by Dawn Allcot

Created on: June 27, 2009   Last Updated: July 09, 2009

The Link between Mercury and the Magician in the tarot

The tarot and astrology share close ties. Not only do people use both methods of psychic divination for spiritual guidance, each of the tarot suits corresponds to the four elements in astrology. The elements then correspond with the seasons of the year. Additionally, each Major Arcana relates to a different astrological element.

For instance, the Magician corresponds to the planet Mercury, named after the Roman god of commerce and trade.

The Magician on the tarot journey

What are some traits of the Magician in the tarot? The Magician, number one in the Major Arcana, has just begun the archetypal journey. He has evolved past "The Fool," who jumps headfirst into a journey with little knowledge and less planning. The Magician is beginning to understand how to use the tools at his disposal to manipulate the world to his will.

The Magician, often a favorite card of psychic consultants, is the only card in the deck to show all four suits. The power of all four of earth's elements wait at his disposal:

- Earth (Pentacles)

- Air (Swords)

- Fire (Wands)

- Water (Cups)

Like his female counterpart, the High Priestess, the tarot's Magician represents creation. The Magician needs only speak the words to make it so. In fact, he is the fast-talker of the tarot, as skillful in deceit and manipulation as he is in science. Eloquent and charismatic, The Magician may represent the querent in a psychic reading, or someone in the querent's life.

When the Magician appears in a tarot reading, he brings with him new ideas and swift progress. The Magician often represents people in careers such as:

- Doctors

- Scientists

- Salespeople

- Con-men or thieves

In these latter vocations (if we can call them that) we begin to see the similarities between the Magician of the tarot and Mercury, Roman God of thieves and merchants alike.

Mercury's traits

Mercury, the Roman god of thieves as well as commerce, trade and merchandise, is known for his speed and guile. A swift messenger, he travels with the help of winged sandals, called talaria. The word "mercurial" today means "swift and rapidly-changing," which describes both the Magician and the Roman god Mercury.

Mercury also shares many traits with his Greek counterpart Hermes, known as the messenger of the gods. But where Hermes was helpful to humans, the Roman Mercury was

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