Part One - The Major Arcana - 1

[George]

when i think of the fool and dog, how they weren't looking where they were going because their eyes were focused on something up in the air,  i see this magican as symbolic.  He holds something in one hand high above his head beneath it is a cup, is this what the fool and dog were focused on... an emotional fulfilment?  

the magicans other hand is pointing down as if saying you got to go that way or there are things that need to be done b4 being able to grasp what is in the air/ out of reach at the moment.

because of the thing, the figure 8 above magicans head balance and strength is the only way to harness any opportunities coming.

now, you have a great super point there!     He is holding something in hand towards the heavens or Heaven (in spiritual sense).  if we take the spiriutal sense for its meaning,  as you suggest, that it will pour its hevenly contents into the cup (our spiritual path).  I mean, afterall The Cups are the spiritual suit of the deck.  If you notice the wand is open ended and not just one point on one end but on both that it will indeed funnel through the wand like water and fill our cup!  

also, thinking about him point down.  he is for sure pointing toward the ground but if again we accept the spiritual part of this motion then we can say that he is pointing down at hell.  

another great point you make. unlike The Fool and his dog The Magician isn't looking up or down he is looking right at you! The card, is with a doubt, symbloic. but who is he?  

welcome lavirgo this is the first i remember see your name and thanks for some great new ideals!  :smt020

[Gem]

Brilliant

<claps hands with excitement>

Every time I give these exercises to people I get a deeper insight to each card. The way that each person sees something different is wonderful and shows that you are all working with your own perceptions and intuition.

When The Magician is seen in a reading it can have a great bearing on the cards around it, one of the only cards to have all four symbols of the suits in it, perhaps as said offering us all possibilities? Or perhaps showing that the Magician has the ability to use or perhaps command any of their powers?
Wands - Fire
Cups - Water
Swords - Air
Pentacles - Earth

[George]

Traditionally the magician is seen as male.  However in the true spirit of new man he has alot of female attributes so he must be in touch with his inner female lol!

you are right magician are usually seen as males (its a man's world after all ) and the Tarot does still hold fast to some stereotypes but saying as a joke that he has feminine attributes and finding the inner women inside him &nbsp;:smt003 is not really a joke but so true. what it &nbsp;really shows is how progessive the Tarot cards are when dealing with man and women's roles. just look at all all the Pages actually and our poor Fool. &nbsp;:smt016 &nbsp;
i was doing a self study and was reading About the Empress card III which hit profoundly and got me to thinking more about &nbsp;man and women's role in the Tarot. &nbsp;Which i wont discuss here and confuse the subject but i thought you made a great point maybe without even thinking about it! &nbsp;:smt002 &nbsp;and also sense Gem asked us (the class) about it. &nbsp;
i was actually avoiding the question because i wanged to think about it some more before answereing it and you help focus my thoughts on it. &nbsp;

So he you go Gem is It a male or female? &nbsp;i just don' t know leave alone! &nbsp;:smt003 &nbsp; just kidding! &nbsp;:smt005 &nbsp;its really about the things we learn: its our abilities, objects, thoughts etc the person being male or female in this card is not important what it tells about what The Fool &nbsp;can learn is the key!

[George]

Ellis  What a spooky picture! Some might argue that being number one in the journey of cards might mean he IS ranked number one? Definately juggling all the suits there too as well as the power of the atom?

Chris at the bottom of a new post there is an option to add an attachment, browse for your pics on your pc then upload and it should attach

gem you use a intresting word that i came across after doing my lesson and that is "juggling all the suits" &nbsp;I read that in some decks The Magician is known as "The Juggler" &nbsp;Then i was thinking if a magician could be sorcerer then maybe why not "The Philopsher" &nbsp;:) &nbsp;i just rewatch the Harry Potter series! &nbsp;:smt006

[George]

"One of the Wind People Yeis, Orangewind wears a tremendous eagle or thunderbird headdress denoting his lofty aspirtations and creative magic. &nbsp;His headdress is so large, offering so much portection, he doesn't require quardians. he relies on the magic he carries, crooked lightning form one hand, a bull-roarer in the other. &nbsp;Rattles dangle from both arms while a medicine stick and medicine pouch extend from his left hand. Feathers shoot from his feet, carrying him far and high. &nbsp;"

Meaning: &nbsp;: originality. Creativity, Imagination. Spontaneity. Self-confindence. Ingenuity. Flexbillity. Materfulness. Self control. Deception. Sleight of hand.

Reversed meaning: &nbsp;Weakness of will. ineptitude. Insecurity. Disquiet. Delay. The use of one's skills for destructive ends.

[MissEm]

In the Mythic deck The Magician has one hand pointed up and one pointed down (I'll ry and post the pic)

It seems to tell me that when you come to a cross roads in your life you have the choice of which direction you take. &nbsp;Go this way or that way but whichever direction or choice you make, there are things that will come before you that may cause you concern or may cloud your initial decision. &nbsp;Some things come before us that we have to make a decision about and as in the pic, there may be a decision that is tainted with the double edge sword - meaning damned if you do and dmaned if you don't. &nbsp;Ultimatley, its your choice but you must make a decision.

[ellis]

Even in the mythic deck all four suits are displayed before the magician which as you rightly mention Gem, suggests the magician can and does wield all suits but I also get from this card that the person asking the question has all the skills and/or tools at their disposal in all the suits but just needs the direction of the magician. Maybe its even a case of "choose your weapon". Had not thought of that until now. Either way the magician has the skills but not necessarily the wisdom of the high priestess for example.

[MissEm]

I like yr interpretation ellis. &nbsp;

You can have everything you need laid out before you but its up to you to make the choice. &nbsp;Use the tools how you will.

[luv2pur]

He appears with the tools to accompany you on your journey whether it is good or bad. He has laid all the tools on the table for you to use to help you along the way ...I think the different suits represent a different skill or aid to support all aspects of the path u may have chosen ...He is a magician so I think he can appear when you question your decisions or get stuck along the way. Without him you may make blind choices or not thouroughly considerall the options you have.

This one was extremely difficult for me for some reason. I dont know why

luv2pur

[Gem]

I bet by the time you reach the last card The World then the Magician will be much easier

[fairywhisper]

The Magician to me tells me that it reppresents a person who is full of skills. &nbsp;Not only that, but he has all necessary tools to make things happen to him. &nbsp;He can ask for whatever he wants, and if his will is strong enough, he can make it. &nbsp;He invokes powers of nature, he is in complete harmony with the power of universe. &nbsp;He can make his wishes come true.

[spike]

If I compare the magician with the fool, I see the fool as the person starting out on his journey, while the magician has arrived. &nbsp;The fool is perhaps carrying around all the tools necessary for life in his duffle bag, but he doesn't yet know how to use them. &nbsp;The magician, on the other hand, has all the tools laid out on the table and I sense that he definately knows how to use them. &nbsp;

The symbol of infinity over his head is repeated in the snake around his waist. &nbsp;The magician is an important person in a reading. &nbsp;For me, he represents the psychic or someone who can be very helpful, someone who can shed light on a situation, he/she is someone who can harness the powers from above to make a situation better here below.

[mysticcrystal]

I Magician: The great conjuror. The magician uses all his tools on the table to help him create what he wants in his life. He uses the pentacle to create wealth, the cup for emotions, friendship and love; he uses the wand to command the fire to do his bidding in his spiritual and create life, &nbsp;and the sword is used to maintain mental strength while he works at self improvement. He believes in manifest destiny and practices it divinely. The ywllow in the card shows he believes in himself and knows he is in control of his fate.

MysticCrystal

[dreamfairy]

When I look at the Magician I think of astrology "as above, so below" (one hand pointing up, the other down), the four elements (the four items on the table). &nbsp;I feel that he has the four tools available to manifest his will and that he has to choose an item from the table in front of him depending on the circumstances and the situation he finds himself in. &nbsp;I feel that he can succeed in whatever he sets out to do, but only if he uses the tools to manifest his goal. &nbsp;(Because he is adept in using the tools in front of him). &nbsp;However, I also feel he has the ability to misuse the tools to get what he wants or to manipulate others.

[mysticcrystal]

Dreamfairy, I really enjoyed your explanations on the Magician. Very thought provoking. I couldn't agree with you more.