Indicates the querent in relationship to the present situation.

Meaning: Authority. An advocate of tradition. Society's structure and code. The establishment. Orthodox behaviour. Adhering to tradition. Religious authority. A keeper or guardian of knowledge. Initiation. Instruction. The expectations of the outside world. Education. Following an established path. Benefiting from the strength of a group or tradition. The comfort of one's roots. Guidance. Clemency. Religious or educational institutions. Ritual, ceremony, and performance. A wedding or public alliance. Religious or spiritual inclination. Morals and ideals. Mediator. Interpreter. Mentor. Official faith and custom. Accepting a hierarchy. Depending on surrounding cards, can represent repression and the challenging of a system or of conventional wisdom. A person with the power to advance, challenge, or wrong another.

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Represents the positive forces or assets in the querent's favor. If this card should happen to be a negative card, it indicates the nature of an obstacles that is hindering progress. (The card in this position is always interpreted in its upright manner.)

Meaning: Loss and wandering. Drained resources. Destitution. Exhaustion. Struggling to stay afloat while searching for relief. Fighting to keep morale and energy levels up. Loneliness. Crossing a wasteland. The collapse of one¹s values leads to the search for spiritual guidance. Temporary hardship. Seeking refuge.

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Represents the preoccupation of the subconscious which filters into waking life, affecting moods and outlook. This is the underlying theme of dreams and the emotional undercurrent in the querent's life.

Meaning: Talent and intelligence. A higher-comprehending mind. Purpose and skill. Independent thinker. Self-rule. Freedom. A person who is a force of art and creativity. Intuition. An inspiring, powerful voice. Commitment and communication. Eloquence and persuasion. Charm, confidence, and control. Talent that carries responsibility and casts one in an otherworldly light. Leadership and influence. Showmanship and dexterity. An ambiguous card, as the magician is also a trickster, a shadowy ringmaster, and a juggler. The unevolved magician character is a creature of appetite, impulse, and manipulation. Disregard of others and self-aggrandizing behaviour (resembling the rock star gone awry).

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Can be viewed as a message from the "higher self." It can also reflect the querent's potential aspirations.

Meaning: Armed peace. Uncertainty. Limited information. Impasse. Blind judgment. Sensing. Frail alliance but with potential. Invitation to friendship, collaboration, or union, but not being met halfway. Questioning whether friend or foe. Dual nature. Energized by a not yet decided situation, relationship, or path venturing into the unknown. Having to proceed while in the dark, using intuition or caution. Self-reliance. Having to make a blind choice to break a stalemate.

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Represents past events and influences that color and give rise to the current situation.

Meaning: Destruction. Major change. Unheeded warnings. Greed, pride, arrogance. Revolution. Breakdown or breakthrough‹ the positive or negative implications of the card depend on the querent's position. If one has been living under oppression, dramatic and possible traumatic change will be freedom, but if one has been living the high life off the toil of others, expect reversal of fortune and loss. Irrepressible tantrum of change. Eruption. Triumph over enslaving, compulsive behaviours such as addiction or obsessive complexes. Collapse of the old system or lifestyle. Destruction of gains made by ill means. Clearing of the air. Cleansing destruction. Change of values.

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Represents what is likely to happen next.

Meaning: Courage, determination, and creative thinking. Portends a good time to hazard a gamble. Though the odds may seem against you, there are advantages to your position. The victory of a major battle paves the way to opportunity and a positive cycle in life. Taking a stand. Guarding principles and dreams. Fending off predators. Silencing naysayers.

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Indicates the querent's psychological state and attitudes which can greatly affect the outcome of the matter.

Meaning: A proud, self-assured man. Established wealth. Security and social status. A grounded, practical leader. An intelligent man who, if not talented himself, values and supports the gifts of others. Recognizing the value of culture to a society. Money with ethical conscience. Practical help and skills. A supportive husband.

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Represents the querent's environment and unseen forces influencing the situation.

Meaning: Hope. Inspiration. Guiding star. Moment of grace and peace. Freedom. Early signs of life taking on a new pattern. Freedom after trials. Chance for escape. First sign of dawn. Release. Self-reliance. Clever, inspired ideas. Listening for direction. A quickening. Salvation. Empowerment. Destiny. A time of farseeing. Taking steps to save one's self‹not giving into resignation. Enlightened idea. Planning. Thaw of the ice. Return of life force. Rejuvenation. Drawing strength from nature.

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Indicates the hopes and fears of the querent.

Meaning: Ascension. Opening to a higher dimension. Culmination and synthesis. Enlightenment. Attaining a broader view of life. Moving beyond the personal to become aware of the interconnected nature of life. Harmony and perfection. Peace and freedom of thought. Inspiration and comprehension. Ecstasy. Glimpses, however brief, of the great mysteries of life. Being able to appreciate the larger scene or patterns in life. Faith. Epiphany. A heightened sense of being alive. Purpose. Confidence. Completion. Enjoying life and anticipating its curves. Unencumbered by the trivial. Being in control of one¹s fate. Intelligence. Independence. Determination and stability. Strength and enthusiasm. Intuition and spiritual heights. Crowning achievement. Reward and promotion. Graduation. Lasting happiness. As the last of the major arcana, the Universe represents the height of a progression. The Universe card is associated with the four evangelists, Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John, who in turn are equated with incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension, respectively.

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Indicates the outcome of the matter.

Meaning: Friendship. Play. Remembering past happiness and childlike innocence. Renewal. Nostalgia. Pleasant company. Reminiscing with old friends. Drawing strength from shared experiences. Being understood and appreciated. Teamwork. Taking pleasure in simple, wholesome activities and surroundings. Seeing the good in life.

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