I. The Magician

The second card in the Major Arcana is the Magician. Looking at the card, we notice several important symbols. We see the infinity symbol. Around his waist is the uroboros – the serpent swallowing its tail. This is another symbol of infinity and the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. On the altar before him are represented all four elements.

When I look at this card, I get the image of a mature man who is comfortable with his power. Here is a man in his prime. He is powerful. He is very likely a father, possibly a young-ish grandfather. I associate this card with fire and earth. The season, for me, is summer.

Questions that we can ask about this card are, “Am I secure in my power?” “Am I using it wisely?” I think that grounding is important with this card, so I have put together a recipe that is at once light, because it’s a salad, and ground, because of the meat.

Grilled Steak Salad with Bacon-Blue Cheese Dressing

For the dressing:

• 2 1/2 ounces blue cheese
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste



For the salad:

8 cups mixed greens – spinach, lettuce, arugula
½ red onion, thinly sliced
16-oz sirloin steak


Lightly oil the rack of your grill and set to high heat. If using a grill pan, allow to heat on high for about 5 minutes. Grill the sirloin until rare or medium-rare (130-135 degrees F), about 3-3 1/2 minutes per side. Allow the steak to rest for about 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and top the greens and red onion.

In a small mixing bowl, mash the blue cheese and buttermilk. Leave some larger chunks of cheese for texture. Gently fold in the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle dressing over the salad and serve.

Serves 4