All Text, Music, and Illustrations, including Paintings, Photographs, and 3D models, Copyright © 2022 by Jim Robbins.
The 12th Path: The Magician
ALLIES OF MERCURY
"Wow, Mr. M, that woman is a magician! Can I be a magician too when I grow up?"
“Of course! This path connects the Crown of all Creation with the Emanation known as Understanding, which is associated with the feminine manifestation of form, so it is fitting on this path for a woman to be the magician here. And she is a great magician in control of all the energies within herself, with the knowledge that those energies all emanate from One Source. Like a god, The Magician aligns the creative energies so that there is no conflict within herself or with the Source, bringing the energies down through the planes into manifestation in the Kingdom. Notice that the symbolic flame at the top of her wand is emanating light; in her ritual, she is bringing that light down to the symbolic flame at the bottom of the wand, bringing light into manifestation, in other words. She wears a headband to suggest that there is sweat involved, and her belt is a snake biting its tail to suggest that she operates from the perspective of eternity. Lilies and roses mingle in her garden, suggesting unity of consciousness, purity of intention, passion and beauty. She is an inspired soul who carries on the first, primal creative act within her own domain.”
"How did she become such a great magician, Mr. M?
“Legend has it that The Book of Thoth, a book containing powerful spells and wisdom, was hidden in many boxes, the keys to which were spread throughout ancient Egypt, and legend has it that the knowledge of the mysteries in this lost book found their way into the Tarot, which is now sometimes itself referred to as the ‘Book of Thoth.’ Thoth, the great God of wisdom and magic, as you might recall, is associated with the Greek Hermes and the Roman Mercury, so you find Mercury as the planet associated with this path. Thoth is also associated with Ptah, the creator God, and the Logos, the Word that begins the process of creation. Also, Saturn is associated with the Emanation of Understanding; on the Pillar of Severity, Mercury is Saturn on a lower arc, in the sphere of the conscious mind.
"The Hebrew letter Beth, also associated with this path, is the first letter of the bible, implying, since it is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, that a first cause or prime mover exists before the primal act of creation. Beth means ‘house,’ which suggests form enclosing force, and the twelfth path connects the Crown, the Source of manifestation, with Understanding, the sphere associated with form, so on this path you see, on one level, the first act of creation, which is echoed in all other acts of creation, with the Emanation known as the Crown as the actual Source of all creative acts.”
“So whenever we create, we are like Thoth working with the Source.”
“In one sense, yes. The transpersonal spiritual source of your being is the catalyst for all effective creation, and the energy of creation is brought down through the planes into the Kingdom through a conscious act of will. Notice that the magician holds up a wand with one hand and points toward the earth with the other, signifying her intention to bring spiritual energy into manifestation. On the table in front of her are the symbols of the four elements, Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, which are reflected in the triplicities of the zodiac. In other words, three astrological signs of the zodiac are Earth signs, three are Water signs, three are Air signs, and three are Fire signs, suggesting that, like Thoth, the magus works with the elemental energies within creation.”
“So inspiration and emotion and ideas and imagination are all important, right Mr. M? Like when I create music.”
“Very good. And ultimately the music manifests on the physical level as a musical score and eventually as a band or orchestra performing the music for an audience. Remember the elemental symbols are also associated with the planes of individual being: the spiritual, mental, astral, and physical levels. The mental and physical planes are planes of form. The spiritual and astral planes are planes of force. Thoth combines force with form in all creative endeavors. A created form without inspiration or emotion is inevitably abortive. Powerful ideas and creations spring from inspiration and emotion. In other words, all planes are involved in effective acts of creation, as suggested by the four elemental symbols.”
“Why is the act of creation emphasized so much on this path, Mr. M?”
“This path reveals the first cosmic act of creation which continues every second, day or night. In other words, on the macrocosmic level, the Source is always creating. On the microcosmic level, the personal level, we are also always creating, whether we are aware of it or not. We are involved in that first, primal act of creation because we carry it on every second with our inspirations, thoughts, emotions, and actions. The trick is to use the power of the will, the power of intention, to align the spirit with the other levels of being in order to create effectively for the highest good. In that way we become co-creators with the Source. If your head battles with your heart, you’re going to experience inner conflicts and difficulties. You must become clear about what you want to create, then align all aspects of your being so that your spirit, intellect, and emotions lead to effective creative actions within the realm of the Kingdom.”
“What if your actions are effective but they harm people.”
“That is where karma comes in. We can create a perfect cathedral or a perfect concentration camp. When I say ‘effective action,’ I mean action inspired by the higher knowledge that everything is connected, that we are all part of One consciousness. If you harm another person, you are harming yourself. If you harm the planet, you are harming yourself. It's best to strive for the highest good.”
“Is that why the figure eight floats above the magician’s head?”
“Indeed. The infinity symbol suggests the knowledge of the infinitude within, which includes the recognition that all energy is part of One awesome and holy tapestry of life.”
Eight of Wands: Mercury in Sagittarius
"Look at those eight wands flying across the sky, Mr. M. Where did they come from?"
"I cannot see who threw them, but they are descending together at the same angle and almost the same rate to the Earth, which, considering the heaviness of the wands, is a masterful feat of coordination. Mercury is the messenger of the Gods, the God of the communication of the spirit with the conscious mind. Together in flight, the wands reveal the proficiency and focus of the mind, a quality of Mercury, but suggests also a mastery and knowing that flows from a place deeper than the conscious mind, recalling the way a Zen master, shooting an arrow in almost total darkness, hits the bulls-eye. Our friends who threw the wands are also feeling the influences of Sagittarius. Sagittarians enjoy exploration because their minds are open to new dimensions of thought. In terms of the Tree of Life, it is no wonder then that the path of Sagittarius lies between the Foundation, the Emanation of the Moon, which is associated with the subconscious mind, and with Beauty, the Emanation of the Sun and the Higher Self. Sagittarius is an archer, and the flight of his arrow suggests the ascent of the mind to higher realms. Mercury also, in his role of the messenger of the Gods, suggests, as I mentioned, the quick and sometimes unexpected intuitions that are communicated to the conscious mind from the spiritual dimensions. The fact that we don't know where the wands are coming from suggests this difficulty in identifying exactly where intuitive knowledge originates--from the personal or the transpersonal, from a God or from a divine dimension of the self."
Three of Cups: Mercury in Cancer
"Wow, Mr. M, those dancers are so graceful!" Claire exclaims.
"Our friends dance before us like the Three Graces, like the Goddesses of splendor and abundance who preside over banquets, dances, and other pleasurable events, and they bring joy and goodwill to both Gods and mortals alike. Like the Muses, they endow artists with the ability to create stunning works of art. Here, we feel the influence of both Cancer and Mercury. We must engage with our emotions as well as with the sympathetic imagination to appreciate the arts. The influence of Cancer stimulates the subtle senses and the imagination, which manifests as an abundant inner life. When the mind and heart remain open, a person becomes more psychic, more open to an abundance of spiritual influences as well. The influence of Mercury, the messenger of the Gods, is necessarily linked to harmony and abundance, a state which cannot manifest without a conscious pursuit of the righteousness of beauty, the inspirations for which are often communicated from the depths of the psyche. As your allies lift their golden cups, you can feel the emotional, mental, and spiritual inebriation of the inspired life."
Six of Swords: Mercury in Aquarius
"When I look at those people in the boat, Mr. M, I feel a little worried, for some reason."
"Don't worry. Our friend is maneuvering the small boat across the water with expertise. Six swords stick up within the boat on both sides of the passengers as if to indicate some kind of danger, but the swords might instead be protecting them. On one side, the water is slightly disturbed by the boatman’s efforts to propel the boat forward. On the other side, the water remains still and calm, revealing the boatman’s skill and coordination. Through his training and experience the boatman makes the crossing look easy. Our friend has developed the ability to focus, a quality of Mercury, which can help to maintain and protect the most basic form of connection, such as between a parent and child, or lead to new shores for the individual and humanity in general, a quality of Aquarius. Willful, conscious focus is the key to getting from one point to another. The shore is in view, the destination not in the picture, but there is no stress, only evidence of quiet skill and concentration. The boat continues to flow smoothly across the water. The quietness of the scene also hints at an aspect of Mercury’s role as the messenger of the Gods. The conscious mind sometimes receives unexpected knowledge or insights from deep in the subconscious, where the higher self resides, when the mind is still. The boatman’s pole quietly goes deep into the water to push the boat forward again."
Three of Cups: Mercury in Cancer
Mars in Geburah (Severity)
"Those poor people must be suffering terribly, Mr. M," Claire groans.
"The tragedy is that we allow some people to fall into that condition. Ovid, the Roman poet, tells a tale of Mercury and Jupiter disguising themselves as peasants before visiting a town and asking for a place to sleep. Everyone in the town treats the Gods with disdain, except for an impoverished couple who generously extends hospitality beyond their means. After their act of generosity, Mercury and Jupiter end up providing the couple with a comfortable life and destroying the town and everyone in it.
"Despite the god-like qualities and energies within all people, as revealed by the Tree of Life, we can all fall into such a tragic state due to adverse circumstances. Our friends know suffering in their very bones, yet they stay together, struggling through desperate times, passing, as if by chance, under a lovely stained-glass window with five glowing pentacles that suggest the top spheres of the Tree of Life, Emanations associated with the higher self. Each snowflake seems to batter them a little more. They cannot have illusions and survive the grinding, soul-crushing condition of poverty. Both of them pass by without looking up at the window, as if unable to believe that spirituality is anything more than an illusion, but one of them might still gaze up, as if for a moment open to the possibilities of higher awareness. Their condition starkly reveals the ugliness and horror of poverty, yet for this brief moment, a light shines for them through the window in the storm, suggesting that spiritual enlightenment is always possible, even in the worst conditions--if you don’t become consumed by pain and self-pity and remain open. Even though our impoverished friends could not be more humble, there is something heroic about them. The influence of Taurus suggests the potency of the life-force that manifests in their struggle for survival. And they remain together through the worst times. Even if they both ignore the spiritual signs of higher awareness, in their struggles they have the potential to manifest the virtue of Mars--courage, a quality of the higher self. Mercury is also an influence. Thoth, the God of Magic, is the older, Egyptian version of Mercury. In the myth of Isis and Osiris, Thoth helps to resurrect Osiris so that Horus, the higher self, is eventually born of many trials."
Ten of Pentacles: Mercury in Virgo
"Look, Mr. M, that boy is pulling the dog's tail!" Claire exclaims.
"Yes, and no one in the group seems to notice the old man in a fancy robe or the golden coins, arranged like the Emanations of the Tree of Life, floating above the street. The pentacles, as you recall, symbolize the energies of the elements in balance and by extension the energies of the zodiac and their ruling planets--but only the dogs seem attracted to the old man who has magic sigils on his robe. Perhaps he is only a street performer, full of tricks. Nevertheless, he has an air of magic about him, doesn't he? Did he create an illusion or was the Tree of Life always there? Are we only now seeing it because like him we are paying attention to the ordinary world? Perhaps we have become for a moment like the magician, experiencing the magical energies that manifest in such an orderly way that almost everyone takes them for granted. The street is strange and miraculous and full of abundance and potential, yet no one else seems to notice, except for us and the old man. Like him, we can sense the presence of powerful forces in the everyday world. We don’t know if the old man or the Tree of Life has given us this second sight, but as we pass, we can at least wordlessly nod at our friend, hoping that our gratitude is understood."
"And let me just say thank you to you as well, Mr. M." Claire smiles.
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