Квантовое Таро: версия 2.0 — Quantum Tarot: Version 2.0

МБК значения: Квантовое Таро: версия 2.0 — Quantum Tarot: Version 2.0

Основы

В Квантовом Таро современная наука встречается с древней духовной системой карт Таро Изображения для этих карт взяты из двух кардинально различающихся миров – огромных просторов космоса и невообразимо малого мира атомов иэлементарных частиц. Эти крайности охвачены двумя революционны ми идеями 20-го веха квантовой механикой и теорией относительности Эйнштейна. Старшие Арканы фокусируются на этих двух теориях, а Младшие Арканы отражают проявления, которые они описывают; странные миры нейтронных и сверхновых звезд черных дыр, нейтрино и антиматерии. Фигурные карты по-новому, через линзы науки, рассматривают знакомые мистические архетипы  ночногонебо ― планеты и созвездия.

Научное знание не являемся необходимым условием для использования этой колоды Таро. Краткое описание основного значения при ведено ниже для каждой карты колоды. Для тех же, кто хочет заглянуть немного глубже, в конце книжки есть продвинутый курс, раскрывающий связь классического значения карт Таро и изображений на них, навеянных современным научным знанием. В колоде широко использованы изображения, полученные космическим телескопом Хаббл.

Старшие Арканы

0 Дурак ― большой Взрыв

Дурак ― это невинность и новое начало. У него нет опыта жизни, и он открыт и бесстрашен. В какое путешествие вы готовы отправиться?

І Маг ― Электромагнитное Взаимодействие

Маг делает невидимое видимым. Он может воплотить в жизнь идею или видение. Что вы намерены создать?

II Верховная Жрица ― Слабое Взаимодействие

Верховная Жрица символизирует скрытое знание, самоанализ и самопознание. Какую внутреннюю мудрость вам нужно раскрыть?

III Императрица ― Гравитоционное Взаимодействие

Императрица ― это женское начало, символ изобилия (полноты) природы. Часто ее изображают беременной, откровенно намекая но принцип плодородия. Чему вы готовы дать рождение?

IV Император ― Сильное Взаимодействие

Император символизирует мужское начало. Это фигура власти, поддерживающая порядок в обществе. Как проявляется ваш авторитет?

V Верховный Жрец ― Законы Движения Ньютона

Верховный Жрец олицетворяет ортодоксальность и традиционность, накопленную мудрость нашей культуры. Как традиции влияют на ваше поведение?

VI Влюбленные — Теория Гравитации Ньютона

Любовники символизируют притяжение двумя людьми и показывают возможность гармоничных отношений. Как проявляется сила притяжения в вашей жизни?

VII Колесница ― Специальная Теория Относительности

Колесница символизирует уверенное использование воли, преодоление противоречивых страстей для достижения самодисциплины. Что требует приложения вашей отточенной воли?

VIII Сила ― Общая Теория Относительности

Сила должна быть ограничена мягкостью и пониманием. Карта символизирует пробуждение сострадания. Кто или что нуждается в вашей доброте?

 IX Отшельник ― Элементарные частицы

Отшельник представляет период размышления, спокойного исследования своего внутреннего мира. Какие откровения вы можете найти в одиночестве?

 X Колесо Фортуны — Квантовая Механика

Колесо обрисовывает циклы судьбы или шансы. Время действия определяет его исход. Будьте готовы, когда колесо Фортуны повернется в вашу пользу. Какая возможность поворачивается в вашу сторону?

XI Правосудие ― Постоянная Планка

Правосудие приносит баланс и понимание в путаницу и беспорядок, дает ясное ведение истины. Как вы можете честно оценить вашу ситуацию?

XII Повешенный ― Принцип Неопределенности

Повешенный призывает вас принести в жертву старое видение, чтобы увидеть мир с большей глубиной и ясностью. На чем вы застряли?

XIII Смерть ― Материя и Антиматерия

Смерть требует от вас отказаться от старых идей или ситуаций и принять изменения. Что должно умереть в вашей жизни?

XIV Умеренность ― Суперсимметрия

Умеренность указывает на процесс смешения различных элементов вашей жизни, приводящий к динамическому единству. Как ваш опыт закалил вас?

XV Дьявол ― Черная Дыра

Дьявол символизирует что-либо или кого-либо соблазняющего вас отказаться от вашей свободы. Как вы позволяете порабощать себя?

ХVI Башня ― Квантовая Лена

Башня демонстрирует непредвиденный выброс хаоса. Это может быть шоком, но содержащим в себе обещание свободы. Что выводит вас из себя?

XVII Звезда ― Теория Струн

Звезда показывает момент безграничного откровения, несущего творческое вдохновение и надежду на духовное пробуждение. Какая мечта несет вам надежду?

XVIII Луна ― Дополнительные Мерности

Луна ― это мечты, видения и галлюцинации странный, пугающий мир. скрытый в подсознании. К какой страшной тайне вы стремитесь?

XIX Солнце ― М-теория

Солнце символизируем сознание ― место где многочисленные аспекты личности работают в гармонии. Вы чувствуете жар вашего внутреннего солнца?

XX Страшный суд ― Мультивселенная

Страшный суд описывает полное пробуждение души, возвращение осознания и понимания. Какой сдвиг в создании вы испытали?

XXI Мир -Теория всего

Мир показывает разрешение парадокса ограниченности Я и безграничности Космоса. Как вы объемлете бесконечность в ограниченности вашего существования?

Вселенная

Вселенная  ― это более высокие вибрации Мира. Ваш разум готов вместить бесконечность. Вы можете существовать в беспредельности?

Феникс

Феникс ― это продвинутый Дурак, восстающий из пепла для начала нового пути, и вся Вселенная ― его игровая площадка Что возродилось в вас?

 Младшие Арканы

 Посохи

 1 Туз Посохов ― Фотон

Туз Посохов ― это первичный всплеск энергии момент вдохновения, прорыва в понимание. Что вас сильно цепляет?

2 Посохов ― Формирование Планеты

Двойка Посохов символизирует процесс планирования проекта или разработки идеи. Какое непростое дело требует вашего времени внимание и терпения?

3 Посохов ― Скопления Галактик

Тройка Посохов просят вас расширить ваше видение. Это время мыслить по-крупному И воплощать свои самые смелые и затаенные мечты. Какая мечта зовет тебя?

4 Посохов ― Электрослабое взаимодействие

Четверка Посохов показывают единство и разделенный успех. Так Таро предлагают вам праздновать. За что пришло время благодарить?

5 Посохов ― Аннигиляция Частиц

Пятерка Посохов представляет игривый конфликт, схватку, генерирующую энергию и полную творческих возможностей. Какой положительный потенциал рождается из конфликта?

6 Посохов ― Звезда

Шестерка Посохов ― это индивидуальный успех, заслуженная и отработанная победа. Извлекаете ли вы все возможное из момента вашего успеха?

7 Посохов ― Столкновения Галактик

Семерка Посохов говорит о серьезном конфликте, который потребует всей вашей энергии и внимания для достижения победы. В какую всепоглощающую битву вы вовлечены?

8 Посохов ― Сверхновая

Восьмерка Посохов ― это драматически сильный выброс энергии или интенсивная концентрация. Как извлечь все возможное из этого выброса энергии?

9 Посохов ― Пульсар

Девятка Посохов обозначает что вы «зациклились» как старый солдат, который продолжает воевать, хотя война уже закончилась. Какие ваши старые привычки пережили свою полезность?

10 Посохов ― Нейтронная Звезда

Десятка Посохов ― это карта чрезмерных обязательств и стресса. Вы взяли на себя слишком много и не можете больше справляться. От каких забот вам надо освободиться?

Паж Посохов ― Орион

Паж Посохов ― это персонификация юной энергии, полной детской открытости и безграничного энтузиазма. Какой новый интерес зажигает вас?

Рыцарь Посохов ― Марс

Рыцарь Посохов сохраняет весь энтузиазм Пажа, добавляя к нему силу, фокус и самоконтроль. Как движущая энергия битвы проявляется в вашей жизни?

Королева Посохов ― Венера

Королева Посохов ― это уверенная и независимая женщина, в которой начисто отсутствуют типичные женские качества. Какой смелый план вам нужно претворить в жизнь?

Король Посохов ― Юпитер

Король Посохов требует от вас развития качеств лидера и умения контролировать свою ситуацию. Не пришло ли время стать лидером?

Чаши

 1 Туз Чаш ― Гравитон

Туз Чаш означает прилив любви и сострадания, раскрытия сердца. Что пробуждает вашу любовь?

 2 Чаш ― Бинарные системы

Двойка Чаш знаменуют начало отношений между вами и другим человеком, момент их расцвета. Кто вовлекает вас во взаимоотношения?

3 Чаши ― Звездные Скопления

Тройка Чаш представляет уникальную деятельность, производимую совместно схожими по мировоззрению людьми. Не время ли побыть в дружеской компании?

4 Чаш ― Дополнительные элементарные частицы

Четверка Чаш означают, что вы чем-то пресытились и впали в бездеятельность. Вам скучно, вы разочарованы и не удовлетворены. Где вы застряли?

5 Чаш ― Распад элементарных частиц

Пятерка Чаш описывают состояние потери чего-либо. Скорбь важно, но не забывайте радоваться тому, что у вас осталось. Какое горе вам надо пережить?

6 Чаш ― Гравитационные линзы/Дальние Галактики

Шестерка Чаш ― это сильная ностальгия о времени, когда вы были невинны и счастливы. Какие уроки вы извлекли из прошлого?

7 Чаш ― Красный Гигант

Семерка Чаш представляют мечты, воображение и фантазии. Они легко могут быть окутаны желанием или страхом. Какие мечты захватывают вас?

8 Чаш ― Радиоактивный распад

Восьмеро Чаш ― это желание освободиться и уйти прочь, при необходимости все оставив позади. От чего вы готовы отказаться и уйти?

9 Чаш ― Рождение Звезды

Девятка Чаш символизируют изобилие, материальный достаток, счастье и удовлетворенность. За что вы имеете повод благодарить?

10 Чаш ― Спиральная Галактика

Десятка Чаш представляют хорошие отношения или счастливый брак и провозглашают приход устойчивого и длительного состояния радости. Вы можете принять благословение длительного состояния удовлетворенности?

Паж Чаш ― Змееносец

Паж Чаш воплощает в себе эмоциональную открытость и любопытство. Творчество, знание магии и целительства являются для него особенно важными. Вы можете быть ребенком в своем восприятии мира?

Рыцарь Чаш ― Персей

Рыцарь Чаш символизирует силу идеала, важность образа, в который вы можете страстно поверить. Кокая мечта или путь тревожат ваше сердце?

Королева Чаш ― Андромеда

Королева Чаш обладает сверхъестественным  умением читать чужие эмоции и высокоразвитой способностью к эмпатии. Какие глубокие чувства вы сейчас ощущаете?

Король Чаш ― Нептун

Король Чаш характеризует способность сдерживать и управлять даже сильными эмоциями, о не быть сокрушенными ими. Какие чувства вам трудно контролировать?

Мечи

1 Туз Мечей ― W и Z Бозоны

Туз Мечей знаменует ясность восприятия, способность пробиться через неразбериху фактов к истине. Куда вам сфокусировать свою остроту восприятия?

2 Мечей ― Темная материя

Двойка Мечей представляют собой неприятный тупик, в котором вы не видите полноты картины. Как вы запутались в ограничениях?

3 Мечей ― Красный Карлик

Тройка Мечей ― карта разбитого сердца, приносящая осознание, где и как это случилось. Какие болезненные эмоции, гнездящиеся в вое, еще не признаны вами?

4 Мечей ― Нейтрино

Четверка Мечей ― это период отдыха и медитации или размышления в одиночестве. Достаточно ли вам вашего внутреннего пространство?

5 Мечей ― Белый Карлик

Пятерка Мечей ― это карта, характеризующая отношения угнетатель ― угнетаемый. В любом случае ситуация без выигрыша. Как вы можете избежать того, чтобы быть жертвой или проявлять насилие?

6 Мечей ― Фермионы и бозоны

Шестерка Мечей знаменуют выход из сложной ситуации переход в более благоприятное ментальное и физическое состояние. Откуда вам надо выйти?

7 Мечей — Радиоактивность

Семерка Мечей ― это скрытность планов и стратегий, ситуация требующая для своего разрешения использование обходных путей. К чему вы должны подойти стратегически?

8 Мечей ― Удержание кварков/цветового заряда

Восьмерка Мечей характеризует состояние ограничения или притеснения. Откройте свои глаза и увидите что возможно выйти из этой ситуации. Как вы можете освободиться?

9 Мечей ― Аннигиляция материи/антиматерии

Девятка Мечей символизируют беспокойство и туманные страхи. Помните, что бояться нечего, и ваши страхи необоснованны. Какие темные чувства вам нужно встретить лицом к лицу?

10 Мечей ― Смерть Звезды

Десятка Мечей говорят о символической смести или поражении. Самое худшее уже произошло, и теперь возможно лишь улучшение ситуации. Какую сложную перемену вы должны принять?

Паж Мечей ― Меркурий

Паж Мечей ― это архетип студента. Он полон желания учиться через общение, чтение или формальное образование. Что вызывает ваше любопытство?

Рыцарь Мечей ― Геракл

Битвы Рыцаря Мечей больше словесные, чем физические, но он мужественно встречает любую ситуацию. В кокой конфликт вы должны вступить?

Королева Мечей ― Кассиопея

Королева Мечей ― это светская женщина, которую опыт сделал мудрой и немного печальной. Какую мудрость вы приобрели через трудные уроки вашей жизни?

Король Мечей ― Уран

Король Мечей владычествует в воздушном мире разума. Он советует вам при анализе быть объективным и беспристрастным. Какая ситуация требует трезвой оценки?

Пентакли

1 Туз Пентаклей ― Глюон

Туз Пентаклей показывает что вы начали воплощение идеи или проекта в жизнь. Какое видение или план требует конкретной реализации?

 2 Пентаклей ― Спин

Двойка Пентаклей символизирует неопределенность и неоднозначность и показывают, что ответ, как два Пентакля, заключается в нахождении баланса. Что вызывает у вас противоречивые чувства?

3 Пентаклей ― Структура Атома

Тройка Пентаклей соединяют широту видения с тщательностью проработки плана. Следуйте за своей мечтой, не забывая об основе. По какому плану вам действовать?

 4 Пентаклей — Эллиптическая Галактика

Четверка Пентаклей характеризуют упрямую косность, сопротивление переменам из-за строка перед ними. За что вы слишком сильно цепляетесь?

5 Пентаклей ― Пептоны

Пятерка Пентаклей ― это карта бедности и финансовых ограничений. Она накладывает ограничения, преодоление которых потребует всей вашей изобретательности и находчивости. Какие лишения вам надо преодолеть?

6 Пентаклей ― Аароны, борионы и мезоны

Шестерка Пентаклей ― это обмен ресурсами. Очень важен баланс между получением и отдачей. Что вам ближе ― отдать или получить?

7 Пентаклей ― Кварки

Семерка Пентоклей ― это карта пожинания плодов. Вас просят оценить ваше благосостояние и удовлетвориться им. Какие богатства вы скопили?

8 Пентаклей ― Образование Галокгики

Восьмерка Пентаклей ― это карта ученичества. Она подчеркивает необходимость шлифовки ваших навыков в процессе роботы над конечным продуктом. Какая работа требует от вас последовательности и твердости?

9 Пентаклей ― Квазар

Девятка Пентаклей говорят о независимости и финансовой защищенности Карта означает успех в рискованных начинаниях и эмоциональную зрелость. Вы достигли возможности жить независимо?

10 Пентаклей ― Солнечная Система

Десятка Пентаклей символизирует разношерстную группу, объединенную общим местоположением или состоянием и часто изображаемую как многоуровневое семейство. Какую групповую динамику вы успешно поддерживаете?

Паж Пентаклей ― Волопас

Паж Пентаклей знаменует финансовое или коммерческое начинание в его ранней стадии. Зерна посажены, и осталось тщательно ухаживать за ними. Что новое нуждается в вашей заботе?

Рыцарь Пентаклей — Центавр

Рыцарь Пентаклей ― это карта малых шагов, а не гигантских прыжков: черепаха, а не заяц.  К чему нужно подойти не торопясь и с терпением?

Королева Пентаклей ― Земля

Королева Пентаклей ― это фигура вскармливающей матери. Она символизирует плодородие изобилие и чувственную радость в материальном мире. Как вы заботитесь о себе?

Король Пентаклей ― Сатурн

Король Пентаклей связан с мирской властью. Он очень искушен в делах материального мира. Вы достигли мастерство в практичности?

Расклад Относительности (4 карты)

1-ая карта — Пространство – где  в настоящий момент.

2-ая Карта – Время – что изменится в ближайшем будущем.

3-ая карта ― Гравитация ― что привлекает вас.

4-ая карга ― Относительность ― ключ для понимания проблемы в целом.

Расклад Принципа Неопределенности (5 карт)

1-ая карта ― Волна – эмоциональное влияние на вас.

2-ая карта ― Элементарная Частица ― фактическое влияние на вас

3-ая карта ― Неопределенность – что можно изменить

4-ая карта ― Постоянная Планка ― что не подлежит изменению.

5-ая карта ― Вероятность ― возможный результат

0. The Fool — The Big Bang
    Interpretation
The Quantum Fool represents something new that has emerged, the butterfly struggling forth from its chrysalis. The Fool has no fear because he has no life experience. He is ignorant of danger but also completely open; he has no prejudices or hidden agendas. He sees things as they are, even if he does not have the wisdom (yet) to understand them. The Fool embarks on his journey with the complete trust of a newborn child, ready to soak up any experience that he encounters.
Fool-ish Questions: What’s new? What area of your life requires a leap of faith? What has exploded into your consciousness? Are you ready to take a chance?
Fool-ish Things to Do: Buy flowers. Enrol in a class. Bungee jump (if you really want to be literal!). Go for a walk with no destination in mind. Start a blog!

I The Magician — The Electromagnetic Force
    
Interpretation

The Magician manipulates and formulates energy, making the invisible visible. He has the ability to make something out of nothing – to act creatively – which can seem magical from the outside. He brings consciousness and illumination to mystery, acting as a bridge between the inchoate sea of the unconscious, and material reality. Whenever we create anything we invoke the Magician archetype.
Magician Questions: What is forming in your life? What are you making a reality? What reality are you making?
Magician Things to Do: Keep a diary. Cook a meal. Close the curtains, lock the doors and dance to your favourite music. Give someone a gift that you

II The High Priestess — The Weak Force
    
Interpretation

The High Priestess embodies this sense of unknowable mystery. She represents all that is secret or invisible in our lives. Like the weak force, which is an invisible process of change, the wisdom of the High Priestess operates behind the scenes, often unconsciously. She requires that we gain knowledge and wisdom from self-examination that goes beyond rational thought and objective measurement.
High Priestess Questions: What am I hiding? What are my deepest secrets? What do I need to examine more deeply?
High Priestess Things to Do: Get a therapist! Keep a dream diary. Read the tarot. Meditate.

III The Empress — Gravity
    
Interpretation

On a symbolic level the Empress is the female creative principle, the power of attraction that draws humans together in both the literal and figurative act of creation. The force of sexual attraction is the fundamental human drive towards reproduction. The Empress is often shown as a pregnant woman, carrying the new life that has been created. This may signify anything in our lives that needs to be nurtured towards maturity.
Empress Questions: Who or what needs mothering? Can you accept care and nurturing from another? Who or what are you attracted to?
Empress Things To Do: Cultivate your garden. Treat yourself to something luxurious. Indulge in a sexual fantasy.

IV The Emperor — The Strong Force
    
Interpretation

The Emperor, like the strong force, holds things together into an ordered, functioning whole. He represents leadership and authority, and often symbolises the figures that play this roles in our lives. Anyone from daddy to the boss. Within the psyche, the Emperor represents conscious will – what Freudians call the superego. Our relationship to our inner “boss” is often (painfully!) mirrored in encounters with external authority figures.
Emperor Questions: Who’s in charge in your life? How do you deal with authority? What do you need to keep together?
Emperor Things to Do: Organise a social gathering. Take charge of your finances. Do something you’ve been putting off forever.

 
V The Hierophant — Newton’s Laws of Motion
    
Interpretation

The Hierophant represents spiritual tradition and in older decks is portrayed as the Pope. Isaac Newton plays this role in the Quantum Tarot, for his theories represent the bedrock of tradition upon which all the 20th and 21st century physicists have built.
The Hierophant is about acknowledging and respecting tradition. His authority may be less earthly than that of the Emperor but is no less powerful. He has behind him many generations of accumulated wisdom. He offers us a firm foundation for our endeavours – we just have to be careful that this firmness and solidity does not become too rigid and intransigent.
Hierophant Questions: Who are your ancestors? What is your tradition? Are you building upon firm foundations? What old habits have you got stuck in?
Hierophant Things to Do: Research your family tree. Think about all the influences of your formative years; books, pop songs, TV, films, friends, social groups and activities etc – what do they have in common with your life now? Attend a spiritual or religious ritual, even if you’re not a believer.

 
VI The Lovers — Newton’s Theory of Gravity
    
Interpretation

Like a planet and its satellite, or two stars in a binary system, the relationship of two lovers is an ongoing dance of emotional, physical and spiritual attraction. The Lovers card is a sign of being drawn to something, or someone, very powerfully.
Lovers Questions: What is exerting a gravitational pull on you? What choice are you being faced with? What is the power balance in your primary relationship?
Lovers Things to Do: Buy flowers for your loved one (duh!). Watch a romantic movie and cry. Tell the people you love that you love them. Often.

VII The Chariot — Special Relativity
    
Interpretation

The Chariot traditionally shows a man struggling to control the two horses driving his chariot. It’s about the exercise of personal will, often a struggle to master our contradictory natures. When the Chariot shows up in a reading it indicates that we have achieved a certain level of hard-won maturity.
Chariot Questions: What inner conflicts do you need to control? In what area of your life do you need to exercise more willpower? Do you still have some growing up to do? Where have you displayed increasing maturity?
Chariot Things to Do: Create a positive habit (e.g. exercise) and stick to it! Don’t lash out verbally until you’ve counted to 10. When someone presses your buttons wait 24 hours before responding. Drive carefully!

 
VIII Strength — General Relativity
    
Interpretation

The bending of space-time around massive objects can be compared to the subtle power of the Strength card. Often shown as a woman gently subduing a lion, this card does not signify a display of brute strength but rather the quiet, persistent, loving application of personal power. The secret of Strength is compassion; the woman bends to the lion’s nature but does not allow it to overpower her. The lion, in it’s turn, responds to her gentle but unflinching loving-kindness by allowing itself to be approached and subdued.
Strength Questions: Are you displaying loving compassion to others right now? To yourself? What bestial behaviour have you forgiven? Can you transform destructive emotions into thankfulness and love?
Strength Things to Do: Try to understand someone you are angry with. Forgive yourself for something bad that you’ve done. If you get angry, accept the positive nature of that emotion rather than feeling guilty. Stroke a cat.

IX The Hermit — Subatomic Particles
    
Interpretation

The Quantum Hermit represents this idea of a hidden world just waiting for discovery. He shines his light into mysterious dark corners and leads us far away from the crowds into reflection and contemplation. He may signal a physical withdrawal from the world or a more subtle realigning of attention away from the everyday into the deeper mysteries of the inner universe.
Hermit Questions: Where do you need to refocus your attention? Are you attending to your inner light? Are you happy to be alone? What mysterious territory are you drawn to explore?
Hermit Things to Do: Go on a retreat. Stay in bed. Meditate. Research or discover a subject by yourself. Go for a walk alone.

X The Wheel of Fortune — Quantum Mechanics
    
Interpretation

They say that successful people create their own luck. Even if we feel cursed by bad circumstances, we still have choices. Why not step off the wheel altogether, stop being a victim of chance, spun round by external circumstances? It is up to us to determine whether to approach life as a victim of chance, spun round by the wheel like a sock in a washing machine, or to take a big leap of awareness and get off the merry-go-round.
Wheel Questions: Where are you up? And where are you down? Do you fear that any success will be followed by failure? Or do you always believe that “the sun’ll come out tomorrow”? Can you take a big step back and look at how you are being churned around?
Wheel Things to Do: Visit a funfair. Play the stock market (no, actually, don’t!). Play a computer game. Look at where you’ve been lucky in your life and count your blessings.

XI Justice — Planck’s constant
    
Interpretation
Planck’s constant helped to make sense of something that otherwise seem paradoxical. Similarly, the Justice card brings truth and clarity to the contradictory or confusing. It shines the cool light of objective truth, a truth that may not always be palatable. In a reading, the Justice card asks us to take a big step back and look at ourselves honestly and dispassionately.
Justice Questions: Can you open your eyes and see what’s really going on? What is the truth of your situation? What needs re-balancing? Where do you need an objective opinion?
Justice Things to Do: Hire a lawyer. Write a will. Get a second opinion. Don’t ask your friends, get someone you don’t know. Be honest with yourself. Forgive yourself. Forgive others.

XII The Hanged Man — The Uncertainty Principle
    
Interpretation

The uncertainty principle, like the Hanged Man, turns everything upside-down. Physicists in the early 20th century, trained to think in terms of precision and exactitude, were understandably resistant to the idea that the stuff of our universe is, at a fundamental level, imprecise and inexact. The Hanged Man card represents a state of existential confusion, where our old ways of thinking and being don’t work anymore. The image of a man dangling (apparently willingly) from his ankle is a resonant and complex one; the essential message is that something must be willingly relinquished in order to gain something greater. It symbolises the difficult moment when the old has been sacrificed but the new has yet to be born.
Hanged Man Questions: What has been turned upside-down? What strategy has stopped working? What habit or way of thinking do you need to let go of? What are you uncertain of? What are you getting hung up on?
Hanged Man Things to Do: Absolutely nothing. Meditate. Get a tarot reading. Give something away.

XIII Death — Matter and Antimatter
    
Interpretation

As human beings we are constantly changing and adapting to our environments, but paradoxically we also resist change because we find it fearful. Even if the change is clearly for the better it often comes with a certain amount of resistance. Perhaps because change is essentially a form of death and it reminds us of our own mortality. The Death card requires us to let go and allow the change to happen. It may be something real and tangible, or it may simply be an outworn idea of ourselves. The fear, once faced, releases us to the process of change and we can transform like the particles that compose our bodies into pure energy, into something completely new.

Death Questions: What do you need to let go of? What is changing? What is dying? What are you resisting? What are you most afraid of?
Death Things to Do: Mourn. Clear our some stuff. Do something that scares you. Sit in the dark.

 
XIV Temperance — Supersymmetry
    
Interpretation

Supersymmetry was first developed as a way of blending two incompatible theories; Einstein’s relativistic description of gravity and quantum mechanics. The Temperance card represents this symbolically as the idea of blending different, often contradictory, elements. Traditional Temperance cards depict an angel pouring liquid from one cup to another, representing the refining process crucial to our growth. We continually mix, blend, separate and re-blend the different parts of ourselves, and when Temperance appears, it reminds us that we are in a particularly fluid stage of our personal evolution.
Temperance Questions: Are you happy with the balance of your life? What is the quality of your current “blend”? What new element needs to be included? What needs to be drained away?
Temperance Things to Do: Make bread. Make a cocktail. Read a self-help book. Reassess your priorities.

XV The Devil — Black Hole
    
Interpretation

The Devil represents this kind of powerful, irresistible force that sucks us in. We may be seduced by the power of an individual or an idea, such as fame or wealth. Once trapped, we realise we have paid for our gains with our freedom – but then of course it is too late. The Devil symbolises relationships of all kinds that involve subjugation. The key to this card is imbalance of power; wherever we believe we are in someone else’s power, the Devil is present. Underneath the imbalance, the Devil indicates an immense reservoir of energy that has got stuck. Our challenge is to set it free.
Devil Questions: Who or what are you in thrall to? What is sucking away your energy? Where are you not free? Where do you feel powerless?
Devil Things to Do: Examine your addictions (however trivial they seem). Consider what you irrationally desire. Look at the things (or people) that repeatedly drain your energy.

XVI The Tower — Quantum foam
    
Interpretation

The Tower is a challenging card, but it is not negative and not to be feared. After the shock of being thrown out of our comfort zone we often realise how our old ways of thinking and being are restricting us, and we wake up to the positive side of the Tower’s message – freedom. The lightning strike is also the flash of illumination or inspiration, where we are filled with a sudden and unexpected understanding, an experience of total insight or even enlightenment.
Tower Questions: What comfort zone do you need to escape from? What shock have you suffered? What illumination have you gained? What “eureka moment” have you experienced?
Tower Things to Do: Brainstorm. Break a habit. Challenge your thinking (or get someone to do it for you!). Do something you’ve never done before, even (in fact especially) if you think you’ll hate it.

XVII The Star — String Theory
    
Interpretation

The Star card represents hope and possibility. Traditionally, the Star card depicts a naked woman pouring water from a jug, surrounded by stars. This is a card of spiritual awakening, of expanded consciousness, of vision. We become aware of the boundless energy of the universe; how it flows through everything, including us. The Star takes us to a place of no limits, where anything and everything is possible. This is a time to allow every possibility to flow through us without censorship or judgement.
Star Questions: What new possibilities are on the horizon? Are you allowing yourself to feel hope? Do you need to let go of limited thinking? What would you do if anything was possible?
Star Things to Do: Create a Mindmap. Daydream. Do something you’ve never done before. Make a list of all the impossible things you’d like to do.

XVIII The Moon — Extra Dimensions
    
Interpretation

The Moon represents this idea that there is much more to the world than we are usually aware of. These inaccessible extra dimensions are like the extra dimensions of our lives; hints, hunches, movements out of the corners of our eye. The Moon represents a fearful mystery to those who like everything to be explained. To the more intuitively or psychically-minded, this sense of something extra, something more than we can detect with our everyday, physical senses, is no surprise. The Moon shows up when the indefinable starts demanding attention in our consciousness – and to the conscious mind this can seem like a threat.
Moon Questions: What are you struggling to explain? What makes you irrationally afraid? What intuition is rising into your conscious mind? What strange thing are you desperately trying to ignore?
Moon Things to Do: Get a tarot reading. Make a note of your dreams. Take notice of your “hunches.” Go with your gut, even if it seems completely illogical.

XIX The Sun — M-Theory
    
Interpretation

the Sun card’s function in unifying the different aspects of our personalities. When the Sun appears in a reading it shows that we have reached a level of awareness when all of our different inner voices are singing in harmony. We are one step closer to expressing our true selves, and our inner light is beginning to shine. People are drawn to us because we radiate a quiet warmth and power, a strength that is drawn from our increased connection to our inner wisdom.
Sun Questions: What are you becoming conscious of? What areas of your life are coming together? How is your awareness expanding? Who is being drawn to your inner radiance?
Sun Things to Do: Express your ideas to others. Sing. Look at yourself naked in the mirror (you can sing at the same time too!). Be true to yourself.

XX Judgement — The Multiverse
    
Interpretation

The Judgement card throws down this same kind of mind-expanding challenge. It represents a time when we must grow in awareness, awaken to a new level of reality. Sometimes this may feel like a rude and difficult awakening, as the light of understanding may be blinding. We may be pushed way outside our comfort zone, but Judgement represents a great opportunity, a time of potential where we can awaken to the beauty and wholeness of our true selves.
Judgement Questions: What lost part of you has been reborn What wake-up call have you received? How are you being challenged to grow?
Judgement Things to Do: Start believing again in your lost dreams. Take a step outside your comfort zone. Become aware of what you have previously resisted or ignored. Do something you believe you cannot do.

XXI The World — A Theory of Everything
    
Interpretation

The World dancer demonstrates the ability to live happily in material reality while still being aware of the unseen and unbounded levels of being. The World brings us back full circle to the innocence of the Fool, but now the innocence is consciously chosen and embraced.
World Questions: In what area of life have you come full circle? What have you completed? Are you ready to dance?
World Things to Do: Celebrate the completion of a project. Share your wisdom. Start a new cycle.

Ace of Wands
Interpretation
The Ace of Wands expresses the fiery energy of their suit through an upsurge of physical, spiritual or sexual force. This is Ace-ness in its most basic form — an explosion of sheer energy and life.

2 of Wands — Planet formation
Interpretation
Planets form out of disks of dust and gas, whirling into form under the pressure of gravity. The 2 of Wands represents a vision, an idea or a project in its early, protean form. The inspiration of the ace has begun to coalesce, but the details are not yet clear. The epiphany, the eureka moment, has occurred, now the process of formation and cohesion must take place to convert it into a fully-developed plan.

3 of Wands — Galaxy Cluster
Interpretation
It may be obvious that stars cluster together in galaxies, but galaxies themselves also form large groups or clusters. In fact some of them are mind-bogglingly huge, containing a thousand or more galaxies each with billions of stars. This is the universe on its grandest scale. The 3 of Wands is about vision. It takes an effort of thought to even imagine the size of a galaxy cluster, and similarly this card demands that we let go of our self-imposed limitations and think big. Let your wildest dreams be your guide and think outside of the box.

4 of Wands — Electroweak unified force
Interpretation
Electroweak theory unifies two different forces in the universe – the weak nuclear force and the electromagnetic force. Often showing a wedding, the 4 of Wands represents a similar kind of unification on a human scale. It represents success on the level of joint human endeavour. Many aspects of our selves or our situation have been brought together and are working in harmony. The stabilising energy of the four is at its best in Wands, grounding the fiery, forward-looking energy of the suit to create something real and lasting.

5 of Wands — Particle annihilations
Interpretation
When matter and antimatter particles collide, both are destroyed, but all is not lost. The energy released is transformed into new and different particles. This process is an elegant metaphor for the battling but playful energy of the 5 of Wands. In creative clashes, a great amount of energy is released and this is fertile ground for new ideas or breakthroughs. Though the conflict may be high-voltage, it always retains a certain lightness. This is a card of rising to the challenges of life, riding the waves like a surfer. It encourages us to use our abilities to the utmost to keep moving forward.

6 of Wands — Star
Interpretation
Stars evolve from clouds of dust and gas that condense until nuclear fusion ignites them at the core. Once the fusion process is stable, the star will continue to shine for billions of years. The birth of a star is a long process that leads to an apparently sudden success – the star begins to shine. The 6 of Wands symbolises this moment of standing out, but it also reminds us of the long period of work and dedication that has gone into our success. The 6 of Wands reminds us to enjoy our victories. Although the moment of glory may pass, the success is lasting as it leaves in its wake increased confidence and self-belief.

7 of Wands — Galaxy Collision
Interpretation
A collision of galaxies is like a car crash in slow motion. Over hundreds of millions of years two galaxies draw out long streams of stars and cosmic dust from each other, causing many new stars to be born. The collision is productive but both galaxies are irredeemably altered by the process. Likewise, the 7 of Wands indicates that you have crashed into someone or something, and its stopping you from getting where you want to go. This is a serious fight, unlike the playful conflict of the 5 of Wands. The energy of the sevens demands you stretch yourself to the utmost to embrace change, and in Wands this takes its most direct form. You have a battle on your hands, but this is a challenge which you must meet with everything you’ve got.

8 of Wands — Supernova
Interpretation
When a very large star reaches the end of its life, it becomes a supernova. The star swells up while its core shrinks, heats up exponentially and explodes, flinging layers of material far out into space. The combustible energy of the supernova is mirrored in the fiery intensity of the 8 of Wands. This card is the apotheosis of Wands energy; you are filled to bursting with fire and ready to launch. The eights’ lesson of mastery lies in channelling and focussing this surge of energy into creative, productive endeavours. Enjoy it while it lasts!

9 of Wands — Pulsar
Interpretation
A pulsar is a type of neutron star that emits radio waves at a very precise rate (Neutron stars are small, dense remnants of very large stars). Pulsars are regular and predictable, and this sense of an endless routine reflects one aspect of the 9 of Wands – burnout. If you do the same thing over and over for long enough, the structure of routine becomes oppressive and burdensome. Here, the intensity of wands, turned up to full beam by the energy of the nine, is just too much of a good thing. The 9 of Wands is the card of the old soldier who has been battling for so long he has forgotten how to stop. The 9 of Wands shows us that we have the staying power to keep going and endure, but also reminds us that it may be time to call a halt and lay down our arms.

10 of Wands — Neutron Star
Interpretation
When a very big star dies it explodes as a supernova and its core collapses into a small, bright and extremely dense remnant known as a neutron star. Neutron stars are so compacted that they are the heaviest form of matter known to exist. This sense of heaviness is aptly reflected in the 10 of Wands, where all this weight and density has become a burden. The completion implied by the ten becomes overkill in wands; the load has become just too much to carry. This is the card of the control freak at breaking point, unwilling or unable to share or delegate. The fiery energy of wands has become consuming rather than inspiring.

Page of Wands — Orion
Interpretation
Orion is one of the most recognisable constellations for those of us in the northern hemisphere, with its characteristic broken-X shape. Orion is one of Greek myth’s many action men. His impulsiveness (some might say uncontrolled aggression) is typical of the Page of Wands. Pages represent children and childlike energy, and in Wands this youthful enthusiasm is most directly and physically expressed. This Page turns up to augur new ideas, projects, passions – anything that’s got you all worked up and ready for action.

Knight of Wands — Mars
Interpretation
Mars may once have been very like Earth but has been much altered by asteroid impacts, volcanic eruptions and massive dust storms. Mythologically, Mars is the Roman god of war and, paradoxically, of agriculture. It’s the warlike side of Mars that is represented by the Knight of Wands. The fiery, enthusiastic qualities of Wands are channelled into purposeful activity by the Knight; he may be a fighter, but his aggression is focussed by skill and purpose. He enjoys the energy of combat – his whole reason for being is battle. On the negative side, he may pick a fight just to be able to express this energy. But the knight is brave, skilled and unflagging and you will need his energy to keep going in the face of opposition or difficulty.

Queen of Wands — Venus
Interpretation
The mythological goddess rules the passionate emotions that love engenders. These find an apt metaphor in the superheated, seething atmosphere of the planet. The Queen of Wands, like the Greek goddess, has gained a certain level of comfort with powerful emotions. She is the independent, forceful woman who has the courage to be authentic, not cowed by stereotypical notions of femininity. This Queen contains the fiery energy of Wands by being true to her own nature and to the boldness of her grand plan.

King of Wands — Jupiter
Interpretation
In mythology, Jupiter, the equivalent of the Greek Zeus, was the king of the Roman gods. His powerful aura and formidable leadership skills are reflected in the King of Wands, who has mastered the unpredictable, fiery energy of the suit. This King may be less spontaneous and eager than the Page or Knight, but he knows how to channel the creative spark of Wands into productive endeavour. If he turns up in a reading, it’s time for you to take charge and get your act on the road.

Ace of Cups
Interpretation
The Ace of Cups symbolises the birth of a new emotion, an opening of the heart. Its flowing, watery imagery shows the boundless nature of pure compassion.

2 of Cups — Binary system
Interpretation
A binary system is a pair of stars that have been caught by each other’s gravity into perpetual, mutual orbit. Here, duality takes on its most complementary shape in the formation of a relationship. Cups is the realm of emotion and the two can often indicate falling in love. Not exclusively, however. It symbolises any meeting of two minds and hearts that may go onto form a third entity – a relationship. This might just as likely be a friendship or business partnership as a love relationship.

3 of Cups — Star Cluster
Interpretation
On a smaller scale than galaxies, stars form dense and beautiful clusters. Their mutual gravity pulls them together so that the fate of one star affects the rest. The best-known star cluster is the Pleiades, visible to the naked eye in the constellation Orion. The effect of one star upon another in the cluster is mirrored in the group synergy of the 3 of Cups. This is the card of like-minded friends and collaborators, the people who – outside of our love partners – we actually chose to be with. This group energy can express in anything from holding a party to a collective brainstorming session to embarking on a collaborative project to playing a team sport.

4 of Cups — Extra particles
Interpretation
All particles in an atomic nucleus are made up of quarks and leptons. There are six varieties of quark and six types of lepton, but atoms contain only three out of these twelve particles – two kinds of quark and one variety of lepton. The other quarks and leptons are unstable and decay rapidly into these three essential particles. What is the point of all those other extra particles? No-one knows. A similar sense of puzzlement, pointlessness and frustration is characteristic of the 4 of Cups. It’s possible to have too much of a good thing; in Cups the heavy energy of the four slows the flow of energy necessary to get the best out of this emotional suit. The result is boredom and stagnation. The 4 of Cups alerts us that we have become too passive and have forgotten to appreciate the many ways in which we are blessed.

5 of Cups — Particle decay
Interpretation
Particles do not actually decay in the sense of physically falling apart. They are simply changed into other, lighter particles through the effects of the weak force. This process is irrevocable – the particle can never return to its original form. In the suit of Cups, the combative energy of the fives is experienced as a distressing sense of loss. In any conflict there tends to be a winner and a loser and the 5 of Cups focuses is on what is lost. There is a tendency to forget about what has been gained – or transformed. When a particle decays, it has gone forever. This 5 is about recognising and acknowledging the finality of loss, but it also gently reminds us what has been gained.

6 of Cups — Gravitational lens/Distant galaxies
Interpretation
Galaxies that are very far away – millions of light years – can appear closer through a phenomena known as gravitational lensing. Large clusters of galaxies create huge gravitational fields which deflect the light from even more distant galaxies around them, rather like a glass lens. This has the effect of magnifying these very distant galaxies that would otherwise be too far away to see. The 6 of Cups is the card of nostalgia, of looking back with affection and longing. This is often a positive and happy process, but like a gravitational lens our view of the past can be distorted, making it seem better than it actually was. This card shows the way to make peace with the past by getting in touch with the happy child in ourselves. This is beneficial and therapeutic as long as we don’t become lost in romanticised dreams of our youth, or fall prey to escapism as a way of avoiding the present.

7 of Cups — Red Giant
Interpretation
A red giant looks very colourful and impressive but actually it’s a dying star. The dramatic clouds of red dust hide a collapsing core that has run out of fuel. Its size is an illusion, and illusion is at the heart of the 7 of Cups. Here the battle is to distinguish between what is and isn’t real; this is the card of dreams and imagination. Our creative minds can conjure many visions and possibilities. Some of these visions are beautiful and inspiring, some are born of fear. The challenge of the 7 of Cups is to tell which of our visions is true, and which false.

8 of Cups — Nuclear (radioactive) decay
Interpretation
Although most atomic nuclei are stable, heavier atoms can have a tendency to decay. The strong force binds the atomic nucleus together, but the particles within it are in a constant state of agitation. There is a small chance that a group of two protons and neutrons (known as an alpha particle) could break away. The 8 of Cups reflects this agitation towards breaking free through the emotional filter of cups. The synthesis of the eights manifests in a new level of emotional maturity, and this may mean the need to move away from unhealthy situations or relationships. The pile of 8 cups signifies the old emotional baggage that we are ready to leave behind.

9 of Cups — Star Birth
Interpretation
Stars are born out of condensing clouds of dust and gas called nebulae. Gradually, the cloud accumulates mass and density, clumping together in a cascading process which leads to nuclear fusion and the ignition of the star. Nebulae, the rich, colourful clouds of star-fuel, are places of abundant star-birth activity and the 9 of Cups represents this sense of blissful abundance. This is traditionally the card of good luck – suddenly it seems possible for us to have it all. Here the beneficent side of cups reaches its apotheosis; great happiness and good fortune. The only drawback is that sometimes this contentment may stray into smugness and self-satisfaction.

10 of Cups — Spiral Galaxy
Interpretation
Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is a spiral galaxy and this is probably how we imagine them all to be – a ball-like core with long, swirling arms containing billions of stars. These spiral arms are bursting with activity, full of stars being born and dying. The glorious abundance of star birth shown in the 9 of Cups is taken one step further to create this swirling cycle of life. Galaxies go on for a long time, and this long-term abundance and happiness is symbolised in the 10 of Cups. This is the enduring contentment of a happy marriage rather than the heady thrill of a quick affair. The 10 of Cups is one of the most beneficent cards in the tarot, presaging emotional satisfaction lasting a lifetime.

Page of Cups — Ophiuchus
Interpretation
The constellation Ophiuchus is entwined with another constellation, Serpens, and the mythological Ophiuchus’ name in Greek means “serpent bearer.” The Page of Cups represents this receptivity and healing ability – at least in potential. Because he is a Page, his skills have not yet been tried, but his open-heartedness and playful delight in learning make him a sponge for soaking up information on an intuitive level.

Knight of Cups — Perseus
Interpretation
Perseus is a large constellation that is known for its binary star system Algol as well as the Perseids, a famously dramatic meteor shower. In mythology Perseus was the son of the god Zeus and a mortal woman. He had an adventurous life, famously severing the head of the gorgon Medusa and rescuing the princess Andromeda from a sea monster. In a way he’s the archetypal romantic hero. The Knight of Cups symbolises this idealised active male, taking the qualities of skill and action into the realm of dreams and emotions. He is like a Grail Knight on a perpetual quest, seeking visions and ideals rather than material gain. His inspired, idealistic energy spurs us on to something greater than ourselves.

Queen of Cups — Andromeda
Interpretation
The mythological Andromeda is famous for being rescued from the sea-monster Cetus by the heroic Perseus. Through no fault of her own she’d been chained to a rock as a sacrifice to Poseidon. Although as modern women we may not respond to this old-fashioned victim kind of archetype, it’s important to remember that sometimes enforced passivity is the only thing that makes us stop what we are doing and reflect. We live in a culture predicated on action and assertion and the Queen of Cups embodies qualities we tend to discount – the ability to be still, meditate, and introspect. This Queen contains the emotional qualities of Cups in a compassionate and tender way, allowing us to slow down and understand our feelings about ourselves and the world.

King of Cups — Neptune
Interpretation
Neptune in Roman mythology was the equivalent of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea. Neptune was known for his unpredictable temperament, notorious for flying into rages that manifested as storms at sea. The King of Cups is a little more in control of his moods. He rides the churning seas of emotion rather than being shipwrecked by them. He symbolises someone who has their emotions in check, but through awareness and self-control rather than repression. This King has not necessarily conquered powerful feelings, he just knows how to manage them.

Ace of Swords
Interpretation
The Ace of Swords represents the eureka moment when an idea emerges into consciousness. Its cutting edge expresses the sharpness and focus of a new level of awareness.

2 of Swords — Dark matter
Interpretation
Dark matter is so called because of its mysterious nature. It does not react with the other, ordinary matter in the universe and its existence is only known because of its gravitational effects. When the duality of the twos meets the realm of the mind, you get an energy that works against itself. The swords are crossed, indicating a psyche in conflict. The blindfold shows how we may keep ourselves “in the dark” by self-defeating habits of thought or denial. We are, quite literally, blinkered.

3 of Swords — Red Dwarf
Interpretation
A red dwarf is the runt of the litter where stars are concerned. About half the size of our sun and neither big nor powerful enough to shine brightly, it’s easily outdone by brighter companions in the night sky. Here, the synthesis of the threes is expressed as pain and the hurt, though internalised, usually has an external source. Someone, sometime, has plunged a knife into your heart. The 3 of Swords shows us that it is time to become conscious of where we are hurting, and to allow the pain to work itself out so that we can heal.

4 of Swords — Neutrinos
Interpretation
Neutrinos are particles with little mass and no electrical charge that rarely interact with other particles. In fact, they pass through the Earth all the time without doing anything! The un-reactive, laid-back neutrino characterises the restful quality of the 4 of Swords. Here, the stable energy of the four has a quieting effect upon the mental energy of Swords. This is a time for reflection and recuperation. Time alone spent in quiet contemplation and meditation will be beneficial, but this is not a recommendation to slump down in front of daytime TV!

5 of Swords — White Dwarf
Interpretation
A star dies when it has used up its supply of hydrogen fuel. In the case of medium-sized stars like our sun, the outer layers are thrown off and the core collapses into a tiny, bright, planet-sized object known as a white dwarf. Compared to a full-sized star, a white dwarf seems puny and insignificant. The 5 of Swords expresses the fives’ energy of combat through this kind of comparison. There is always a winner and a loser with the 5 of Swords, for this is victory at someone else’s expense. This is the card of the bully and his (or her) victim. The fives’ energy of battle takes its most negative form, with the emphasis on winner-takes-all overriding any sense of fairness or morality.

6 of Swords — Fermions and bosons
Interpretation
Fermions and bosons are two groups of particles that have different types of spin. Spin is a concept in quantum mechanics that describes a particular kind of momentum – the particles are not physically spinning. The particles that make up an atom are all fermions, while force carrier particles like the photon are bosons. No two fermions can exist in the same state in the same place at the same time – but two bosons can. The 6 of Swords describes a parallel situation in life where we really cannot exist in the same place at the same time as someone – or something – else. This is the card of moving on to pastures new, leaving something behind for the sake of our own inner peace. Here the sixes’ sense of harmony comes from forward movement. Unlike the 6 of Cups, which is backward-looking, this six finds peace in moving towards the future.

7 of Swords — Radioactivity
Interpretation
Radiation is invisible and pernicious. We cannot detect it without proper measuring equipment. In the same way, the 7 of Swords describes a situation where unknown, indirect or underhand forces are at work. This seven uses a subtle approach to battle, in contrast to the straightforward charging-in of Wands. The 7 of Swords is at best the clever strategist, at worst the sneak, con-man or deceiver. This seven can often have a negative connotation, but it reminds us that an open, direct approach does not always serve us best. Sometimes we need to calculate, to play our cards close to our chest and take a less obvious approach to getting what we want.

8 of Swords — Quark confinement/colour charge
Interpretation
Quarks (fundamental particles within an atomic nucleus) have both an electrical charge and a colour charge. The 8 of Swords represents the sense of being bound or confined by something overpowering. As this is the airy realm of Swords, what overcomes us is usually thoughts or ideas rather than actual physical restriction. With this eight, there is a experience of oppression and imprisonment, but also a dawning understanding that if it is merely our own thoughts that restrain us, then we also have the key to our own freedom. The mastery implied by the 8 of Swords is the ability to open our eyes and see how our own restricted perceptions are holding us back.

9 of Swords — Matter/antimatter annihilations
Interpretation
Each type of matter particle has a corresponding antimatter particle. For example, each variety of quark has an anti-quark, the electron has the positron, and the neutrinos all have anti-neutrinos. When matter and anti-matter particles meet, they cannot co-exist but annihilate each other in a flash of energy. This mutual cancelling-out finds its ultimate expression in the 9 of Swords, which represents a sort of negative space incarnate. In the mental space of swords, the nine’s movement towards perfection becomes a self-defeating cycle of doubt, anxiety and fear. Often our 9-of-Swords fears are nebulous and unrealised, because is the monsters of the mind that terrorise us.

10 of Swords — Star Death
Interpretation
Very large stars die in dramatic explosions known as supernovae. The explosion throws off layers of material that go on to form sculpted clouds of dust and gas. The effects of gravity pull these clouds into beautiful formations and patterns known as planetary nebulae. The 10 of Swords shows a situation where the worst has just happened – the “explosion” in your life has come and gone and you are left with its remnants. This ten is not much liked or anticipated in a tarot reading, but there is a positive aspect to it. If you have experienced an all-time low in your life, an utter defeat or terrible blow, the 10 of Swords indicates that the worst is over and a new (and perhaps beautiful) dawn is about to break.

Page of Swords — Mercury
Interpretation
Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun and the second smallest after Pluto. Mercury was the messenger of Roman mythology (the equivalent of the Greek Hermes). He ruled all forms of communication, from speech to writing (and today he’d happily preside over radio, TV and the net). The Page of Swords is the ultimate student of communication. He only stops talking long enough to check his email or send a text or IM. His boundless desire for information can become gossipy or shallow, for this Page does not discriminate in terms of quality. He represents the curious child in us who is forever asking “why?”

Knight of Swords — Hercules
Interpretation
The constellation Hercules is not particularly distinctive but does contain the well-known Hercules Cluster, one of the most beautiful globular star clusters in the night sky. The mythological Hercules is synonymous with physical strength. He was the son of Zeus and a mortal mother, and loved by all the gods except Zeus’s wife Hera. His famous labours were a result of Hera’s campaign of persecution against him. Like Hercules, the Knight of Swords never backs off from conflict, though he is more often armed with words than weapons. This Knight fights intellectual rather than physical battles and he’s at his best in defence of a just cause. He needs a purpose, or he might start an argument just for the sake of it.

Queen of Swords — Cassiopeia
Interpretation
The mythological Cassiopeia was a bit of a troublemaker. She claimed that her beauty rivalled Poseidon’s sea nymphs, which enraged the unpredictable sea god. As a punishment Cassiopeia’s daughter Andromeda was chained to a rock at sea as a sacrifice to the monster Cetus. When she was rescued by Perseus, Cassiopeia plotted to do him in at their wedding. That’s gratitude for you! The Assyrians give Cassiopeia a rather better press, depicting her as a beneficent grain goddess. The Greek Cassiopeia gives a rather negative impression of the Queen of Swords – more like a permanently reversed version of the card. In most instances this Queen represents a woman who has gained wisdom through experience, and often suffering. She has honed the sword of her mind and gained the maturity to deploy it wisely. She can hold the mental energy of swords in abeyance, knowing when to speak what she knows and when to stay silent.

King of Swords — Uranus
Interpretation
In mythology, Uranus was a Greek sky god, husband to Gaia. Uranus’s airy realm is familiar territory to the King of Swords, who represents mastery of the intellect. This King has the ability to be objective, clear-thinking and detached. His judgement is not clouded by emotion, bias, or wishful thinking. Mirroring Uranus’s unusual rotational axis, he has the ability to turn things on their head and look at the world from unexpected angles.

Ace of Pentacles
Interpretation
The Ace of Pentacles indicates the beginning of a new project in the physical, material world. The single Pentacle is the first building block, the first step along the road to manifesting something in reality.

2 of Pentacles — Spin
Interpretation
Spin is a quality of subatomic particles and forms part of quantum theory. The particles do not literally spin round, but they do have a measurable angular momentum. The strange behaviour of subatomic particles in quantum theory is reflected in the up-and-down quality of the 2 of Pentacles. Here, the energy of the twos expresses in a kind of will-they-won’t-they sense of indecision. Things could go either way. In the physical world of pentacles, the duality is acted out literally – we are faced with a concrete choice, or we are “juggling” options. There is a sense that everything is still up in the air and the outcome is far from certain.

3 of Pentacles — Atomic structure
Interpretation
An atom is not a undifferentiated lump of matter but a grouping together of different subatomic particles; a nucleus of protons and neutrons (which are themselves made up of quarks), orbited by one or more electrons. The simple, elegant, fundamental structure of the atom can teach us much about building a solid and suitable foundation for our creative endeavours. The 3 of Pentacles takes the exciting vision of the 3 of Wands, makes a concrete plan, and sets about putting that plan to work.

4 of Pentacles — Elliptical Galaxy
Interpretation
Elliptical galaxies are very old galaxies that contain a lot of dying stars. No new stars are being created as most of the fuel needed for star birth has been used up. Things are slowly grinding to a halt. The 4 of Pentacles inflects this winding-down of energy as a stubborn holding-on to the status quo. The fixed energy of the four becomes a little too fixed in the earthy suit of Pentacles. A refusal to move forward and embrace change is characteristic of this card, with the resulting fear of scarcity and sense of stagnation.

5 of Pentacles — Leptons
Interpretation
There are six varieties of lepton. The commonest is the electron, one of the fundamental particles within an atom. Another two varieties of lepton, the muon and tau, are unstable and quickly decay into other particles. The remaining three, all varieties of neutrino, are very stable but almost massless (see the 4 of Swords). Neutrinos float freely around the universe, but electrons tend to be bound into atomic nuclei. This contrast between freedom and limitation expresses the fives’ energy of conflict in Pentacles. Here the battle is against physical reality itself. This is often experienced as a sense of lack or scarcity – traditional decks often show beggars in the snow. We may be able to imagine infinity and abundance, but material reality has limits. This card symbolises the struggles we endure when our infinite spirits collide with the very finite nature of the physical body and the everyday world.

6 of Pentacles — Hadrons, baryons and mesons
Interpretation
Hadrons, baryons and mesons are different combinations of quarks. Hadrons are the composite particles that make up atomic nuclei. Baryons are the two varieties of hadron found in the nucleus of an atom – protons and neutrons. Mesons are a combination of quark and antimatter quark and are very unstable. Composite particles of quarks are the foundation of all the matter in the universe. Like quarks, we do not exist singly but in different groups and formations known as families, societies, cultures. We depend on others and others depend on us. In the 6 of Pentacles, the six’s energy of harmony is manifested in the material world as giving and receiving. This is the card of the philanthropist, but also of the person in need. Balance is maintained by those who have more than enough being willing to pass on the wealth, and by those who need more being open to receive. Inner harmony comes from being able to balance our giving and receiving — for we all do both in one way or another.

7 of Pentacles — Quarks
Interpretation
Quarks are the building blocks of our world. Without them there would be no atoms and therefore no matter and no universe! The 7 of Pentacles symbolises a situation where we have gathered all that we need to build our future. Often showing a gathered harvest, it reminds us that we have an abundance of resources and options, more than we’ll ever need. The battling energy of the sevens is grounded in the 7 of Pentacles. We have already won – or the means for doing so is at our fingertips – and this card encourages us to count our blessings.

8 of Pentacles — Galaxy formation
Interpretation
Galaxies formed very early in the history of the universe in a process that is still very little-understood. Galaxy formation is a long business which takes its own sweet time. The 8 of Pentacles focuses on the importance of this idea of process, reminding us that things cannot be rushed. Traditionally it shows the apprentice in his workshop, signifying the learning and perfecting of skills. Here, mastery is gradually developed in the material domain as we bring together all our knowledge and abilities and apply them to the challenge of actually making something with our lives.

9 of Pentacles — Quasar
Interpretation
Quasars are mysterious, very bright objects that live at the centre of galaxies. They emit an enormous amount of energy in the form of radio waves and are thought to be powered by black holes. The 9 of Pentacles symbolises someone who, like a quasar, has amassed an awful lot of energy with no apparent means of support. Traditionally showing a lone woman in a garden enjoying her riches, it’s the card of independent means and financial security. The full-on energy of the nine is grounded in pentacles and becomes material riches and comfort. But this card is not just about money, it represents self-determination and independence on all levels.

10 of Pentacles — Solar System
Interpretation
The solar system comprises the sun, the nine known planets and a belt of asteroids. All the planets probably evolved from stellar dust left over from the birth of the sun, so in a way they are all “related.” The solar system is like the harmonious family symbolised in the traditional 10 of Pentacles. All the planets orbit in the same direction and on the same plane (with the exception of Pluto, the black sheep of the family!). Like a diverse, multi-generational family sharing the commonality of blood, the planets share the sun’s sustenance but have little else in common. This ten does not have quite the same sense of harmonious contentment as the 10 of Cups. Instead it has a sense of a disparate group united by common cause. There are tensions and imperfections, but happiness is achieved through mutual tolerance and creative compromise.

Page of Pentacles — Bootes, the Herdsman
Interpretation
The constellation of Bootes contains one of the sky’s brightest stars – Arcturus. In Greek mythology Bootes is better known as Arcturus, which means “guardian of the bear.” In one version of the legend, Bootes earned his place in the stars by inventing the plough. This association with earthy practicality is appropriate for the Page of Pentacles, who represents the qualities of the careful and diligent student. Here the flighty enthusiasm of the Pages is grounded, indicating someone who is inexperienced but also dedicated and tenacious. This Page represents the application of a new idea to everyday reality; the creating of real, practical strategies to put our ideas into action.

Knight of Pentacles — Centaurus
Interpretation
Centaurus is a very large southern-hemisphere constellation full to the brim with phenomena. It contains the tiny Proxima Centauri (the nearest star to our sun), the binary system Alpha Centauri and the galaxy Centaurus A, which may contain a black hole. The constellation depicts Chiron the Centaur, the archetypal teacher of Greek mythology. Centaurs have a dubious reputation in mythology but Chiron was different. He was famous for training and educating heroes like Jason and Hercules as well as being a skilled healer. Accidentally wounded by Hercules, Chiron gained much of his wisdom from his unsuccessful attempts to cure himself. The Knight of Pentacles has many of Chiron’s qualities of patience and fortitude. He is a bit of a plodder compared with the other Knights but has the stickability to see a project through to the end. He represents small, patient steps rather than giant leaps.

Queen of Pentacles — Earth
Interpretation
In many mythologies, the Earth takes the form of a mother-figure, such as the Greek Gaia. The Queen of Pentacles is a similarly nurturing, maternal figure, symbolising the endless fertility of the natural world. She represents a physical container for the earthy energy of Pentacles and acts as midwife and generous mother to all our ideas, plans and relationships.

King of Pentacles — Saturn
Interpretation
The Roman god Saturn (Greek equivalent; Cronus) was the father of Jupiter, King of the gods and had a rather bad reputation as devourer of his own children. The King of Pentacles is an equally powerful ruler but is usually a bit more beneficent in his approach to kingship. However, the devouring habit finds a parallel in the negative associations of Pentacles with greed and desire for material domination. But the King of Pentacles tends to exhibit mastery over the material world in a more positive way. He is canny and knowledgeable in deploying his physical and financial resources and we can call on his hard-headed business sense to keep us on track. This King can roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty to make sure our visions are not thwarted or shunted off track.