Brotherhood of Light Tarot: Arcanum XII. The Martyr
By the time we’ve reached the Hanged Man, the weight of our spiritual path takes its toll. With the Enchantress we were mesmerized by the vision of future potentiality. Now with the Martyr we see the true labor in the task at hand. We have such a foothold on the rules and guidelines of former societal systems that this new take on the world seems to hang us out to dry. With the Hanged Man, we experience a loss of health, wealth and vitality through our servitude to an obsolete authority or exterior controlling force. The strength of our physical and mental state dissipates, as we suffer at the hands of our own contradictions—thus, we hang from our former ties that identify us in the physical realm. Our new perspective turns the world upside down, and we now must search for the common ground. Yet through personal sacrifice the hanged man sits upright and receives the reward and benefit of his plight. Therefore, the martyr suggests we are sacrificing our will in hopes it multiplies in our laboring for the benefit of others. Remember that great achievement is born of great sacrifice.
If this your card, now is a good time to assess what left you tied up all of a sudden. You may be feeling stressed out or under the weight of a great deal of pressure—but that’s all about to change. With this new perspective you seem to peek behind the layers, and see the truth of the reality you once knew. You may find that your role in the “bigger system” has you feeling like a slave to the daily routine, as you strive to reevaluate, mend and match the place you’ve made with this brand new way of looking at things. Free yourself in the present from those hang ups and ties that threaten to hang you out to dry.
∞
cc: Bill Gracey