THE MAGICIAN archetype

THE MAGICIAN archetype

“Attention energizes and intention transforms. Whatever you put your attention on will grow stronger.”   – Deepak Chopra

“Energy flows where attention goes.” – Serge Kahili King

The Magician is the next archetype to be encountered on our Hero’s Journey and the path to deeper self-discovery. Though quite young and largely inexperienced, he is more than he seems at first blush. The presence of the infinity sign above his head as well as his body posture – right hand holding a wand extended toward the heavens, and left hand reaching earthward – suggests that his actions are guided by energies from above, and not from his own inner resources and strengths. He is, however, able to direct these transcendent energies and make them effective on the earthly plane. The position of the Magician’s hands are also echoed by Jesus’ words in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” as well as the Hermetic maxim “As above, so below.” The traditional posture of the Buddha, with one hand raised in spiritual blessing and the other hand touching the earth also connects to the symbology in this card.

The energy of the Magician is extroverted and direct. His is the path of Western culture that explores nature to understand its secrets and gain control over it. The living standard to which we have become accustomed is the result of this archetypal energy, as well as the positive and negative aspects of the incredible technological advances that we have come to take for granted. One of the gifts of this archetype is the ability to focus on a specific goal, intention, or purpose, and bring it to fruition. His energy is lit by the “full light of the sun” and represents the masculine consciousness that illuminates all things. When the Magician has an idea, he finds a way to verbalize it, then manifest it in physical form.

The Magician archetype is analogous to the left side of the brain which thinks in a linear, logical fashion. He is the direct polar opposite of the “High Priestess” archetype – the next in the major arcana series – who embodies the characteristics of the right side of the brain, and whose nature is receptive, intuitive, holistic, and cyclical. The Magician analyzes; the High Priestess synthesizes. Each human being, male and female alike, must learn to master both paths in order to become whole.

Course Syllabus

• THE MAGICIAN archetype Lesson 2 | Private
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