Tarot and Astrology have many close connections, and Golden Dawn Astrology ascribes astrological meanings to each Tarot card. This week’s card, The Magician, is linked to the planet Mercury!

Mercury, also known as Hermes, in Greek mythology, is the Messenger of the Gods, a playful and clever trickster. Mercury is the fastest planet – appropriate for the god with winged feet! Mercury rules communication, commerce, and commutes, and has a powerful influence over emotion. Mercury embodies “that unconscious power within which looks after us…and which appears as though by magic at the most critical and difficult moments in life to offer guidance and wisdom” (Sharman-Burke and Greene 22-23). Mercury is all about urgency and quick thinking. As Joanna Martine Woolfolk puts it, “Mercury makes life understandable, for it is the planet of intelligence” (181).

Curiosity is Mercury’s realm, as are excitement, nervous energy, and zipping emotions! Mercury is most prominent as an evening star in March and April, and as a morning star in September and October (Woolfolk 182). Mercury is the power planet for Gemini and Virgo!

The Magician from The Mythic Tarot image via deepestwell.blogspot.com

The Mythic Tarot represents The Magician as Hermes, “guide of travellers, patron of thieves and liars, ruler of magic and divination, and bringer of sudden good luck and changes in fortune” (Sharman-Burke and Greene 21). Hermes is the master of the four elements, and also controls dreams and the weird little coincidences that lend clarity in times of confusion.

Mercury image via BBC

Interesting fact: Because Mercury travels so close to the Sun, it’s always either in your Sun sign or in the sign immediately before or after!

Disney’s Hermes image via hero.wikia.com

Mercury is always thinking and always on the move, reminding us to focus on the present and to stay true to ourselves, and have fun doing it!

Works Cited

Adams, Evangeline. Astrology for Everyone. New York: Permabooks, 1949.

Astrological Oracle Cards. LWB: Lunea Weatherstone. Artwork: Antonella Castelli. Torino, Italy: Lo Scarabeo, 2012. © Lo Scarabeo Italy.

Sharman-Burke, Juliet and Liz Greene. The Mythic Tarot: A New Approach to the Tarot Cards. Cards illustrated by Tricia Newell. Toronto, ON: Stoddart Publishing Co. Ltd, 1988.

Woolfolk, Joanna Martine. The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need. Lanham, MD: Scarborough House, 1990.