Shadowscapes Study: Magician

Wow! I was reading through everyones posts and then kept going abck to the website for the details I "hadn't" noticed, like the halo above his head, the snakes entwined (I will admit I though they were vines) and the significance of the colors.

I though this magician is very "cool" as in he has his own distinct personality and he is very confident in his abilities. The horn and the black feathers give him an edge. He has a task at hand which he is concentrating on ...it will surely work out.

Sagefire said:

This magician is much more modest. The look on his face appears more responsible than most, and as was mentioned above, it takes a lot of concentration and effort to maintain a pose like that. He clearly understands his power is serious business, and wields it carefully and wisely.

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Not only do I think that this magician is more modest, he also seems isolated and alone. Not only the fact that he is alone in the card, but it just seems like a scene of isolated meditation, and inner contemplation. In this meditative state, he seems to be practicing some sort of magic or alchemy, creating something out of nothing. The tokens of the suits and elements hanging from his wings seem not only to be the weight of the elements, but also tokens of his mastery.

This magician seems to have much more power in many ways than other magicians, perhaps due to his modest, isolated nature. He is a teacher, but one you have to actively look for, rather than one who flaunts his skills and entices you to learn from them.

In some ways, the message of this magician is to look in to yourself to find the skills you already have, and realize the immense power of those skills; you just have to look closer and use your surroundings.

The magician's painted face, headdress with horns, and wings all evoke a shamanic or tribal magical tradition. The four elements, represented by natural objects dangling from the wings, are the ingredients of magical work. Magic requires patience and discipline, as shown in the magician's precise, balanced pose.

Magical work involves reconciling contradictions, finding the in-between point of two opposite forces, for example:

- earth and sky (the infinity sign calls attention to the sky)
- black and white (opposing colors found in the horns, in the wings, and in the two birds)
- male (the phallic rock) and female (the nature spirits embracing the rock)

I think I remember seeing black/white and male/female elements in other decks' Magician cards.

I see the entwined vine(s), forming a double helix around the green orb on the rock, as another expression of the interplay of dual forces. But there's a catch, perhaps a meaningful one, in that the two strands are really only one strand, twining around itself in an infinite loop.

My first thought about the sun emblem on the magician's shoulder is that the shoulder represents responsibility. With (magical) power comes the responsibility to use it wisely.

I was wondering about the way this magician is holding his hands. I would expect the green globe to between his palms, but he is holding the palm of his right, lower, hand down and the palm of the other hand is up. Thus he reminds me of the traditional magicians, who summon energy from above and let the energy pass through their other hand to the earth. You don't see the energy he is receiving and sending, only the product of the energy as a green globe.

An other thing: the 'male' emblems on his wing (wands and swords) both hang lower than the 'female' emblems (cups and pentacles). This might mean they are simply heavier (or they have longer cords), but it could also imply that there is balance: the air and spirit symbols are more in touch with earth and the earth and water symbols are closer to the sky.

Kloeyy said:

The first thing i saw when i looked at this card was the Sylphs or female figures entwined with one another arching up to the top of the stone that the magician is perched on.

~Kloeyy

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When we look at them closely, we can notice some of them have got a round belly like they were pregnant.

A symbol of pregnancy in this card is interesting because it shows the time needed for each thing, idea, thought and creature, to grow up and get some maturity before blooming.

Thought I would whip out the card again so long after my initial post to see if there were any new revelations. I'm surprised to notice that no one has yet mentioned the change to his lilies and roses...that instead of the traditional red, he has orange. Which according to (a quick look at a few sites) the language of flowers means desire and fascination over love and respect. To me that is much more invigorating a symbol, compared to the purity and honor of the white lily, which is still present. He's a more down to earth, realistic magician. One less likely to be married?? Lol, like a JEDI!!!

Sagefire said:

Thought I would whip out the card again so long after my initial post to see if there were any new revelations. I'm surprised to notice that no one has yet mentioned the change to his lilies and roses...that instead of the traditional red, he has orange.

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What do you mean by traditional red ? If i compare this magician to the RWS one, the roses are orange as well. I guess it depends what edition of the RWS we've got.

There is a red rose remaining. At least, half part of one.

Marlo said:

What do you mean by traditional red?

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Suppose it does vary from deck to deck (or person to person), but in this instance I was indeed talking about the RWS Magician. The "traditional" I was thinking of was this guy...Magician Red roses to match his red tunic cape thing.

Most RWS decks have red roses. It is a lovely change. The orange works better for the magician imo. I think all the artist choices are just brilliant with this card. I especially like the retention of the ouroboros belt (which is reaffirmed in the loop around the orb on the rock).

In most derivatives of the rws magician, there is a grounding aspect, such as the traditional wand raised in one hand and one hand pointing to the ground. I think its interesting that he lost his wand in this image but still conveys grounding with his mere stance. Even though he has wings, he is shown perched on the rock, low and grounded.

The comparison of the magician with the devil card is truly insightful. Perhaps they are mirrored to show their common relationship with cyclical patterns: the magician in a positive and creative cycle like the ouroboros and the devil in a more negative destructive cycle like an addiction or bad relationship. Great cards to compare.