The Hanged Man is one of the most misunderstood Major Arcana cards of the Tarot deck. The story of the Magician has us believing that the Hanged Man is an indication of bad luck and/or a magician who might be a charmer at the time of performing tricks but is not to be trusted. The Hanged Man, however, is more about timing than it is about illusion.
Like The Magician, the Hanged Man does represent change and transformation but in a different, much more subtle way than the Magician. When the Hanged Man is upright, it suggests that a pause is necessary so you can think about what you have done and how you are going to go forward. It asks you to be still because sometimes we need some time to reflect on ourselves and our circumstances to gain a better understanding of ourselves and what we can do to improve our lives.