The magician card is associated with the astrological influence of mercury and, indeed, it is a very mercurial card. Although the eternal nature represented in this card is unchanging it is, in its manifestation, somewhat ambiguous. The magician can represent both the messenger of God and the highest abilities of man, but it can also represent a trickster and a liar, using clever techniques to manipulate people and situations. In seeking an understanding of this ambiguity one could do no better than to study the mythology of the Greek God Mercury himself, who manifests the same ambiguous nature in the stories of his life. In qabalah the influence of mercury is also associated with the sphere of Hod, the magical image of which is the hermaphrodite, and which is closely associated with duality and the simultaneous existence of opposites. Mercury himself, as well as the magician card in some packs (such as Crowley’s Thoth cards) is depicted as a fairly androgynous figure, again highlighting the duality of this card through the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics.

            There is some confusion over the attribution of numbers to the cards, and taking a look at this may help to understand this card more clearly. Each card is associated with a Hebrew letter, which in turn is associated with a number. The magician card corresponds to the letter Beth, which is translated as ‘house’ and which has the number 2. Aleph, the letter associated with the Fool card has the number 1. Therefore the 0 card (the fool) has a letter with the value 1, and the number 1 card (the magician) has a letter with the value of 2. As anyone with a knowledge of numerology or gematria will know numbers are very important in esoteric systems such as qabalah and the Tarot, and this duel attribution cannot be meaningless or without reason. So let me explain: 0 represents not only absence but also infinity, according to the equation of Ain Soph Aur (see: ain sop aur + the Fool). 0 is the infinity of all which exists as an undivided unity, and this unity of everything can be expressed by the number one. Geometrically the number one is represented as the dot or point; and the point is a spatial coordinate or position. As Einstein showed in his theory of relativity any position can only exist in relation to some other position, otherwise it just doesn’t make any sense – to put it plainly you can’t be here unless there exists a there where you are not. One may very well say that the number one exists implicitly in the 0 card of the fool, and becomes explicit in the magician, where the number 2 exists implicitly. This is how each number is born out of its predecessor according to a necessary progression caused by their own internal nature.

            Returning specifically to the consideration of the Tarot cards we can say that the number 1 card (the magician) represents the first manifestation of individuality – the singular nature of ‘I’, defined in relation to the existence of ‘other’. The ambiguity of manifestation of this card described earlier is thus contained already as seed in the inherent duality of self and other which is the fundamental nature of this card.

            One must also remember that ‘the whole is contained in the part’; and what I mean by this is that the explicit 1 of the magician is identical to the implicit 1 of the Fool. This is the eternal and infinite essence of all particular things, the spark of divinity in the heart of all people; we are all god in our most fundamental nature. This is important to recognize if we are to understand what is truly shown in the traditional picture used for this card, which shows a magician standing at a table which holds the elemental weapon’s, and which in many versions of the card shows him using them.

            The elemental weapons represent the natural forces and states of manifest existence. In its highest sense this card shows the magician as outside the material conditions of the world, looking in and manipulating them. The identity of the magician himself is the number 1 described in the previous paragraph. This is also the number 1 of the qabalistic sphere of Kether, and in qabalah the magician card is placed on the path which leads down from Kether to the sphere of Chokmah. The magician can therefore be said to stand in Kether as the eternal subject, looking down to the objects of the material world (for further explanation of the nature of the subject / object duality see:  ). Chokmah is the sphere of Will and purpose, and so we can see the connection here also to the magician card as the first manifestation of the individual, and as the controlling and directing principle behind material forces.

            In readings this card may indicate a ‘can do’ attitude, and an ability take a step back from chaotic situations and, seeing the bigger picture, to be able to control the flow of events. It may indicate an enterprise, possible new, that requires initiative, willpower and a strong vision and sense of purpose. It shows demanding situations and challenges which will be overcome by the person who can ‘think on their feet’, using all their wit, intelligence and guile to succeed. It may show a rather cunning and tricky character, but not necessarily one with a malign purpose. Humor is also indicated, and the appearance of this card may in some circumstances be read as advice not to take things too seriously, and not to get ‘bogged down’; stay light on your feet, buoy yourself up with humor, be flexible and ready to meet any unexpected situation, stay sharp and use all of your intelligence and cunning, and all will go well.