The Hanged Man — Exercises Section

Introduction

The Hanged Man is the card of pause, surrender, and shifted perspective. He doesn’t struggle against the rope — he accepts the stillness, knowing that in this pause, wisdom is born.

When this card shows up, it signals that forward motion is delayed — not because life is against us, but because we’re being asked to see differently. Something must shift in the way we view the situation before real movement becomes possible.

How these exercises work

In every practice section, you’ll find a fictional client email — the kind of question real querents often send. Alongside it, I’ll give you a set card (or three-card combination) to use as a starting point.

Your task is to write a reply as if you were the professional tarot reader. When you’re ready, you can open the spoiler to see how I might have answered. My examples aren’t “the correct” interpretations (tarot doesn’t work that way), but they give you a comparison point.

Of course, you don’t have to stick with my given cards. You can return to these emails anytime and:

• Pull a single random card,
• Try three random cards, or
• Lay out a Celtic Cross —

…and notice how the story unfolds. These fictional emails are reusable practice prompts you can come back to again and again.

Exercise 1

📝 Fictional client email:

Hi, I’m Sara. I’ve been waiting for a promotion at work for over a year now. My boss keeps saying, “soon,” but nothing ever changes. I’m feeling stuck and starting to wonder if I should leave, or if I should wait it out. What do the cards say?

💬 What’s happening here:
This is classic Hanged Man energy — delay, waiting, frustration, but also the call to shift perspective.

🎯 Your Exercise (set card for comparison): Imagine you’ve drawn The Hanged Man.

Exercise 1.2

Now imagine Sara’s spread expands:
The Hanged Man + The Eight of Pentacles + The Six of Wands.

Exercise 2

📧 Fictional Client Email — Aiden

Hello,

I’ve been single for a while now, and I’ve met someone I really like. The only problem is, she’s not ready for a relationship right now. She says she needs space to figure out her life. I don’t want to pressure her, but I also don’t want to waste my time waiting for something that may never happen. Can the cards give me guidance?

Thanks,
Aiden

💬 Looking at the Bigger Picture:
This is another Hanged Man situation — things are on pause until perspective shifts.

🎯 Your Exercise (set card for comparison): Imagine you’ve drawn The Hanged Man.

Exercise 2.2

Now imagine Aiden’s spread expands:
The Hanged Man + The Two of Cups + Death.

Closing the Hanged Man Exercises

That’s the end of our Hanged Man practice. This card reminds us that sometimes, life holds us still until we can see differently. In the stillness, clarity is born — and when perspective shifts, the path opens again.

Remember: you can reuse these fictional emails as many times as you want. Pull one card, three, or a full spread — each time, the story will show you a new side of the Hanged Man’s wisdom.

And if you’d like a reading that helps you see beyond the pause, into the hidden openings in your own life, you’re welcome to book a personal session at www.empowering-tarot.com. If these free exercises have supported your growth, you can also leave a contribution through the tip jar in the sidebar (desktop) or footer (mobile).

Thank you for practicing with me today. May the Hanged Man remind you that stillness is not an ending, but the space where transformation begins. 🪢✨