Key 12 - The Mystic

Traditional Title: The Hanged Man

Neptune/Water

The Mystic archetype sacrifices control of the conscious ego through meditation to gain a radically new perspective.

Affirmation: I surrender control to receive the revelations of the unseen.

UPRIGHT: Sacrifice, Clairvoyance, Surrender, Re-Evaluation, Shift in Perspective​

REVERSE: Self-Delusion, Delays, Escapism, Indecision, Resistance​

Platonic level (Metaphysical Principles):

Neptune is pictured as a mysterious, otherworldly blue-green planet. In astrology, it signifies the yearning to break free from the physical world, exploring the infinite possibilities within one’s imagination. Neptune embodies the transcendent, spiritual, and imaginative dimensions of life, characterized by the subtle, formless, and intangible. It transcends the temporal and material world and is associated with the timeless and infinite. Neptune represents our vision of the ideal and the devotion it inspires within us.

Jungian level (Psychological Principles):

Neptune signifies the pursuit of deeper purpose, sparking imagination, compassion, and feelings of tranquility and bliss through universal interconnectedness. Neptune pertains to the impulse to transcend egoic control and dissolve boundaries and structures in favor of unity and undifferentiated wholeness. Neptune integrates formerly separate elements and is associated with healing. Neptune governs mythology, religion, art, inspiration, ideals, aspirations, symbolism, figurative language, dreams, visions, and universal compassion. The negative expression of this archetype includes escapism, disorientation, illusions, deception, and incomplete or unintegrated experiences. When a planet is in major aspect to Neptune, the second archetype tends to be idealized in some way and, in being connected to the principle of imagination and the spiritual, can potentially serve as a significant conduit for the expansion of consciousness.

Mythic level (Mythic Deities and Figures):

Greek God : Proteus

Proteus, the primordial sea deity revered as the “Old Man of the Sea,” presides over the profound depths of the ocean. He is known for his shape-shifting abilities and elusive nature, embodying the fluid and unpredictable essence of the sea. This aligns with The Mystic archetype, which explores deeper spiritual truths and understanding through surrender to the unknown.