Modern Day Tarot Play: Know yourself, shape your life

1 The Magician I

‘It is a fine game to play, the game of politics, and it is well worth waiting for a good hand before really plunging.’

SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL

Personification – Psychology

The Magician is the master initiator of all opportunity and possibility (Aces). Their mode of consciousness, being ultra-agile, flexible, fertile and growth-oriented, i.e. growing away from the darkness (unless this is a layout crossing card) and towards the ‘light’, allows their experience of life to be positively infinite or unlimited.

The etymological line of ‘magic’, which stems from magus, magi, imagery, imagination (Moon), reveals that the source of the Magician’s power is wholly mentalized. Their extraordinary mental skill (3P), particularly in mastering such internally opposing forces as a rampant and intensive ego desire (Devil), is what ensures their success in all endeavours.

Empowered by their deep intrinsic understanding of how the world’s systems work, the Magician skilfully implements this knowledge with the greatest possible, even magical, effect. Their judgement is even resistant to modern ‘scientifically’ objective conditioning. They don’t allow themselves to be defined, as does the modern psyche, by ‘me, myself, I’ as opposed to ‘it, that, you’. Where the modern psyche likes to ‘know’ where it begins and ends, the magical psyche understands that ‘beginning’ and ‘ending’ are a material illusion; that, regardless of our distinctly different material hosts or vehicles, every living organism shares the same animating life-force energy.

The fully enabled magical mode of consciousness is born of a deep and pervading connection to the surrounding world. Seeing everything as an extension of itself, or more precisely as an energetic metaphor of its thoughts, it assumes personal ownership and ultimate responsibility for all its life events and encounters.

When C. G. Jung shunned the modern cult of sense-perceptible science in his statement, ‘I shall not commit the fashionable stupidity [Fool, Pages] of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud,’ he gave us a sense of how and why the magical mentality tends to be misunderstood and misrepresented. Unfortunately, the all-pervasive subjectivity of this archetype is all too often falsely likened to the blinkered experience of a psychological projection, purely because rational and logical thinkers cannot ground it in their concept of ‘reality’. Yet the multi-dimensional magical mentality cannot be bound or limited by the confining presuppositions of third-dimensional ‘realism’.

Spirituality and Philosophy

The Magician’s clock-like hands, in their ‘as above so below’ position, point, literally and figuratively, to the heavenly eleventh hour, the hour of spiritual enlightenment, and the opposite fifth hour, of material Earth challenges. The gesture suggests a divinely timed ‘clockwork’ connection between these two polar positions: that great heavenly gifts come as a result of great earthly challenges, in an infinitely cyclical clock-like motion, pertaining to the cerebral cycles of spiritual development and even reincarnation.

The Magician controls the primitive, enlivening and vital life-force energy that gives birth to all sentient life, whereas the Emperor, who comes second in the tarot’s manifestation hierarchy, manages, directs and channels this energy into finite material and physical ambitions.

Having already learned and mastered their earthly lessons and transcended the drives, ambitions and desires of the ego (Emperor), the Magician works with an all-pervading eleventh-hour state of consciousness to carry out the seemingly impossible in terms of the material and physical world. By reconciling their base and selfish desires (Devil) with this purer, brighter, innocent and selflessly enlightened consciousness, they become a truly clear energy channel and can overcome any material and physical limitations or restrictions. The full clarity of their words, deeds and actions enables a powerful alchemical transformation to take place, leading to full self-realization (High Priestess), spiritual maturation (Hermit), ego transcendence (Temperance) and self-healing (Star). This highly refined, spiritual state of consciousness is the primary prerequisite for the magical skill and ability to physically work ‘reality’ to their advantage (3P).

This archetype also has the singular ability to bring forth shocking and powerful self-transformation. Any conjoining ‘agent’ cards lend fuel to their continually self-instigated process of growth, change and transformation, and by relinquishing the past fully and completely, as if it never happened, they are able to embrace their newly empowered identity wholly and completely (World).

In their full harnessing of the immeasurable potential of a completely freed will, the Magician personifies the most magical of our modern-day privilege empowerments. The intensified concentration of sunlight through a magnifying glass illustrates how their mastered mind accomplishes great things via its expansive, laser-like focus.

The Magician’s position as card number one is explained by the etymology of the word ‘sorcery’, which, coming from the Latin sor, sorstis or sortiarius, means ‘one who influences lot, fate and fortune (by returning to the spiritual source of life itself)’. In returning to the source, the Magician’s multi-dimensional mentality transcends the modern obsession with three-dimensional, sense-perceptible material fact. As an adept of supernatural skills and faculties (High Priestess, 3P), the Magician can enact any passionately desired outcome via their strong psycho-spiritual awareness.

When this card appears in a reading, it is a time to be ultra-careful what you wish for and guard against ungrounded wishful thinking (7C). Projecting negative, harmful or destructive ego intentions onto others in an attempt to control them (Devil) constitutes a truly self-defeating (5S) and self-destructive (10S) enactment of the Magician’s power and influence. Psychically sending negative, harmful or destructive thoughts another person’s way (Devil), even without acting on them, serves only to destabilize your own psycho-emotional health and happiness (Moon), which, paradoxically, then hands your power over to the very person you are seeking to disempower. Impure or negatively motivated desires (Devil) often come with a heavy hidden price attached.

When amongst friendly and constructive cards in a reading, this archetype indicates your actions, words and deeds are wholly aligned, and so magically supported by the higher will of the Divine, the great universal architect, God or the forces of creation (whatever you wish to name it).

Personal Life

The Magician card represents the ‘heaven on earth’ relationship (2C, 10C): that great heavenly gifts (1C, 2C, 10C) result from rising above the challenges of earthly life (Hermit, Tower, Death). It indicates a magically transformative, alchemical union (2C, 10C) that is enlightening (Sun), a highly spiritual romance in which both parties are independently loving and detached from the ego.

This card marks the divinely magical and synchronized timing by which two individuals come together, encounter each other for the first time (1C), and become romantically committed and entwined (2C). However, this archetype, being primarily concerned with the sacred rather than mundane events of life, can be an inconsistent partner, providing great love-powered highs (Sun, 1C) and great insecurity-powered lows (Moon, Devil, Tower, 5P, 5C, 3S, 9S).

A relationship with the Magician archetype can be enchanting, mesmerizing, fascinating, seductive (Lovers, Devil) and highly sexed (Emperor, 1W). They are often a partner whose words have great power and influence over you (KS, QS). Under the influence of a negatively toned Magician (Devil), you can encounter a highly manipulative or narcissistic individual, bent on controlling others. The Magician can also be the ultimate sexual predator (Devil) who casts their ‘wand’ out (1W) and about in search of quick, self-serving gratification. If this card appears, it may be time for a reality check to ensure others aren’t taking advantage of you.

Professional Life

The modern-day Magician’s work life often deals with matters pertaining to life, death or major transformation. They appear at precisely the right time, as if your life and theirs are magically synchronized, and come in the form of brilliant doctors, surgeons, life coaches, psychotherapists and psychiatrists, or even the executors of a last will and testament that leaves you a life-changing legacy (10P). They are the pivotal movers, shakers and agents who help secure your dream professional role.

By holding all the aces, the Magician represents all new work and career avenues, advances and advantages. When they are present in a work reading, you are likely to be in a highly advantageous position (7W) or in line for a promotion (Emperor, Empress). Using their particular skills and abilities, the Magician also excels in tests, examinations or interviews (Chariot). They often have a powerful voice, which they utilize in the manifestation of their desires. They can be a master spin doctor (Devil) who harnesses the power of the spoken word to their own recondite ends, and they can utilize a vast amount of hidden or camouflaged information (High Priestess), particularly regarding the timing of birth, death or transformation cycles within the work environment. They are a formidable competitor (5W) who holds the professional life or death of others in their hands.

The Magician’s complete self-mastery is what ensures their great success in the external world at large, and due to their masterful reputation, they are also someone people look to for magical solutions (8W). When working for the greater good, they can be key to the miraculous unification (3C, Temperance) of diametrically different groups of people or warring factions of a business sector or company (5W).

Property – Finances – Resources

‘It’s unlimited what the universe can bring when you understand the great secret that thoughts become things.’

ANONYMOUS

Your positive expectations will be happily met, if not exceeded, when the Magician card appears in a finances reading, as, via the power of their mind, they masterfully manifest anything you might require in life. In a home this could be a water feature, pond, river, lake, beach, swimming pool (1C, KC, QC); a traditional, period or ‘des res’ type property or location (1P, KP, QP); action and excitement in the heart of the city or a sporting, activity-based location (1W, KW, QW); and/or an intelligent or cutting-edge property design and mentally stimulating location (1S, KS, QS).

The Magician also represents the settling of any material debts (Temperance) or the liquidating of any jointly held capital or assets in your favour (Justice). They have a magical resourcefulness, a finger in every pie (World). Their acquisitions and investments have infinite possibility and potential (World).

This is the archetype who manifests great wealth and abundance (10P, KP, QP), giving you everything you could ever need in life (Emperor, Empress).

Health and Well-being

The Magician represents the attaining of great heavenly gifts (1C, High Priestess) as a result of great physical challenges, pain and suffering (Hermit). How long you must endure such challenges and difficulties depends; working on philosopher René Descartes’ principle ‘I think therefore I am’ (Moon), when the Magician’s magically creative mind considers itself healthy and happy, it will be – instantaneously.

The Magician has an uncanny ability to heal themselves both physically and emotionally using their infinite energetic reserves (KW, QW, KnW) and strong-willed initiative (Emperor). Their authentic knowledge (High Priestess) of how to maintain their health significantly lessens the chance of their contracting an illness or suffering a period of ill-health.

They are the archetype of ultimate self-liberation from unhealthy habits such as overeating or drinking. They have controlled or balanced energies and hormones (Temperance), with a strong and highly functioning immune system (Strength).

They also have the power to create new life (1W, 1P, 1C) and so represent male (Emperor) and female (Empress) fecundity, fertility and pregnancy, either naturally or via successful fertility treatments (8P).

2 The High Priestess II

‘Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.’

C. G. JUNG

Personification – Psychology

In a similar way to the paradoxical and contradictory Moon, which is both inconstant and habitual, the High Priestess is an archetype concerned with both closure and disclosure, covering and discovering the ultimate or highest truth. They can provide piercing and incisive revelations (1S), while also being a trusted and faithful keeper of secret or hidden information. Good counsel or the true facts of a matter, legal (Justice) or otherwise, can come forth from hidden or not so obvious Priestess-type sources when this card appears. These sources are society’s small or discreet ‘aperture windows’, both revealing and concealing the raw facts of hidden or subtle matters.

The High Priestess often has an exceptional sensitivity to hidden or subtle motivations (Devil, 7S), followed by a reflex tendency for counter-corrective words and actions (KnS), fired by a divinely inspired social transparency agenda (KS, QS).

The archetype is sincere and gracious, high-minded and intuitive in their reasoning, with great compassion for those stuck in a painful cerebral cycle and suffering from their base impulses and instincts. They see and understand what is incomprehensible in material world terms.

The High Priestess can be an inconspicuous force of good, operating behind the scenes (7S) and exerting great power and influence without being domineering. They can exert a subtle or hidden power over a person or situation, akin to how the Moon moves the tides, to bring about great and positive growth, change and transformation. As such, this card reveals by what hidden or obscured forces you are moved to action.

Privately and authentically, without seeking external ego recognition, praise or reward, the High Priestess also helps others reconcile and reintegrate any debased, degenerate, wild, animalistic ego tendencies (Devil) so they can live fuller and happier lives (Sun, 10C).

Spirituality and Philosophy

As a pure, exalted, gracious, maturely seeking and awakened consciousness, the High Priestess cuts through any superficial layers of experience and conditioning (1S) to reveal the true self, and thus is a key archetypal figure in the process of major spiritual transformation (Magician).

This archetype starts the psychical evaluation process that is so necessary for spiritual growth or progress via a general illuminating, cleaning and clearing of the dark recesses and corners of the mind (Sun, Moon). Through the Priestess’s compassionate intervention, an individual can become better acquainted with the unknown aspects of the self that keep them locked into ignorance and suffering. ‘Know Thyself’, a phrase positioned high above the main entrance to the ancient Greek Temple of Apollo, was the most highly regarded instruction of the infamous Delphic Oracles. Still pertinent, it invites you to explore your own mind as you would a temple.

The High Priestess has a dualistic, non-judgemental, all-encompassing mentality, rising above the world of opposites and polarities – up and down, true and false, good and bad – and is primarily inspired and instructed by ancient and obscured spiritual wisdom traditions (6C, Moon), and often party to the masonic-style secrets (3P) prohibited by conventional religions. Similar to the Fool, the dissolution of the High Priestess’s ‘I think’ and ‘I know’ ego operations echoes the Socratic paradox ‘The only thing I know is that I know nothing.’