If there are two themes running through Waite's
Azoth, or, The Star in the East, they are (1) the Soul reaching upward to God and (2) humanity transformed as a result of the Soul's union with God; this is how Waite defines Mysticism. In a sense, the Magician is Waite's ultimate mystic. His right hand is raised toward heaven demonstrating his aspiration for the Light. His left hand is lowered demonstrating his cultivation on earth of those things of God to which he aspires. In the section of the book entitled "The Testimony of Aspiration," Waite describes the ideal male archetype: "He is
Apollo, he is Hermes, the son of Maia; his heroic spirit mingles with the stars. He is the most eloquent of speakers; chains of gold flow from his mouth; he is a sweet-voiced musician." In the PKT Waite describes the Magician as "having the countenance of divine Apollo."
In the section entitled "The Garden of Paradise and of God," there are a few things that can shed some light on exactly what this Magician is up to. The description in the PKT says the
flos campi and
lilium convallium have been changed into "garden" flowers; a seemingly insignificant reference, but maybe not so insignificant in light of what follows from the "Garden of Paradise" section:
"And now we are concerned with the Garden of Paradise and of God, with the Terrestrial Paradise of Humanity. We have to learn again from legend and poetic lore of that fabled period when man came perfect from his Creator’s fashioning hands, and when the Elohim walked with the Adamic nature in the cool of the evening. Did ever this fabled time have a place in fact is a barren enquiry. It at least has a place in the future; we must either work up to it or back to it; the desire of all the world spurs us on to achieve perfection. We may, or not, have possessed it in the past, but at least in the past we have dreamed it, and, God willing, who is indeed willing, we must, we will possess it in the coming time, and all the infinite possibilities which are involved in the divine and luminous meshes of the great futurity must be appropriated and shaped for our achievement."
and
"It is possible for man to re-enter Paradise. If the swords of the Cherubim guard it, it is with those swords that we must pierce the intervening barriers."
There's a reference in Waite's description of the Magician that I've always wondered about: "On the table in front of the Magician are the symbols of the four Tarot suits, signifying the elements of natural life, which lie like counters before the adept, and he adapts them as he wills." Okay, he adapts them, but what exactly is it he wills? The preceding quotes seem to answer that question to a certain extent. He adapts and appropriates them toward his aspiration of Paradise on earth. The roses and lilies he's cultivated also symbolize his desire to bring Paradise to earth.
In the "Garden of Paradise" section Waite also writes, "We preach the contempt of that world wherein Christ has not anything. . ." This is interesting in light of his references to Christ in his description of the Magician.