78 Weeks: Bateleur / Magician

[zan_chan]

Haindl-- The Magician

The Haindl Magician is a very dark card. At first glance, it seems very possible to miss the image of the Magician himself altogether. He blends into all the other things going on in the card, making it clear that the card's other elements, while distinct, are all part of what makes up the Magician as a whole.

Unlike the RWS or TdM Magicians who have their "tools" (the wand, cup, sword, and stone) on a table in front of them, the Haindl's Magician card bring the tools to the forefront of the image. Rather than the Magician himself, the tools are the first thing to catch the eye when looking at the card. To be more exact, the tools are found at the bottom-center axis of the card; they seem to act as an anchor to the card, giving weight and substance to a man who otherwise lives in his head and tends to find himself "floating" above the physical world.

One obvious theme of the card is that of duality. Night vs. day (sun and moon), male vs. female (cup and wand, stone and sword), hot vs. cold (crystals and desert), etc. This seems to represent the balancing act that the Magician is constantly forced to endure. To the lower right of the magician we see striped pattern-- the same striped patter, in fact, as found on the 2 of Stones, "harmony", a further allusion to this sense of balance the Magician must endure, and one sign of his connection to the natural world.

To the lower left of the Magician we see a large, brown, mostly indistinguishable mass. This again is representative of the Magician's connections to the natural world, possibly as a source of his power, and also as a reminder that the Earth itself is both as mysterious and power-wielding as he is.

One of the most obviously strange things about this card is that the Magician has a large, brown face extending from his forehead to the top of the card. However, if you step away from the card and look again, you realize that the "brown face" is actually the bottom of a tree trunk, extending upwards off the card. As a tree, this is showing us once again the extreme connection the Magician has to the natural world; he and it are literally one and the same. Not only does the tree extend out of him, it extends out of his head; we'll see, in fact, the most of the symbolism on the upper half of the card concerns the mind of the Magician.

To the left of the magician we see a cluster of white crystals. These seem to grow fourth from the head, or mind, of the Magician, and seem representative of his positive thoughts. As noted, the Magician is duality, constantly fighting with himself to stay on the "correct" path. To borrow a pop-culture reference, the plight of the Magician does not seem dissimilar to that of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, or so many other stories of a hero with an incredible power who must fight the urge to do evil. These white crystals coming from the Magicians head are the good inside of him; the thoughts that allow him to function as a positive force. This idea is also reinforced by the fact that the area to the left of the tree trunk is the sun and the light.

As stated, growing out of the top of the magicians head and looking to the right is a large brown face. This face has terribly sad looking eyes, as if prematurely ashamed of something it knows it is powerless to resist doing; the right representing the future. It also gives off a sense of worry, afraid of what people (the multiple eyes just to the right of the brown face) might think of him after committing such a loathsome act. This can also be taken from the fact that the right side of the card pictures the moon and the darkness.

Lucky for him, however, that those eyes, the watching public, are there. These eyes, the same shape and holding the same gaze as the big yellow eye on the back of the Haindl cards, keep the Magician from losing control. The immediate connection I made was to Michel Foucault's "Discipline and Punish" and the idea of the "panopticon"; modern society stays under control because we watch one another. The "all seeing eye" on the back of the cards, and those that watch the Magician are keeping him, disallowing him even, from using his power in unacceptable ways. This idea, the "panopticon" seems to doing its job very well in the case of the Haindl Magician, as the sun appears to be rising and the moon appears to be setting. Also, the tree growing out of the Magician's dual faces is growing straight and tall, symbolizing growth and a positive relationship to the environment and the world at large.

Comparing Haindl's Magician to those of Waite and Crowley we find many marked differences, yet many similarities:

The Haindl Magician is at a far different stage of life and being than the Waite/Smith or Crowley/Harris Magician/Magus. Where Smith and Harris painted their Magicians to be young, good looking, and seemingly full of a magnetic vibrancy, the Haindl Magician is old, haggard, and unassuming. The Smith/Harris Magicians seem very happy and as yet untempted by the darker side of life. The Haindl Magician is a man who has spent his life in struggle.

One similar motif, however, is the flowing of energies. The Smith Magician famously has one hand up and one hand down, and the Harris Magus similarly has lines of energy moving in equally flowing directions. So to does the Haindl Magician, if not a bit less obviously. Looking again at his tools at the bottom of the card, we can see that the wand, its tip ablaze, points upwards, while the sword is downcast.

~~~More to come....rune meaning, hebrew association, emotional aspects, readings...~~~~

 

[SherryZoned]

Deviant Moon Tarot

I posted this on my blog also. I will be posting here also and it may take me time to read everyone's stuff because I am slow.

The Magician looks a tad contemplative. He has all the tools, and their is shadows behind him. Waiting? Waiting for him to something! Not only does he have all the tools, he has four arms. Seems like a lot of pressure on him. Or maybe he is testing how the tools he has to work with are.

In the chalice there is some liquid that is red. Is it blood? Should he be doing something vampy with his tools? Or is he a Dexter in disguise?
Juice? What kind? Cranberry for urinary tract infections? Raspberry for female issues? Passion fruit?
What about wine? Is there a party? Does he like to drink solo? Something religious?

What about the pentacle in his hand. Is it really a coin? An artifact or some alien homing device?

How about his wand. Is that really a wand or just a stick he picked up off the ground. Is it a gnome walking stick? A wand like Harry Potter, did he just come from Diagon Alley? Or a wood stake to kill the vampires with that left the blood in the chalice?

Same with the sword! The list could go on and on about all the possibilities.

Isn't that what the magician means though? Possibilities, depending on the question or statement made to find insight? Isn't the magician just the man with the tools with no plan? Or is he the man who is prepared and has the abilities to go forth and do as he wants?

Why are the aliens, people watching? Or are they? Are the people really outside?
The table is very small and only holds the chalice, but it looks like a jack in the box. Is this a box in disguise as a table or really is it just a table and nothing more?

I believe the magician is what we all are. We have the tools we need. Or we have a way to get them. There are possibilities all around us. The question always is the same. Do we use the tools and go forth or do we wait. I think many of us wait, or at the very least do not use what we have to our fullest potential when quite clearly we can and should! The magician is just the first stepping stone in a journey that we all embark on. When the magician pops up. Know that you have what you need. You may not be sure how to use the tools but that does not mean you do not have them. I bet if you believe you have the tools. A possibility will come along to see what you can do.

These are just my thoughts. I have not read anything else about magicians beyond the normal books. I have not delved into the thread on AT about the whole Magician 78 week study. I wanted to state what I thought first so my first impressions were not tainted.

 

[Faolainn Storm]

Tarot of the Sidhe

The ToS Magician emphasises the elemental mastery of the Magician. Where the RWS Magician shows his mastery over the elements by their symbolic presence on his table, the ToS Magician IS the elements. His hair is tree branches (earth), he has both wings (air) and a “mermaid” tail (water) and produces flames from both hands. This elemental aspect is reinforced by the background – he appears flying in the air over a stream leading to the ocean (water), between two hills (earth), while a setting sun (fire) hangs in the sky (air) behind him. This mastery feels to me, less a mastery OVER the elements, because he IS the elements. He does not control them externally, through their symbols, but internally, by embodying them.

The ToS has a recurring symbol throughout the cards – a spiral that represents the connection between this world and the Otherworld. In the Magician the symbol appears on his throat – over the throat chakra. This highlights the communicative aspect of the Magician – a card that has been associated with the showman, the raconteur, or even the con-man. Here the symbol reinforces the charismatic nature of the Magician’s speech. He can persuade, entice, confuse, charm, fascinate, enthral and daze, all with his words. As the old saying goes “He could sell ice to the Eskimos”. He is not afraid of being called a trickster, or a fraud, however this Magician always tells the truth. But in his hands the truth is infinitely flexible. He cannot lie, but does not have to tell the whole truth, or even most of the truth. Honesty and truthfulness are two different things.

The tail of the Magician forms the traditional Lemniscate symbol. The lemniscate represents infinity, power, the creation/destruction/re-creation flow of energy, all of which apply to the Magician. He represents the masculine creative force, the power of the mind, and logic. The lemniscate shows us this side of the Magician – his creative side, and the power of his mind (the lemniscate is a mathematical symbol – mathematics being a logic based, mind activity that also links with the symbolism of the Magician). Under the GD system of correspondences the Magician is associated with Mercury – planet of communications and the mind. This particular Magician has the mind and communications link, but to me he is also more physical than most Magicians, because of this embodiment of the elements.

Unlike the RWS magician he doesn’t have his hand in the “as above, so below” pose (that of drawing the energy down from the Universe and projecting it into the Earth). He doesn’t just draw the power down, he IS the power. It doesn’t come from without, but from within. Again this reinforces the idea of the Magician as a creative force. He has the power within himself to create, to bring forth what he envisions, to give his thoughts form, bring them into the world. The world is made up of the same four elements, that make up the Magician, and this strengthens this creative impulse (he uses the elements to give form to his thoughts).

FS

 

[canid]

New Vision, Pagan, Paulina

The Magician

I posted this in my new blog also. I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew, especially since I got the Whimsical tarot yesterday (a freebie!!) & I want to spend time with it too. I'll do the best I can!

http://canid-tarottips.blogspot.com/

12-7-09 - New Vision

Back to me, he faces a crowd which faces forward, right arm with scepter held high, seeming to be invoking a higher power as the crowd stands rapt. A monkey, however, is aware of me; he’s trying to get the Magician’s attention by tugging on the back of the Magician’s robe. A table is in front of the Magician-it holds a disc with a pentagram carved on its top, & a chalice. On the ground beside the Magician lie a sword & a wooden staff. What is this 5th element he holds high? His left forefinger is pointing to the ground, traditionally, as the lemniscate hovers over his head. The monkey is wearing a brown matching vest & hat. The hat looks like it has vines decorating it. He seems more intent today to get the Magician’s attention, to alert him that I’m watching. Shadows are rare on tarot cards, but this one has a few, with the sun in the right side of the sky although it’s not visible: The sky is a clear bright yellow. Roses or red poppies grow in a manicured fashion directly in front of the Magician-they form a border on the top & sides of the card, creating an illusion of comfortable protection. A single white lily bends its head under the table. Why do the sword & staff seem discarded, strewn onto the ground on either side of the Magician? Eight people make up the audience, young & old, dressed somberly in drab Quaker-like garments. Their expressions are serious. The Magician is wearing a white tunic with a long red robe draped over it-the folds in the tunic from behind resemble a Wife Beater shirt. The unknown implement held aloft in his right hand is pointed on both ends & could be a crystal wand. Floating a few inches above his head is a lemniscates. His hair is brown & shines with health-a flesh-colored circlet around it. Why is the monkey hidden from the crowd? Is the Magician deciding when & if to use trick magic?

12-7-09-Pagan

A white robed woman half kneels, half lies in supplication. Her right hand rests on an upright open book, keeping its place, while her left hand rises, palm open, in front of her closed eyes. A dagger is sunk halfway into the earth at her left ankle; a square slab with an encircled pentagram leans on the book by her left knee. A silver (or transparent?) fat chalice sits behind her. The sky is dark & starless; a full moon casts its light on the mountainous background & the gnarled leafless trees. The scene is barren of any green, perhaps it’s her task at present to bring forth life. Among the tangled tree rots, there are what looks like many faces peering out, watching the Magician’s ministrations. The bare trees themselves resemble figures to me. It feels cold; I can hear the scratching of the limbs, creaking, as they bend closer in anticipation. Of what? The Magician herself is intent with concentration, body leaning forward with purpose & will. Her hood is ready to fall back off her head, but she wouldn’t notice it. The small clearing where she is with her tools is lit by the moon. I’ve just noticed the wand, it seems embedded in the ground also, but leaning behind or on the chalice, its top glowing. It’s wound about with cord. The ground is cracked where the sword penetrates-this place is full of power. The pentagram is chipped & worn-looks well-used. So not only power but skill & practice is in the air. A large gnarl on the left tree’s root looks like a shrouded human form, alert & watching the proceedings. The air is alternately warm & cool.

12-7-09-Paulina

An owl perches on her (his?) elaborate headdress, the lemniscate is above the owl’s head instead of the Magician’s. Dressed in a crimson robe, the collar ruffle reminds me of Victorian royalty’s traditional ruff. In her right hand is a scepter with a lighted yellow globe on the end, held upright, while her left forefinger points gracefully yet authoritatively downward. The ubiquitous snail is not only on the ground, but adorns her ears, like Princess Leia’s headdress. Four fairies at her feet seem busy, helping her accomplish her goals. One holds a wand, one a sword, one a chalice & one balances a pentacled globe atop her left forefinger. It’s so busy-busy with eye candy. A dove flying down toward the four fairies carries a message in its beak, which contains four lines of script-what could it say? (A magnifying glass didn’t help.) Creatures are hidden within the Magician’s cloak; their faces peer out of the gap at the front. Another bird carries a gift in its mouth that looks like a sprig of some sort with berries. Elf faces look anxiously on, ears pointed with leafy caps. Flowers & swirls abound, seeming more pronounced around the Magician’s figure, nature abounds in profusion. A tree springs from the ground & vines up the left side of her cloak. A feeling of magic, that anything can happen, is in the atmosphere.

These cards reinforce what the Magician means to me; after the void of the Fool, the Creator’s thought taking shape, to create whatsoever is desired, & the ability to do so. He provides a conduit for that still, small voice within.

The High Priestess

New Vision – 12-14-09

A feeling of calm waiting dominates this scene. The High Priestess sits on a square block of stone, her back to me, staring out over the mildly churning sea, toward the quarter moon & starless sky. Is it dusk or dawn? Everything is slightly tinged with moonlight-two figures pray, hands together, standing behind the High Priestess & the two pillars beside her. One black, one white. Yin, Yang. Both are equally important. The habits the ‘nuns’ wear contrast with the pillar beside each-what are the customary colors of postulant & nun? A windsock hangs limply from the black column, gracefully draped behind the High Priestess onto the ground, where a ripe & partially split pomegranate boasts an owl atop it. The pomegranate motif is duplicated in the windsock’s pattern; both owl & fruit signifying knowledge. The bold shadows on the ground are sharply defined by the moon’s light, which shines from between the High Priestess & pillars. Serenity wars with expectancy. It must be uncomfortable sitting on that hard stone for so long, but I don’t think she feels it; she’s shut off from the physical, like in a sensory deprivation chamber, only it’s in her mind & self-imposed. She is, however, ready to ‘snap to’ in a moment. She IS that still, small voice within.

Pagan – 12-14-09

Gently rolling hills with trees surrounding suggest seclusion for these seven robed figures, all in dark, drab colors but one, who stands before them in white, reading from a golden book.

 

[janee]

Victorian Romantic - The Magician

The Magician, Victorian Romantic

This card is full of contrast, the first thing that strikes is the old wise man seated comfortably in his chair, relaxed, staring at a pot of what appears to be gold hanging from the ceiling, There is so much gold that it emits a vast glow of light which sits between this old man and a standing skeleton. The old man has one hand resting on a really large book and there is a pentacle sign on the floor. He has what appears to be a cane sphere which his hand hovers over, reminds me of the world. The tablecloth has a cross embedded on it, at least it looks like a cross but kinda reminds me of the devil flowing down on black lava, the top of the cloth is green and the sides are black. Behind him he has a wooden ornamental stand and on top there appears to be skeletons of animals. There is an archway next to the skeleton and what appears to be some orbs of light, I think this represents his door is always open. His house is made of stone, very earthy and cold yet there is a warm feel also. So what do I get from this card, knowledge, a spritual context, also like a black magic type feeling so a bit of everything. Immediately I saw this man I was reminded of the Hermit and his quest for knowledge, then when I saw the skeleton and the light shining and touching both it and the old man I saw a spiritual connection so it appears he has the knowledge of both. In comparison to the size of the card he is a small figure really and the skeleton seems to be looking at him, waiting perhaps for a command as he will do his will. His depth is unique, I feel you could go to this man with a problem and he would have the answer in this little room. but I also feel warning here to be careful what you ask of this man as there will be a price to be paid, not all is what it seems.

 

[emmsma]

Le Bateleur/ The Magician - TdM

My week's study complete, this is where I'm at.

When I look upon Le Bateleur I see one who has set himself apart from societal norms. He is a traveler - one without roots. He is skilled, but will his skills be used for good or ill?

He, on the one hand, demonstrates abilities put to use to achieve ones goals; freedom from constraint by society (he is his own man) and a preparedness for growth, change, and transformation. Limitless possibility.

On the other is a selfishness of purpose, using deceit and trickery to gain one's most base desires, a subversive, outcast personality.

I fear a week's time is not enough to explore a card, but I feel I know him better than when I started and look forward to the coming week with La Papesse.

 

[Onyx]

The Magician, The Magus, Le Bateleur

My goal in studying a card a week for the duration of the Tarot deck is to connect better with my own understanding of the cards. I want to find my weaknesses and build a better foundation of knowledge. The Magician is just the card to start with as it stresses the fact that the task is one that blends the spiritual, emotional, and physical all together.

Quote of the week:

“I The Magician – It represents the union and balance of the elemental powers controlled by mind. The Adept dedicating the minor implements on the Altar. The path of Beth and Mercury link Kether (The Crown) with Binah, the Aimah Elohim. The Magician, therefore, is reflected in intellect which stores and gathers up knowledge and pours it into the House of Life, Binah. The number of the Path 12, suggests the synthesis of the Zodiac, as Mercury, is the syntheses of the Planet.” G.H. Soror Q.L.

He is the Golden Dawn’s Magus of Power

Hermes, Mercury – The Messenger but also the liar and lord of illusion.

So much to think about and write and I am only beginning to see how much I need to learn. The Thoth and the Golden Dawn ideas are rich and full. The Crowley system seems to show a lot of that while the RWS seems to allow it to simmer hidden in the background. My journey into this study is one where I have come face to face with the hard truth about much of Tarot I would simply choose to ignore. The fact remains that for as much as I would consider it morally neutral it isn’t and to study it apart from the magical practice that gave is so much of its meaning seems to be an empty gesture. The Magician either controls the elements or he only creates illusion and lies. This is a good question to consider on this card and this first week of the study. I am sure that the Golden Dawn did shape my view of the cards and I must either study it and how it took in so much or literally throw it all out and look for some other system. Traction indeed. A whole world defining system in a set of these cards.

I want to combine my thoughts and study of the Tarot by focusing on two important decks in my collection, the Liber T and the Universal Waite. Finding a way to build my own knowledge has lead me to consider which books will be guides on this journey. The Liber T, (as found Israel Regardie’s book The Golden Dawn, a pdf of the Book of Thoth, and 78 Degrees of Wisdom are going to be cornerstones of this study. I will be looking at others such as Lon Milo Duquette’s book “Understanding Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot”, books on Kabbalah and when the time comes Mary Greers books on Reversals and Courts when I reach the minors. As the Magician has assembled his instruments before him I have been gathering mine for the study this week.

Card Images:

The Thoth Magus: My least favorite – The image of the Magus is unclear and there is a sense to me that he is more golden idol than active and alive person. The line work and the geometry rock but I have to confront my weakness in color recognition and theory when I look at the Thoth as a whole.

Liber T: This card I love as it is warm and inviting and has a strong display of the symbols and the colors. Similar to the Thoth in many ways it is a bit washed out and loses some of the line work. I like this card as a welcome and a danger of what can be and the Hermes image of the card.

Universal Waite: Classic Waite-Smith image. Thsi card is iconic in this deck as it shows the scene of action but not of the power. The infinity sign over his head hints at his power and position but he seems to be all ritual and no result.

Le Beteleur: “He who holds the wand” (honestly no idea where I read it but I have connected it with this particular image ever since. I like this as the Juggler and street performer. He holds the suit element but here they are far more practical and not as ceremonial. He is the one who makes it happen in everyday life.

Off the beaten track, the Transparent Tarot. Something in my intuition tells me that if this study is to be successful and seen through to the end I will need to have some play time. I will be looking at those for decks every week but one deck will be just random and playful. This week and maybe for weeks to come it will be the Transparent.

I – Two dragons, a red one and a white one, mirror images that circle and intertwine. They are the classic blending of the red and white coloring and show the symmetry and grace of power under control and in action.

Card Meanings:

Esoteric Title: The Magus of Power
Dates and Times: 88 days (the orbit of the planet Mercury)
Intelligence: Transparent Intelligence
Esoteric Function: Life and Death
Qabalistic Path: 12: Kether to Binah
Translation of Path: The Crown of Understanding

Initial Impression: There is a sense of wonder and ability in the card. This card is a deck can shape how I see the whole deck.

Mental: Holding all things together, the ability to be at peace, knowing how to apply oneself to a goal, to obtain success and master in a chosen task

Spirt: Focus comes from a driving Mind/Body/Spirt. The Magician is master of the self. Knowing how to think clearly and use the tools to reach the essence of an issue.

Emotional: Can be deceptive but reserved as well, in touch with the elements as they flow through him, ground him, inspire him, and aid him.

Physical: Fit, natural, there is a granola sense about the Magus. A creature of study and discipline, he is an experiential, practical person. He can use his assets, he can use his body as a tool. He has control and manifests with this body. He is an athlete, juggler, a person who knows how to control their body to do what they want through practice and hard work.

Business: A mover-n-shaker, the top salesman with boundless energy, gets the job done, impresses the client and has fun doing it, he has skill and potential.

Relationship: a bit of a loner, a powerful force in a relationship, a partner with the need to be active, aware, and in good communication but don’t over do it. They may be overly playful and prone to jokes.

Allan.

 

[kmartin60]

"The Gothic Tarot" by Joseph Vargo

Thai "magician" card shows a powerful Mage standing in front of a stone opening with 2 elements in use. The first seems to be a lightening strike to his upturned hand then the 2nd is the fire his other hand is holding over a ouroborous. My first impression is power. Plenty to call upon and the ability to use it. I also see several other areas represented!

1stly the stone opening...it is in the UR rune meaning--Masculine potency, resolute action, a leader, audaciousness, physical strength...just a few that is described....

Numerolgy wise---
First--the opening...first thing you notice..
2nd--the 2 elements...
3rd--the three skulls holding up the altar...
4th--the 4 cloaked followers, plus their recepticals they are holding...
the pent, staff, sword, and goblet.....
5--the 5 steps up to where the magician is....
and Im sure if one spent enough time one could find even more.

The books meaning shows a great harnessing of power, strong will, link to spirit world, a wealth of creativity and knowledge, and much self confidence.
Which fits right in with the runic meaning.....for some reason it reminds me of druidic type of witchcraft......now on to the Papess.....

 

[UnlikelyPlaces]

1 Magician - Diary of a Broken Soul

[Explanatory note first: I'm terribly inexperienced with tarot, but this deck called to me in a way I'm not going to try to explain. My deepest apologies to the artist, for the ways I am likely to misunderstand her work - sacredashes, just turn away, if my struggle frustrates you...it's no weakness in your work, just my own.

As part of the 78 Weeks of study, I'll be posting in the relevant threads for my own accountability (and motivation!), even though there's no organized study happening right now.]

Diary cards can be viewed at http://diary.tarotsmith.net/
Magician: http://diary.tarotsmith.net/cards/01magician.html
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As I contemplated the Magician this week, I think I came to a better insight for the deck as a whole. This 'shadow deck' should not be misunderstood as looking for the weakness or negative side of the traditional tarot. The Diary is not the ‘shadow side’ of the elements – it’s about times that life is hard. Just that – same people, same problems, same strengths and weaknesses. Tough times, though, and a focus on surviving through them.

Brief description
A single male figure – naked and human above the waist, but with furry, animal legs and curved horns – kneels on a rocky ground marked with a pentacle. The Magician bears a lemniscate (infinity symbol) tattooed on each upper arm. One tattoo has been marred with shallow cuts, and he currently wields a sword slicing that forearm. A cup filled with blood stands below the sword, a nearly burned out candle beside it. An unshaped aura surrounds the figure, and a starry sky fills the background.

From the artist’s website
Ah, our mythical beast here is focused on making something from nothing. Harnessing the power of mind, body, and spirit he has mastered the properties of the tools he has at his disposal – the cup, wand, sword and pentacle. Intense is his focus and belief, yet I wonder if he has become trapped within the circle, bound by his own desire and want. I really do doubt if he would be able to break free from the circle he has created but it does raise the question – has his desire imprisoned him, or has he become master of his desire? How long will he be there, trying again and again to create and manifest what he has his heart set on? Does this show commitment or does it perhaps portray a sense of futility? Are we led to believe what he is offering is not quite enough? If so, what else does he have to give? How pure are his intentions? Maybe if harnessed with the greatest good in mind he will find it will be forthcoming sooner than he thinks…..

Key words
Talent, skill, creativity, consciousness, willpower (Ricklef)
Miracles, magic, Spirit powered (personal)
Merlin, action, consciousness, power, manifestation (78 Degrees)

Quotes (via James Ricklef)
“What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.” — Aristotle
“In everything natural there is something marvelous.” — Aristotle
“He that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.” — Confucius
“Maybe science is just magic with delusions of lack of grandeur.” — Peter David
“Our duty, as men and women, is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation.” — Pierre Teilhard De Chardin
“Miracles arise from a miraculous state of mind, or a state of miracle-readiness.”
And what is it to work with love? … It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit.

First impressions
Power, concentration – danger. Is he cutting himself to use the blood in a ritual? Strength. He sacrifices for a purpose. From a distance, the aura surrounding him stands out – visualized power? He is calm – no fear, but perhaps no hope? Although he looks little like the RWS magician, I have no doubts as to who he is.

Symbols
Earth (pentacle) – instead of the living flowers in RWS, the Earth of Jahanam is only symbolized by the pentacle. Water is symbolized in the traditional cup, but this cup is filled with the Magician's blood. Fire took me a while [blushes], but that white object beside the cup is a candle - almost out of wax, but still burning brightly. Air is symbolized by the sword, which slices viciously into his arm.

This Magician is quite active, compared to the character in many decks. He’s not symbolizing power and action – he’s doing it. And that vicious sword – makes me cringe every time I look at it – isn’t just the symbol of air, but an actual deadly blade. Thoughts can wound…

Quoting Rcb30872 from higher in the thread: "On the table he is standing near, or I guess it is more of an alter, there is a Sword, Cup, Pentacles and Wand, indicating that he has the necessary tools for whatever he is thinking of doing."

This made me pause. Although the Jahanamian has the necessary tools, they are not ideal: there is no water for the cup, so he uses blood; the sword is a deadly implement, ill-fitted for the current task; the candle gutters and will burn out shortly; even the earth he kneels on is barren and hard – symbolized more than real. These tools will work, but the effort is palpable – no easy mastery in this Magician.

Thoughts on Meaning
In my early reflections, I was pretty harsh in my reading of the Magician. I thought he looked trapped, or on a dead-end path. I journaled: “He is looking solely to himself for a miracle – repeated cuts on his arm suggest he has not been successful so far. His closed eyes support my thought that he is looking inward for the power – perhaps that is his weakness. If miracles happen, they can only be a gift from God, never forced. He needs to stop relying on his own power and open himself to a higher one.” Even the idea of creation seemed negative: “He has damaged the infinity symbols he bears, which are sometimes a sign of the Spirit. Is he giving up on the right goal in favor of just getting something to happen?”

Maybe a little closer to the mark: “Pollack discusses the RWS Magician in terms of the energy that literally fills him, making him feel energized and excited. That energy is designed to be used: ‘We function best as a channel for energy.’ The artist or priest isn’t overwhelmed by the excess because they are using it, directing it, transforming it into the concrete. The Jahanamian Magician is filled with energy, but does he know how to direct it? Does he have a meaning in mind to create, or has he gotten so focused on feeling something that he’s forgotten the ultimate purpose of the gift? This Magician seems trapped, holding the power, unable to release it or even fully experience it. He has long been trapped in a barren world and no longer recognizes the beauty of the Spirit’s gift of power.

Now I think I was too hard on him. I think, in this time and place, he can only begin here, in pain. Sometimes, the only way out is through…. He’s reacting to his real situation – the Diary is for tough times, and what works in the sunshine is different from what works in the shadow.

---
A few responses triggered by some posts above (I didn’t manage to study the whole thread, but I did skim through some of it partway through the week).

CreativeFire: “Thinking of the Fool here and that this [the Magician card] can be sometimes thought of his first stop on his journey - how could he possibly know what is wanted or needed so early on in his journey or is it just showing him that there are all these different options and that you can have the active power to manifest these into what is required for that particular cycle. … [In a recent reading] he seemed to be indicating that she has the power and the creativity and the will to direct her energies but made me think she needs to be careful to what she applies this drive and energy.” That final sentence resonates with me – that the Magician’s power can be dangerous if misapplied. Set the wrong goals and you’ll never have the right outcome.

TemperanceAngel: “Focus on your goal, want you want to make or manifest, positive thinking is something else I associate with the Magician, because surely you want to manifest positive things, don't you??” Perhaps the Jahanamian Magician struggles to manifest positive energy? But I think that God takes what we can offer, in the spirit intended. No points off for being in honest pain.

Tmgrl2: “However, if we open our hearts (cups) and **souls (wands)** and minds (swords)and believe that all we need is held there on the Magician’s table, we can give form and function (coins/pentacles) to the idea channeled through the Bateleur from the Unmoved Mover.” But the Jahanamian’s wand (candle) is almost gone…he doesn’t give up, but I’m afraid for him – this attempt **has** to work, or he might be done for.

Pipestrelle: [paraphrase] The number one relates to *identity* – the Magician is the choice of who you will be – and the answer can change… “Who do you want to be?” And Aja relates him to Morpheus in “The Matrix” – he offers a choice between truth and illusion, knowledge and refusal. The rabbit hole is deep, but at least the Guide will be along for the journey. These two comments give me another way of looking at this card – the Magician as my own guide. The cup – filled with blood – is the mechanism of the change. He is *inviting me* to join him. His pain could be my gateway. That’s a strange thought, but if we are unable to learn from another’s pain, how can we claim to relate to them at all? We are all joined, and any sacrifice is for all. This is a really different reading of the card, but I think it’s going to be important to understanding all the Jahanamians.

[ETA: on re-reading this, I'm getting strong Crucifixion images - the blood in the grail. His sacrifice for my gain. His invitation for my rebirth. The Guide and the Shepherd. He is empowered by the Spirit, even in the darkest moments when he cannot see it.]

I had almost forgotten – when I first requested this deck and was granted one, I used the online version to draw a single card – something to hint at what the deck would be about, for me. I received the Magician. Alright then. I’ll tentatively identify the Magician as my guide, my lens for understanding this tarot. A beginning.


Six Word Memoirs
Giving up is not an option. Failure is inevitable, until it isn’t.
My pain can be your gain.
Hard times demand sacrifice and faith.
Knock, and the door will open.

 

[sacredashes]

... My deepest apologies to the artist, for the ways I am likely to misunderstand her work - sacredashes, just turn away, if my struggle frustrates you...it's no weakness in your work, just my own.

Dear

There is no need for apologies. I enjoyed reading your post because you have not only looked at the image.. but you "see" the Magician... so thank you for taking the time to get to know him.

It is a wonderful thing, is it not... when we can walk these halls and enter each card... have dialogue with them, watch what they do... figure out why they do it at all?

I wrote this a long time ago, it is lost somewhere... Have a habit of doing that .. scatter graffiti writings all over cyberspace..

The Magician

Amongst the beasts, there are those who seek hidden knowledge. They are Magicians who send petition after petition answered by silence; for the voice that once whispered in their hearts became quiet when they turned their backs to the Universe.

Trapped in the form of the beast, haunted by recollections of divinity; they manifest their legacy by attaining mastery over the blade, the flame, the coin and the cup.

But those who were adamant, they write their will in blood so that if they died and turned to dust, their life-force still carry the markings of the soul's journey. And when they return housed in a new shell; their longing will echo within the chambers of their beating heart.

MEANING:

The Magician is adamant in mastering the tools laid out before him. The half-ling child summons the power of life from his very veins. He has both the taint of the beast in his blood and divine knowledge hidden deep in his soul. If he plays servant to the beast; the voice within him that speaks to the Gods will turn silent.

Actions create matter from nothingness but it is divine inspiration that opens up doors to the unknown. The Magician can create greatness out of emptiness if he learns how to use his tools wisely.

Hope you guys don't take offense at my intrusion. This prose was written to accompany a story thread in yet another abandoned blog. It was specifically written for The Diary, not a one size fits all description for The Magician in general...

So, UnlikelyPlaces, fear not that I will take offense. Thank you for visiting Jahanam...