Science and Tarot

p>I will never forget my surprise the first time I sat in aflows naturally from that.
Tarot class and the "client" sitting across from meSynchronicity:
shuffled the cards and handed them to me. I laid theCarl Jung, who coined the term "synchronicity," was a
cards out in the pattern we were given. I then begancontemporary of Freud as well as a psychologist and
reading the cards from the descriptions in my notes.professor. He came to this theory because he noticed
The reading was quite accurate and amazed us. She"coincidences" played a very meaningful role in our
did the same for me. We were stunned. I have seenlives, but were unlikely to have happened randomly. For
the same excited reaction from my students. " Howexample, one patient dreamed of an insect, a golden
on Earth did I do that?"scarab. While telling Jung about the dream in session,
There are several possible theories to how this works.Jung just happened to look out the window, saw a
Some people believe that there are beings in othergolden scarab flying by, and reached out and grabbed
dimensions existing in the same spaces with us whoit. He gave it to the client and said, "Here's your golden
guide the reading. They can be labeled "The Higherscarab." This event facilitated a major breakthrough
Self", angelic forces, spirit guides, etc. Other peoplefor the client, as you might well imagine.
believe that somehow thoughts are transmitted fromFamous psychologist Carl Jung actually read his own
client to reader, or that the reader is responding toTarot cards daily, according to his autobiography
subliminal cues. These cues can not explain why("Memories, Dreams, Reflectios") and was fascinated
telephone Tarot readings can be so accurate. But ifby the I Ching. He suggested synchronicity might be
you know a bit about quantum physics/mechanics, itresponsible for how divination works. He believed
becomes easier to understand.dreams were part and parcel of synchronicity, and
Bells Theorem states: "No theory of reality compatiblewere also to be observed carefully for that reason.
with quantum theory can require spatially separatedSynchronistic events, unfortunately, are not easy to
events to be separate." This means that all distantstudy, using the currently accepted "empirical" model of
events are in constant communication; interdependentscience. This may be why many scientists state that
and interconnected, and that each and every singlewe have reached the end of empiricism. The scientific
particle must know exactly what every other particlemethod cannot measure everything! Some things, like
in the universe is doing to know what it needs to belove for example, definitely exist, but cannot be proven
doing at any time. This further implies that everyusing empiricism. For anything to be proven empirically,
particle in the universe is always in touch with anthe outcome must be repeatable. Synchronistic events
"Organizing Consciousness."do not seem to occur in this way, thus it is not possible
Fritjof Capra explains the Bootstrap theory. "Theto prove their existence using the empirical method. It
"bootstrap" philosophy declares that we must abandonrequires that the experiencer trust his own senses
the idea of fundamental building blocks of matter.more than the scientific method (remember, we
There are no fundamental entities whatsoever - nocannot prove love exists). This of course requires that
fundamental constants, laws, or equations. The materiala person be capable of self-validation, and not be
universe is seen as a dynamic web of interrelatedseeking validation from outside the self.
events. None of the properties of any part of this webWhat makes Tarot work? The answer probably lies
are fundamental. They all follow from the properties ofsomewhere in science, rather than within the
other parts, and the overall consistency of their"airy-fairy" or within purely psychological explanations.
interrelations determines the structure of the entireAll I know is that it does work, as do many other
web."forms of readings.
In other words, all that exists is interrelated;I leave you with this. In Gary Zukav's book , "Dancing
inter-connected in a vast web. So it should come asWu Li Masters," he points out that all reality boils down
no surprise that in our interconnectedness, my client'sto is energy moving. No one has ever yet observed a
past, present and future shows up in the layout of theparticle. Once you really "get" that, you begin not to
cards. Every atom and molecule in the Universewonder how a Tarot reading works, but why you
knows what every other atom and molecule in thecannot walk through walls!
universe is doing at any given time. Synchronicity just