Tarot Tid Bit: The Magician

What’s on the Card?

There is a tremendous amount of information to unpack on the Magician card. I’ll hit some high points. The character stands behind his table holding a wand (selenite?) in his right hand. He points up with the wand and down with his left-hand index finger. This embodies “As Above, So Below.” If you are unfamiliar with this phrase, perhaps you are familiar with the phrase “As it is in heaven, So it is on Earth.” This indicates there is a balance between and a connection to the divine and the Earthly. The Magician stands between the two and magic runs through him like electricity being conducted from one to the other. He brings the otherworldly to the worldly. A lemniscate (infinity symbol) floats over his head and the symbolism is echoed in the ouroboros (snake biting its tail) is used as the Magician’s belt. These tell us the universe is infinite. All possibilities are laid out in front of him. The reds and whites shown in the lilies, roses, tunic, and robe show us passion and innocence in balance.

The 1909 RWS Tarot: The Sawyer Redux Edition

What does it all mean?

Our friend, the Magician is on his first step of the journey as card number one. The Fool took the leap. The Magician steps onto the path. Through his will, he uses the magic he possesses to bend reality to his needs and open the paths before him. The objects on his table are representative of each of the minor suits (Wands, Cups, Pentacles, and Swords). These are his tools and he uses each to further his agenda. Are you getting the picture that the Magician is all about control?

Taking action and doing are the Magician’s best traits. So we can say the Magician “does.” This will fall into place better when we look at the High Priestess. As only a step away from the Fool, the Magician is very well grounded in ego. Although he is no longer the complete innocent, he lacks some of the finer aspects of the enlightened psyche. It doesn’t make him a bad guy, though. It only makes him focused on himself and what he can do.

Interpretations: directing events through action, manifestation, aptitude, passion, concentrating, confidence, ready to make progress

Comparative Tarot: A Troupe of Magicians…

Our first Magician is from the Tarot Mucha. This card maintains most of the symbolism we examined on the Rider Waite Smith version of this card. She is gesturing in the As Above, So Below pose. Her tools are laid out and she stands beneath lilies and roses, although the lilies have a rather morning glory-like appearance.

Beside the Tarot Mucha is The Magician from The Golden Tarot. Here we veer a bit from the RWS “gold standard.” Our Magician is gesturing with opposite hands from the norm, and only the representations of the suits and the lemniscate remain of the symbols on the card. However, he does seem to be the “master” of the animals around him and in control as the beasts are coming to him presumably for blessings. You may also notice that this Magician is wearing a red robe, but there is also a blue garment beneath. Blue is representative of spiritual connections, so in this card, the spirit is also shown.

On the bottom, we have the 8 Coins Tattoo Tarot. The Magician’s hand is all we see of him. It is held up in a gesture that makes me think of the hand signal for “stop.” He is in control. You’ll do as he says. The lilies and roses are present on this card as well. In this iteration of the Magician, the lilies now resemble peace lilies. The ouroboros is present to an extent. Behind the hand is a green rattlesnake reaching to bite its rattle. The pentacle, sword, cup, and wand all sit on the ground beneath the hand.

Tarot Tidbits are short, hopefully informative, looks at the cards of the Tarot.