The Magician is the first Tarot card of the deck and full of promises. But who is the Magician anyway? In the Marseille tradition, the magician is called "Bateleur", a word that takes us back to the Middle Ages. "Bateleurs" were public amusers who would perform small tricks on market places.
Who is the Magician? A wizard, an illusionist... a scammer? Let's take a closer look.
DECK CONTEXT
The Magician is the first card of the deck (or more exactly the card #1, as the Fool can be considered first or last depending on cultural preferences). It is preceded by the Fool anyhow and followed by the High Priestess.
Relationship with The Fool: The Fool, like the Magician, represents new beginnings. Depending on your deck, the Fool can be a pretty dark card. Because the Fool does not yet understand where he's going, he's not using or mastering any tool. The Magician is at a different stage of his journey. They can both be two sides of one same personality: the wild, unstructured side versus the empowered, capable one.
Relationship with the High Priestess: The Magician is a card of action. It is fiery and impulsive but the nearby presence of the highest and most stable spiritual force in the deck balances his energy.
This position between two completely opposite cards highlights the Magician's versatility and power to balance his behaviour.
ASSOCIATED MEANINGS & SYMBOLS
The Conjuror, in the Victorian Fairy Tarot, masters all 4 suits of the deck, which are the 4 seasons of the year.[/caption]
TAROT WITHIN TAROT
One of the things you should immediately notice on this card - in any serious deck - is that all 4 suits of the minor arcana are present.
The Magician is associated above all with the suit of Wands. His element is Fire, his main sphere of influence is work and social life, his time of the year is the Spring. It's also the card of Aries (a Fire sign). It's all connected. The Magician is probably the most obvious example of the cards kinship within the deck. But these associations can be done for any major card.
CONTROL AND ACTION
The Magician is the card of control. What this young man tells us is that it is time to act, using the skills and tools we master the best. He is busy and is about to get busier. He's the most active character of the game and one of the rare ones to be standing. This position adds to the feeling of power he holds over his environment. He's not part of it, he's ruling over it. Stand up, take control, do what you have to do: it's all in your hands. That's the main message of the Magician.
TAKE A GOOD LOOK
Always inspect the card you hold. Look at the table in front of the Magician. There is everything on that table. Look at the colours too. Red for fire, green for hope. These are usually the colours most present on this card. Don't forget to look at the Magician himself. Originally, he is a young, vigorous man. He usually represents a man below 40 in the consultant's life.
the person represented on the card is in control. The young man not only has all the tools he needs to accomplish his work right here in front of him, he also has the skills and knowledge to make the most of them.
the card can convey the message of the beginning of something that will last (a job, a relationship, a personal situation)
Positive Meanings
The Magician in Tarot speaks of new beginnings: a time where everything is possible. Energy, hope and potential are all part of the Magician's energy. Everything is ready for a project to be kickstarted, a relationship to bloom, a venture to be successful. The required skills are available.
Negative Meanings
Reversed or surrounded by a negative spread the Magician becomes a scammer. He is not trustworthy and turns into someone who does not perform as promised or who is playing tricks on the consultant. The bursting energy of the card becomes destructive: it can be a warning: think twice before starting a project or accepting a new job.
Associated star sign: Aries
Associated times of the year or day: Springtime. Morning. Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Associated locations: Factories. Hospitals. Streets. Stadiums. Offices.
Keywords: youth, beginning, spark, energy, skills, creative energy, research, studies, physical strength // lies, crooks, violence, illusion, impatience
Read more about the Magician here.
Welcome the Magician like you would welcome the month of April after a long Winter. He makes it all possible. Feel the positive energy, the fire within the card and accept his invitation to make a move. Take control and work for something you truly want.