78 Weeks: Bateleur / Magician

Tonight I do my final reflections from my week's work on this card (here, it's Sunday evening as I write this).

Apart from having really enjoyed the beginning of these 78 weeks, and also two evenings of being unable to dedicate my own specified time due to being in a cinema on one occasion, and at someone else's place for dinner on another, I have developed a confidence that the ongoing study will be made.

...but for key words or reflections on this card. I cannot condense my six & a half pages of scribbly notes - which would need to be expanded to make sense - into one post, but will try and capture, rather, some of my experiences.

During one of my meditative reflections, what emerged far more lucidly than in the past was the nature of the bag-like item depicted on the right-hand side of the card in especially Marseilles type decks. As Magician - ie, seeing through his eyes, myself becoming the Bateleur - what emerged was that here was depicted a volume of sacred lore. I have mentioned previously, in a thread on the Basteleur in the Iconography section, that a book seems to be indicated on at least the Noblet version of the card. What emerged for me was that even in other versions, the item may be seen as an open book with rounded edges.

Standing, behind his right leg seems to flow a path - a path fluid and as yet partially undefined.

His glance - my glance as I became him - towards the right, seemingly at rest, but also permitting a slightly raised left ear to listen, whilst the activity of the Divine Will, through the Rod, directed towards the wafer in the right hand, permeated the act of transformation.

A relaxed state, yet one of utter concentration. An ease and flow, yet one of giving in for the Will to take effect.

An utter silence, for the Act became of more import.

Interestingly, I also noted with quite some prominance what appears to be a hand at his throat - in most versions of the Marseille. Here, the twofold note of maintaining Silence for the operation to begin, but also that the Magician's Speech is full of power, and that his Word becomes Will in creative act... ABRA KADaBRA - hence one guards one's words!

The beginning of the Journey...

It's been a CRAZY week. Had no time for anything. I will have to catch up with meditating and everything. I just would like to tell you a general meaning of the Magician I learned. This meaning is for its normal position and someitmes means--> computers, working with computers, foreign languages, and comunicating with people.

Blessings,
Agathe

The Magician

Hi all. I'm new here and only studying the Waite-Smith right now. Of course, we all bring our own baggage to the study of tarot. So with my Roman Catholic background, he appears to me to be a priest (with the chalice and host on his table.)

In the eucharist, the priest changes bread and wine to body and blood. So the thing that rings in my head is "making something from nothing"--maybe in the sense of a craftsmen or artist.

Or it could even be "making a mountain out of a molehill."

Welcome to Aeclectic, Margaret... if you are making a mountain out of a molehill, what an act of transformation, of transmutation.

In these threads, and irrespective as to whether the comments we make have ever been made by others before, or whether they are peculiar to our experience in these reflections, it is our insights and engagement into the card which is of greatest importance...

...glad you are adding your light to ours

I am a little behind in my school work due to my crazy holiday/work week

From The Quest:
The Magician

This is a figure of a male sitting on an elaborate gold throne, his crown above his head signifys a position of high authority. He appears to draw his knowledge from a higher power, and uses that knowledge to create something out of nothing. In his hand he welds the traditional wand and at his feet are the remaining elements of the Tarot.
He is creative and powerful and he uses the elements to move mountians, solve problems. The animals to me signifies he can communicate with all life forms.
He can transform the "sow's ear into a silk purse".


From Rohrig
The Magus

On this card there is only his head shown, his head rests in his hand as if he were deep in thought. a dusting of gold beneath his left eye. His eyebrows appear to be made of feathers, and gives him the look of an wise owl. From the crown of his head is a burst of light and stars as if he is drawing all the knowledge and power of the universe into him brain. He reminds me of the thinker.
The writings on the paper have his name written in many languages, signifying his ability to communicate with all.
This card too shows in the drawings all the elements of the Tarot. He is the problem solver.

*Both cards carry the symbol of Mercury, both cards also have the rune symbol Fehu-which is about taking control of the natural process for the benefit of others. They both also have the Hebrew letter Beth on them "in the begining".
(originally I was not going to tackle the additional symbols on these cards because I felt that it was overwhelming, but then I decided that now is really the perfect time try to learn them.)*

This card is about "conjuring" of ideas to create a solution to any problem, of using your own knowledge and drawing upon your own higher power for the solution.
The reverse would be the blockage/denial of ideas.

I had an 'aha' moment

I was thinking this evening before I got on line about the meditation I did on the Magician this past weekend. It is edited in to my original post on the first page of this thread.

I was kind of unhappy or dissapointed with it. I wrote it in my journal true to the experience, but felt it didn't really reflect how I have always perceived this card.

In my meditation, I perceived him as holy. I told him he reminded me of Jesus Christ. When I first entered the card, that thought hit me like a thunderbolt. I have never to this date heard or read of anyone else perceiving him that way either.

OK, I am getting to the point.

I pulled out my Marseilles deck. I looked at Le Batelaur. Now he didn't look so pure and Priestly like the one in my RW deck. He looked skillfull, and crafty. He was more colorful. What I am trying to say is, that in the RiderWaite deck this fellow was toyed with a lot. It is hard to see the less desireable traits of the Magician in the RW deck. I was missing out!

The RW guy looks like a Priest. Instead of a little yellow in his hat, the whole backround is yellow. Instead of the hat maybe or hinting at the lemniscate, there is one above his head. Like a halo. Instead of the wand being in his left hand (emotions creativity) it is in his right hand (consciousness, control). Even the wand in the RW is white for purity. The growth is all beautiful flowers standing for passion and purity. In the Marseille, there is growth between his legs, but look out, there are prickers on it. No thorns on the RW Magician.

Why did Arthur Waite go out of his way to make his Magician so goody goody.

Also want to note that when I came to the end here to post this, I noticed Margarets post. It seems as though she had similar impressions.

We learns so much by studying the origins and history of anything. I think I will from this point on, include the Marseille in this study. There is so much to learn when we go to the beginning.

Mimi

magician from Tarot of the Crone

I use the magician from Tarot of the Crone. It is a powerful card and so many thoughts and feeling flooding into my mind. In the image, you see quote ‘A living mask bursts out from the darkness of a cave.’ In the link, you can read Ellen’s explanation about mask and see the card image here: http://croneways.com/major1.html

Quote from the Magician:
'Darkness is nothing but it is everything, as life comes from darkness. In the darkness of the cave, there is no direction, no time, just nothing. I make a mask. It gives me an identity. I wear the mask and goes out to the cave. Then, when I finish using it, I return back to the cave and put on another mask and go out again. The masks are my connection between the nothingness and concrete world. They are the magical rituals. Whenever I put on a mask, I perform a magical ritual, I focus on one aspect of my talent, my power and my energy for creation. Every time a new mask is made, it brings a new part of me alive. How many masks do I have? Tell me can you count in the darkness? Ha! Infinity is the answer!

The masks are also illusions. I can use them to hide my true self from the world, in the darkness of the cave. I can use the masks to daze the people around me, no one can control me or tell me what to do. I am clever enough to juggle between the masks without getting attach into one of them. Why? Because I know who I really am and I know how to make use of the masks to create.

I am not good or evil, I am just a magician who want to live out my will. '

Hope you understand the Magician's babbling.

Love and Light
moon_mermaid

The Magician - the Cosmic Tarot - Norbert Losche

Sorry I'm late - so little time.
I've used the Cosmic Tarot by Norbert Losche - I like the majors so much in this deck - they have something a little different which I think seems to add a little:


Against the background of a dark, starry sky is a beautiful, almost androgynous face - if it wasn't for the beard this magician could easily be a woman.
On his brow he wears a golden circlet with the symbol of the lemniscate, showing his and the universe's limitless power.
Over his third eye chakra, symbloising intuition and inner knowledge is an upward pointing golden triangle, the lower corners extend to his eyes and out of his eyes flow golden rays of light.
The upward pointing triangle is the symbol of fire, showing the power he has to take action and transform the world around him.
On a table before him, illuminated by the light beams streaming from his eyes are the representation of the elements; the building blocks of the universe and the tarot suits; the cup, the wand, the sword and the pentacle.
In front of the table are roses and lillies, signifying beauty, love, purity and the unconcious.
He has the power and the tools to facilitate change, both outer and inner.

Love and light

Sulis xx

the Magician

Sharman Deck
Magician:
A wise and powerful man the magician is, He stands before a Granite table,
Under a rose covered arbor. He has in his possession the elements of tarot
A cup, sword, wand, and pentacle. He has great knowledge of these
One hand pointed to the sky the other toward the ground he is one with all that is around him he has the power to create things out of nothing and to change things in the material world.


Quest Deck
Magician:
The magician sits upon a grand and glorious gold throne,
A jeweled crown floats in the air above his head showing his is a higher power, one hand toward the sky the other toward the ground he is the passage between the two. The elements of tarot at his feet seem to glow with great power in his presents, he can take something that would be discarded and make something useful out of it.

Universal Deck:
Magician:
The magician stands on landscape of crystals, the element of power hexagonal snowflakes in the foreground express the four directions ( the four winds or the elements of the medicine wheel) the elements of tarot float above his head as well as the symbol of infinity, he can use natural powers and personal powers to bring about change. He is powerful intelligent his is a higher power all things are possible.

Tarot of the Animal Lords - Magician

A new deck and I'm a bit dubious because - 'horrors' - I don't have a book. Am indeed going to have to write my own! I have written pages of notes....these are a few of my thoughts.

First impressions - I like this card - the colours are softer than the usual Magicians and it has a lovely aged look.

I'm drawn to the tangle of thorny brambles at the bottom of the card - difficulties and problems to overcome. I look up the bramble in the Sacred Circle book - ' along with the rowan and the yew, it is a sacred plant of the Celts and in Scotland called ' sacred fire'. Great and very original , I think, until I read Mimers post on the Marseilles. It looks as though the creator of these cards has gone back beyond the RW for inspiration.

A white & red mushroom grows up through the brambles and behind it stands the Magician. He is a FOX , and more like a fairground entertainer than a Magician. To his right , at head level a red bird sits on a bramble branch. At his left a small mouse stands. The gaze of the Magician is hypnotic......

Meditation....He invites me to come closer and I go and stand beside the mouse, or do I become the mouse. Hands behind my back , ears pricked, attention focused on the Magician. He is performing the old guess which cup the pebble is under trick. With a cup in each hand I know he loves what he does with a passion and even more he loves to perform, to show off his skills.
He makes it seem easy but we both know its not. To reach this level of attainment requires hard work, practise , patience and perseverance. This is the Magician as the communicator and teacher . Loving what he does so much that he wants to share this passion with others and in doing so becomes an inspiration himself.

I walk on the beach alone ......the sand beneath my feet, the waves rolling in, the heat of the sun cooled by a brisk breeze. Today the four elements are working in harmony to create a perfect day. Magic!!

I reflect on the number ONE - the Power of One - the Self. I write a list of all the words I can think of that can have 'self' put in front of them.
There are many - control, discipline, confidence, worth, assurance , mastery, etc.

Thorns on the bramble bush! but there's also ripe fruit.

Having the passion and the desire to do or be something so much that it motivates us to overcome what we think we lack and in doing so we receive the gifts of the Magician.

Sorry ...its a bit of a ramble! I really love this card and can only hope the other 77 cards live up to its promise.