man offers us another version of the Norse god Odin,whom we saw as the vibrant,yet arrogant,Emperor. In myth,Odin acquired the wisdom alphabet of the Runes by hanging himself,wounded,on the Word Tree for nine nights,and then reaching down into the dark “Well of Mimir”to snatch up the symbolic letters. The traditional version of the story describes this event as violent and painful,including the need for Odin to give up one of his eyes as payment to Mimir. (We saw this above in the image of the Father of Cups card.) Haindl has altered the myth to show a painless surrender. This Odin does not confront an enemy but instead gives himself to the Earth,and to the life-giving feminine,the Empress who “created”the Emperor. The number 12 can be reduced to 1+2=3,the Empress. At the top of the card we see the Hanged Man’s foot tied to the Empress’s Venus/woman symbol. The number 12 also combines 1 and 2,the abstract make and female principles of the Magician and High Priestess. The hill in which the Hanged Man’s hair takes root forms the image of a pregnant belly,while behind it,the two smaller hills appear like breasts. In the myth,two ravens named Thought and Memory brought Odin news from all over the world. We see these birds above the rainbow. Dark birds of prey,they come as messengers from the following card,Death.