Housewives Tarot - Magician

sunflowr

In most decks, the Magician is a positive card. Why such a different slant in this deck? In Housewives, the Magician has become a salesman selling us a "new and improved" washing machine and is probably cheating us. One of the keywords is "deception". I just never thought of the Magician in this way before, unless it's a reversed meaning.

And that guy really looks crooked. ;)

So, I thought this would be a good card for study as to why this new meaning is associated with a usually powerful and positive card. (??) How do you all read it when it comes up in a reading?
 

temperlyne

I don't have the housewives deck but I usually associate the magician with creative power > the power of suggestion. It's not such a big step from suggestion to deception. But others who have actually studied this deck will probably be more helpful.
 

annik

I see this magician as a very good saleperson. He could sell any thing to anybody. It may not be good for our purse but bussiness are good for him. He makes me think of the old tv adds where they were saying that buying certains products would make the viewers happy people.
 

Eco74

It goes rather well with "dare to dream the impossible dream" that if I remember correctly was an up and coming motto in the fifties.

Yes, he may trick us, but more for lack of us understanding than making promises he can not keep. We will be dazzled by the way we could live "if we just..." and may well find ourselves stumped when it comes to using all these gadgets, and trying to find our house in the middle of all other houses in that "equality for all" neighbourhood.
The magician is ahead of his time, at the head of the game and smooth as silk when it comes to talking..
 

KatRabbit

I haven't got my deck on me at the moment, but I did like this interpretation of the Magician :)

In some ways, I don't think it is that far removed from other interpretations. The salesman is using all the tools at his disposal - his charm, wit, persuasive skills, determination etc - to make something hapen ie us to buy whatever he is selling. This can be good or bad depending on what he is selling and whether he is purely selling us something or trying to con us!!!!

Is the Magician associated with Mercury?? This is the planet of communication etc and could well be associated with a salesperson type. Also, I vaguely remember (though I could be mistaken!!) that in early decks the Magician was more of a trickster figure. A sort of street/stage magician, if you like, that deals with illusions and trickery rather than the more ceremonial type magicians of some decks today.

I only got this deck last Thursday, and I love it :D . Although there doesn't seem to be much in the illustrations, there is so much to see when you look :)

Kat
 

Red Kite

The Magician

This deck is such a fascinating one. It is very much geared to life as I know and experience it. I have found that I can be very intuitive with it, and cards do not come up with the same meanings every time. The Magician has yet to appear in a reading for me, so I am not quite sure what to say, except this: The dictionary definition of Magician is of a person skilled in magic; a conjuror. This says to me that what he offers should be viewed with caution, and the small print read with care. This is a card that could take you either way. He looks so slick, but that hand in the pocket........
 

strings of life

annik said:
I see this magician as a very good saleperson. He could sell any thing to anybody. It may not be good for our purse but bussiness are good for him. He makes me think of the old tv adds where they were saying that buying certains products would make the viewers happy people.
These are my sentiments exactly.

The Magician portrayed here is the ultimate salesman in this card. He’ll tell you what to get, what’s the best buy, and will convince you why you should buy it. This can be related to life and knowing when to listen and to be educated about decisions. In an ideal world, we have choices and if we are prepared, we will make the right ones. But we can also be easily manipulated and have not done our homework.
 

Queen of Disks

My understanding was that's what the original Magician cards (Marsailles, etc) were supposed be: street magicians and con artists. He may put on an amazing show and show you what you want to see. But it's all smoke and mirrors. Same thing with salesmen and advertising.

This card shows this perfectly. They could have put a used car salesman or a politician on this card and it still would have worked-they make false promises and make something look better then it actually is. Same as this Magician. This guy is slimey and I would not trust him as far as I can throw him.
 

LizA

aurarcana said:
These are my sentiments exactly.

The Magician portrayed here is the ultimate salesman in this card. He’ll tell you what to get, what’s the best buy, and will convince you why you should buy it. This can be related to life and knowing when to listen and to be educated about decisions. In an ideal world, we have choices and if we are prepared, we will make the right ones. But we can also be easily manipulated and have not done our homework.

I love this interpretation. I agree it's the first time for me where I don't see the Magician in a positive light. I see a dubious character who has false promises by calling on all his skills to be persuasive; perhaps he is teaching us to make light of all situations and use all available resources. CAUTION is important here.
 

FallynRaiyn

did anyone notice the advertising print in the background? it's not specifically about washing machines, but single words commonly found in the most blatant ads, ...to me this says a lot of HYPE. ...not necessarily that the product isn't good.....it may be a perfectly wonderful washing machine.....but the excitement surrounding it is artificially built up.