The Magician
Master of the Four Elements
The Magician is Major Arcana number 1, the one who initiates the Major Arcana sequence and empowers The Fool to learn, act, and proceed. It is the power source for the entire Tarot deck, like a battery or generator, and is associated with wizards, sorcerers, witches, and trainers. The Tarot interpretation of the Magician often involves the increase of talent or ability (for better or for worse), or a new power gained.
The Magician Card Meaning
The Magician card is about focus, discipline, and the reliable outputs that these activities yield. It can represent the supernatural, especially when wielded with intent or amplification. The Magician embodies the ability to shape yourself and the world around you. This kind of shaping, represented by the Magician, is always done with intent, not on accident, and usually requires a great deal of focus, practice, or training. It is usually a good sign when the Magician shows up in a Manifestation Reading: try a Manifest Desire reading by clicking Here.
Symbolism in the Magician
The Magician symbolizes infinity, and the connection between heaven and earth. It can also symbolize powerful knowledge, especially of the secret or esoteric kind. This card is the opposite of Major Arcana number 2, The High Priestess, and the two together can be seen as a representation of yin and yang. The Magician is commonly associated with Mercury in the context of Astrology, as both are quick learners and don’t wait around for others. He also shares a sense of focus and potential with his number, 1.
The Table: All Four Elements Combined
On the table next to the Magician rest objects relating to the four elements or suits of the Tarot; a pentacle for earth, a cup for water, a wand for fire, and a sword for air. The Magician represents the synthesis of these four things, and how when they are brought together carefully and with intention, they can be far more powerful than in isolation. However the elements will never do this on their own; they prefer to either stay separate, or combine in a chaotic destructive way, such as in a hurricane (water and air) or volcano (earth and fire). It requires the willpower of the Magician to bring them carefully together and unlock their true potential; this is his magic.
The Outstretched Hands: As Above, So Below
With one hand the Magician reaches upward, while the other extends towards the ground. This symbolizes the deep correspondence between the very large and very small, such as how a version of the entire universe is contained within each individual human mind. Think about how similar the solar system is to an atom: in both cases, several smaller objects orbit a much larger, massive center. This is one of the many embodiments of this principle represented by the Magician card, and the more you look for it in the world around you (and within yourself), the more you will see it.
The Wand: Two and One Combined
Like any good magician, this one holds a wand in one hand; but it is no ordinary wand, for it is tipped on both ends. In this sense it represents two (the two tips) and one (the single wand) combined. This is foreshadowing for the end of the Fool’s Journey, which the Magician sends the Fool on, for the only other card in the deck that this double-tipped wand appears on is the World, the last Major Arcana, number 21. The World card is a more direct embodiment of the principle of 2 and 1 combined (it’s number, 21, is literally 2 and 1 combined), but the Magician has been on this journey themselves, and therefore knows how it ends. The Fool may not be ready for this wisdom yet, but the Magician plants the seed so that by the end of their journey, the Fool is prepared to understand.
The Magician Card Reversed Meaning
The Magician reversed can indicate ambition, greed, arrogance, and trying too hard. It can also represent power used for evil ends, failing at something you are usually good at, or trying something over and over but not being able to get the hang of it.
Previous card: The Fool
Next card: The High Priestess
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What does the Magician represent in a Love or Relationship reading?
The Magician can indicate a growing awareness or focus on a relationship. The people involved might be paying more attention, or working harder at it; or, the Magician may be telling you that this is what is needed. In the same way that the Magician carefully combines and balanced the four elements, he reminds you that healthy relationships must include the balance of many different elements or aspects; no one thing can sustain a relationship forever.
What does the Magician symbolize in Career and Finances?
The Magician is telling you to take matters into your own hands; if you think something should exist, create it, instead of asking for permission or waiting for someone else to do it. He might also be telling you to acquire a new skill, or develop further one that you already have. The more skills and abilities you have, the more power you wield in the economy. The Magician also is reminding you that focus and learning is itself a skill, not just the means through which other skills are acquired and refined.
What guidance does the Magician have for everyday life?
The Magician is asking you to keep in mind the power you have in mind wherever you go. Even if it may be small or limited, it is always there, and the choice to not use it is still a choice about how to use that power. The Magician wants you to be intentional, only not using your power when you decide it is best not to, not out of forgetting about it, or being too timid.
Does the Magician represent you right now?
Click to reveal the card below – if it’s the Magician, then this card’s energy is strongly influencing your right now! If not, it may be a message the Magician wants you to hear…
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