The Magician

Tonight we will discuss the tarot card: The Magician. We will be analyzing the Magician card from the following decks: The Connolly, The Gendron Tarot, Radiant Rider Waite, Tarot of a Moon Garden, The Russian Tarot of St Petersburg and The Golden Tarot.

First lets discuss traditional symbols found on all of the Magician cards in the 6 decks we are looking at: Those would be the symbol for infinity and a man standing behind a table that has the 4 symbols representing the four suits of the Minor Arcana.

Now what makes each artistic rendition of the card by the various artists unique? In Kat Blacks interpretation with her deck the Golden Tarot she shows the Magician communicating with animals. In Yuri Shakov's version a young Slavic man sits at the table filled with symbols of all the suits. He holds a wand and is dropping a coin into a cup. In the Tarot of a Moon Garden we see the Magician as a Wizard. He is surrounded by foliage. Something interesting about Karen's rendition is the use of dragonflies and unicorns. The Sword handle is represented by a dragonfly as the hilt and there is a miniature unicorn climbing out of the cup. Our next deck is the Radiant Rider Waite. In this deck the rendition of the Magician is completely traditional and makes this deck the perfect deck for the beginner to learn from.

The Connolly interpretation is by far one of my favorites. The Magician is rendered as having found the table of life. The red roses behind him symbolize his love and purpose. His red cloak represents individuality that protects him as reaches out to master the moments that rule himself and others. In our final rendition by Melanie Gendron. The Magician is called the Magus. He is shown as a She. She has a crow on her shoulder. There is a black cat in the foreground. All the remaining symbols are traditional.

Now lets break down the meaning of the symbols.

First off the The Number 1. What does it represent? It can have some of the following meanings: Initiative, Early stages of action or maybe creative power.

Other names that the Magician card can be seen in other decks as: The Juggler or the Magus. The astrological counterpart represented by this card is Mercury. Animals often associated with this card are the Cat, the Crow, the Dove and Hummingbirds.

The infinity symbol or Cosmic Lemniscates represents the harmonious interaction of the conscious and subconscious, thoughts and feelings.

The table with the 4 symbols of The Minor Arcana represent the following:

CUPS: Symbol of knowledge and preservation,

PENTACLE: In the form of an amulet, protects against evil spirits

SWORD: Protection, knowledge, mind, constructive or destructive activity, elimination of outworn forms.

WAND: Will and power, continual renewal of life, phallic significance, rod or staff that is prepared so that it may be used for magical or psychic purposes, usually to project some form of power.

All items being placed together on the table can be seen as taking charge of your life so you can craft your own destiny. I also don't feel that people utilize everything that the universe has to offer. These symbols placed together show that all choices are available.

Non traditional symbols used by the individual artists can be interpreted as the following:

The Black Cat: Good Fortune

Unicorns: Mystery or Moral purity

Foliage with red flowers: physical and human desires

If I was going to use a Keywords for this card in its Upright position it would have to be Focused Energy. In the reverse the Keywords would be Lack of Focus.

Now in a reading the Magician Upright can have some of the following interpretations: Ability to make a decision, Willpower, Self confidence, Problem solving abilities, Adaptation to change, Marketing yourself, the 5 senses. The lungs, the hands, the central nervous system. The Magician is a suitable significator for the dedicated student.

In Reverse position it can represent: Blocked creativity, Not seeing things for what they really are, Unrealistic goals, making mistakes, over confidence, misuse of magical energies.

In readings the Magician can represent the following:

In romance he can represent a womans ideal man. In magic the card can refer to a person who is interested in metaphysics. When the Magician card is in a position that signifies your status in a reading , it indicates that things will go your way because you are doing the right things.

Join me next time for our study of the High Priestess card. Until then, Bright Blessings.

The Fool

Lets begin by discussing the Tarot card The Fool but before we do that I would like to give a brief history of the 6 Tarot Decks that I have chosen to work with so that you can see the variations in artwork from artist to artist. The 1st deck is The Golden Tarot by Kat Black. Her artwork has been collaged completely from late to Middle Ages and the Early Renaissance period. The Major Arcana in this deck consists of 22 cards representing a journey through life towards salvation. The Minor Arcana cards represent more everyday affairs. The images used in the artwork are from 1200 – 1500 AD. Her style can be considered international gothic but Kat did not stick directly with that in some instances you can see where the art evolved into Renaissance.



The 2nd deck is the Russian Deck of St Petersburg by Yury Shakov. Even though this deck is not geared towards beginners it is very easy to read. The paintings of this deck were done to exact size. The detailed work required a magnifying glass and an arm brace to steady the hand and at times a paint brush with only a single hair. Many of the scenes are reminiscent of icons by eighteenth and nineteenth century painters. This deck was Yury Shakov's final commissioned work. He passed away March 10, 1989. He finished a number of the cards and preliminary sketches for the rest but the work was finished by an unknown Russian Artist.

Our 3rd deck is the Tarot of a Moon Garden. The paintings in this deck are by Karen Marie Sweikhardt. This deck is whimsical, enchanting and loaded with symbolism. Karen uses Unicorns, Dragonflies, Dragons, Lush Jungles, Butterflies, Hot Air Balloons and the Moon to show full effect. Unicorns act as guides, dragons indicate transformation, castles serve as shelter and Angels and fairies offer the reader guidance as the seeker journeys through the experiences of the Major and Minor Arcanas. The moon also appears in her many phases representing the triple goddess – maiden, mother and crone.

Our 4th deck is the Radiant Rider Waite Tarot Deck. Designed by Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of Dr. Arthur Edward Waite. Recolored by Virginia Poshkus. Virginia Poshkus has recolored this deck in vibrant colors, which I find much more stimulating then the Original Rider Waite Deck.

Our 5th deck is the Connolly Tarot Deck. Eileen Connolly designed this tarot deck in cooperation with her son Peter Paul Connolly. The scenes on each card are reminiscent of medieval stained glass. Eileen Connolly PhD is one of the worlds leading authorities on tarot, numerology and other esoteric sciences. Her works are used extensively as textbooks by tarot and educational institutions. She is known as the teacher''s teacher. Her son painstakingly recreated the Connolly Tarot deck under her guidance. He used colored pencils as his medium.

Our final deck will be The Gendron Tarot created by Melanie Gendron. The Gendron Tarot is an absolutely beautiful deck – which is feminist/Goddess/earth centered, respectful of all and follows traditional lines. Melanie's artwork is a blend of cultures and spiritual traditions from throughout the world. We have become a global society and she integrated this throughout the deck. She also shows an incredible array of companion animals and metaphysical symbols. I feel that each one of these decks give a very unique perspective of the tarot cards through each of the artist's renditions. So lets take a look at the Fool card as represented by them and do a visual comparison.

First lets state the basic meaning of the card: 0 the number of the card in the major arcana represents an empty vessel. The Fool represents the element of Air. It is associated with the Planet Uranus which showing adventure, independence and free spirit. The card itself represents each of us as we make our way through life.

Second lets point out the similarities. All six 6 versions of the Fool have a dog jumping at his or her feet. All six show him or her standing at the edge of a Cliff and all 6 six show the Fool with a far off look in his or her eyes. What do these things symbolize? Well, the dog jumping at the feet can be seen as loyalty or possibly trying to warn the Fool of danger. In all the cards you can see that he or she doesn't seem to notice the dog. I take this as not heeding the warning or showing ignorance. Now being on the edge of the Cliff can be interpreted as disregard for potential risks but the Cliff itself represents the precipous of life. The far off look symbolizes him or her going on a new adventure or optimism for the future.

Now the Golden Tarot and Gendron both show th Fool as female. The remaining 4 decks show the Fool as a male facing to the left which is symbolic of the unconscious or unknown feminine principle. In all the decks with the exception of the Gendron they are all wearing hats which representative of Air.In all the decks with the exception of the Golden Tarot they carry a wand which symbolizes Personal Will. The Gendron, Connolly and Radiant all have a feather which symbolizes optimism and new beginnings. They also have white roses which symbolize Freedom from lower forms of desire. In the Gendron there is actually a chain of roses around the top of the card which represents desires as being so strong that the unconscious forces bow before it. The Gendron Fool also shows the Cliff edge as a wolfs head representing the conscious mind and stars that represent hope. In the upright position the Fool can mean potential, a new chance, an open mind, a new phase or life, Trust in a higher power.

As a significator it would represent inexperienced people, someone who needs to make a decision. In the reversed position it can represent poor judgement, risk, throwing caution to the wind. As a significator it could represent gamblers, someone who is not committed. Join me next time for the Magician. Until then. Bright Blessings.

How do you choose the right Tarot deck?

There is no right way or wrong way to read the Tarot Cards. Many Tarot Card readers actually create their own spreads and layouts. Yet there are spreads that are commonly used by many and easily recognizable by those who are not experienced Tarot Cards readers. A few that you might be familiar with are the Celtic Cross and a Past, Present and Future Reading.

Each card position in the spread carries a particular meaning that will help the reader interpret the significance of the card depending on the position the card falls in. The meaning of the individual card will also depend on the surrounding cards, the nature of the question asked and the readers intuitive awareness. The art of reading a spread is much like putting the pieces of a puzzle together.A reading uses imagination, intuition and creativity to process the story that the cards tell.

To start out using Tarot Cards you must have a Tarot Deck that speaks to you. I myself own 23 decks and I use all them for different types of readings. I recommend that you begin to learn by using only one deck. Find a deck that has artwork that you can relate to. Some decks are pretty but they don't necessarily inspire a person. For your first deck you should find one with artwork that stimulates your imagination and awakens your intuition.

Decks that I personally recommend for beginners are Hanson Roberts and Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot. The artwork is very colorful and when you look at the them they express the basic meaning of the cards in the details.

Once you go through all the steps that I previously mentioned and find a deck that you are comfortable with I then suggest you get to know it. Take the cards out, look at them, write down on a piece of paper what you see in each card and how that card makes you feel. What in the artwork jumps out at you. Meditate on them. By doing this you will literally get to know what those cards mean for you.

Besides the Upright and Reversal meaning of each card. Most cards have discrete symbolism on them. Mountains, Hills, Animals, Planets, Colors, The Witches Alphabet and Numerology also have representation. Here is an assignment for you! I recommend that you pull one card every morning and look at that Tarot Card. Lets use the Empress as an example. In her upright position the Empress represents motherhood, fertility, abundance, pregnancy, creativity. In her reverse position she can represent refusal to grow, lack of children, suffering, excessive materialism. Now look at the picture of the Empress on the deck that you have chosen to learn with. Do you see these ideas represented in the artwork? Lets use the Empress card in the Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot deck and really look at the artwork of this card. First we see that the card is the number 3. 3 can represent growth, creation, human genitalia, This card is associated with the planet Jupiter. On the card we see a woman wearing a crown of leaves and there are 12 stars, she is holding a septor. She has fine clothing there is lots of wheat growing at her feet. There are lots of green trees in the background. There is a heart pillow with the symbol representing the female on it. Now this is how I see this card. The vegetation represents fertility and fruitfulness. The symbol on the heart shaped pillow is obviously female. The crown is like that worn by Mother Nature. The septor represents Royalty, The 3 main colors of this card are green, orange, gold.

Green – new life, growth,

Orange – splendor, vitality.

Gold – attainment, radiance.

Do you see a repetition here of meaning? Once you learn these basic meanings and realize that they are repetitive through out the visualizations in front of you you will be able to use the cards in a variety of ways. You can meditate on it. These might represent characteristics you would like to build in your personality.

Something else I would like to discuss is care of your tarot deck. I personally don't allow others to touch my tarot decks. Now most Tarot Readers would think that this is superstitious and that energy imprints are not left behind. I don't agree with this from my own personal experiences and have had to cleanse decks because of it. But that is just my opinion and doesn't have to be yours. Each one of my decks has a velvet bag that I keep it in. A few decks are wrapped in silk. This keeps the decks clean and by storing them this way I make their usage special and significant every time I pull them out for a reading.

Before I read the cards on any given subject I usually light a white candle, burn myrrh and frankincense incense because they are my favorite scents and use meditation music and breathing techniques to open myself to the universe. I found that the abdominal breathing I practice from Yoga has been the most beneficial way for this to happen. But if you are unfamiliar with this kind of breathing technique I would suggest a simple breath in through your nose and out through your mouth method of breathing. Make sure that they are deep cleansing breaths and I recommend you repeat this step 3 times. You should start to feel your body relax and once you have you will be able to focus on your cards. Of coarse the more you practice this the better you will get.

Well that is all for this blog. Our next blog will be a discussion on The Fool. It's upright meaning, reversal meaning and how to interpret it in different spreads. We will also discuss several artists renditions and interpretations of The Fool card in their decks. The 6 decks I will be discussing are the Connolly Tarot Deck, The Gendron Tarot, Golden Tarot, Tarot of a Moon Garden, The Radiant Rider Waite, and the Russian Deck of St Petersburg. Until then-

Bright Blessings,

Marissa

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Color Significance in the Tarot Cards

The following is the symbolism of Colors that can be recognized when reading the cards to someone. This information goes in conjunction with my Tarot for Beginners Podcast.

Black: Death, endings, darkness, destruction, the occult, negativity, sin, ignorance

Blue: Spirit, contemplation, emotion, water, sky, devotion, feelings, intuition

Gold: Attainment, illumination, sun, success, glory, the divine

Gray: Stormy weather, grief, mourning, sadness, depression, wisdom from experience

Green: New life, hope, fertility, growth, security, health, abundance, vitality

Orange: Fire, pride, ego, ambition, force, vitality, authority

Purple: Royalty, power, pride, esoteric understanding, psychic

Red: Blood, life, desire, action, strength, energy, courage, sex, death, passion

Silver: Moon, hidden knowledge, feminine intuition, inner self, psychic ability, emotions

White: Universal, purity, joy, happiness, truth, openness, enlightenment

Yellow: Sun, illumination, intellect, will, masculine power, caution

The Minor Arcana

Often, the suits are associated with one of the four classical elements, with a common set of associations being the following: Wands with fire, Cups with water, Swords with air, and Coins with earth.[citation needed] In other sets of associations, Fire is occasionally exchanged with air for the Swords suit. Other associations are also possible:

Tarot Card Suit
Wands, Staves, Rods, Batons
Pentacles or Coins
Cups or Chalices
Swords

Playing Card Suit
Wands, Staves, Rods, Batons = Clubs
Pentacles or Coins = Diamonds
Cups or Chalices = Hearts
Swords = Spades

Elemental Correspondence
Wands = Fire
Pentacles = Earth
Cups = Water
Swords = Air

Class
Wands = Peasantry
Pentacles = Merchants
Cups = Clergy
Swords = Military or Nobility

Faculty
Wands = Creativity and Energy
Pentacles = Possessions or Material Body
Cups = Emotions and Love
Swords = Reason and Will

Seasonal Correspondence
Wands = Spring
Pentacles = Winter
Cups = Summer
Swords = Fall

Astrological Correspondence
Wands = Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Pentacles = Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Cups = Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Swords = Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Physical Characteristics - Complexion
Wands = Fair, Freckled
Pentacles = Dark, Sallow, Swarthy, Ethnic
Cups = Fair, Medium
Swords = Brown, Black

Physical Characteristics - Hair
Wands = Yellow, Auburn, Reddish
Pentacles = Black, Very Dark Brown
Cups = Light Brown, Blonde, Gray
Swords = Brown, Black

Physical Characteristics - Eyes
Wands = Dark or Light
Pentacles = Brown or Dark
Cups = Gray, Blue or Hazel
Swords = Light

The Major Arcana

The Major Arcana (Trumps Major, Major Trumps) of the Tarot deck consists of 22 cards. The name Major Arcana is used only in esoteric practice. Game players using Tarot decks for playing call them Trumps and usually only show a Roman or Arabic numeral on each card, plus some decoration that is identical on all of them.

In esoteric sets, each Major Arcanum depicts a scene, mostly featuring a person or several people, with many symbolic elements. In many decks, each has a number (usually in Roman numerals) and a name, though not all decks have both, and some have only a picture. The earliest decks bore unnamed and unnumbered pictures on the Majors (probably because a great many of the people using them at the time were illiterate), and the order of cards is not standardised. However, one of the most common set of names and numbers is as follows:

0 - The Fool
I - The Magician or Juggler
II - The High Priestess or Popess
III - The Empress
IV - The Emperor
V - The Hierophant or Pope
VI - The Lovers
VII - The Chariot
VIII - Justice
IX - The Hermit
X - Wheel of Fortune
XI - Strength
XII - The Hanged Man
XIII - Death
XIV - Temperance
XV - The Devil
XVI - The Tower
XVII - The Star
XVIII - The Moon
XIX - The Sun
XX - Judgement
XXI - The World

The images on the Major Arcana in esoteric decks are often very heavy with symbolism; in occult decks, there is far more to the illustration than a mere depiction of the card title. The Major Arcana are usually regarded by card readers as relating to matters of higher purpose or deep significance, as opposed to the Minor Arcana which relate to the everyday world and matters of immediate significance.

The History of Tarot

The relationship between tarot cards and playing cards is well documented. Playing cards first appeared in Christian Europe some time before 1367, the date of the first documented evidence of their existence was a ban on their use, in Bern, Switzerland. Before this, cards had been used for several decades in Islamic Spain. Early European sources describe a deck with typically 52 cards, like a modern deck with no jokers. The 78-card tarot resulted from adding 21 trumps and The Fool to an early 56-card variant (14 cards per suit).

For a long time tarot cards remained a privilege for the upper class of society, and, although some sermons inveighing against the evil inherent in cards can be traced to the 14th century, the Roman Catholic Church and most civil governments did not routinely condemn tarot cards during tarot's early history. In fact, in some jurisdictions, tarot cards were specifically exempted from laws otherwise prohibiting the playing of cards.

More Recently in History

The earliest tarot cards were hand-painted, the number of the decks produced is thought to have been rather small, and it was only after the invention of the printing press that mass production of cards became possible. Recently, the use of Tarot for divination, or as a store of symbolism, has inspired the creation of Oracle card decks. These are card decks for inspiration or divination containing images of angels, faeries, goddesses, Power Animals, etc. Although obviously influenced by Tarot, they do not follow the traditional structure of Tarot; they lack any suits of numbered cards, and the set of cards differs from the traditional major arcana. In particularly, they tend to lack the negative meanings or imagery of the Tarot, replacing it with imagery which is purely positive.

Common Misconceptions about Tarot Cards

I would like to clear up some misconceptions and answer a few questions people always ask me about tarot readings....

What is the source of my talent?

I am asked a lot if I am gifted. I don’t see being able to read the cards as a gift. I view it more as a talent. Because I am an "intuitive",
I am able to pick up energy from people, places and things. So when I do a card reading, I allow my intuition to choose the appropriate
card or cards that are meant to be read. The cards are laid out facedown and when the energy of a particular card feels right, I choose
it for the spread. I don't know which one it is, until I choose it and turn it over. Sometimes, the reading applies to your question, and
other times it may address something else you need to be made aware of but aren't dealing with or thinking about at the time of your reading.

Will I be making your decisions for you and take your free will away?

No, I can show you the potential future of the course you are on, but each one of us has free will and no one can take that away.
Tarot Cards prepare you for situations and people that may appear in your life, but your actions and choices determine how your
future plays itself out.

What you see in the cards can't be changed?

Everything that you see in the cards can be changed. The Tarot tells a story.... YOUR story. They can tell where you've been,
where you are now, and where you're headed, based on the choices you make along the way. For example, imagine you are
walking along the side of the road. Behind you comes a speeding car headed straight for you. Your near future is to get hit by
that car, BUT, if you see or hear that car coming... and jump out of the way, then you won't get hit! Your action just changed your
future...That is the gift Tarot can offer you. An opportunity to control your Destiny rather than allowing Destiny to control You!

Do the names on the bottom of the cards represent what will happen? For example the Death card.

Every one of us has seen those movies where they flash the Death card and then flash to a scene in the movie and someone drops
dead. Well I am here to tell you not to panic. The Death card does not represent physical death. It actually represents: transition,
rebirth, and sweeping away the old to make room for the new.

How It all Started....

A few facts about Me…

About 11 years ago my husband, 4 children and I were on a day trip to the ocean near our home in Northern California. We stopped
and visited a little store along the beach. It was in this store that I purchased my first Tarot deck.

I became “obsessed” with reading the cards. I loved the artwork and the symbols and learning the meanings of the cards. I found
that the cards helped me to discover issues that I was avoiding in my life. It showed me fears that I wasn’t acknowledging so I could
move past problems and better myself and my relationships.

Over the years I have purchased 23 Tarot decks. My favorite decks are Gilded Tarot, Hanson Roberts, Spiral Tarot, The Gendron
Tarot and The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg. I am drawn to these decks because they are rich in design and color.

I have found that reading the Tarot cards came naturally to me because I was born with a “photographic memory”. From the time I was
a small child I have been able to remember long sequences of numbers. When reading the cards I see what I consider “motion in the
cards” of an actual event that is going to happen. This did not come to me initially when learning to read the Tarot cards it is
something that I experienced with time and practice.

Tarot Reading by Madame-Tarot

This is a blog to introduce my new website Madame Tarot.

Welcome to Madame-Tarot. My name is Marissa and I am here to provide you guidance and insight into the twists and turns of your present life. A Tarot reading is not Magic. It is one of the many forms of Divination the Universe makes available to us to maximize our potential in this lifetime. I have been reading the Tarot for over a decade. It is a talent that comes naturally to me, and that has provided me with the tools I need to make the best choices for myself and my loved ones. It has served me well.

Our lives are filled with "moments". How we recognize and deal with these "moments" determines the the present and future we will experience. From birth, we are given free will. There is no fixed message in a Tarot reading. It's like a map. If you make the right turns, you will reach your destination easily. If you make a wrong turn, you will become lost, and take longer to reach the place you're going. But if you are lost, you stop at a Gas Station and ask for directions. That is what a Tarot Reading is... it is directions to your own personal destination.

I am here to help.

Love and Light,

Marissa