The Hobbit Tarot - The Magician

The Magician

LWB said:

Gandalf gazes into a crystal sphere, a Palantir, perhaps a metaphor for the intuition and visionary states.

Gandalf is sitting on a rock (Earth), beside a lake (Water), holding his staff in his arms (Fire), at his feet a lunar sickle (Air).

He is deep in thought, perhaps gaining an insight into the future.

His right forefinger points lazily towards the sphere, creating a vortex there, and thus influencing events far away, in the real world of action.

Energy follows thought!

Behind him a glorious full moon arises, representing completion.

We notice that he is standing in a stone circle, formed by ancient dolmen like erections.

Has this druid returned to a stone circle of his ancestors, perhaps to most effectively cast the spell he has in mind?


Divinatory meaning:

Put your message across to a wider audience
Concentrate on an objective to achieve your potential

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My first impression of this card reminds me a lot of the High Priestess card or The Moon card, hey both. When looking at this card I do not see it as The Magician. So for me I would intuitively read it as The High Priestess.

Gandalf sits on a rock scrying into a crystal ball divining of what the future may hold, he is tapping into his intuition. Gaining Knowledge and information about the adventure he is about to take on. He is in deep meditation, pointing to the vision he sees in the crystal ball. His staff rest up against his right shoulder in the crook of his arm. He rests his chin on his left hand as he contemplates these visions he sees. There is a full moon peering through the mist/fog, casting an illusion, behind Gandalf. On either side of him are two large rocks, these rise up like two pillars along with two trees, that also reach up into the sky like pillars. The moon reflection can be seen in the pond in from of him. To his right is a gold crescent moon, close to his right foot. To the right of the crescent moon is a mushroom, which when needed he will use to enhance his visions, he is wise not to eat the whole mushroom for it will give him delusions and hallucinations.

Divinatory meanings:

Intuition, Wisdom, Intention, Oneness, Illusions, Choice, Skills,
Sensitivity to unseen powers
An ancient mystery comes into the light
By combining worldly wisdom with messages of your inner voice
Using your mind and thoughts to change the course of events
Intuitive magic provides you with the power and energy for changing your life

Some text I disagreed with in the LWB regarding Gandalf:

"We notice that he is standing in a stone circle, formed by ancient dolmen like erections.

Has this druid returned to a stone circle of his ancestors, perhaps to most effectively cast the spell he has in mind?"

Nowhere in the book does it mention that Gandalf has returned to a stone circle of his ancestors. Nor is Gandalf a Druid. Gandalf is an Istari, who are man-like Maiar spirits. They are immortal. They are commonly referred to as wizards.

I would have preferred, if the stones could not depict an actual place in Middle Earth, that they depict a generic spot along the path in their journey. Either would have been preferable to introducing the idea that Gandalf is a Druid returning to his ancestral home, since his ancestral home was Valinor (The Undying Lands), where he was Olorin until he was sent to aid the folk of Middle Earth.

When I look at this card, I think of Gandalf traveling along the journey with Thorin and Company, perhaps at the time when he was briefly separated from them during the troll incident. I think of him as either "looking forward" or "looking back," as Gandalf himself describes in the book, as he gazes into the Palantir. Not as "in time" but as in the road and his companions. Gandalf looks into the Palomir and sees his friends are in need of him, dealing with three trolls, and he returns to help them, using magic in the process.

Gandalf's type of magic practiced is interesting as well, for while he is a mighty magician, he only uses his powerful spells a few times. With the trolls, he tricked them with his voice. Gandalf has all sorts of magic available to him and is a resourceful magician, whether it be small spells or powerful ones.

I like the elements around him in the card: the lake for water, his staff for fire, the rocks for earth, the moon sickle for air. And the full moon behind him for completion.