World Spirit study group - The Magician (I)

Sulis

The World Spirit magician looks like a shaman or a Voodoo priest. He dances in his magic circle and juggles the representations of the 4 suits and the elements. He has everything at his command. It looks as though this takes great skill, keeping it all up in the air like that: The power is his, not just anyone could do this. He looks as though he is performing a ritual dance, raising energy so that he can make something magical happen with the power of his mind.
On the walls behind him are Vevers, depictions of Voodoo deities. They are used to invoke deity - he has the powers of the Universe on his side, anything and everything is possible.
Before him are offerings to the gods and a lemniscate, symbolising that his power is infinate.
The floor is orange - the colour of courage and creativity, the candles which burn are red, symbolising passion and power.

I really like this card, as with most of the cards in this deck, there is just so much there.
This magician is active, the dances, he doesn't just direct the energy, he actually looks as though he can make things happen. I also like the way he juggles the elements, maybe giving a heads up to earlier decks than the Rider-Waite-Smith deck in which the Magician was The Juggler.

Love and light

Sulis xx
 

13thFaeChylde

Sulis~ that was so well-worded. I didn't know what the drawings symbolized...thanks for sharing.

I think that his gift to the Divine is his dance, along with the lovely offerings he has placed at the front of the circle....the flowers, the fruit and bread, all are gifts.
 

lunalafey

I doubt the Voodoo Magician would have some complex math equation in his hut, but on the left, at first glance, I saw some chalk board with the mathmatical explintion of "something"....It would be like the magician to have some sort of math stuffs, comes with astrology....
but the designs are just that.....but seem to represent something, for the other side is a heart-shape.

The card portrays ritual, magic & ceremony, blessing & offerings....
I see the drum and think of the heart beat of the Earth- the drum is used in part, for connecting to the element and tapping into it's energy.
(can't add more to what you have said Sulis:)
I, too, like this card for it's Island feel, my ancestors where island people.
 

Sulis

lunalafey said:

I see the drum and think of the heart beat of the Earth- the drum is used in part, for connecting to the element and tapping into it's energy.

I really like this analogy Luna, I hadn't thought of the drum representing the heartbeat of the earth before. This is one of the things I like about this magician, you can really see his connection to nature and it's powers; even if the elemental representations weren't there his connection to the universe would be obvious.

I got the information about the Vevers from 'Magick without Peers' by Ariadne Rainbird and David Rankine - there's an illustration in the book of the Vever shaped like a heart - it's called the Erzulie Vever.

Love and light

Sulis xx
 

spoonbender

I get the feeling that this is a very spiritual card: the temple and circle, the offerings, the incense, the candles, the Vevers (thanks Sulis, didn't know what they were!)... She Who Watches said: "I think that his gift to the Divine is his dance," and I agree wholeheartedly! I love the image of him dancing in this protective circle. His dancing reminds me of a dancer I once saw on a trip: that dancer danced so fast and so gracefully, getting himself in a trance-like, hypnotic state. It was wonderful to experience something like that.
The lemniscate on the floor reminds me that the Magician is working with primeval, eternal and infinite forces. I also get the feeling from looking at this card that the Magician knows he's part of nature, part of the rythm of life: his feet are bare to connect with the ground, his chest is tanned from walking in the sun, feeling the energy of life, and the doorway leads to a beautiful, open landscape. What Lunalafey said about the drum and the heart beat of the Earth fits in beautifully with this!
What he's doing must take so much concentration! His eyes are fixed on the symbols of the elements and by his pure willpower he keeps them floating in the air. This is a very energetic card, yet also, to me, a peaceful one. (Link)

Thanks for all your insights,
Spoonbender
 

spoonbender

I searched on the net for Vevers and found this site... The Legba Vever and Erzulie Vever look a lot like the ones on the walls on the Magician-card, go look for yourself!
According to the site, Legba is derived from a great solar and phallic deity and is the powerful Guardian of the Centerpost, and the 'Opener of the Gates'.
Maitresse Erzulie has, according to the site, become an ideal figure of delicate and alluring womanhood.

So those Vevers show the duality of the universe, like the pillars shown on a lot of the RWS-cards! Cool!
 

lunalafey

Dancing & drumming

The Earth's heart beat & the drum comes from Native American traditions. But the drum itself, is in every culture and has quite the ? focus? reputation? admiration?......the Japanese have the Kodo {sp?} drums....a 'band' of nothing but drums and to listen is SO powerful!
back 'in the day' when I would travel around to different music festivals, in the parking lot, after the show, there would be drum circles. 5 to 25 {or more!} people with drums would show up and pick thier 'beat' -put all the 'beats' together and out comes some primal, trance inducing pulsating rhythm. Dance in the middle of the circle- and YES!.....you go 'out' somewhere.......some heavy magic in a drums beat.
 

13thFaeChylde

Occasionally I am able to go to a full moon drumming that a friend of mine has on her property, far from humans. There is always a big bonfire and at least ten people drumming and I love to let it all go and dance and dance under the moon.
 

Sulis

The sound of drumming really does sound primal - many magic users use drums to raise energy - I've never tried this although I'm sure it would be exillerating - I have to be quieter when I do magical work as it's usually done indoors - I think frenzied drumming would wake the kids and frighten my neighbours :D

Love

Sulis xx
 

Satori

The Magician is my favorite card in this deck.
This Magician is so joyful. He is just alive and at one with his surroundings. I love him!

Also I've said it elsewhere, he reminds me of some kind of interior decorator! which is also a kind of magician.

The drums are at rest signifying the potential for vibration, sound vibration resonance and creative force. The word I'm looking for is latent energy. If you look everything is ordered in the card. It all is placed precisely. I could read this as anal retentive or even a bit neurotic, but it also speaks of having things available for when you need them.

It is interesting to me that the cup and pentacle are levitating. the sword and wand are in hand while the other objects fly about. he works in circle, and his hut is open to the world so he invites onlookers and he needs to be able to get to the world quickly as well.