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the link between Mercury and the Magician
before writing this post, I was planning on speaking about how Mercury is linked to the Magician card because our thoughts (a Mercurial principle) create (a Magician principle) our reality. the universe is ruled by a number of laws, and one of them is the law of attraction. this law is the belief that our thoughts have an indirect incidence on our reality. pur thoughts push us to act a certain way, to meet certain people, and to find ourselves in particular situations. We accept our fate, because we believe that what we're encountering is what we deserve. we accept our fate, until we believe that we can have more. then, we change our thinking. We start acting differently, and our trajectory changes.
this post was meant to be solely about that. but as I was researching information on the subject, more ideas came to me. I now see more similarities between Mercury (both the divinity and the planet) and the Magician Arcana.
let's get into it.
first off, the myth of Mercury
fruit of the union of Jupiter and Maia, Mercury is born in a cave of the Mount Cyllene. he runs away shortly after his birth, while his family sleeps, only to steal the cattle of his brother's herd. these beasts are then given as an offering to the Gods of Olympus. once the deed is done, he goes back to his bed, his absence unnoticed. Apollo, who has been alerted of his brother's actions, accuses the young one. Maia will then defend her son, justifying his innocence by showing him soundly asleep in his bed. Mercury will still be asked to defend himself by his father, though. he manages to do so without effort, thanks to his charm and way with words.
Mercury was indeed the God of speech and information. For that, he knew how to flatter and manipulate people in order to get their approval.
he was not only gifted with wit, but also with great creativity. it is to him that we owe the invention of the lyre, which he allegedly created with a turtle shell. he invented the flute, which he gave to Apollo in exchange of the caduceus, an object that eventually became his symbol.
Jupiter, proud of his son's innovative spirit, eventually names him Messenger of the Gods. wearing winged helmet and sandals, Mercury flies between the earth and the sky, playing the role of intermediary between Man and God. he is also given the task of bringing the dead's souls to Hell. as a matter of fact, he is one of the few people allowed to enter Hell, and to come out of it.
Mercury in astrology
Mercury is the fastest moving planet in the solar system. Like the God to which it is associated, it rules speech, transmission of information, and mental faculties. it is a cerebral and rational celestial body that influences our way of speaking, thinking, and learning. its placement in our chart gives us an hint of where our passions lie, what pieces of knowledge we should pursue in order to feel mentally fulfilled, and also, how to best utilize that knowledge.
as I said in the introduction, our thoughts generate a particular vibration that attract specific experiences to our reality.
take fire Mercury for example. It's a placement that is direct, impulsive, and gives the native strong opinions. this energy is bound to attract opposition, which the native gladly accepts since they usually like a challenge. this placement can give them the possibility, or the desire, to be a spokesperson that fights for others, and allows them to stand in the spotlight. success is meant to happen for the native, as the fire element makes them believe in themselves and their abilities.
another example would be mutable Mercury. tt indicates a flexible, changeable nature. it makes someone more open to change and opinions that differ from theirs. contrary to the Fixed modality, it welcomes novelty and the experiences it brings with joy. it makes one less inclined to be conflictual, since they want to learn from others, and not limit themselves to their way of thinking. this modality can lead one to surround themselves with people who are different so that they can grow and evolve. it can put someone in the position of a guide, or mentor, who will teach and challenge the minds of the people they are in contact with.
last but not least, the Magician
the Magician is a highly spiritual figure.
upon looking at the Arcana, we can see this character pointing at both the sky and the ground, as he stands between the two. like Mercury, he plays the role of messenger between Heaven and Earth. the Magician has great dreams. he was gifted with the faith and the will necessary to accomplish them. whatever he ends up creating will not only benefit him, but also everyone who encounters it.
like the God, he is highly versatile and creative. the tools laid on the tables are a Wand, a Cup, a Sword, and a Pentacle. these objects respectively symbolize spiritual, emotional, mental or relational, and material ressources that are at his disposal to make his vision come true.
as it is the first Arcana of Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, the Magician is like a guide that shows us the way. the message it brings is that if we believe in ourselves and our gifts, we will achieve whatever dreams we have.
the Devil isn’t all bad.
yes, it speaks about things you are holding on to that are destructive. it points to addiction; to substances, to money, to sex, to relationships... it points to obsession; with people, with one’s self-image, or with achieving certain goals. it’s about being a slave to your desires.
when you are acting in this energy, you cannot see how your habits, fantasies or attitudes are holding you down. you lose yourself in the process of their fulfillment. it might feel good in the moment, but it consequently prevents you from reaching the best version of ourselves.
the Devil is ultimately a prison you can get out of. if you look closely, the man and woman on the picture are imprisoned by loose chains. they could escape the Devil’s grip if they wanted. the only reason they remain trapped is because they don’t think they are powerful enough to defeat their demons.
I cannot help but link the Devil to the concept of Persona. in Jungian psychology, the Persona is a part of our conscious ego. it’s a character that was shaped by our environment during formative years. this character has a set of values and traits, and we must always act in accordance with it if we don’t want to cause ripples in both ourselves and our environment. we try hard to fit inside this box, even when it doesn’t feel like us.
this role that we’re playing is a cage. we tell ourselves stories about how we should be acting, and we accept things and situations we don’t really want because we don’t think we can be any other way.
doing that not only creates frustration, it eventually provokes resentment. we resent ourselves for not fighting harder for our desires, and we resent others because of their expectations.
the Devil invites you to become the villain in someone else’s story. it demands of you that you embody something that truly resonates with your soul, even if others don’t agree. they liked you the way we were before, because it kept you small and benefited them.
it’s about having boundaries, being able to say « no », not trying to maintain peace, and actually fighting for what you want.
in the end, it's about finding your own power.
the five of cups & ungratefulness
the most common theme that's associated with this card is the one of loss. the character on the arcana is grieving the things or the people that he has lost, so much so that he forgets whom or what remains.
as I drew the cards for myself this week, I realized this card warned me about my own ungratefulness.
a couple months ago, I quit my job because I felt I had nothing more to learn from it. I was ready to take another direction.
I then spent a month at home, which allowed me to rest and find myself again. it was nice to be in a peaceful, quiet environment, since my old job didn't offer me that.
that was nice at first, but not for long. a few weeks later, I started panicking. I saw close friends making moves, making shit happen in their lives, while I was doing nothing. I started thinking about the bills pilling up, and about how my savings would reduce.
so I found another job, which was very advantageous. i worked for less hours than i used to, made more money, worked in a agreeable climate, and i got to ride a bike to go there, which made me exercise. all of these elements were supposed to contribute to my well-being, but they didn't.
I was still unsatisfied. even if I spent good days there, I was not learning anything new, I wasn't stimulated, and I wasn't enjoying myself. I couldn't sleep anymore because all I thought about was how I was wasting my time doing something I didn't enjoy.
yes it allowed me to pay the bills, but it took time and energy, that I could have devoted to my actual passions.
I was ready to do something completely different. I wanted to work less, even if that meant making less money, if it at least let me give more time to creativity.
then, I had a bike accident, which unfortunately resulted in me breaking my elbow. I found out I wouldn't be able to work for some time. I should've been happy to learn that. except I wasn't.
I started having regrets about my former situation. I started thinking about how I was lucky to have found the job in the first place. it wasn't perfect indeed, but it offered me stability and comfort for little effort. I realized that... once I lost it all.
I did a reading for myself, and the card representing the challenges I had to overcome was the five of cups. the first thing that came to my mind was "ungratefulness." then, all of the situations I had gone through in the past months came back to me. I had not welcomed any of them with gratitude. there was always something to change, or something missing. I compared my situation to that of other's, and envied them. failing to recognize how much I had.
drawing this card was a wake up call. I need to stop seeing only the negative, because there is beauty in every situation. I don't think we are trained to see it, since we're encouraged to always want more. I think it's dangerous to always ask for more, or different. it prevents us from enjoying the present moment and the elements that compose it. it's only when time passes, when we lose what we had, that we realize its worth.
I am now trying to enjoy the possibilities of the present as much as I can. I am no longer asking for more. because who knows when an opportunity such as this one will present itself again ?
Today's Tarot questions
I like to ask Tarot about Tarot.
Question 1: The meaning of the middle cup in 7 of cups card:
The cards: The high priestess, The hermit, 9 of cups
My interpretation: Your innermost, deepest wish and things that bring you fulfillment but are not always visible to you.
Question 2: What's behind the veil of the High Priestess?
The cards: Knight of cups, Queen of cups, 6 of cups
My interpretation: Your past, your memories, the emotional growth (somehow I see the Knight and the Queen of cups as a grown up version of the two children in 6 of Cups), how you hold your depth within and how you give it to others.
Question 3: What's in the cup of the Queen of cups?
The cards: The Chariot, The Empress, The Emperor
My interpretation: The ability to hold/control/wield both the Feminine and the Masculine force within.
What's your interpretation?