The Magician.

The Magician is card number 1 of the Major Arcana.  The image is that of a young man wearing a robe (in the traditional RW deck) and around his waist is a belt that looks like a serpent swallowing its own tail.  Above his head is the sign for infinity.  One hand holds his wand and is raised to the Heavens, while the other points to the ground.  The table before him holds mystical objects and the garden around him blooms with flowers.

During the Fool’s journey, the Magician is the first person he meets.  The Magician is powerful, self-confident, and a skillful user of the mystic arts.  He is able to mesmerize the Fool easily, compelling the young lad to hand over his bundled belongings.  Laying the pack on the table before the Magician, the Fool watches in wonder as the pack is laid open by unseen hands, revealing all of its contents.  Suddenly before him the Fool sees so many different possibilities and the different paths that he can take in his journey.  On the table there is the Pentacle, Chalice, Sword, and Wand – work and money (mundane items), love and emotion, intellect and communication, and spirituality and intuition.  The Fool is uncertain though – were these objects in the pack all along, or did the Magician provide these items to him through magic? The Magician remains every mysterious and silent, not revealing his secrets.

This card can symbolize many things and is very much influenced by the cards around it.  Here is an overview of some of the most common interpretations:

-          Unlimited potential

-          The ability to make things happen through sheer willpower and desire

-          Having the power to change circumstances

-          The querent has all the tools at their disposal to accomplish whatever they set their mind to

-          An answer or solution to a problem will soon be known, or that is known already and the card is to remind the querent of this

-          Beware of someone who may intend to mislead or trick (this card is represented by Mercury, who is the god of thieves)

-          A person in the querent’s life who is trying to help them reach their full potential

If the Magician represents a person (the querent or someone else), it may mean that the person is or perceives themselves to be particularly charismatic, charming, witty, etc.  He/she may have unusual powers of persuasion and people tend to agree with what they have to say.  The card can also represent someone who has a career in the science or medical fields, or has a strong interest in these subjects.  In some cases, it may carry a word of caution for the querent – to watch out for a con-man or someone who may talk them into doing something they wouldn’t normally do (or shouldn’t do).

My Interpretation

The Magician is one of my favorite cards, if only for the fact that it has so much potential.  This card can mean so many things, but I tend to see it as a positive card.  When I see the Magician in a reading, I usually tend to see an “Aha! Moment” ahead for the querent, usually in the form of a realization or new idea.  I also may see a person who has the potential to exert great control over their future because they have powerful resources at their disposal.  They may not necessarily realize how deep their power as a motivator in their own life is, but once tapped, the sky is the limit.  The querent should hone their skills and gain whatever knowledge they can so that they can surpass the limitations they have imposed on themselves.

The Magician is a wise man and realizes the importance of the choices he makes.  He has focused on learning how to control the resources at his command, using them to accomplish his goals and realize his dreams.  Through this learning, he has also gained the knowledge that he is a capable individual and responsible for his own actions.  Whether this person is the querent or someone in their life will, of course, depend on the other cards in the spread.

Rarely I may read the card as a person who exerts a high level of negative control over the querent, manipulating them to do their bidding.  In this case, the card is heavily influenced by the other cards in the spread and may even reveal their identity.

In the Gilded Tarot, the Magician has his hands open and is using them to wield control over the Pentacle, Chalice, Wand, and Sword.  He is represented by an older wise looking man with deep mesmerizing eyes.  When I see the card, I also have the impression that this is the moment when The Fool finally realizes that he has this unlimited potential and must learn how to tap into his inner abilities; by doing these things, The Fool gains an insight to himself and the world that he could only have imaged before.

The Magician from the Traditional Rider-Waite Deck

The Magician from The Gilded Tarot

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The Fool

And here we go.  I hope you have your walking shoes on.  The 22 card journey through the tarot is not always a leisurely one, but I hope you enjoy the many wonders along the way.

The Fool is a Major Arcana, or trump, card and is usually numbered 0, but may be unnumbered or number 22 in some decks.  Some don't even consider it one of the numbered cards, as all the other cards of the Major Arcana depict a stop in The Fool's journey.

The Fool is pictured as a young man standing on the edge of a cliff or precipice.  He has a small bundle of possessions in one hand and a rose in the other.  His little dog is at his heel.  The small bundle he carries contains all his worldly possessions.  He has picked a rose to appreciate its beauty and enjoy its luscious scent, after all he is an easily distracted fellow.  The Fool is on a journey, but he does not yet know where it will take him. He is so caught up in daydreams and fantasies of the all the wonderful things he will discover, that he doesn’t realize that he is on the edge of a precipice and in danger of falling.  The little dog at his heel is his companion and either is hurrying him along in excitement or warning him of the danger ahead.

This card has so many possibilities.  With his sack of belongings, The Fool has all he needs as he sets out to a new beginning.  With the contents of his sack, he is able to do whatever he chooses and become whatever he desires.  The rose symbolizes the need to stop and enjoy the beauty of the world around us, to observe all the possibilities.  However, he needs to be careful to pay attention where he steps and the path he takes, so that he doesn’t fall off that cliff and wind up looking the fool.

The Fool usually represents the querent (the person receiving the reading).  He usually is an indicator of a new start, a fresh beginning.  This card may appear when a person finds themselves back literally at zero and feels as though they have a clean slate, a second chance, etc.  Full of hope and optimism, they feel new and energized.  Like The Fool, they have no idea where life is going to take them, but they have decided to enjoy and celebrate, to rediscover the world.  The card should also bring an air of caution, for in their current excitement, they may not be paying attention to the danger in front of them.  Like The Fool they are headed for a cliff.  The querent should pay attention to those that are offering words of caution, such as a friend, co-worker, family member, the tarot reader, or even their own inner voice, as represented by the little dog.  The card is ultimately a signaler for a new beginning with a reminder to be mindful of possible pitfalls.

My Interpretation

The Fool isn’t necessarily a naïve individual, but he is a person who is full of optimism and expects wonderful things from the second chance they have been given.  This optimism may cause them to have a false sense of well-being and they may make a poor decision thinking that no harm can come of it.  The querent has all the tools at their disposal to make a good decision, but he/she needs to pay attention to the path before them so that they can take the best course. Should several people or their inner voice be telling them that the decisions they are making are bad ones or may lead to trouble, they should listen.

From another standpoint, The Fool is happy and excited.  He is looking forward to his journey and wants to discover the world anew.  The querent’s enthusiasm shouldn’t be dampened and they should take this new chance with both hands.  While this new chance is a wonderful thing, they shouldn’t forget the lessons of the past.  Each decision should be made with the potential consequences in mind.  To just act without thinking could cause them to lose face, or literally look the fool.

I feel that I should stress that the meaning of this card can be heavily influenced by the other cards in a spread.  Pay attention to the whole spread, as this card may only be part of a larger picture.

In my deck, The Gilded Tarot, the fool is pictured without his usual accouterments.  He has no sack of belongings, rose, or dog; yet, his fanciful nature is apparent. The mask hiding the upper part of the face seems to indicate that we don't quite know who he is or that his full potential is masked.  He is playing and almost unconcerned with the mystic symbols in his hand.  Dancing in the air, he is without any concerns.


Below is The Fool from the Rider-Waite deck, as well as from my The Gilded Tarot.  This is just an example of how varied the illustrations can be, even to the extent of leaving out what many consider to be important components of a card. 

The Fool from the Rider-Waite Deck

The Fool from the Gilded Tarot

A Brief Rest Before the Journey

Lets take a little journey.  I'm going to begin by again giving a little background on the tarot.  My next post will begin with talking about the different cards of the tarot, but I hope you'll accompany me on my little segue.  My hope is that in rediscovering the tarot for myself, I can help others discover its magic and beauty.  Once I've finished rediscovering all the cards of the Major Arcana, I will post about The Fool's journey and what it teaches us.  Keep in mind that I use Rider-Waite inspired decks, so all my posts regarding the individual cards will be based upon the Rider-Waite deck.

The first step of that is understanding the cards; however, these meanings may go out the window as one learns the tarot and finds their method of reading.  Each deck is very different and one's technique for reading is extremely personal.  You will find that the more and more you read, the easier it becomes.  You will develop your own style and your readings will become more fluid.  The meanings of the cards may become less important than the little details and symbols in the images themselves.  There is rich symbolism in all the decks of the major arcana and some decks also have beautiful court cards.  Decks vary widely once you get to the pip cards - some are very simple, while others have gorgeous illustrations.  My deck, The Gilded Tarot, has images on every single card, including the pips, which makes reading a joy.

The symbolism in the tarot is rich and meaningful.  Each illustration has tiny details that tell us about its meaning, both as it relates to the Fool's journey and as it relates to a reading.  I won't delve into the symbolism too much as it would take literally hundreds of posts to cover.  What I can tell you is that if a certain symbol jumps out at you during a read and feels important, go with your intuition. :-)

With all that said, one of my absolute favorite quick reference websites for the tarot is Aeclectic Tarot.  I also use the website to research a deck I'm interested in.  As a reader, I've found that I am also a collector of decks I find beautiful..  I own several that I like to look at, but am unable to read.  I've since learned that a little research can go a long way.

Now, let's follow The Fool as he makes his journey.

Oh, and P.S. - Here is a little vocabulary lesson.  I will use the word "querent" frequently in my blog.  A "querent" is the person receiving a tarot reading.  It can also be you if you are giving yourself the reading.

Cards of the Tarot

Here is an introduction to the different cards of the tarot.  All my decks are based off of the Rider-Waite deck, so therefore I will tend to stick to this style of tarot card in my blog.  Keep in mind that there are many decks and not all of them are based on the Rider-Waite.  Even those based on Rider-Waite can have variations per the whims of the creator(s).  The imagery can be very different from the original Rider-Waite cards.  My favorite decks have pictorial scenes on all the cards.  I won't go into any meanings or descriptions at this point.  Believe me, you will thank me later.  LOL. 

First off, the Rider-Waite (RW) tarot and decks based upon it have 78 cards.  There are 22 major arcana cards and 56 minor arcana cards.  Of the minor arcana cards, there are 16 court cards and 40 pip cards. The minor arcana is divided into "suits" and each suit contains 14 cards.



Major Arcana Cards


Major Arcana cards have beautiful imagery and carry us along the path of The Fool as he proceeds in his journey.  These cards carry a lot of meaning in a spread.  Some books and decks refer to these 22 cards as the Trumps.

0. The Fool (may be #22 in some decks)
1. The Magician
2. The High Priestess (may be called The Popess in some decks)
3. The Empress
4. The Emperor
5. The Hierophant (may be called The Pope in some decks)
6. The Lovers
7. The Chariot
8. Justice (in some decks may be card #11)
9. The Hermit
10. Wheel of Fortune
11. Strength (in some decks may be card #8, may be called Fortitude in some decks)
12. The Hanged Man (may be called The Traitor in some decks)
13. Death
14. Temperance
15. The Devil
16. The Tower (in some decks may be called Fire and in others Maison Dieu)
17. The Star
18. The Moon
19. The Sun
20. Judgement (may be called The Angels in some decks)
21. The World



Minor Arcana

Minor Arcana consists of four suits.  Each suit contains pip cards numbered Ace (or one) through ten and the four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, and King).  The four suits are Wands, Pentacles (or Coins), Cups (or Chalices), and Swords.  Some decks and books separate the minor arcana into pips and court cards.  Here is a breakdown.

Suits

Wands (or Batons) - represent either fire or air, depending on the deck
Pentacles (or Coins) - represent earth
Cups (or Chalices) - represent water
Swords - represent either air or fire, depending on the deck


Court Cards

Page (or Prince)
Knight (or Princess)
Queen
King


Pips

Ace (or 1)
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10


Tomorrow I will post my first entry regarding a card meaning.  Check back soon. :-)

Just a Touch......

Tarot and oracle cards are so compelling.  They are beautiful pieces of artwork and each card has so much meaning.  No two readers will see the exact same meaning in a tarot spread.  It is a truly personal experience to give a reading, just as it is to receive one.  There is a connection that happens between me and the recipient of a reading.  Its hard to explain, but for that time they are my best friend and I am seeing into their life.

I don't claim to be psychic because I don't believe that I am.  How do I read the cards?  I don't know.  I just do.  My readings may not be the most dramatic or sensational, but I enjoy giving them and I've gotten some good feedback.

My goal for this blog is to share my journey of rediscovering the tarot.  I stopped reading about 18 months ago and I plan to pick it back up soon.  Its too much a part of me to deny it much longer.  My posts will most likely focus on my favorite cards, decks, and my interpretation of certain cards (which may vary deck to deck).  Eventually (or sooner than I think), I will probably begin posting a daily tarot card and its meaning for that day.

Please check back for updates.  I hope you will join me on my journey of discovery, for reading tarot isn't just about the cards.  The spiritual aspect is huge and profound.  Those who read tarot often discover things about themselves and end up on a journey similar to that of The Fool.  Yes, I will share the Fool's journey soon - its the best introduction to the tarot.