The Fire Inside is Roaring, but the Universe Has Other Ideas – Hanged Man Reversed & 8 of Wands The Hanged Man Reversed and 8 of Wands create a unique Tarot combination that symbolizes the clash between wanting to move forward and feeling stuck due to external circumstances. In this blog, we dive into the deeper meaning behind this pairing, exploring why the universe might be urging you to slow down and how to harness your inner fire without pushing against the flow. Learn to embrace patience, trust the process, and understand the spiritual message behind this powerful combination.

The Hanged Man Reversed & 8 of Wands – What is this combination trying to tell us?

One of my favorite activities with the Tarot is to make connections on two or more cards.  What I mean by this is not simply to know the meanings of the cards, but to help understand what they’re trying to say.  I’ve made it a daily practice to read and interpret a Tarot combination.  In fact, I have a weekly Tarot spread that I use to do this, and it helps guide my week.  Here’s the way this works, I pull a major arcana card and that serves as the ruler card for the week, after that has been established, I pull five more cards, each representing Monday through Friday, and these can be any card, major, minor or court.  It’s these combinations that truly serve as my guide to interpreting the cards, learning the intricacies that exist between them. 

How can I help?        

When I set out on my journey to begin a blog on the Tarot, the first question I asked myself was, “What hasn’t been done yet?”.  I thought about this for some time and decided that the most powerful thing I could provide would be deep dives on Tarot combinations.   There has been much written about them, but I haven’t run into a lot of deep dives and that is the subject matter that I’ve decided to blog on this year.  With so many Tarot combinations, it’s truly the heart of effective card reading.  Knowing the meaning of a single card is only a small part of the story, being able to weave meaning and flow between 2 or more cards is where the Tarot gets interesting.

 

 

Hurry up and slow down...

There are cards that simply don’t come up much in my professional readings, and The Hanged Man reversed is an example of one of these cards.  I did a couple of self-readings this week prior to opening my shop after being closed for 60 days due to COVID-19.   What’s interesting is that this card came up BOTH times, paired with the 8 of Wands.  I don’t often find myself scratching my chin regarding Tarot cards, but this one had me more than a little confused.  I took the time to study the combination and figure out why it was happening.  I typically have a “martyrdom” theme attached to The Hanged Man reversed, but that certainly didn’t apply here.  The overwhelming message from the Tarot here was that things have been at a standstill, but better times are ahead, specifically fast moving.  The important message here on the fast moving is that it may take time to get to that point due to circumstances beyond anybody’s control, which of course was The Hanged Man reversed speaking.  It’s always interesting to do a self-read and realize how well Tarot truly knows us.  I’m a person that likes things to move at fast clip, and Tarot was simply telling me that things will start to move soon, and  I should persevere and march forward. 

 

 

Some are happily stuck, some are not…  

When the Hanged Man arrives upright, we are called, and typically happily so, to see things from a different perspective.  Imagine having a humdrum job that you don’t really have passion for.  The Hanged Man could indicate that it’s not all bad, take a fresh look and realize that it’s keeping you well fed, paying the bills and it’s not as bad as it seems.  The reversed Hanged Man in that same situation can mean that you’re not counting your blessings, but rather looking at things through a very pessimistic lens and resisting the perspective view on the situation.  Of course, a single card meaning isn’t too powerful as we know, and we as Tarot readers must look to the surrounding cards to place context and narrative.  In my case, it was confusing as to why this card came up twice with the 8 of Wands.  I should pause and say that Wands are a favorite suit of mine, as I have lots of fire burning within and try to not only honor my ideas but also to execute swiftly, it’s just my personality.  Tarot was simply telling me to take a more relaxed approach for the time being and backing up the advice with assurance that things will come around sooner than later.

 

What do all these numbers mean?

 

                                                         

 

I want to focus first on the letter H and the letter M.  The letter H, the 8^th letter of the alphabet connects two parallels with a bridge.  H is a very strong letter that allows for backward reflection and forward looking optimism.  The letter M is the 13^th letter in the alphabet, or the exact middle(and middle begins with M), reminding us to not overreact and take the sometimes boring middle of the road plan.  We can further delve into the numbers here, with The Hanged Man being 3 and of course the number 8 for the 8 of Wands.  I want to focus on singular keywords here to further drive simplicity and a message into this combination.  The number 3 can be summarized with the keyword “creativity” and the number 8 is represented by “strength”.  We know that the underlying message from the Tarot here was a reminder to look at the bigger picture and realize that things will get back to our liking, but for the time being, things are going to be different and slower.  The beauty about Tarot is we can take the message from the card, then apply meanings from the symbolism and the numbers, at which time we can really get to the message at hand.  Here, we are saying that our creative ideas and plans need to be nurtured, but not executed yet and as such we will tap into our strength reserves to not only look at the situation through a different lens, but also to persevere and realize this is temporary(though it’s a Major Arcana card, so we know that the situation isn’t fleeting and will be here awhile). 

 

Keep pushing forward...

Although it may feel as if things are at a lull, the 8 of Wands comes in to save the day!  The 8 of Wands is all about fast paced change and allowing ourselves to completely go with the flow and immerse ourselves in the change.  Of course, it’s human nature to resist change and it’s easier said than done to embrace it.  The 8 of Wands also reminds us to take action and keep moving forward and that this isn’t the best time to rest on our laurels.  The suit of Wands is represented by the element of fire and when we start looking at the 8 of Wands, it’s all about that fire that is inside of us that won’t sit still.  The fire inside of us glows when we nurture what’s important to us, our passions.    As we know, fire can get out of control quickly if it’s not managed appropriately.  The message of swift action here is something we need to manage carefully for certain but on the flip side of that coin, we must honor the fire inside of us or we risk becoming stifled.  Balance is the key here, move fast, honor our internal fire and do so with care.

 

Bringing The Hanged Man reversed and 8 of Wands together

 

What is the combination of The Hanged Man reversed and 8 of Wands trying to tell us?  Many of us are fast paced individuals, we want to honor or passions and our desire to move forward, and often at a fast clip.  The Hanged Man reversed is here to remind us that while we have that fire burning inside, we want to get moving, delays are present and they are out of our control.  What’s more is that with the 8 of Wands present, we are still being called to honor the direction and path we want to take, we just need to slow it down until the universe is ready for us to move.  The biggest lesson here from The Hanged Man reversed is that we have to trust in the process and not become agitated by the delay that is out of our control.  It’s best to accept that it is what it is and that the universe will open the gates in due time.  At the heart and soul of this combination is a burning fire to walk our chosen path and share our gifts with the world, and who doesn’t love that notion.  Take a pause, keep working towards the goal and soon life will return to the pace and normalcy that we’ve come to expect and love.

 

A Little More About Raven’s Cauldron

I’m Brian, a thirty-year Tarot card reader.  I own a company called Raven’s Cauldron, and we specialize in intuitive readings online and in-person.  We also sell Tarot decks, Essential Oil Blends and other spiritual and metaphysical products.  Finally, at Raven’s Cauldron, we host metaphysical and spiritual events weekly.  Come visit us and see what others are saying about my readings.  I live and breathe the Tarot and want to share my abilities with to help you understand any situation with ease and forethought.

About The Author

Brian J. Campbell is the owner of Raven’s Cauldron, established in 2019, and a seasoned Tarot reader with over 40 years of professional experience. Passionate about the metaphysical arts, Brian has dedicated his life to studying spirituality, divination, and the mystical realms, making him a trusted resource for those seeking deeper insight and guidance. His expertise extends far beyond Tarot, incorporating a wealth of knowledge on crystals, astrology, and other esoteric practices. Through Raven’s Cauldron, Brian strives to create a space where seekers of all kinds can explore, learn, and connect with their spiritual path.

www.ravenscauldron.com

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Everyday Witch Tarot – Art by Elisabeth Alba https://www.albaillastration.com

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Comments

• Thanks for a very good reading explaining in-depth about the cards that came up it’s most appropriate

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