The Magician in Tarot

Magic and The Magician (An update)

     
The first thing we need to consider is how much 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. In consulting the Tarot, acting on our beliefs is best represented by the Tarot card The Magician. We are talking about an ancient cultural phenomenon which, for some, is considered passé. It’s irrelevant — a magical art loaded with superstition and rituals, which hardly anyone believes anymore.  Yet, in the past, various cultures have used “magic” to foresee the future/ have

made magical talismans and charms/ cast spells and invoked other worldly guidance to change the course of a life, the outcome of wars, and the governance of society. Magicians were seekers of power, especially in unstable times, and were attempting to control the basic elements and fundamental events in their lives.

     Today, we look at magicians and The Magician card differently in Tarot. More people are using the Tarot cards as symbols of archetypes, which can stimulate and inspire our creative imagination. Each card, with its specific meaning, can influence us in understanding our subjective experiences. In our modern society, very few people actually practice magic literally 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, (Ballantine Books 1991) discusses the foundations and changes of the modern world view since the 17^th 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.”

     He regarded this situation as dulled by, “…mechanistic principles having no special relation to either human existence per se, or to any divine reality.”  (My note: — Mechanistic thinking dismisses and discounts any other view. So there! As they say.)  In the prevalent existentialist thought of today, some people depend upon their own ingenuity and want to be in charge of their own actions and resources with a sense of “freedom.” They try to act according to one’s own will. If this attitude is taken too far, a depressing state of “negative existential nihilism” can occur where one feels life has no purpose and no meaning, which defeats the intent of the idea of “freedom.”  So, in a more positive sense, we should keep in mind that in our Democratic Society, we have the freedom to create our own purpose and make our own choices.

      Concerning earlier civilizations, we must remember that “colonialism” prevailed in many countries and was a step in the wrong direction where a predominate “Holier than Thou” arrogance of those in charge resulted in slavery, domination and subjugation of one people over another. This accounts for prejudice against all differing religions, past and present, against different people and different customs, and also, the persecution of foreign magical practices. Remnants of this colonial thought still persist today in America where we are witnessing big demonstrations and marches by oppressed people and their allies about “Black Lives Matter,” and “Gay Liberation.” In spite of colossal problems, the timing of this still represents the ongoing struggle of Democracy to honor and bring to fruition the meaning of the “Declaration of Independence,” and the aspiration “…that all men are created equal.” On another note, regarding colonial empiricist thought, Rene Eisler in her book, The Chalice and the Blade, (HarperCollins 1987) discusses “The Failure of Reason.” She expands on the difficulties created by empiricist thinking and action:

“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?

Who or what does The Magician card represent in Tarot and is it magic?

Magician Visconti-Sforza Tarot

     It seems that most magicians of the past, as described in literature and art, sought help from outside sources other then themselves. Unfortunately, to the more scientific thought of today, this implies feelings of powerlessness, helplessness and victimization. Instead, it was really about acquiring power. In ancient cultures, early peoples believed in mythological, supernatural, or as we might think of - imaginary beings—with magical powers.  Magicians, shamans, medicine men/women, conducted ceremonies and rituals that honored and brought forth other worldly beings and spirits, which they believed had superhuman powers. Alas, alongside that, unsavory immoral situations were promoted by incompetent sleazy magicians who attempted to conjure demonic forces to bring misfortune on others. According to Sir James Frazer, author of The Golden Bough, early peoples practiced various kinds of magic in Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Asia, Greece, Rome, and other early European cultures, and his entire book discusses what their practices were. Most magicians of the past were trying to call upon helpful intermediaries through ceremonial rituals and complex spells. We are astounded by the range of procedures and rituals that were performed by the Holy Man or Holy Woman.

“The shaman is the archetypal magician/priest of the human race, existing or having existed in Northern Europe, all over Asia, among various native tribes of North and South America and in various parts of Africa.”

Nigel Pennick Secret Games of the Gods (Samuel Weiser 1989)

      In old earth magic, particularly in England, nature worshipping pagans summoned deities of 

rocks, trees, plants, water and animals, who would act on their behalf to help them, heal them and grant their wishes. These were often ethereal tree spirits, plant devas, and fairy-folk (tiny people-like spirits with magical powers). Centuries ago, Celtic magicians (Druids) practiced their magic in forest glens and sacred places where seasonal rituals and ceremonies undoubtedly took place. Earlier, giant stone circles, such as Stonehenge in southern England, were constructed to bring to earth— the Cosmos— in arrangements of stones placed to measure the movement of the sun and moon in relation to the seasons and marking the Summer and Winter Solstices.

     Today, a Neopaganism movement is evolving where contemporary Feminist groups are bringing back some of the magic of nature by envisioning the sacredness of Mother Earth and invoking the early European Earth Goddess. Activist groups have formed a type of earth-based spirituality where restorative procedures to conserve and sustain the land are being carried out. “Permaculture” groups founded by Starhawk and others, are working on reclaiming landscapes that will preserve the environment around us. Radical shifts are happening in the way these groups interact with nature as they rethink land development and how to improve crop methods. Because of overuse of pesticides and fertilizers over the years, they are working on ways to heal and cleanse the soil by eliminating toxic waste and poisonous chemicals.

“Nature is seen as having its own inherent order, of which human beings are a part.”

“But when nature is empty of Spirit, forests and trees become merely timber, something to be measured in board feet, valued only for its profitability, not for its being, its beauty

or even its part in the larger ecosystem.”

Starhawk, Dreaming the Dark (Beacon Press 1982)

Artist, Betsy Damon, founder of Keepers of the Waters, best known for her Living Water Garden on the Fu-nan River in Chengdu China, is currently coordinating various water reclaiming projects and developing methods of changing and cleansing water usage through environmental education. Her activist groups around the world “…work toward community-based models of water stewardship,” empowering people to engage in community organizing and develop educational water projects. Through actual field (water) work, they are learning how to construct natural filtration ponds, utilize cleansing methods, and how to understand water flows and drainage in cleaning rivers and lakes. Now, many such groups are working on restoring and preserving major water sources all over America and other countries of the world.

     In early America, before the Conquistadores, indigenous natives of the Southwest invoked seasonal weather-related spirits (Kachinas) of wind, rain, lightning, and animals and plants, to aid their tribes in growing crops and augment their survival. Wearing masks and costumes that embodied certain beneficial spirit-beings, participants danced in ritual ceremonies in secret underground kivas

at their pueblos. (See Southwest Indian Ceremonies, Tom Bahti, KC Publications 1982)
Some religious ceremonies and dancing are still practiced in New Mexico today. All this was to bring about different states of mind and a transformation of consciousness that would bring nature’s power into their environment, protect their communities, and banish unknown forces. Divination, dreams and vision interpretation also heightened their magical practices.

Neptune
photo V. Husted

     In early Grecian forms of magic, statues of the gods were believed to be animated by the god they represented. They believed the god, such as Apollo or Athena, would enter their symbolic statue representation and empower it so the god could answer their prayers and perform miracles. Officials often sought advice from the gods through the mediumistic voices of the Sisters of Pythia at the Oracle of Delphi. Early Chinese religions worshipped personifications of nature, and ancestor worship was prevalent. They believed earth spirits inhabited certain locations and, hidden away, benevolent spirits were worshipped in elaborate shrines. Most magicians and shamans acted as a bridge between the spirits and the people. In order to convey the wishes of the spirits, they were invoked in songs, prayers, dances and magical formulas. Japanese female shamans danced in trances in beautiful elaborate costumes, as did the Korean sorceresses. 

                                                                                       (as in M*A*S*H episode #108, “Exorcism” - loved her costume).  

     In Biblical writings, Moses and Aaron were in competition with Egyptian magicians — over a snake (Exod. 8:5-9:12).  Aaron’s rod became a snake through the will of God. But the Egyptian magicians also produced snakes through their secret arts and attributes of certain gods. In the end, Aaron’s rod swallowed them all up. Because of Israelite belief in one God, magicians and magical practices were forbidden in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Especially prohibited was the worship of Ashtoreth, earth goddess of fertility (1Kings 11:33). In reference to this, several present-day authors have posed the question — was Jesus a magician? (See Jesus the Magician, by Morton Smith, HarperCollins 1978.) In the book, Meditations on the Tarot, the author, Anonymous, discusses the story of Jesus walking on the water toward the boat full of the disciples. He points out that Jesus’ miraculous acts were of “divine origin” from the Kingdom of God (See Matt.14:28-31). Some might interpret this as being from another dimension of consciousness. It’s up to you to decide how you want to think about that. Peter, who tried to walk on the water was overwhelmed by FEAR and started to sink. Who hasn’t known that kind of fear?  In our time, we are impressed by the awesome feat of Alex Honnold who recently solo climbed El Capitan in Yosemite (7,569') with no ropes or guides and apparent lack of fear. He displayed superior concentration in each upward pitch, moving steadily with the strength and skill of a master. It seemed almost magical. (See National Geographic, February 2019.) In Tarot, the art of focusing, concentration and skill are the key attributes of The Magician.

      In Medieval European magic (before the 17^th 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, or so those charlatans wished.  And then there were the buffoons, soothsayers, and street magicians who performed seemingly magic tricks for a coin or two by sleight of hand. In modern concepts, for most of us, it is almost impossible to go back to the beliefs and procedures of the ancient past and participate in ritualistic magic. We just don’t believe in it as our ancestors did. Why? Because they really believed in what they practiced.

     Where does the Tarot fit into all this? Today, people who dabble in Tarot feel there is more to life than 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. Some find spiritual consolation in being in touch with one’s private inner world of contemplative consciousness. Others might just want to overcome the boredom of deterministic thought by envisioning the symbols of Tarot and find deeper meaning in their lives. As mentioned in my book, Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, “The assumption is that Tarot and Astrology are irrational, superstitious and unscientific. Yes, they are not scientific because they are not meant to be. Tarot and Astrology belong to the realm of philosophy, art, magic and religion.” 

     The meaning of The Magician in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness is about the work one does to discern the difference between reality and unreality, between truth and a lie. One can become more open to “the heavens above,” so to speak, and be a conduit for Cosmic Energy through concentration and focusing. Here one focuses on self-transformation by using the “tools” of Tarot:  Wands - establishing one’s true identity; Cups - finding an inner life; mastering your emotions; Swords - having creative ideas; and Coins or Pentacles - putting your best foot forward in the physical manifestation of your own persona. The so-called “good” magician becomes a servant of divine providence in seeing the “light” and doing good for mankind. The “bad” magician uses abusive forces against mankind in selfish, evil purposes to punish, hurt or destroy others.

My teacher, Gail Fairfield, discusses The Magician in terms of psychological insights in her book, Choice-Centered Relating and the Tarot (Samuel Weiser 2000). The key is discernment. She interprets the qualities of The Magician in the sense of people, “… who are analytical, problem solving, discriminating, discerning.” The information they use is, “…factual, that dispels illusions, that gives answers.” She says it’s about, “Having discernment about other people; utilizing analytical or problem-solving skills in the world; figuring out if something external is based in reality or illusion.” This is about any magic, which is found in Tarot of 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 and then make the right choices.  Ask yourself if you think your life has a purpose or, do you just exist? When you get The Magician in a reading, the magic of it is found in examining your purpose in life, your visions and dreams and in honing your skills. Think of how you will manifest your highest ideals. If you are seeking a spiritual solution, then choose a spiritual path, practice meditation, send out your prayers. Always sing praises and gratitude for life, love, abundance, and appreciation for the sacred on earth. The Magician card invites self-mastery and self-transformation through introspection and a desire to grow and change. Focus and concentrate on the energy of the Life-force and bring it into your everyday experience.

Now, I’ve got to go see what those gnomes in the garden are up to!

The Fool Again

The Fool: the good, bad, and dangerous

We can examine the meaning of The Fool card in Tarot from several different perspectives, but this will be mostly about the fool in literature and art. If only we could see the big picture. Imagine

Ship of Fools
Tarot Brian Williams

yourself on the moon right now sitting in your lawn chair looking at the blue ball of earth. What do you see? White clouds swirling around blue oceans and some green and brown land masses. We can’t see any details, but we know it is populated by about seven billion human beings plus millions of insects and other creatures. Many people, civilizations, and wars have come and gone. Kingdoms and regimes have wielded power and collapsed, only to be built up again. Over time, humans have dominated the earth for better or worse to the point where now the worst looms in the background – the ability to destroy the earth with the “atomic bomb.” In the midst of the Covid19 virus pandemic, it seems the earth has to defend itself with stronger storms, fires, floods and nasty viruses. Of course, in Biblical writings, it was “the flood.” When we look at the details of human history concerning the remnants of previous civilizations such as Egypt and Rome, we see and hear all about the foibles of how humans have functioned together, or not functioned together at all. Who is “fooling who?” It seems we are often “fooling” ourselves. Sometimes the fool in all of us is apparent.

“A fools lips bring strife, and his mouth invites a flogging. A fool’s mouth is his ruin

and his lips are a snare to himself.” (Proverbs 18:6-7)

Biblical fools were written about over 2,000 years ago with warnings of misbehavior (see Prov. 12:15). Courtly fools have been portrayed in early European and Medieval literature and art where we see fools who assist Kings but who can also create mayhem.  (see my blog “More thoughts on the Fool” Feb. 2015.) For example, we come across such fools in English literature such as the one in Shakespeare’s “King Lear.”

“Dost thou know the difference between a bitter fool

and a sweet one?” asks the fool of King Lear

Lear says to the fool, “Nothing can be made of nothing.”

The Fool card in Tarot means to begin with “nothing” in usual interpretations. This card represents someone who is starting on the journey of self-discovery by progressing through the life-experience situations exemplified by the 22 Major Arcana where certain lessons are learned. “…it symbolizes a path of ascension through various levels of spiritual attainment,” says Cynthia Giles in her book “The Tarot, History, Mystery and Lore” (Simon & Schuster 1992). The psychological aspects of the cards can be seen as archetypes of human behavior on a spiritual path. The Fool begins in innocence, not knowing anything. In literature, there are various descriptions for the fool as a jester, a trickster, a comedian, a fancy fop, or a clown. So, we see in the play “King Lear,” the courtly fool is protecting the King by watching and sizing up his constituents and giving the King advice. He appears to be a “yes-man,” yet he is the only one who can safely point out King Lear’s faults. He helps confront the tragic results of a King who is imploding because of his defects of character and unpredictability.

“May not an ass know when the cart draws the horse?” says Lear’s fool

A fool can also be the devil’s advocate: a person who challenges the status quo and provokes debate, testing the strength of opposing arguments. He gives unpopular opinions, overstates skepticism and engenders general contrariness. There were whimsical celebrations observed by “fools” in Roman times, known from the descriptions of “Saturnalia Festivals,” which occurred at the time of the Winter Solstice. They held wild parties, marched in bizarre masquerades of irreverence, performed fake orgies, and indulged in gluttonous feasts, all while defying the rules and disrupting order. This trend has continued over the centuries. We get a better perspective of foolish behavior in the woodcut illustrations of Sebastian Brandt’s 15^th century book, “Ship of Fools,” which depicts a “cargo of fools, gamblers, gossips and idlers.” Some of the woodcuts were made by Albrecht Durer. The former Brian Williams, Tarot artist and lecturer, has recently re-interpreted the woodcuts with similar updated drawings based on the Major Arcana. (Refer to Brian Williams, Book of Fools Tarot, Llewellyn 2002) Carnival Festivals of Central European peasants in the 16^th century were depicted in paintings by Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel (in 16^th century Flanders) with scenes of merrymaking and party-goers mocking everything with repugnant fantasy, especially the dogma of the Church. Bosch’s fool is indicated as “The Pedlar or Wayfarer” in the wing of “The Cana Triptych,” and includes a growling dog behind him as a sign of the Devil. He is on the path to salvation and about to go through the “narrow gate “to Heaven (see Matt. 7:13-14). Bosch also portrays the fool in the typical regalia of a fool’s cap and coxcomb in the painting “Lust” part of “The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things.” In contrast to Italian Renaissance artists of the time, Bruegel’s huge paintings illustrated the the everyday life of the peasants, encompassing their outdoor celebrations of Carnival in feasts, foolery, games, music and dancing. Today’s Mardi Gras is a continuation of such folly. These Germanic peasants were defying the rules and order of the governing feudal overlords and their defiance eventually exploded in an uprising referred to as the Great Peasant Revolt of 1524-25, where thousands were killed by soldiers of the local nobles. This was a precursor to the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Bosch The fool in section on Lust

Bosch The Pedlar

In modern times, we have seen the hilarious parodies and silliness acted out by comedians on early TV shows such as I love Lucy, Laugh-In and Candid Camera. Later, we saw more outrageous comedy from Sanford and Son, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, The Carol Burnett show and Mash, and of course, still ongoing - Saturday Night Live. Those TV “fools” have been pointing out the daily human foibles of modern society every week. But, there is another kind of fool that we cannot ignore - the dangerous fool.

“No one is quite so dangerous as a fool, for nobody can calculate what a fool is going to do.”

(Madeline Montalaban, “The Tarot,” Blandford press 1983)

You may ignore someone’s seemingly foolish behavior but beware of the fool who is in a position of 

power – the foolish King or Queen, Fuhrer, President, Emperor or Dictator. “Oh, they are just being silly,” they say. Such fools can purposely defy logic and reason in a complex subversion of rule of law and order. On one level, the fool can represent fun and comic relief. The “Eccentrics Club” used to meet in London Pubs every month to defy popular superstitions such as walking under a ladder, opening umbrellas indoors and so-on. But on a gloomier level, we are still feeling the effects of deranged fools who have promoted disastrous wars and catastrophic destruction in the past, culminating in the 20^th century Nazi regime in Germany. This warring Nazi death cult of murderous monsters and ghastly ghouls killed millions of people on a huge scale with modern weapons and gas chambers disguised as showers in World War II under the leadership of such a dangerous fool, Hitler. Let’s never forget that this is the hell humans can bring about when they start down the horrific path of the “dark side.”

The fool on another level, can unknowingly uncover corruption and sordid plots, but we must be aware of the shady side of the fool - the twisted trickster who can bring out the worst in people while promoting chaos and disaster. Such fools intentionally defy logic and reason in their subversion of order.  In a negative sense, when The Fool card is reversed in a reading, it’s important that we question them in a realistic assessment of a person’s character. Here are some behaviors to look for:

- Inability to think things through                               - Obsessive exhibitionism

- Lack of honor and responsibility                              - Making up stories and conspiracy theories

- Contrary attitude, looking for a fight                       - Blaming others, passing the buck

- Irrational impulses                                                   - Mania, even megalomania

- Reluctance to listen to advice                                  - Scattered, glib, motor-mouth

- Striking out at critics                                                - No empathy but inspiring mob-rule

- Selfish, egotistical and narcissistic                           - Magical thinking

-  Abuse of power through guile, trickery                   - Inflated view of self

- Lack of integrity and good will                                 - Lying and deceitful, hiding the truth

What happens when you receive The Fool card in a reading?

Tarot Garden Fool
Niki de Saint Phalle

In a positive sense, this could mean you are waking up and starting to do something new. You, or someone you know, may seem to be doing something that appears foolish to others, but never fear, go ahead and try it out.  No matter what happens, one has to be willing to take a chance and jump in to take a risk by trying out a new idea, a new job, a new adventure, a new way of life! You have a whole realm of possibilities ahead of you. Don’t be afraid to explore that creative potential. You, or someone you know, may be acting the fool in sudden rebellion or doing something outrageous, but it may be the right thing to do to get out of a rut or to get off the couch and take a chance. One must hope that it will work out. Your attitude should be to try something new - you’ve got nothing to lose. This means it’s time to accept the challenges this card represents and do something that you have never done before. It’s time to Jump in, to swim, and see what happens. You never know until you try.                       

“Not knowing where he is going, the fool is ready to discover. He is the hero of fairy tales who appears dim-witted but is able to find the ‘Treasure’ where others have failed.”

(Niki de Saint Phalle Tarot cards, The Tarot Garden, Tuscany, Italy)