The Spiritual Meaning of the Magician Tarot Card

The Magician tarot card usually shows a masculine person standing with one hand pointing to the sky and the other to the earth, the classic symbol of the occultist phrase “As above, so below.” The Magician card typically features each of the four Tarot suits, including the cup, the sword, the pentacles (or coin), and the wand, which is often held in the Magician’s hand. There is an infinity symbol above his head and an ouroboros, a snake eating its tail, surrounding his waist; both of these are symbols of eternal cycles. Surrounding this scene of power are an abundance of blossoming vines.

The Magician is number one in the major arcana. If we think of the Tarot as a journey undertaken by the Fool (major arcana card number zero), the Magician is the first character the Fool will meet. The Magician has access to secret knowledge; he knows how to exist between the realms of spirit and matter. He could be seen as the one to initiate the Fool on his sacred journey to learn the secrets of the universe. When we approach the Tarot, we are the Fool, in many ways: the one on the quest, the one seeking knowledge. The Magician can help us to find that which we seek.

As Above, So Below

From an archetypal perspective, the number one represents pure energy, initiation, and beginning. It is the essence of everything—the whole that contains the All. The Magician holds mastery over all of the suits of the Tarot: the elements of Earth (pentacles), Air (swords), Fire (wands), and Water (cups). The Magician can show the Fool some of those secrets, but ultimately the Fool must learn their own lessons.

“As above, so below” is a paraphrase from an ancient Hermetic text called the Emerald Tablet, a foundational text for many alchemists. The phrase took on a life of its own for occultists and witches—it represented the idea that the work we do in the material world is reflected in the spirit world and vice versa. Many witches believe that any witchcraft we do will come back to us multiplied by three—a sort of occult version of the Golden Rule.

The Magician can invite us to consider the question we bring to the Tarot in a larger sense. If we apply the philosophy of “As above so below” to our question, how can we see a wider reflection of what the question means?

For example, if we want to know if a new person in our lives is a good choice for a long-term partner, the Magician may be asking us to consider whether or not we would be a good long-term partner, or whether we are ready for the relationship we want. If we want to know whether we should stay where we are or move somewhere new, the Magician may be asking us to consider that wherever we go, there we are: Our problems are not located in a particular place, but within us.

Accomplishing Your Desires

The cards will often appear as aspects of the querent themselves. The Magician is someone who has everything they need to accomplish what they desire. This could be a reminder that the querent is completely capable of getting where they want to go. When the Magician is reversed, we may have forgotten that we are more powerful than we tend to think.

Sometimes the reversed Magician can also indicate that something is missing or out of balance in terms of the four suits: thinking (swords), feeling (cups), acting (wands), and being (pentacles). Maybe we’ve been overthinking the problem (swords) and need to check in with our emotions (cups). Maybe we’ve been so caught up in our emotions that we’ve forgotten to look at the practical realities of the issue at hand (pentacles). Maybe it’s time to stop asking the Tarot questions altogether and just go for it (wands)!

An Empowering Teacher

Sometimes the cards can represent other people or other elements that are entering our lives. The Magician could represent a person—someone you believe knows the secrets to knowledge that you want. The Magician could also be a teacher, friend, or someone inviting you into a wisdom tradition that is exciting (or maybe a little scary) for you.

The Magician is the teacher that helps you find the power within yourself. He is Dumbledore, Merlin, Gandalf, and Mr. Miyagi. He helps the hero learn the mysteries they need to know in order to succeed in their quest. This is an archetype of masculinity that we have in some ways lost in our modern culture. The Magician is a knowledgeable man—someone who has studied thoroughly, both within himself and through other teachers. He is quiet and humble, always learning, and willing to understand things from a wide perspective.

If we think of the Magician as an archetype in this way, how could we emulate these qualities? Or perhaps they are qualities we need to notice in someone else but have dismissed because they are no longer seen as ideally masculine?

The Magician is a powerful card to pull in a reading. Overall, it is a positive energy—but it is also an energy that pushes, that asks you to look, to pay attention, to learn. If the Magician is with you, you’d better pay attention. He has important lessons to teach.

What's your divine masculine archetype?