Daily Tarot: THE MAGICIAN

Mastery of Duality and the Law of Correspondence.

Every day, I get my daughter to pick a Card from the Major Arcana of the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. Disregarding traditional interpretations and sceptical of ‘professional’ Tarot readers, I draw instead from my Hermetic background and psychological focus on Mythos and Archetypes. I'm exploring an experiment to deeply understand each card's archetypal meanings, delving into both its overt and covert symbolism while remaining open to the conversational nature of signs. This process embodies the concept of "Signal" as "Emergence," where being in tune allows for the unfolding and proper demodulation of universal, multifaceted messages, highlighting the pervasive relevance and context available to all.

The Invitation is to consider all the implications and let them form a constellation of context, from which you might derive some Meaning.

---

I. THE MAGICIAN.

This card represents Mastery of the Duality and the Law of Correspondence

The Magician meets reality at the fundamental level.

The number is I (1) and is the 2nd Card in the Major Arcana.

---

HOW TO CONSIDER THE TAROT

To appreciate Tarot, you do not need to subscribe to anything mystical or arcane, and you most certainly do not need to consult the booklets and the types of interpretations we encounter on the internet, which is no deeper than a typical lifestyle magazine for young women. You just need to appreciate how symbols and archetypes are windows into expansive maps of meaning.

Each card is a window into a holographic map of meaning, holding a trove of symbols, archetypes and other even less visible aspects such as numbers and geometry. When seen as a whole, considering all the subtle aspects, including the body language, the colours and the arrangement and the constellation of connection and meaning they imply, we begin to understand the true power of Tarot.

We begin each time with the abstract so that our subconscious minds can be primed with that which is most essential about the card, which would be overlooked by our human nature to scan for visual cues, recognise forms, faces and objects at a more literal level.

In this respect, Tarot becomes less of a tool for the kind of divination we associate with ‘pop astrology’, and instead a far more mature and meditative guide for connecting with the invisible aspects of ourselves, the world we belong to and the manner of that belonging.

The further invitation is to consider how the convergence of seemingly disparate elements which appear initially obscure and random, unfolds to reveal not only an emergent essence of each card but also an undeniable, deliberate web of meaning. This intricate orchestration underscores a genius in design and composition, hinting at a profound interconnectedness and the thoughtful intent behind each card's creation and the wisdom human beings have access to.

Each post, and the series as an emergent ‘Whole’, challenges the reader to view the Tarot through the lens of personal exploration and intuitive understanding. The synthesis of diverse disciplines provides a scaffold for interpreting each card's symbolism, inviting a deep, personal dialogue with the archetypes it embodies.

---

NUMEROLOGY

Numerology is the study of numbers. If mathematics is the language and the grammar, geometry is the syntax and poetry, and numbers are the base letters.

1 is a self-contained Infinity, seminal to creation. The quintessence of 1 is actuality Duality. (See the Geometry section below.)

One of the counter-intuitive facts of Mathematics is that you can have infinities of different sizes. Zero (0) is the unformed Infinity. One (1) is the Formed Infinity. The two primary infinities have a correspondent relationship, in how in each infinity there can be an infinite series of numbers that can be paired with each other. More accurate to say there is a congruence between two infinities. The congruence implies Correspondence.

The quintessence of 1 is duality.

---

GEOMETRY

A circle can be unwound onto a line. 1 as a number can be infinitely subdivided into ever smaller decimals or fractions of the whole.

The line between 0 and 1, creates the placeholder for two points, and thereby an innate duality.

Even though the line is seminal to all other Geometry, no specific geometry can be described by a single line. Geometry in a true sense, only arrives when 3 points are defined, and space is opened up between them, namely the triangle.

A Vector however can be described by a single line (or arc), and a vector (or arc) can infer direction.

The implied geometry of a straight line, that of a vector, or a horizon, where the angle is 180 degrees. The line intersects the field, being that the 180 degrees measurable on one side of the line is equal to the 180 degrees on the other side of the line, implying the Whole (360 degrees).

The Magician, also the Wand of the Magician, are a straight line between the Upper Laws (Logos) and the Natural Law of the world.

---

ETYMOLOGY

Vertical shallow Etymology finds the nearest root words and leaves it at that. Deep and Wide Etymology reaches down and laterally, to explore the full essence of meaning that is related to the word.

The etymological roots of the Magician trace back to ancient wisdom and power, highlighting the card's association with knowledge, transformation, and the ability to navigate life's complexities with skill and insight. This is further enriched by the card's connections to various mythologies, where the Magician aligns with archetypal figures that embody mastery over the natural and supernatural realms.

Magician traces its oldest known root to Persian magush “powerful” from the Proto-Indo-European root magh- meaning “to be able”, “to have power”.

The three characters who follow the star to visit the infant messiah in the Christian biblical mythos, are referred to as Magi. Similar to the Latin Magus and Greek Magos, the Magi were wise men of the East, learned priests and Astrologers who had access to texts and secret teachings, initiated into the mysteries.

The Magi in the Christian biblical mythos are called Balthasar, Kaspar and Melchior. Such was their dignity, power and majesty that the Magi were regarded as Kings.

The Magician by this definition is a learned person of initiation and devotion to study and practice, associated with Astrology, Divination, Ceremonial ritual, Alchemy and Medicine. The earlier applications of these early sciences of observation and calculation, prognostication, chemistry and psychology would have appeared nothing less than supernatural, and the mystique of The Magician archetype was born.

In Christian cultural and political sphere of early Europe, the dogmatic monopoly the Church would have claimed on unearthly power means that Magic was either divine or demonic, which is where we get the confusion we live with today.

A magician was simply someone who applied Divine Law (Logos) to master Natural Law, in the service of their own Will.

---

APPEARANCE & ARRANGEMENT

The card has a yellow background. A young man, in white robes and a red cloak, assumes a powerful posture, behind a table on which the four tools of the magician are arrayed.

---

EGREGORE

Egregore is an esoteric concept representing an emergent archetypal thought-form that arises from collective thoughts.

THE MAGICIAN card is Mastery via As Above, So Below.

Knowledge is Power.

Francis Bacon

The Magician does not enter ceremony seeking answers, they enter to initiate outcomes.

---

THE UNFOLDING

A closer look at the unfolding symbolism of the card reveals a young man central to the card, in a posture of “As Above, So Below”, holding the dual want in his Right hand, and pointing down with his left hand, implying the notion of applying the upper laws to master the lower laws.

Gown of Red over robes of White. Red and White are the archetypal symbols of the forces of Duality, expressed in various ways. Duality as a principle gives rise to a number of other Dualities. We recognise those dualities as: Masculine & Feminine, Active & Passive, Yin & Yang, Being & Non-Being. The colours White and Red feature in literary fiction (Alice in Wonderland) and are included as two key figures in Geomancy as Albus and Rubeus respectively.

The infinity sign above the head, and the white band over the forehead.

The Magician’s robes are fastened at the waist with a Snake belt: the Ouroboros, the cyclic nature of infinity, being that a snake can shed its skin. Snakes were believed to represent death and rebirth by returning to the earth in the winter and remerging again in the summer. The snake eating its own tail is a universal symbol of the eternity of time, which flows in cycles, in which the tail of one cycle is always followed (devoured) by the head of the next.

The Magician's posture, the infinity symbol above his head, and the snake belt encircling his waist all signify the eternal flow of energy and the cyclical nature of life, emphasizing the concept of renewal and the endless possibilities that arise from understanding and leveraging the universal laws.

The 4 Tools of the Magician feature on the square table in the foreground. This represents the Squared Circle: integrating the infinite into the manifested, as his working surface. A table symbolizes an area of focus attention, such as an altar or a desk. When we place our cards on the table, we express and stand behind our truth. When we table an issue, we present it for engagement with the world.

The edge of the wooden table is engraved with 3, possibly 4 ambiguous carved symbols. The first could be waves of water or mountains, representing Water or Earth. The second could be waves of water or tongues of fire. The third is a dove and a possible fourth figure is on the shaded edge, harder to discern. The same four elements implied feature in the 4 tools of the Magician on the table.

The four tools of the Magician, are also the suites of the Tarot deck and have correspondence to the 4 Elements.

The Wand is the staff of the magician, also the central staff of the Caduceus and the universal metaphor for power and mastery. It is echoed in archetypal symbols such as the sceptre, the rod of sentencing and the shepherd’s crook of guidance and protection.

The Roses and Lillies below and the Roses above. Roses represent Understanding & Judgement. Lillies represent Wisdom & Compassion. Red & White are again Rubeus and Albus.

---

SYMMETRY WITHIN THE DECK

Within the deck, there are symmetries and connections between the cards, defined by the relationship of the numbers, others thematically by the relationship of their symbols, archetypes and other essentialities.

The most obvious symmetry is of the three cards that depict masculine Archetypes, standing alone in different phases/projects of a spiritual journey: THE FOOL, THE MAGICIAN & THE HERMIT.

The Fool represents the wanderer who dares the heights, the epitome of Pure Possibility and Infinite Potential. The Magician represents the Master of the Law, at the peak of their power, but not yet embedded in a project of creation or leadership.

First, the Child must learn True Gratitude. Then the Adult must learn the Playfulness of a Child. Only then can the Grandfather learn to forget All.

The Hermit represents the wise sage, living apart from society, but ready to lift the lamp to light the way. The Fool with their light backpack and hat full of dreams, has yet to encounter consequences and the way that choices prune the branches from the tree possibility. The Magician has all the tools laid out impressively before them but has yet to create something in the world for which they are vulnerable. The Hermit has discarded the tools, is not tied to any possessions or impressive outfits, has withdrawn from the world, in order to be of better service to the world.

SWEEPING

When the young monk sweeps the floor of the temple, 
it is because he has been told, 
his service is what makes him holy, 
and that holy places should be undefiled.

When the senior monk sweeps the floor of the temple,
it is because he knows that devotion itself is holy, 
and he seeks to make himself and that place holy 
by his devotion.

The enlightened master sweeps the floor of his hut, 
because the floor wants to be swept, 
because the broom wants to sweep, 
and because the dust keeps gathering.

---

KABBALAH, BIBLICAL HEBREW & GEMATRIA

In Kabbalah 1 is the number of the Crown of the Sephirotic Tree of Life: Kether. Kether in Hebrew means Crown. The Magician is the initiate who fulfils the divine destiny of Man as the Crown of Creation.

Each letter in the Hebrew alef-bet carries a deep meaning that is not commonly known.

• The Wand is the Hebrew letter Vav(ו), which means “hook” as in Shepherd’s hook, as in that which guides, protects and corrects. Vav also means “peg”, as in tent-peg, as in that which connects the upper to the lower. The presence of Vav in a word, in the context of Kabbalah and biblical Hebrew, denotes the connection to or presence of the Divine.

• The Sword is the Hebrew letter Zayin(ז), which means “tool, sword or penis”.

• The Cup is the Hebrew letter Kaf(כ) which means “cup, bowl or spoon”, its deeper meaning (Gematria) is “the shelter of emanation”, shelter being the refuge in creation that is created for the souls before even their needs arise, and the emanation is the Light of God. The bowl/cup is the nourishment of divine understanding and reason.

• The Pentacle is represented by the Hebrew letter Samech(ס), one of the only closed letters, visually making a Wheel. Samech means “completion”.

---

HERMETIC LAWS & CONCEPTS

The Magician is a central archetype in Hermetic lore. The central pose or posture of the figure of the Magician in this card represents their relationship with the world, a dual wand held aloft in the right hand, and a finger of command pointing down, implying mastery of the law of Correspondence (As Above, So Below), and an innate aspect of Hermetic Laws, whereby each of the 7 laws is indelible and an absolute, and the only way to master the lower law, is by harnessing the upper, ending up at the top: The All is Mind.

The Magician represents a living relationship with The Logos: the Divine Law or Design of all existence, including all Laws, Principles that is to say all Reason by which it is ordered and governed. The Logos is another way of describing the 7 Hermetic Laws.

This is the quintessence of the figure of The Magician from a Hermetic perspective: The supremacy and fundamentality of Mind (Reason, Will and Consciousness).

The Hermetic Laws depicted by THE MAGICIAN card are:

• The All is Mind. The Magician is an exemplar of Will and Stillness.

• The Law of Correspondence. As Above, So Below.

• The Law of Vibration. All the four elements are arrayed on the table. These define the matter and energy by which everything moves and is moved.

• The Law of Polarity. The dual wand which the Magician wields, allude to the Law of Polarity.

• The Law of Rhythm. The Serpent belt alludes to the cyclic Law of Rhythm.

• The Law of Cause & Effect. The Mastery of the four elements, the balanced posture of “As Above, So Below”, the balance between the white and red blooms and the white and red clothing allude to the mastery of Cause & Effect.

• The Law of Gender. The Magician’s tools, the Wand and the Sword are Masculine. The Cup is Feminine.

In Tarot and Hermetic symbolism

• The Wand is the central pillar, the axis on which the world and its forces turn. The Wand represents the grasping and wielding of Universal power via Will & Knowledge (of Logos). This is associated with the archetype of The Father: the rod of correction, the staff of protection.

• The Sword represents severing bonds of Karma & Dharma (Fortune), and severing the bonds of Nature, by which the magician can master Natural Law.

• The Cup is the symbol of receiving the Light of reason and understanding of the Divine. It represents Nous (Divine understanding, reason & consciousness). It represents the Feminine principle of Flow.

• The Pentacle is the wheel by which Dharma (Fortune) can be turned. This is why Pentacles are also called Coins, denoting the connection with Fortune and the physical/ manifested world. It represents the concept of the Sacred Fifth, the Quintessence, the divine essence of each manifested thing. It represents the Masculine principle of Form.

---

ASTROLOGY

THE MAGICIAN card is associated with the planet Mercury. Mercury (Hermes) is the psychopomp, able to span the realms of Olympus and the Underworld. The implication is that The Magician has mastered their own shadow, and is connected with their own upper nature.

---

MYTHOS & LOGOS

GREEK MYTHOLOGY

The Magician has laid before them:

• the Staff of Hermes, by which Hermes is the messenger and herald of the gods, and patron of healing, and magic.

• the Sword or Thunderbolt of Zeus, forged by the dreaded Cyclopes for the King of the Olympians and the orderer of the world, a symbol of cosmic order. The thunderbolt or lightning bolt is a symbol of inspiration, sudden divine repurcussion and also meteorological fertilisation.

• the Cornucopia of Demeter, the horn of plenty that represented abundance, which comes from a myth about Zeus. Being suckled by a she-goat, baby Zeus is so strong he tears off a horn, and as a divine symbol of his later mastery of the world, the horn immediately sprouts forth herbs and fruit and never runs empty.

• The round Shield or Aegis of Athena which represents divine sanction, whose mirrored surface was used by Perseus to slay the Gorgon, turning her to stone (earth).

IRISH MYTHOLOGY

In the Irish Mythos, the 4 treasures of the Tuatha De Danaan, are the Spear, the Sword, the Cauldron and the Stone.

• The Spear of Lugh was a magical weapon and sign of command belonging to the god-king Lugh. It was a symbol of kingly office, imbued with the power of never missing its mark.

• The Sword of Nuada, carried an original term which translated “Sword of Light”. It was described as a fiery sword, glowing with light, engraved with spells, and reputedly undefeatable once unsheathed able to dissolve or deflect all armour and spells arrayed against the wielder.

• The Cauldron of the Dagda was known as “the un-dry cauldron”, said to be bottomless, which left no man unsatisfied and corresponds to the Cup. The cauldron represented abundance.

• The Upright Stone of Fál, is an axis or axle, on which the Dharmic wheel turns, representing the same device as the Pentacle. The stone was credited with the power to rejuvenate the king and also to endow him with the good fortune of a long reign.

JUDAIC MYTHOS

In the Torah, the Wand is referred to as the Rod and the Staff. The rod conveys the concept of authority, power, and discipline as in the Rod of sentencing. The staff represents all that is protective and guiding as in the shepherd’s crook.

CHRISTIAN / BIBLICAL MYTHOLOGY

In Christian / biblical mythos, Jesus is the quintessential Magician, demonstrating mastery of Divine Law and knowledge, which infers mastery of the Natural laws, turning water into wine, stilling the storm, walking on water. Also demonstrated is mastery of the Underworld, raising Lazarus from the dead.

• The Spear that pierces Jesus’ side goes on to be regarded as the Spear of Destiny in Christian mythos, is the Wand of power.

• The Cross itself is the sword. The representation of the sword, in the romances of the middle ages, echoed the chivalry and pacifism of Jesus, representing the sword planted into the earth, as a sign of turning to divine grace rather than martial prowess in times of trouble. Instead of using the sword to sever the bonds, Jesus chooses martyrdom, being crucified in a form of redemptive sacrifice which severs the karmic bonds of the faithful who follow in his way.

• The Cup is the cup Jesus drinks from at the Last Supper, which again becomes central to the medieval Christianised romances, as the Holy Grail.

• The Stone ‘wheel’ which is drawn across the mouth of the tomb where Jesus is buried is the Pentacle. The Cross and the Pentacle also both represent the Sacred Fifth or Quintessence—common to both are the notion of a central point, or axle.

---

INNER REFLECTION

Here we see the power of harmony and balance under the power of Will, and the leverage of knowledge and understanding towards mastery of Self and thereby the Natural laws that govern all matter and energy, in which and by which everything moves and is moved.

The reflection is one of the alchemical process of transformation—from thought to form, from potential to manifestation—illuminating the power of alignment with the fundamental laws of the universe to become in a sense equal with the creative, governing and ordering principle of the world. The essence is of conscious creation and the profound interconnectedness of universal energies and human potential. The present invitation is to recognise our role as co-creators in the tapestry of life, harnessing the elements and energies that surround us to forge the reality we aspire to

The Magician does not operate in the shadows, their stance speaks for them, and acts for them, expressing and radiating a sense of mastery, and gravity of Will. The Magician does not make prayers, seeking answers, they are directing the conversation of life, to initiate outcomes.

As Above, So Below, is a phrase that describes the divine symmetry of the world, and in all things, and of all things between each other. It implies relativity, relationship, fractality, and correspondence. It means reflection and symmetry. As Below, So Above. What was last, will then be first. As with the great, so it is with the small. As within, so without. As with Nature, so with Spirit.

---

THE INVITATION

What is my relationship to the divine law, to natural law? Am I a child in this conversation, seeking redemption or permission, or am I my own person, straddling the paradox of opposites that both find their home in me, choosing for myself the stance with which I will face the world and the adventure I will write from here?

---

The title image depicts a tree, branches visible above the surface, reaching towards, the unity of light and open expanse of sky, and below the surface, growing down into life, connecting deeply with the dark closeness and unlovely reality of what is. The Tree is the whole conversation of roots and branches.

To ascend the Tree, is to look beyond the light-show of dawn, to ground yourself, in ritual and consecration, program yourself with stillness and sacred intent, to climb brave and steadily, one step down and one step up, just so; one down to embrace the roots which anchor you Nature and to the World, and one up, to find your way, amongst the myriad branches, that reach up towards the infinite sky.

To follow each, in turn, that you may notice with delight, the universe winking at you, inviting you to realise the keys are hidden, of course, where no one else is looking, and that you may remember, you are the whole tree, the whole earth, and the whole sky.

---

Visit my website if you are interested in decoding Archetypes, Mythos, Hermetics, and Gnosticism, or if you want to book me for a podcast interview.

Visit my website if you are interested in discovering your own Archetypes, Symbolism, Mythos, Totems and Astrology and have an appetite for something more deep and mature.