Tarot: Science Tarot

6 of Beakers

For those concentrating in divination, “Science Tarot” (various, 2010) best exemplifies the process and magic of divination.  I view divination as science yet to be explained.  Science offers the foundation for the diviner, allowing them to see patterns of the future.  “Science Tarot” combines both worlds of science and speculation.

In the “Science Tarot”, The Fool (0) is presented as a young person stepping off of a pile of books.  She is moving into the world of experimentation.  As diviners, we leave our dictionaries of meanings behind to explore our own systems of divination.  Through our own experiments, we master our craft of divination.

The Court Cards of this deck are the Explorer (Page), Innovator (Knight), Storyteller (Queen), and Visionary (King).  From the seeker who explores to the diviner who innovates by creating their own system, so the Explorer becomes the Innovator.  As Storytellers, we inform others of our findings in memorable ways.  Finally at the pinnacle of our craft, we are Visionaries peering into the future, leading the way for others to come.

Starting with the Major Arcana, the diviner follows each story to delve deeper into their craft.  For example: The Hermit (IX) is Fermat’s Last Theorem.  Fermat, a mathematician, left a proof for others to discover.  In isolation, he focused on his proofs, while the diviner focuses on why their divination works.  Like Fermat, the diviner leaves it for others to figure out on their own, the proof of divination.

The Minor Arcana of the deck begins with Bunsen Burner (Wands) as the fire of creation.  Exploring the beginning of life in the stars, “Science Tarot” gives the diviner the basics of astronomy and cosmology.  Astrology of divination gave birth to astronomy of science.  Under the Magnifying Glass (Pentacles), the elements of life come together.  (Geology and chemistry are the sciences explored.)  Geology and geomancy are two sides of the same coin, with both using the land to divine in one case ores, in the other energy. 

Once matter is formed, the world is divided by the Scalpels (Swords) into the observed and the observed.  (Physics and mathematics are the sciences covered.)  Diviners learn their craft through observing what patterns develop to form their rules of divination.  Finally in Beakers (Cups), the world is integrated into a whole.  (Sciences presented are biology and ecology.)  The diviner integrates their practice of observations and divining the future. 

The different scientific disciplines root the diviner in the real world.  Then “Science Tarot” provides the structure to fly into the world of the imagination.  “Science Tarot” mirrors the world and craft of the diviner.

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Website of “Science Tarot” : http://www.sciencetarot.com/