Connecting Tarot With Music: The Magician

I didn’t know what song to choose for the Magician, so I waited to write. So many songs went through my mind, none of them quite right. I didn’t want to pick an “anthem” song of empowerment because it was too narrow, too on the nose, or too bootstrapped. I waited and I watched robins and the wind rustling the newly budding maple leaves on the tree out my window. It’s been raining nonstop up until yesterday, which is its own kind of magic.

While procrastinating I watched old episodes of The Office, one of which had a scene where Michael attempted the magic trick of getting out of chains and a strait jacket, but failed when he lost his little brass key. That scene reflects one of the facets of the Magician card. Magic tricks and metaphysical magic have commonality in that they delight and accomplish the (seemingly) unimaginable or impossible.

The Magician is a conduit, and the energy of magic flows from the heavens through him and grounds itself into the earth. The energy of the Magician is masculine, creative, and focused. The Magician has an iron will, knows his trade, and has the propensity to be tricky. The Magician makes me think of the Fox in his cleverness and potential for trickery. His tricky side shows his adaptability- he is not rigid. He sees the potential in life and acts to make it so, his achievement empowered by divine help.

So, the song I chose for The Magician is The Way You Do the Things You Do by The Temptations. When I heard it on the radio I knew it was the right song. What song would you pick to represent this card?


(Image of the Magician from the Joie De Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy).