Solitary Society  >  Card of the Month  >  March 2010, 0 - The Fool

Solitary Society

Card Of The Month

April 2010

by Yury Shakov from the Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg, published by US Games, Inc.

1 - The Magician

Card Value: 1

Planetary Association: Mercury

Elemental Association: Quintessence

Hieroglyph: Man

Hebrew Letter Association: Alef(א) or Beth (ב)

Numerical Value: 1 as Alef, 2 as Beth

Color Associations: Red, White, Black and/or Red, Yellow, Blue, Green

The Magician is the first of the Major Arana and has the number 1 associated with it. In the image of The Magician we see a young man, which is the hieroglyph symbol of the card. The young man is standing with one arm raised and one arm lowered, symbolizing the above and the below, but more importantly the two polar opposites are unified by his body, in the symbol of the Aleph. Which is one of the major ideas of this image, Unity, also represented by the number one.

The card is also known as the Juggler, le Bateleur, to hint at the idea of activity and skill by the man. Also suggesting this activity may appear to be the work of a foolish man by the worldy wise.

The magician is also associated with the letter Beth and the hieroglyph of a house. Beth is associated with teh numerical value of 2 and represents the active nature of the man, by being proof of the first motion of creation.The number two also represents the ideas of equality, polarity, gender, and balance. These are all very important, and fundamental ideas. This is a hint towards a great lesson for the student, that is of neutralizing polarities and finding the middle path.

The symbol of the house represents the idea of unity by the sum of its parts. A set united becomes an individual of its own identity. The number two is composed of equal parts of unity or individuality. Though each part may view itself as an independent, it is part of another individual unit. Many images of The Magician display the four suit symbols on the table in front of the man to symbolize the idea of individuality witin unity. Some images may show only three symbols on the table, suggesting two important ideas, the trinity-in-unity, and also the need of the student to be able to find the path or point of balance. The open display of these symbols also suggests to the student that symbolism and the practice of mental imagery are important areas of study to persue.

In the raised hand of the man, he holds a wand or scepter which symbolizes his authority, and craftsmanship with the tools he has, it is also the symbol for the element and suit of fire. It tells us of the reception of divine influence in his skills to communicate the gift of spirit. The wand also symbolizes the staff or middle path of the cadueces, and his active ability in its use.

Overhead of the man is the lemniscate, the symbol of infinity. This image shows wings on it to represent the connection with Mercury/Hermes/Thoth. The twin serptents of the lemniscate are are the two forces of the cadueces, in union. This symbol is often shown as a hat the man is wearing, stylish to its times. Being above the man's head tells us that the creative activity of the man is directly influenced by the no-thing.

On his head is a golden circlet symbolizing the creative force of Kether and that same force being within the man and directed by the crown, or his will. Together with the lemniscate above him and the Crown of kether on his brow, this tells the student of the great importance it is to know and understand the process of numeration and the properties of number. Around the man's waist is a similar belt, sharing the same idea, but also that of generation, which can be seen in the study of the numbers one and two.

The man wears a white tunic with a red cloak. The tunic represents his spirit and inner qualities and it is pure. The cloak represents the will he employs in working with the universe, the outer vehicle of his spirit, the flesh which embodies the kingdom of spirit.

Before the man is a table made of a cube which has either three or four symbolic objects upon it. The face of the cube, a square represents form and the complete cube is form perfected. There being four sides to a face and six faces to make a cube. Six is the number of perfection by the union of the male and the female. This idea is also suggested by the union of the four element or suit symbols together on its surface.

The sky behind the man is a clear yellow symbolic of mercury. The sun shines upon this man bathing him in golden light. Twelve red and white roses grow at the base and around the cube table. They grow from the earth, the physical world, reaching for the table and the perfection it represents. The twelve roses are symbols of the twelve astrological signs, which may sometimes be shows as a border on the cube table. The roses also signify the development of the man himself on his journey through creation.

Bibliography

Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg by Cynthia Giles

The Book of Tokens by Paul Foster Case

The Tarot by Mouni Sadhu

Tarot of the Bohemians by Papus

Symbolism of the Tarot by P. D. Ouspensky

The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall

The Second Book Of Occult Philosophy, or Magicby Henry Cornelius Agrippa

The True and Invisible Rosicrucian Order by Paul Foster Case