The Magician is the 1st Trump in the Major Arcana representing yang energy and the masculine power. The Magician is also represented by the planet Mercury - ruling communication, wisdom, will, and action in all forms and phases. The Magician is often symbolic of having strength of will to create your own life; to make the magic real for you. This card symbolizes the ability to communicate and control your environment, to focus your energy and concentrate. The Magician is about making your will into reality, manifesting your hopes and dreams into your life. 

On the Holy Grail Magician we see Hugh de Payens, the founder of the Knights Templar.  This is a man whose drive, vision and determination was responsible for one of the most respected and powerful orders of the Middle Ages.  He worked with Bernard of Clairvaux to ensure that the Templars would have the blessings and approval of the Holy See.  After it's founding, the order was seen as a boon to all pilgrims who wished to journey to the Holy Land and it was feared and respected by the Saracens.  They eventually incurred the enmity and jealousy of a number of powerful rulers but at the beginning they were seen as a positive force in the Middle East.

The figure on the Fantasy Showcase could be male or female, that doesn't matter.  What does come through is the sense of will and determination generated by this person.  This is a person who sets goals and does what it takes to make sure she achieves them.  She is driven, focused and intent.  These are all qualities that would benefit me right now.  There needs to be a sense of balance too - the Magician has symbols of each element laid out before her.  She is not solely focused on the intellectual or the physical.  She has learned to use all of the tools available to her in order to make her dreams come true.

This may be trying to tell me that one of the reasons I"m so stuck in a rut is that I'm too focused on one area.  I have a tendency to be too focused on one area to the exclusion of others.  I'm much more comfortable in the realm of the intellect and, to be honest, I can focus a lot on things and the material realm.    Maybe that's part of the challenge for me, I focus on having things instead of actually doing things.  I console myself with things (dolls, books, Tarot decks) and food instead of getting out there and doing what I really want to do.

What do I really want to do?  Sometimes I'm not sure about the long term but in the short term, I'd love to take a class in martials arts.  I think the discipline and focus would help me.  I want to be more physically fit and that's probably the easiest thing of all to fix.  All I have to do is stop talking about it and actually do something - walk, actually do one of my bellydance fitness DVDs, go to the gym.  All of those are options and I take advantage of none.  I think if I can get my body in gear and start taking charge of my physical condition, I'll find that my energy levels improve too.  Something to ponder and then actually do something about.