The Magician is the second card of the tarot deck's Major Arcana. The number associated with the figure of the Magician is one, as he stands for the power of creation -- the act of taking the primordial potential represented by the Fool and transforming it into something of actual substance that is real, true, and tangible. The Magician could also rightly be represented by the concepts of divinity, magic, and power of an extremely potent variety.
On a basic level, the Magician represents many profound and monumental concepts along the lines of wisdom, power, action, and creativity. Just as the Fool is all about the initial potential of many things, the Magician is all about these same things made real and put into astonishing motion. The Magician quite literally has the power and this power has no limits or restrictions. He is the conduit for all the infinite wonders of the divine and the vessel through which this power flows into the world. He also represents the perfect union and balance of all things - positive and negative, creation and destruction, et cetera.
The Magician is traditionally depicted as a young, attractive, and robed male figure who has a definite air of confidence and "knowing" about him. The sign of the infinite - or alternatively, the Holy Spirit - is above his head and his belt takes the shape of a serpent devouring its own tale, both emphasizing the timelessness and omnipotence of the Magician. In his right hand, he holds a wand that is pointed toward the heavens, while his left hand is pointing toward the earth itself ("as above, so below"). He is usually standing next to or behind a table that has the symbols of all four tarot suits placed upon it. A garden of roses and lilies typically grows in the foreground.
The Magician image as a whole is meant to symbolize man's connection to the divine, as well as the earth's connection to the heavens above. It also reminds us of the concepts of unity, eternity, aspiration, and all the ways these concepts fit into the life of man.
When you see the Magician pop up in a reading, he could stand for either the querent (if he is male) or for someone else. In the instance he stands for the querent, the Magician's appearance could be taken to mean that said querent is going through a period during which he is feeling quite charismatic, witty, powerful, or "on point". In addition to power and creation, the Magician can also stand for verbal eloquence and charisma, so the querent may simply be a good speaker, a convincing salesperson, or perhaps simply a person whom other people listen to, gravitate toward, or hold in high regard.
When the Magician stands for someone other than the querent himself in a reading, it is likely to be a figure with similar qualities to the ones listed above. The person in question could very well simply be a charismatic, magnetic individual, but it is important to note that he could just as easily be someone deceptive who uses his gift for persuasion to accomplish darker things. The Magician can represent people in certain professions as well - medicine, science, and invention to name just a few.
The Magician can also signal the revelation of new ideas and innovative new vistas when he shows up in a tarot spread. The querent may have recently come up with a groundbreaking new plan for a business endeavor, a possible solution to a dilemma, a fabulous new creative idea, or something else along those lines. The surrounding cards and the position in which the Magician appears in the spread will better define the exact nature of the revelation and advise the querent on how to proceed.
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Lisa Ray is the creator of the Ultimate Tarot Trainer, an easy-to-use software program that helps beginners learn to read tarot cards. ***Be sure to test your psychic powers for free at http://UltimateTarotTrainer.com.***
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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