Paulina Tarot Study Group~The Magician

My thoughts on The Magician!

This card is so full of detail that I just had to pull out the magnifying glass to be sure I didn't miss anything! I probably did, anyhow! The Magician is very fair looking and I love that we are seeing her profile. Her eyes are closed as she concentrates on her inner powers and prepares to work her skills. She wears a very large, flowing and mystical cloak, while one hand lifts a glowing wand and the other points down to a fairy troupe which carries her four elemental tools. Sword, cup, pentacle and wand. Various wildflowers abound, streamers flow from her cloak, and she wears a curious necklace that looks like a series of fey heads! This reminds me more of a necklace of skulls, which may be a bit of Paulina Cassidy's interest in Voodoo shining through. An owl rests upon The Magician's elaborate hat or head piece with an infinity symbol above it, which according to the LWB by the artist, "confirms that everything is connected by perpetual energy." Butterflies abound which represents transformation is taking place and a bird carries a letter or "arcane message". The entire card has very light colours applied to it and carries a very mystical, ethereal feel to it. Very magical touch in its own right. The ever trusty snail is curled up in the lower lefthand corner, almost as though it is waiting its turn for transformation or preparing for it, while more fey-like creatures appear in the lower righthand corner. On looking even closer you can find a bat on her cloak, by the shoulder, with its wings spread out, trinkets of stars hanging from her headpiece, and something spiral on it...perhaps a snake? I highly recommend a closer look with magnifying glass on this particular card!

i'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of these cards and i look forward to participating soon! thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts so far!

This card makes me think of a French operatic aria, "Je suis Titania" by Thomas. It's a whirlwind of coloratura display, very splashy, and is sung by the fairy queen Titania.

"I am Titania, the fairy! I am fair Titania, a daughter of air!
Tripping up and down, the world so merry,
More swift than bird of air, I wander ev'rywhere!"

The card has a very strong air element feel to me, which I think is very appropriate for the idea of Mercury and rapid communication. I like the addition of the letter, too. This magician is extremely poised and elegant. The owl on top of her headpiece makes me smile. She surely knows how to set a fashion statement.

I never noticed the snail; I am going to have to look for it and trace its journey through the cards!

Oh, I hadn´t noticed the snail in this card even though I did have a closer look with the magnifying glass! Maybe the snail is in all the Major Arcana cards? I´ll have to have another look.

I love the skull necklace that the Magician is wearing! This card would otherwise be too airy for me but the skull necklace anchors this Magician to the earth as well. It makes her not just a Fairy Queen but also a Santera and a Priestess of the Dark Goddess (Kali or Hecate, perhaps).

What struck me first – the female energy of this Magician! Not only gender-wise, but also in her whole appearance and posture she breaks with tradition. No audience, she does this purely for the sake of the matter itself.
Also, her brand of magic is less tool-driven (or tool-dependent?), but seems to be based on the mastery of nature, the ability to orchestrate the natural energies which are abound & abundant.
Sprites are at her disposal with the suit symbols ready, so this is a complete approach.
Everything is very clearly in a state of flow here, ready to be shaped to the Magician's will, but in accordance with its own inherent powers and properties. Nature is the core theme.
Owl shows there is wisdom and learned knowledge, especially about the natural cycles.

It reminds me about the ancient conceptions of magic, where the Magician knows about the hidden (occult) properties o things. Of course, abuse of that knowledge or learning about those properties from demonic (versus divine) sources is one of the shadows of the Magician, but I can't see this danger here. Here, the shadow could be getting totally lost in some kind of creative frenzy, unleashing chaos instead of furthering evolution.

It’s a very full card lol
Midnight magic in a fey garden
She is walking a balance still “as above so below” posture, very elegant feminine hand gestures against a traditionally male card.
I see her cloak as a badge of office, elaborate like the spells she cast’s.
The card has got quite a dark feel to it, but I think her serenity and some of the critters help lighten it up.
The bird makes me think of her as the major arcana sending messages into your daily life (The minors) in ways that can be understood.
The owl and the lemniscate…. Hummmm….. Well Athena is linked to the owl covering her realm of knowledge and wisdom, maybe the magician is channelling the wisdom of the goddess through the owl? As for the symbol, well wisdom is rarely lost more recycled as and when needed due to the person’s circumstances so they could together symbolise using knowledge wisely. Given her position as a magician I think temptation would be something she has had to overcome in the past to get to her level showing that she is wise in the ways of nature and self.
Sarah x

I LOVE the little bird carrying its message. I think your idea SarahRacheal about it bring its message to daily life and the minor arcana is lovely.

I like to imagine that the letter in this card is the same one as in the Lovers! Perhaps the lovers are seeking a magical blessing or approval for their union? Another thing I love--to me, in her headdress I see a snail's shell on either side of her head with what looks like a snail's eyestalks coming out of her head. I like to think that she has transfigured into the snail that we see in the other cards, keeping an eye on all the occurrences in the rest of the deck!