AT Compartive Study - K - The Magician - 1

Le Bateleur - Der Magier - El Mago - Il Baggato - The Magician.

The 1st card of the Major Arcana. Found upon the beginning of the Fool's Journey.

Keywords - Creation by willpower & desire, clever & skilled, mastery & control, self confidence, turning ideas into reality, self/ego, magnetic personality.

Decks covered so far:

Universal RWS

Links to other discussions:

Coming Soon

Universal RWS

Universal RWS
Symbolism and imagery - A Magician clad in red robe stands in front of a table. On the table are the four elements of the Minor Arcana - cup, wand, sword, pentacle. Over his head is the sign of infinity. One hand (with wand) points to the sky while the other points to the ground.

Comparisons/contrasts with other decks - intentionally left blank - will edit later.

Initial reactions to symbolism/meanings - Making a solid use of one's higher power. Being in control of the situation. Someone who is confident yet guarded.

secret tarot

Symbolism and imagery - A pale man stands in the opening of a cave with a sunset behind him. He has on a dramatic cape. He has blue hair with an unusual red thing coming from the top of his head. Before him is a stone table or coffin. On it is a cup, a pentacle, a sword and in his hand a wand.

Comparisons/contrasts with other decks - In this deck the magician does not have the "normal" postion of one hand up and one hand down. He seems to be up high in a cave since you can only see light - he looks removed from other people. The colors are different and there are no flowers.

Initial reactions to symbolism/meanings - Personal and internal strength. Someone in control mentally, spiritually and phsyically.

LWB- Spirit of initiative, ability, diplomacy, refusal of suggestion.

buckland romani deck

Symbolism and imagery - A female Magician is turning, her purple and blue skirit flares out with little bellsattached at one of the ruffles. She is frmaed perfectly in a circle of flowers - lily, rose, a lush pasture behind her. Next to her is a stump and on it sits a wheel and a cup. In her hands are a sword and a wand. She has a beautil jewelery. A hand band hold back her dark curls with an infinity sign in gold. On her arm is a gold pentacle cuff. A snake wraps around her arm looking like jewelery and has its tail in it's mouth. This is a BEAUTIFUL card - my favorite of the deck!

Comparisons/contrasts with other decks - female not male, this is also more oppulant the RWS is stark in comparison. She is outside too.

Initial reactions to symbolism/meanings - Powerful and in control, wise woman who is internally strong.

Book- Enlightenment, mastery, skill, wisdom, occult knowledge, power, the ability to direct and control others.

Celtic Tarot (Davis & Paterson)

Symbolism & Imagery - A bearded magician with palms raised, holding a wand in his right hand. Behind and above him there is a Star of David within a Zodiac wheel. Within the Star are a crossed wand and sword, under a cup. At the top of the star is the infinity symbol. On the outside of the circle are seahorses and demons, representing positive and negative thoughts. All surrounded by purple Celtic knotwork, and a blue wave pattern in the background.

Comparisons/contrasts - The magicians hands are both at the same level (not pointing up and down). The minor arcana are more symbolic floating behind him, instead of on a table in front of him.

Initial reactions - This image seems more removed/distant than the RWS version. The magician does not appear to be looking at you, but upwards. There is a more spiritual feeling, but less of a "personal" one.

LWB - Integrity, subtle changes, illusions.

Tarot Of The Gnomes

Symbolism & Imagery:
A gnome sits on a little stool sewing up a shoe, there is a book case filled with boots infront of him/her with various tools, looks like a patch of leather, a candle, thread, oil, and pins.. there is a couple of jars shown and he has tools at his/her feet. The expression on the gnomes face is one that looks sad or over worked to me.. sort of a day-dreaming type of expression.

Comparisons & Contrasts:
The artwork on this is a completely different approach to the Magician card, while the tools are all there, this one to me seems over worked and way under paid while in the other decks (compared to the RW usual images) seem to show the magician as well prepared, while this one has all the tools he/she needs, its just a different mood and feeling for me all together.

Initial Reactions:
Hard working, getting the job done, wishing you were somewhere else.. being poor, working hard for little pay.. trying to be the best in your field of work, prepared but actually sewing seeds... seeds of what? depending on the surrounding cards and the questor's question.

LWB: The Cobbler
a gnome who is wise though poor and generous though surly - he taught Sichen the value of will: humility.

Final Thoughts:
I dont do many readings with this deck, I am not sure why, I guess because so many people don't view it as a readible deck, but I am usually able to see common ground in these cards, but this one gives me a completely different view of the magician, I see him working because he has to and its not something he takes pleasure in but something he has always done.. he knows his job well and would be a great teacher but still very lonly.

Tarot of the Hidden Folk

Symbolism and imagery - An odd man sits on the back of a turtle and is crossing a body of water. He looks like he is an uneducated counrty bum! His mouth hangs open while a blank stare is all you see in his eyes. He has a nap sack tied to a wand, a sword around his waist, a frog on his shoulder and a little person balencing on the sword. His nails are sharp like claws, it suggest that this might not be a person at all.

Comparisons/contrasts with other decks - ODD! The man looks so stupid. There is no mountain, no dog or cat - but he is floating on a turtle! The card is mostly browns and eath tones.

Initial reactions to symbolism/meanings - Intially I thought that this was a vison that the fool was having. It just seems like no other fool. Alwost the opposite, since the fool looks like an idiot perhaps we are seeing part of his education.

LWB- 0-Fool- Make-Believe: Reaining between the clouds and earth, we find ourselves in absurb situations.

Robin Wood

Robin Wood Tarot

A Pagan High Priest (with a horned headdress) sits at a table with the tools of his trade before him. A pentagram, a wand, a sword, and a cup. His left hand is below the table, hanging toward the ground, his right holds power. He stares right at the viewer with a sharp but not angry expression. He wears a robe with white roses embrodered on it. It is open at the neck to reveal oak leaves ( are they tattoos or just chest hair?) underneath. Definately a natural man. Behind him are a black and a white candle (reminding me of Boaz and J?? on the pillers behind the RWS High Priestess.

It is similar in that respect to the RWS High Priestess. He is confident but not haughty. Willing to share the secrets as well as use them (the High Priestess usually just HOLDS on to the secrets, although Robin Woods Priestess is in the act of performance.

I have always seen the Magician as the Fool advanced. The Fool carries his equipment in a backpack, a cup, pentagram, and sword, while in some decks the wand is (rather irreverently) the bindlestiff. But the Magician lays it out and uses them.

I feel this says, you have all the tools you need to start working your will on the world. Have at it!

LWB says: "Opportunities to use talents."

Secret/Renaaissance Tarot (Lyle)

Symbolism & Imagery - A man stands in the "magician pose" with one arm raised pointing upward, and the other pointing downward. His left wrist and ankle are winged. A bag hangs from his right wrist, with something spherical in it. To his left and right are a caduceus, and he stands on a plinth with the symbols of the minor arcana. His shirt has a sun on it, and over his head is the infinity sign.

Comparisons/contrasts - This image has a somewhat more posed feeling to it--perhaps because there is no background. The magician could actually be male or female.

Initial reactions - There is more of a feeling of movement in this card, maybe due to the wings. The magician is looking up towards where he is pointing instead of at at you, so again there is less of a personal feeling.

LWB - The union of opposites; control over the visible world.

One the Magician Morgan Greer

He has a serious face and intends to use every resource available to bring about a desired result. He utilises the power of Heaven and Earth along with all the symbolic tools on his Circular Altar. A lemniscate above his head and one as a clasp for his red cloak signifies that this is an ongoing and infinite process that has the feel of having been and continuing to be for all time .This is born out nicely by the circular Altar indicating the cyclical nature of things.
Interestingly this Magician is within a Castle Wall. Is this Master in need of protection? The Rose of Death is present along with a green snake like belt. The Snake also a key to transformation as it sheds its skin,yet what is death if not a transformation?
His Red Veil is the color of passion and energy. yet his underrobes are of pure white. Intriguingly despite the bad press this chap gets when his negative characteristics are to the fore could it be that underneath all his flambouyant behavior ther lies a purity of purpose. This can also be born out by the purity of the white lillies to the left of our man.
He is certainly connecting with his environment on an external level. But did you see his golden headband for psychic perception.
The man in the picture has a very strong intent to manifest that which is desired using all the tools available to him. Would you buy a used car from him though? A truely enigmatic Card.
Love Neville