Free Tarot Readings
The Magician
A young man wearing a distinctive hat with a large floppy brim stands behind a table on which are arranged a variety of instruments or tools. In some packs these are seen to be the suit-signs of the Tarot minor arcana—the cup, baton, sword and coin—whilst in other packs they are an odd assortment of shoe-maker's tools. The card has been variously entitled the Magician, the Minstrel, the Conjurer, or the Cobbler.
Probably he was originally meant to represent the travelling showman, an entertainer like the Fool, who moved from town to town and village to village, either alone or with a troop of actors and musicians, giving shows, telling fortunes, and selling quack remedies.
Often such men, who were viewed with suspicion by established authorities and often lived a precarious existence, would be the means by which unorthodox teachings or heretical ideas would be transmitted abroad.
This character, half mountebank and half wise man, was chosen
by the creators of the Tarot sequence to lead the numbered cards. He is assigned the number one, the number of positive action, individuality and creativity. The Magician is forceful and self-confident, and stands alone.
He can perhaps be seen as Prometheus, grasping the hollow fennel stalk in which he brought down the gift of fire from Heaven after stealing it from the Gods. The character of Promethus as depicted in the Greek myths seems very like that of the Tarot Magician; he was quick-witted and wily, like the gods Hermes and Loki, or the American Indian folk-hero Coyote, and was also strong-willed and self-assured, as shown in his defiance of Zeus.
Psychologically the myth of Prometheus can be said to refer to the time when man first attained self-consciousness, "stealing" it from the unconscious and thus taking upon himself one of the attributes of divinity.
In so doing he also assumed the responsibilities of Godhood; he is now responsible for his actions. But in taking possession of the world he has lost sight of his soul. The fight of the ego obscures the softer radiance of the spirit.
The rest of the Tarot cycle will be seen to display the perils and temptations that he must face on the long quest to rediscover what he has lost, carrying the sacred fire of consciousness with him as he goes.
Following on from the Fool, the Magician signifies the first stage of conscious existence, the emerging self-awareness of the child and the beginning of his journey through life. His first task will be to learn how to live in his environment; he must come to wield his elemental weapons—his physical senses—with power and authority before he can proceed.
Traditionally the Magician is the adept who has brought all facets of his being into conscious equilibrium, from the physical to the divine, and is therefore able to manifest divine power on the material plane. The sceptre he holds on high represents his flaming will, with which he controls the Four Elements—symbolised by the four devices that lie on the altar before him—the sword (air), the cup (water), the baton (fire) and the coin (earth).
The symbol above his head signifies the presence of the Holy Spirit, therefore his inspiration is seen to emanate from his own true Self, the spark of divinity within him. He acts with supreme confidence, knowing that whatever he wills must be in accordance with the Universal Will. He is the conscious link between the world of the Spirit and the world of man.
The Magician's inner garments are white to signify his inward purity and equilibrium; his outer robe and girdle are scarlet to show the fire of his purposeful activity. The lilies around his feet symbolise his aspiration, the roses his achievement.
He is the teacher who appears when the pupil is ready, the master of wisdom who will instruct the Fool in the hidden ways of the soul.
In mundane terms he is the man who uses his intellect and energy to explore and transform the world around himself, who is not satisfied with things the way they are but must ceaselessly search for meanings and alternatives.
Being unable to accept the explanations that are given him concerning the nature and goal of life, he must strive to uncover the secrets of existence for himself. In this aspect he is the hero who has embarked on the quest for wisdom, the seeker at the door of the hidden temple.
When reversed, the Magician becomes the Juggler, the trickster who conjures with life, delighting to observe the effect his clever sleight-of-hand has on lesser mortals. The object of his quest is not then wisdom, but power. If he succeeds in invoking real elemental forces, then he becomes a wizard—the instrument of those demonic powers he sought to control.
Divinatory meanings:
Upright: Points to strength of will, the expansion of the personality, a willingness to face risks, initiative that will lead to success and triumph. Also adaptability and versatility, diplomacy and self-confidence. Can indicate the commencement of an important new cycle in the querent's affairs.
Reversed: Weakness of will, failure of nerve, timidity and hesitation resulting in further problems; an inability to face reality.
