The Hanged Man Asana: Inversions and Perspective Shifts

BY NICOLE LAU

The Hanged Man is one of the most misunderstood cards in the tarot deck. At first glance, it appears to depict suffering—a man suspended upside down from a tree, bound by one foot. But look closer: his face is serene, even blissful. His free leg is bent in a figure-four, creating the alchemical symbol for sulfur. A halo glows around his head. This is not a man in distress. This is a man who has chosen to see the world differently.

The Hanged Man teaches us that sometimes the only way forward is to stop moving. That surrender is not defeat but wisdom. That when we let go of control and allow ourselves to hang in suspension, we gain a perspective we could never access while standing upright. The Hanged Man is the card of the mystic, the seeker who willingly turns their world upside down to see the truth.

In yoga, inversions are The Hanged Man embodied. When we go upside down—whether in headstand, shoulder stand, or simply legs up the wall—we literally reverse our perspective. Blood flows in new directions. The world looks different. Our relationship to gravity changes. We surrender control and trust that being upside down will not destroy us but transform us.

This article explores the deep connection between The Hanged Man and yoga inversions, offering a complete practice for embodying this card's wisdom of surrender, perspective shift, and the power of seeing differently.

Understanding The Hanged Man

Card Symbolism

Number: 12 (1+2=3, the number of synthesis and creation)

Key Symbols:

• Upside-down position: Reversed perspective, seeing differently
• Serene expression: Peace in surrender, acceptance
• Halo: Enlightenment, spiritual illumination
• Figure-four leg: Alchemical symbol, transformation
• Tree: The World Tree, cosmic axis, connection between heaven and earth
• Bound foot: Voluntary sacrifice, chosen limitation

The Hanged Man's Wisdom

Surrender: Let go of control, trust the process

Perspective shift: See from a completely new angle

Sacrifice: Give up something to gain something greater

Suspension: Hang in the space between, in liminal time

Reversal: What was up is now down, what was down is now up

Enlightenment through surrender: Wisdom comes from letting go

Inversions as The Hanged Man

Every inversion in yoga embodies The Hanged Man's energy:

Physical Reversal

• Head below heart—literally upside down
• Blood flows in reverse direction
• Gravity pulls differently on organs and systems
• The world looks different from this angle

Energetic Reversal

• Prana flows upward instead of downward
• Root chakra is now at the top, crown at the bottom
• Energy channels reverse their normal flow
• Kundalini is encouraged to rise

Psychological Reversal

• Normal patterns are disrupted
• You can't rely on habitual ways of being
• Fear arises and must be met with surrender
• New perspectives emerge naturally

Spiritual Reversal

• Ego is challenged—you can't control everything upside down
• Surrender becomes necessary
• Trust must replace fear
• Enlightenment comes through letting go

The Hanged Man Inversion Sequence

This 60-minute sequence progressively builds toward inversions, embodying The Hanged Man's wisdom of surrender and perspective shift.

Opening: Preparing to Surrender (10 minutes)

1. Meditation with The Hanged Man Card

• Sit with The Hanged Man card in front of you
• Gaze at the serene face, the reversed position
• Close eyes and contemplate: What do I need to surrender?
• Set intention: "I surrender control. I trust new perspectives."
• 5 minutes of meditation

2. Gentle Neck Preparation

• Slow neck rolls, both directions
• Gentle side-to-side movements
• Prepare the neck for inversions
• 5 minutes

Warm-Up: Building Foundation (15 minutes)

3. Cat-Cow (10 rounds)

• Warm the spine
• Notice how perspective shifts even in this gentle inversion
• In cow, head is up; in cat, head is down

4. Downward-Facing Dog (5 breaths, repeat 3 times)

• First mild inversion—head below heart
• Notice how the world looks different
• Surrender into the pose
• Hanged Man focus: Even this is a reversal

5. Dolphin Pose (5 breaths, repeat 3 times)

• Forearms down, hips high
• Deeper inversion than down dog
• Preparation for headstand and forearm stand
• Hanged Man focus: Building trust in being upside down

6. Standing Forward Fold (10 breaths)

• Head hangs heavy
• Surrender to gravity
• Let go of control
• Hanged Man focus: Hanging, surrendering

Inversion Progression: The Hanged Man Journey (30 minutes)

7. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani) - 5 minutes

• Gentlest full inversion
• Accessible to everyone
• Hips close to wall, legs extended up
• Arms out to sides or on belly
• Hanged Man wisdom: "I surrender to gravity's reversal."
• Notice how even this gentle inversion shifts your energy
• Blood flows back toward heart and brain
• Perspective literally changes

8. Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana) - 10 breaths

• Supported on shoulders, legs to sky
• Chin to chest (throat lock)
• Body in one vertical line
• Hanged Man wisdom: "I see the world from a new angle."
• This is The Hanged Man—suspended, inverted, serene
• Hold with peaceful acceptance
• Modification: Supported shoulder stand with wall or blocks

9. Plow Pose (Halasana) - 8 breaths

• From shoulder stand, lower legs overhead
• Feet to ground or supported on blocks/chair
• Deep inversion, deep surrender
• Hanged Man wisdom: "I fold into complete reversal."
• This is extreme perspective shift
• Breathe, surrender, trust

10. Headstand (Sirsasana) - 10-20 breaths (Advanced)

• King of inversions
• Forearms on ground, head supported
• Legs lift to sky
• Complete reversal of normal orientation
• Hanged Man wisdom: "I am The Hanged Man—suspended, serene, seeing truth."
• Hold with peaceful face, like the card
• If fear arises, breathe and surrender
• Modifications:
• - Headstand at wall for support
• - Dolphin pose if headstand not accessible
• - Legs up wall as alternative

11. Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana) - 5-10 breaths (Advanced)

• On forearms, legs to sky
• Or practice at wall
• Or dolphin hops
• Hanged Man wisdom: "I trust the reversal completely."
• This requires total surrender to being upside down
• Modification: Dolphin pose with leg lifts

12. Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana) - 5 breaths (Advanced)

• Ultimate inversion
• Hands on ground, legs to sky
• Or L-shape at wall
• Or simply practice the intention
• Hanged Man wisdom: "I am completely reversed, completely free."
• Modification: L-shape at wall (feet on wall, body 90 degrees)

Integration: Returning Right-Side Up (15 minutes)

13. Child's Pose (5 minutes)

• After inversions, rest in child's pose
• Let the blood flow normalize
• Integrate the perspective shift
• Notice: the world looks different now

14. Seated Forward Fold (5 minutes)

• Gentle forward fold
• Head below heart still
• Gradual return to upright

15. Supine Twist - Both Sides (3 minutes each)

• Wring out the practice
• Release any remaining tension
• Integrate the reversal

16. Savasana with Reflection (10 minutes)

• Lie in corpse pose
• Reflect on the practice
• What did you see from the upside-down perspective?
• What did you learn from surrender?
• How does the world look different now?
• Hanged Man contemplation:
• "What in my life needs to be seen from a new angle?"
• "What do I need to surrender control of?"
• "What wisdom comes from hanging in suspension?"

The Hanged Man's Teachings Through Inversions

Lesson 1: Surrender Brings Peace

In inversions, you cannot force or control. You must surrender to the pose, to gravity, to the reversal. When you fight it, you fall. When you surrender, you find stability.

Practice: In your next inversion, notice when you're trying to control. Consciously surrender. Feel the peace that comes.

Lesson 2: New Perspectives Reveal Truth

When you're upside down, you literally see the world differently. Problems that seemed insurmountable from one angle may have obvious solutions from another.

Practice: While inverted, look at your practice space. Notice what you see that you never noticed before. Apply this to your life: what needs a new perspective?

Lesson 3: Sacrifice Leads to Gain

The Hanged Man sacrifices normal orientation to gain enlightenment. In inversions, you sacrifice comfort and control to gain strength, perspective, and wisdom.

Practice: What are you willing to sacrifice (give up, let go of) to gain something greater?

Lesson 4: Suspension Is Sacred

The Hanged Man hangs in suspension—not moving forward or backward, just being. In inversions, you hang in space, suspended between earth and sky.

Practice: In your inversion, don't rush. Hang there. Be suspended. Feel the sacredness of the in-between space.

Lesson 5: Enlightenment Comes from Letting Go

The halo around The Hanged Man's head appears because he let go. In inversions, when you let go of fear and control, clarity and insight arise naturally.

Practice: What do you need to let go of? Practice letting go in your inversion, and notice what arises.

Working with The Hanged Man Energy Off the Mat

When to Invoke The Hanged Man

• When you're stuck and need a new perspective
• When you're trying to control something that needs surrender
• When you need to sacrifice something for greater gain
• When you're in a waiting period, suspended between phases
• When you need to see a situation from the opposite angle

The Hanged Man Practice

1. Identify what you're trying to control
2. Practice an inversion (even just legs up wall)
3. While inverted, ask: "What would this look like if I surrendered?"
4. Notice what insights arise from the reversed perspective
5. When you return upright, act on the wisdom received

Safety and Modifications

Contraindications for Inversions

• High blood pressure (consult doctor)
• Glaucoma or eye conditions
• Neck injuries
• Menstruation (traditional teaching; listen to your body)
• Pregnancy (after first trimester, avoid full inversions)
• Recent head injury

Gentle Alternatives

You can embody The Hanged Man without full inversions:

• Legs up wall: Accessible to almost everyone
• Supported shoulder stand: With wall or blocks
• Downward dog: Mild inversion, head below heart
• Standing forward fold: Head hangs, perspective shifts
• Visualization: Imagine yourself as The Hanged Man while in savasana

The Hanged Man Affirmations

• "I surrender control and trust the process."
• "I see from new perspectives."
• "I am willing to sacrifice to gain wisdom."
• "I hang in suspension with peace."
• "I let go and enlightenment comes."
• "I am The Hanged Man—serene in reversal."
• "What was up is now down; I see truth."
• "I trust being upside down."
• "Surrender is my superpower."
• "I gain everything by letting go."

Moving Forward

In our final article of this series, we'll explore Wheel of Fortune Flow: Circular Sequences and Cycles—embodying the eternal wheel of change, the ups and downs of life, and the wisdom of flowing with life's cycles.

But for now, practice being The Hanged Man. Go upside down. Surrender control. See from a new angle. Trust that the reversal will not destroy you but enlighten you.

The Hanged Man teaches us that sometimes the only way to move forward is to stop moving, to hang in suspension, to let go completely. And in that surrender, in that reversal, in that new perspective, we find the wisdom we were seeking all along.

Surrender. Reverse. See differently. This is the way of The Hanged Man. This is the wisdom of inversions. This is the path of enlightenment through letting go.