The
Magician
 |
| The Magician in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness |
Let’s get to the core of this
discussion right away. The first thing we need to consider is that the power of
human imagination is capable of imagining anything. The next thing to consider
is the power of belief. We are capable of believing just about anything. The
best part of this is acting on our beliefs, and that’s where the Tarot comes
in.
Today, people use the Tarot card
symbols for stimulating and inspiring our creative imagination. Each card with
its specific meaning can help us understand our subjective experiences. In our
modern society, very few people actually practice magic because we think we
must be rational about everything. At least some of us would like to believe that.
Richard Tarnas in his book “The Passion of the Western Mind,” discusses the
foundations of the modern world view since the 17th century:
“…the order of the modern
cosmos was now comprehensible in principle by man’s rational and
empirical faculties alone,
while other aspects of human nature emotional,
aesthetic, ethical, volitional, relational, imaginative, epiphanic were generally regarded as irrelevant or
distortional for an objective understanding of the world.” P. 287
He regarded this as, “…mechanistic principles having no special relation to
either human existence per se, or to any divine reality.” (My note: This
view dismisses and discounts any other view, so there! they say!)
In the ancient past, early peoples believed in mythological,
supernatural, or as we might think of, imaginary beings with magical powers.
Who or what is The Magician
card and what is magic?
In ancient times, magicians, or
shamans, medicine men/women, conducted ceremonies and rituals hoping to bring
forth other worldly beings with superhuman powers, and in some cases, demonic
powers, to solve all our problems. According to Sir James Frazer, author of
“The Golden Bough,” early peoples practiced magic in Mesopotamia, Persia,
Egypt, Asia, Greece, Rome, and other European countries, and his entire book
discusses what they did. We are astounded by the range of practices performed
by the Holy Man or Holy Woman. Most
magicians were trying to influence these illusive intermediaries through
rituals and spells. In earth magic, nature worshipping pagans were conjuring
the deities of rocks, trees, plants, water, and animals, to act on their behalf
to help them and grant their wishes: ethereal tree spirits, plant devas, and fairy-folk.
Giant stone circles were constructed in sacred
places where seasonal rituals and ceremonies probably took place. Native Americans
invoked weather-related spirits of wind, rain, lightning, and animals and
plants, where they danced in kivas wearing masks that represented certain
spirit beings. Their art reflects this in totems and kachina dolls. All this was to bring about different states of mind and a
transformation of consciousness in order to exert power over the environment,
over other people, and unknown forces. They also included dream and vision interpretation
in their magical practices.
Later,
in Medieval European magic (before the 17th C) and in some kinds of
hermetic magic, special incantations were used to create or bring forth
supernatural effects using charms, amulets, talismans, and spells. In an opposite context, a more sinister
shadowy world of malefic concoctions was created in “Black Magic,” with spells invoking
“unclean” spirits to inflict pain and bring misfortune upon others. And then
there were the charlatans, soothsayers, and street magicians who performed
seemingly magic tricks for a coin or two by slight of hand.
In modern thought, for most of us, it
is almost impossible to go back to the methods of the ancient past and actually
participate in ritualistic magic. We just don’t believe in it as our ancestors
did. Why? Because they really believed in what they practiced.
On another note, concerning
empiricist thinking, Rene Eisler in her book “The Chalice and the Blade,”
discusses The Failure of Reason:
“Finally, after Auschwitz and Hiroshima, the
promise of reason began to be questioned… How could one explain the carefully
reasoned military experiments of the effects of the atomic bomb and radiation
on living and totally helpless human beings? Could all this superefficient mass
destruction be called an advance for humanity?
Where does the Tarot fit into all this? Tarot practitioners
feel there is more to life that just what goes on in our everyday materialistic
working world. Some want the adventure of the mind, and sense the importance of human
imagination that transcends human knowledge. Some like to find meaning in the
magic of mystery, randomness, and creative thinking. Others just want to
overcome the boredom of deterministic thought.
The meaning of The
Magician in “Tarot of Cosmic
Consciousness” is about the work
one does to discern the difference between reality and unreality, the truth and
a lie. One can become more open to “the heavens above,” so to speak, and can be
a conduit for Cosmic Energy. Here one focuses on self-transformation by using
the “tools” of Tarot: Wands- establishing one’s true
identity; Cups-finding an inner life; Swords-having creative ideas; and Coins or Pentacles-putting your best foot forward in
the physical manifestation of your own persona.
My teacher, Gail Fairfield, discusses The Magician in terms of psychological insights in her book
“Choice-Centered Relating and the Tarot.” The key is discernment. [It
represents] “People: Who are analytical, problem solving, discriminating,
discerning. [They use] Information: That is factual, that dispels illusions,
that gives answers.” Any magic in that is found in how you interpret the insights
and real facts about your situation and experiences. The choice of solutions is
up to you. The best part is that you
take responsibility to work it out for yourself without other worldly beings
stepping in on your behalf. It’s really up to you.
Now I will go out and check on the
gnomes guarding my garden, just in case.
