Tarot of The Old Path - The Magician

Silverlotus

Re: The Fool's Dream

Two of Wands said:
Note the strikingly similar pictorial elements that are used to define the image of these two cards. Note the three figures and how more than one scene is depicted within the same landscape.
[/B]

As I was going over my notes again today, this post really jumped out at me. It is strange that it didn't really mean much to me when I first read it. It's almost like I completely missed it.

I agree with most of what you said, however, I am tempted to associated the mother with the wolf and the child with the Magician. I'm not sure I can put into words why though. Maybe it goes back to the idea of getting back to basics. The baby explores its world, learning everything it can, increasing its skills in many areas. The Magician also explores the world, on a different level though.

The mother as the wolf I'm less clear on. There is something about how the mother watches and baby and the wolf watches the Magician that connects the two together in my mind. But then again, I've always had a weird way of making associations. Maybe the mother-as-wolf has learned the spirit altering power of the fire.

I think this seems a little out there, like I'm disagreeing to be contrary. But as soon as I read the bit about associating the figures on the two cards, the mother as wolf and baby as Magician popped into my head. *shrug*
 

Two of Wands

I just think it's facinating that the two cards to, in some way seem to visually mirror eachother. And I know what you are saying attibuting the mother figure to that of the wolf. I don't know exactly what that would mean, but they do both share a sense of urgency! They are both in some kind of pouncing position.

I truly reckon there is a link between the two cards, and I'd love to know the thought behind it, and the significance, if any, to the way the cards work because of it.
 

Silverlotus

I think I might be associating the wolf with the mother because they are on the same side of the card. But, if I look deeper, maybe the mother and the wolf serve a similar function. When we are young, we tend to see our parents as stopping us from doing things we'd like to do (as foolish as they may be, either our parents or the things :) ). The wolf may be there to watch after the Magician. A totem animal, or a protector of some sort. In terms of the meaning of the cards, these figure could be there as a reminder to be careful, but also to urge us to push the limits too.
 

Two of Wands

That's a good theory. I agree with the idea of a shared "protectivness" between the mother figure and the wolf figure.
 

zagone

More Thoughts

I want to thank Two of Wands and Silverlotus for a LOT of work here. I'm going to be doing more lurking than posting, but I'll jump in where I can. I'm slowly reading up through the message chains right now.

Thoughts on the magician: Not much new insight I'm afraid. I guess I can cast my vote on how I see a few issues.

I always saw this magician as male. Looking closer I see the ambiguity now. I like the earlier comment about shaman being otherworldly and uncomfortable. I also thought shapeshifter when I first saw this card. I think that's the strangeness. Not to be crass, but I think some of that fur on his chest is his, not the skin's, and this would be a very flat-chested woman. Perhaps I just simply like the traditional meanings and sex divisions of the magician and the high priestess. I have a knee-jerk reaction against changing it -- sorta like I would react to a high priestess card with a beard. LOL

I see the wolf as a totem animal/spirit protector. It also serves to reaffirm the male roles of hunter, protector, and active agent. It jumps out of a very large fire -- the male elements of fire and air being dominant in this card, with water almost absent, and earth performing an almost cradling protective role as is the moon above.

I see the primary meaning of this magician card as unchanged from RWS. He is the active, powerful creator who commands and pulls together the elements. He is the master of skills and knowledge. Maintaining the traditional meanings of the card does not invalidate the alternative meanings that have been mentioned -- I like them ALL, I just see them as secondary or setting the mood or additional enhancements. So for example in Wicca/Witchcraft we are supposed to be close to nature. Therefore, of course the magician in this deck is at one with nature -- not prim and sophisticated and removed from nature (like a cerimonial magician might be?) or book-learning and engineering-inclined like in the Hudes deck. I always thought willpower and creativity were part of the traditional meaning! They are certainly in evidence.

I love the work that's been done finding meaning in many of the background elements of this card. Thank you all!

This is one of my favorite magicians.

-- Zagone
 

Two of Wands

Hi Zagone,

Welcome to the group. Your comments are really interesting here, and help bring together discuss different ideas that Silver, Nevada and I have put forward. I hope you stick around and keep posting!

Best wishes

A.
 

inanna_tarot

Magician/ Shaman

this is the info i've recently gathered for the 78 weeks study, but i'm putting it here to spark interest in the SG!

Why start with the Magician? Because when i got this deck it was the first card (rather than the Fool)!


- The setting is outside, at night with a full moon, the traditional "night of magick". The lightening bolt adds to this atmosphere. It's definitely a special night given to the Magician by the Lord and Lady, and the Magician takes full advantage of it for magick and divination.
-Standing stones - a cycle of using ancient methods in new ways, you can practice low or high magick but its does the same thing at the end of the day! Stonehenge is an important site even though its covered with mystery and no one knows why it is really there, but people use it as a place to perform modern rituals strange to its time. Which is reflected with the inverted triangles meaning God and wisdom - the picture of God has changed over the centuries but many still believe in a Divine, different religions and rituals but they all to the same enlightened path at the end! Also the Pagan god is ever changing as he lives, dies and is reborn.
- The unicorn symbolising the purity of mind and intent, but also the unicorn is a beast of myth and mystery, adding to the atmosphere to the card, and that even though the unicorn isn¡¦t believed to exist, it is still a powerful symbol of purity, hope and potential!
- The wolf reflects the magicians use of his senses and applies them in his work/survival! Being near to the fire shows the raw energies and instinct of the wolf and the magician. The magician is separate from the wolf- meaning he uses his senses and instinct but also his rational mind.
- In his right hand the magician holds the sword ¡V a symbol of air and intellect but also it¡¦s a commanding tool, perhaps commanding the gods to show the answer to his question in the runes (thrown in his left intuitive hand). Maybe he is using divination to check the influences around a magickal act ¡V conscious of cause and effect.
-The furs and antlers show his affinity with the stag and the God. A man that's rational but emersed in the energies of nature and instinct.
- Around the magician are the elements; fire - the burning sheaf, air - the sword he holds, water - the chalice/cup, earth - the stone the cup is placed on.

I'll add more later.
Any other recent insights of this card?

Sezo
x
 

huredriel

Two of Wands said:
The bolt of lightening coming out of the clear night sky in The Magician card, is in fact a distorted reflection of the shape made by the jagged paths going off in different directions up the hill in The Fool card
I am re-reading through the majors already done, so apologies if anything I say that has been mentioned before.

This paragraph above was the second thing I noticed. The Fool card is depicted during the day, the Magician - the night. Enlightment yes, but also choices to be made. It kind of makes me feel that during the daytime, everything feels safer, the road can be seen as it lays ahead, yet at night everything takes on a darker feel, more obscured. The night here is lit only by the stars and full moon. Perhaps this is showing that the path of the Fool may have more hidden darker depths than he realises ..... and perhaps this is why the Magician is casting her runes ........ perhaps the Fool is indeed in front of her, awaiting her advice. This also makes me feel that the Wolf is that of a spirit guide, there to protect as she casts and is connected to different planes of energy at the same time.