THE MAGICAL NATURE OF NUMERO UNO

"The descent of grace, virtue and light onto the physical plane."  -Dr. Arthur Waite

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

The forces found in The Magician are those that propel the personality and guide it through the human condition, or as Paul Case so eloquently puts it, “This superior phase of the human consciousness is the initiator, the conductor of human personality through the maze of life”.  Much can be understood about this card through the meaning of its number.  One is the number of self-conscious awareness, inception and focus.  The Magician represents rational intelligence, willpower, and all other functions of the left hemisphere of the human brain.

The symbolism in this card refers to both our desire to control the natural environment and our need to be a part of it.  This important theme carries on throughout the entire major arcana.  The tools of the Magician are basic to survival and represent the four suits as well.  Arms outstretched towards heaven and earth indicate an understanding of the human life a as a channel for the expression of higher ideals.  Dr. Case made a good point when he noted that “Magic is simply the ancient name for science”. 

In addition to representing the universal forces that are expressed in the four suits, the survival kit on the table in front of the Magician represents the basics:  Light (Wands), water (Cups), air (Swords), and food (Pentacles).  The four corners and the four elements are indicated.  According to Case, these tools correspond to four ancient esoteric admonitions as well, and together, sum up the application of occult law:

Wands:         TO WILL

Cups:             TO KNOW

Swords:        TO DARE

Pentacles:    TO BE SILENT

“Occult means ‘hidden’, and one of the first duties of a practical occultist is the practice of silence…Concentration is the great secret of the magical art.”  -Paul Case.  Applied to Tarot, this idea suggests that time spent in quiet contemplation of the cards will add greatly to the depth of your understanding.

Intense focus and concentration is indeed the theme of The Magician.  This aspect of the personality is charged with the correct use of the tools in order to ensure survival.  Control of desires and freedom of choice are indicated by the cultivated red roses and the removable outer red robe.  The ease with which the robe can be shed is a statement that self-consciousness may enter into action, or abstain, depending on circumstances.

The Magician symbolizes the human intellect at its best.  Arthur Waite, creator of the Rider-Waite deck, describes its forces as “The descent of grace, virtue and light onto the physical plane”.


In a reading, a person represented by The Magician will be highly intelligent, independent and ambitious.  This is a gifted speaker, good communicator and someone with the capacity for motivating others.  A keen business instinct is indicated, as is a strong desire for knowledge with a practical application.  A calculated risk or the initiation of a project may be suggested.  The beginning of a matter that will require close attention is a possibility.  Strength of will may be required.

Meditate on The Magician to improve your power of Concentration.

DAY OF THE FOOL

By Judy Jennings    © Copyright 2012

In conjunction with the discussion topics of the Tucson Tarot Meetup, this article begins a series on the major arcana.

The Great Cosmic Egg

The number Zero represents the absence of quantity and mass.  Let’s think about that for a moment before going any further.  The number assigned to The Fool doesn’t represent anything, it represents the absence of something.  That’s a unique characteristic of both the number and the card, along with another:  Zero completes the circle of life that is shown throughout the major arcana, and the state found in The Fool is where it begins all over again.  This is a state of unlimited energy and potential prior to manifestation, as the traveler teeters on the brink of a plunge into the material world.  In this state anything is possible. The Fool suggests the Limitless Light of the Kabbala and the Holy Spirit of Christianity. Its essence is that of the moment of the inheld breath.  An ellipse rather than a circle, Zero symbolizes the Great Cosmic Egg, source of all life and infinite potential.  

The Fool represents superconsciousness, beyond thoughts, feelings and inspirations.  Freedom from lower forms of desire is indicated, as are adaptation and the advancement of human consciousness.  That there is a choice at hand is clearly suggested by the illustration, and this choice leads to the expression of ego and the personality.  However, The Fool does not dwell in the realm of that expression, but rather, symbolizes the moment just before the choice is made.

Abundant symbolism in the Rider-Waite version of The Fool addresses the rhythmic patterns of universal forces and the powerful potential to be found in a connection with the natural world.  The color white, representing purity, is used in several different aspects of this illustration, each having its own specific idea.  The usual yellow sun is replaced, suggesting the cosmic energy found in this state is still vast and impersonal, as yet unrealized in the human life.  Cultural activity is indicated by the rose, a cultivated flower typically depicted as red and suggestive of desire.  In contrast, the white rose signifies freedom from base forms of desire.  The little white dog represents the potential of human alliance with the natural environment.

Like the Magician, the Fool wears a white undergarment representing purity, but in this case that is almost entirely covered by a black cloak of ignorance.  It is from this state of naivety and inexperience that The Fool gets its name.  The wand slung over the shoulder of the happy traveler indicates untapped strength of will.  The sack attached to the wand carries the experience of past lives and the tools for survival in the next; the wand, cup, sword and pentacle.

In a reading Tarot offers three types of expression for every card.  Each has the potential to address integration, equilibrium or disintegration.  The experienced interpreter is able to recognize these nuances through surrounding cards and of course, old-fashioned intuition.  Applied to The Fool, that scenario might look something like this:  The personality that is integrating the forces found in The Fool faces change with an open mind.  A person living in equilibrium with those aspects will have spiritual aspirations and an unselfish nature.  Disintegration of the characteristics might manifest in unrealized potential, lack of boundaries, or inconsiderate behavior.

A person represented by The Fool will have a vast imagination and a creative mind, along with the possibility of eccentricity.  Originality or even audacity is indicated.

Meditate on The Fool for a Fresh Perspective.