Magician as a Person (Upright & Reversed) Tarot Card Meaning

The Magician is the card of manifestation: turning dreams into reality. Numbered “1,” the Magician is in charge and ready to make it happen, no matter what. When the stars align, he is “the One.” He is resourceful and he has everything he needs at his disposal: wands, cups, swords, and pentacles. He symbolizes everything in the saying, “As above, so below.” 

The Magician has access to infinite potential, as denoted by the infinity sign above his head. He is confident that he can bring whatever he wants into fruition, because life and love is abundant for him. 

Upright Magician as a Person

If the Magician appears in a Tarot spread as a person, that means that this person is resourceful and determined. They are your master manifestors. It is astrologically associated with Mercury. Because the Magician is a masculine sign, this card carries an active, assertive energy. We all have a little bit of both energies expressed in a balanced way, regardless of which gender we identify as. Because this is a Major Arcana card, some of these defining traits make up a major part of their identity. So, for example, being a “creator” archetype will play a major role in who they are, or how they view themselves. Note that they may not reveal this side to you at the beginning stages of your relationship, to others, or ever.

For physical characteristics, the Magician as a person represents someone who is fast-moving, charismatic, and active. Because the Magician is ruled by Mercurian energy, you might notice that this person will always seem like they’re in a hurry to make something happen. They talk fast, they walk fast, and they may talk with their hands. Because the Magician is super crafty, don’t be surprised if they make their own clothes and accessories. Their resourcefulness may also translate to having lots of upcycled items in their wardrobe. Because traditional depictions of this card usually feature the Magician being surrounded by intricate flowers, they may have some elaborate or colorful tattoos. If not, they’ll enjoy intricate patterns, as well as an eclectic mix of all the suits/elements.

For emotional characteristics, the Magician as a person represents someone who is talkative and doesn’t take things personally. In fact, this person might be a little brash and blunt themselves, all they care about is getting their point across and getting the job done. In most depictions of the Magician card, the Magician is usually in the presence of a Pentacle, a Wand, a Cup, and a Sword. They have everything they need to manifest. Even when others doubt they have what it takes to achieve a goal, they will somehow make it available to them, or succeed without support or resources. Because Mercury is associated with Gemini, they can have a very youthful personality regardless of biological age.

For careers, the Magician can represent someone who works as a literal manifestor. This could mean a writer, artist, inventor, event organizers, or somebody who works heavily with communication and creation in some other way. Writing is the earliest stage of manifesting anything, and this person sends out intentions to a wider audience across the Universe. They might be a PR person, work in marketing, do social media, work in the media or advocacy. They may also work with your hands, and a more physical manifestation of this energy would be somebody who literally invents new concepts. And if they’re not the talent themselves, they will tend to be agents and managers who make things happen for the talent. Whatever they do, they facilitate manifestation. They’re usually crucial parts of the early stages of any project, which is why you’ll find them at start-ups.

The Magician as a person represents someone who makes you feel motivated, capable, and optimistic. They believe in themselves, and they can’t imagine anyone not being the same way.

“Excuses” are not part of their vocabulary. They are ambitious human embodiments of the go-getter energy.  They’re usually excellent conversationalists, thanks to Mercury. If you’re romantically involved with this person, you might feel like one half of a power couple. With them, anything seems possible.

Magician Reversed as a Person

If the Magician reversed appears in a Tarot spread as a person, that means that this person is all talk, and very little follow through. This is a person who will pitch you a movie idea or a business idea, get you involved somehow or invest in it, and the idea is never executed, or it never takes off. They’re as full of promises as they’re full of themselves, though. Whereas the Magician upright is a master manifestor, in the reverse, they’re a master manipulator. In the worst cases, they could have narcissistic tendencies and a grandiose, delusional belief in themselves. Because this is a Major Arcana card, some of these traits will be inherent aspects of their identity. Good or bad, nobody is perfect and people can change, if they choose to.

For physical characteristics, the Magician reversed as a person represents someone who puts zero effort in presenting themselves appropriately, but it never comes off effortless. This may be someone who dresses down just to insult a party’s host, or piss off their boss. They’re also manipulative, which may result in situations such as, “oops, I wore white to your wedding!” They may have an almost pathological need to display everything they have, because remember: the contradiction only depicts a man who owns all four suits. Whether it be their clothing, or through their social media feed, they’re always flexing. When you draw this card in a reading, it’s a warning to not judge a book by its cover, because you could be dealing with a fraud, or even a con artist, who’s just dressing a part to fake it till they make it.

For emotional characteristics, the Magician reversed as a person represents someone who is manipulative when it comes to others, and almost delusional when it comes to themselves. Be mindful of getting sucked into this person’s energy, especially if you are involved with them romantically. There’s always something with this one, with never-ending troubles symbolized by the infinity symbol in most depictions of this card. They may be emotionally and mentally manipulative. This is the type of person who portrays an image of being an independent, hardworking person who “does it all on my own”, but never acknowledges the help that they get from their housekeeper or nanny. Whereas the upright Magician creates the real deal through manifestation, the Magician in reverse creates illusions.

For careers, the Magician reversed can represent someone who works as a professional slacker. They expect to get paid a salary just for showing up. Whereas the upright Magician understands the value of hard work, their reversed counterpart can be entitled. At best, they’re still somewhat inspired but lack follow through, or their ideas are unrealistic. This is the type of person who starts a Kickstarter campaign, doesn’t follow through, and ends up getting sued. At worst, this is the person who gets sucked into get-rich-quick schemes, and drags their mom, their uncle, and their dog with them. That’s if they don’t end up mooching off their elderly parents. This is also the narcissistic actor who thinks they can get by just relying on their looks, but refuses to take acting classes.

The Magician reversed as a person represents someone who makes you feel gaslit. Because the Magician is ruled by Mercurian and Gemini energy, this person loves playing mind games. This person loves to twist your words and use them against you. They tend to carry heavy “puppet master” energy, no matter how innocent they may seem. And much like the Chariot card in reverse, a reversed Magician’s second favorite manipulation tactic is divide and conquer. But their ultimate favorite manipulation tactic is words. This can be spoken word, persuading people to turn against each other, this could be social media posts. Beware of getting sucked into their manufactured drama.

Conclusion

For love readings, the Magician is an amazing card. It gives incredible clarity into where your relationship stands at a philosophical level. This card gives a litmus test into your relationship. At its core, it asks, does a shared vision for a path forward exist? Without a vision, there is no space for healthy, long-term manifestation. But with a vision, all of your dreams can become reality. When you work together towards a common goal, you can achieve anything. Your potential is limitless.  

If you find yourself needing further clarity in your relationship matters that go beyond reading for yourself, Sibyl offers unlimited tarot readings on love & relationships, as a neutral and objective third party.