I THE MAGICIAN

Alternative Names: The Magus, The Juggler, The Mountebank

Number: I
Numerology Links: X, The Wheel of Fortune, and XIX, The Sun
Astrological Sign or Planet: Mercury
Element: Air; also ether, the quintessence
Hebrew Letter: Beth (Beit)
Symbol: House
Meaning: Creativity
Tree of Life Pathway: Second, between Kether and Binah
Chakra: The palm chakras, for manifesting
Key Meanings: Action, creativity, and success
UNDERSTANDING THE MAGICIAN
Here we have a Magician in action, complete with magic wand and the
implements of his trade on the table before him: the suit symbols of the Pentacle
or coin, Cup, Sword, and Wand, representing the four elements of earth, water,
air, and fire, respectively. With these base materials, he sets an intention to
transmute them to create the fifth element of ether, or the quintessence—the
mythological “breath of the gods.” The Magician, who once journeyed as the
Fool, is now ready to manifest his desires by aligning spirit and matter. As the
conduit between earth and heaven, the Magician stands for decisions and
creativity. The roses and lilies growing above and below him tell us that life can
be beautiful when we commit to our passions.
In the major arcana sequence, the Magician comes after 0, The Fool, although
the Magician can also be seen as the first card of the cycle, as some tarotists
place the Fool after the World card as XXII. The Magician is the natural
successor to the Fool as we move from 0, the cosmic egg, to I, the individual:
The Fool’s bundle contains the Magician’s four symbols, ready to be activated.
After the singular purpose of the Magician we meet II, The High Priestess, who
introduces us to the duality of life—the now and the hereafter.
The Magician’s number, I, is the first prime number, which stands for primal
energy, the individual, and oneness with the divine spirit or God. The card is
related to X, The Wheel of Fortune (10 reduces to 1), and XIX, or 19, The Sun,
which reduces to 10 then 1, the Magician’s number. Both these cards link with
an awareness of realms beyond the earthly plane.

THE MAGICIAN’S ASTROLOGY

The Magician’s ruling planet is Mercury, also the Roman god of magic—and the
Greek Hermes, god of communication, linked with the Egyptian god Thoth. In
alchemy, mercury’s form as quicksilver was associated with transformation or
the fifth element of ether. The element could also be signified by the symbol of a
snake, shown on the Magician’s serpent-girdle (see The Magician’s Symbols).

THE MAGICIAN AND KABBALA

The Hebrew letter of the Magician is Beth, symbolized by a house, meaning
creativity. On the Tree of Life pathway, the Magician is placed on the second
pathway between the spheres of Kether and Binah. Kether stands for unity,
echoing the card’s number, I, while Binah is the sphere of experience—
indicating practical magic and singular direction.

UPRIGHT MEANING
It’s time for action—for communicating and expressing your ideas and desires.
This is the card of the inventor, the traveler, the self-employed, and the
entrepreneur, as it beckons you to broaden your horizons. You will have the
drive to spur your plans forward, and, perhaps, to take new, creative approaches:
to think laterally, ask questions, trust your internal guidance, and let go of
procrastination.
Blessed with a magic wand, you have the ability to transform whatever you
choose, and in this way, the Magician is a very positive card in a reading. He
directs you to make the most of your skills and talents and step into your power;
focus on your projects and capitalize on your personal strengths. Spiritually, the
Magician shows you connecting with your higher, or true, self and acting with
pure intention.
This card can also show a significant journey.
Here are some other possibilities:

Home: A house sale is completed, or you decide it is time to move forward

with remodeling plans. This is a sociable time, with lots of visitors and
entertaining.
Relationships: If you are single and want love, it is coming. If you are in a
relationship, the Magician shows love in action, so you will begin to see
commitment. Communication between you is excellent and you reach an even
deeper understanding of each other’s needs. The card can also show you
acting as one, so a joint project may be on the horizon, too.
Career and money: There will be a new beginning, either finding new
employment or a new direction in your existing work. This card can also
show inspired leadership from a grounded and enthusiastic individual.

REVERSED MEANING
When the good Magician is reversed, he turns trickster, so this card can show
you being mislead by a charming manipulator. What you see is not what you get,
and it’s all show, not truth. In your projects, the Magician reversed can show a
creative block as you feel torn between two paths or choices that get in the way
of progress. It’s time to choose one option and commit to it fully. The reversed
card can also reveal delays to travel plans and miscommunication in general.

HIS WISDOM MESSAGE

Manifest your desires.

THE MAGICIAN’S SYMBOLS

In the Rider-Waite tarot, the Magician appears with the following magical
symbols. Some of them reappear in other major arcana cards, so learn to
recognize them and you’ll soon find you can apply your knowledge throughout
the deck.

The lemniscate or infinity symbol: balance, activity, and renewal

See this symbol on card VIII, Strength.
The magic wand: The wand is double-ended and reflects the Hermetic
concept “As above, so below,” or heaven and earth as mirrors. The wand’s
symbolism reflects that of the Magician’s pose (see below).
See this symbol on cards VII, The Chariot, and XXI, The World.
The four suit symbols: These are the Magician’s resources. He draws upon the
four elements of the suits to create the quintessence, the fifth element.
The red cloak: energy and action; practicality; and being grounded in the
material world
See this symbol on IV, The Emperor; V, the Hierophant; and XI, Justice.
The headband: The mind and the intention to manifest desires
The Magician and his pose: The Magician is the conduit of energy between
earth, which he draws from with his downward left hand, and heaven,
symbolized by his raised hand and wand.
The serpent-girdle: The belt around the Magician’s waist is a serpent, a
symbol of the element of Mercury, the Magician’s ruling planet (see The
Magician’s Astrology). To function as a belt, the serpent or snake must hold
its tail in its mouth. This is the alchemical symbol of the ouroborus, which
like the lemniscate stands for infinity and constant renewal—just as the snake
continually sheds its skin.
The roses and lilies: The red roses symbolize love and the lilies, truth of
purpose. The Magician acts with pure intention.
See red roses on the gown in card III, The Empress, and on the gown of
the supplicant on the left on card V, The Hierophant; roses are also around
the waist of the maiden on VIII, Strength.
Yellow background: consciousness, clear sight and support
See this on III, The Empress; VII, The Chariot; VIII, Strength; and XI,
Justice.
 THE HISTORICAL MAGICIAN: MAN AND
GOD
Historically, the Magician has had many guises. In the fifteenth-century
Visconti-Sforza tarots, he was a wealthy merchant seated at a table. By the
nineteenth century, the Dotti tarot of Milan assigned him as a cobbler—Il
Bagatto. By the twentieth century, he had transformed into a magus, then a
god.
Most early tarots show the Magician seated at a table, while a standing
pose appears to have been generally accepted by the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries, as seen in Marseilles-style tarots. But in our Rider-
Waite deck, the standing Magician takes on a spiritual dimension, pointing
to heaven and earth. Aleister Crowley takes the Magician a step further in
his Thoth deck, showing his Magus card as the winged messenger-god
Hermes, or Mercury, also the ruling planet of the card. Hermes as a god
represented wisdom and was believed to be the architect of the pyramids
and the creator of mathematics, astrology, and other arts. The Magician
today embodies this spirit of invention, enterprise, and expression.

THE MAGICIAN’S REFLECTIONS

Because the Magician has all four suits represented on his table—Cup, Pentacle,
Sword, and Wand—he can be seen as the ruler of the entire minor arcana. His
appearance in a reading can ask you to pay particular attention to the minors—
note which suits or elements they represent, as this will give you an instant
overview of which life area is important now.

TRY A READING WITH THE MAGICIAN: THE MAGIC

WAND
Take the Magician from your deck and lay him before you, as shown. Now
shuffle the remaining cards and cut the deck or fan out the cards facedown.
Choose four cards with your left hand and place them around the Magician in the
positions below. You could ask, “What can I manifest?” or “What do I need to
do to make my idea work?”

Card 1: Your situation

Card 2: Emotional strengths
Card 3: Practical skills and resources
Card 4: The outcome