8.

The Coin Stamper – stamping coins represents receptive work but also making money –  tedious work, habits
The Alchemical Tarot Key to Divinatory Meanings 9. The Money Tree – growing coins – investments that pay off, prosperity, health, well being
10.. The Materialist – with coins covering his eyes, drawing possessions to one’s self, selfishness, only seeing the
physical or your own interests
The Fool and Trumps: the Alchemical Magnum Opus Lady of Coins– with a silver lunar coin – wealth, patronage, aesthetics, art
Knight of Coins – with a protective pentacle – protector of wealth and health
The Fool – the alchemist beginning the Work – his blindfold equals ignorance – he is a naive beginner and the rabbit is Queen of Coins – with a six-pointed star of harmony and well being and a cornucopia – sensuality, health, prosperity,
his guide well being
I. The Magician – Hermes, the god of alchemy and the Matter of the Work, containing all four elements – a messenger, King of Coins – a lion (the master of Earth) with his image on his coin -mastering one’s environment and occupation
gesturing, “as above so below,” indicating the way of Heaven on Earth
II. The High Priestess – begins the separation of the elements – she is Water, esoteric spiritually, intuition, a secret, or Vessels- Water- Intuition
something that cannot be spoken – her book has the triangle of water but it is the color of Fire.
III. The Empress – she is the White Queen and the element Earth – sensation, attraction, fertility, and the feminine Ace. The Fish – the grapes come from seeds planted by the Anima Mundi in the heart of the soul – finding one’s destiny
principle or purpose
IV. The Emperor – he is the Red King and the element Air –  thinking, intelligence, authority, and the masculine 2. The Lovers – a couple with the rose of perfection above – attraction, lust, sex, cooperation
principle 3. The Support Group – supporting the three elements not of this suit: Earth, Air, and Fire – friends, support, support
V. The Hierophant – he is the element Fire and exoteric spiritually   – he is Hermes Trismegistus holding the Emerald group
Tablet, with feminine symbols on the left and masculine symbols on the right -he is what can be spoken, fought, or 4. The Elephant – standing on four vessels – a conservative position, strong but stuck, not moving
published, balance, and morality 5. The Quake – vessels falling off shelves – breaking of position, a sudden breakthrough, new possibilities, birth, a shake
VI. The Lovers Kissing – the foreplay of love – the elements recombined in the Minor Conjunction -sex, attraction, up
coming together, partnership 6. The Gardener – filling different vessels according to their need – nurturing, not too much or too little
VI. The Lovers Joining – the action of love – the same as above but more active 7. The Tools– choice, inner guidance – the golden goblet with the glyph for the Anima Mundi is the best choice
VII. The Chariot – Sublimation – the wheel wight he internal sun is his goal, the three glyphs in the wheel are, left to 8. The Potter – the glyph over the potters wheel is another one for the Anima Mundi – creative work, variation, being
right, Sulphur, Salt, and Mercury (the three alchemical essences and the three parts of the chariot) – speed, impatience, present in the moment
travel  9. The Chamois – a surefooted mountain goat/antelope on his mound of cups – experience, confidence, perspective
VIII. Justice – Disposition (in which the part are weighed) – the furnace connected to Heaven with the glyph for vitriol 10. The Still – the many connected to the one – connectedness, a network, a family, the Internet
(the secret fire) on the sword handle – the process of weighing, truth, balance, justice, the law Lady of Vessels – she walks on water with the glyph for Water on her vessel, intuition, trusting the unconscious
IX. The Hermit – Exaltation (an enhancement) – the alchemist following the footsteps of the Anima Mundi, with the Knight of Vessels – he samples the water, the fish is a messenger from the unconscious – seeking information, questing
ouroboros (serpent of time) and the raven of the Nigredo (the first black stage of the Opus) – meditation, solitude, inner into the unconscious
guidance, the desire to be alone Queen of Vessels – her vessel is sealed but she need not open it – mystery, patience as a spiritual virtue, the facts will
X.The Wheel of Fortune – the Fixed and the Volatile – the unwinged dragon is fixed and the crowned and winged emerge at their own pace
dragon is volatile – fate, transformation, change King of Vessels – a whale who fills his own cup – self-fulfillment, finding answers within
XI. Strength – Fermentation – the female virtue controls the Green Lion (the destructive aspect of Mercury) – control
through love, self control, discipline Swords – Air – Thinking
XII. The Hanged Man – Calcination (in which gold is sacrificed) – the serpent is Mercury – willing sacrifice, suffering,
loss of money or position, discomfort, illness Ace. The Basilisk – the serpent is a basilisk growing from the unripe free tail to the ripe red head – positive thinking, the
XIII. Death – Putrefaction – the dark vessel of the Nigredo – the end of anything, decay pursuit of wisdom, a good idea
XIV. Temperance – Distillation – capturing the process of evaporation and precipitation and nurturing the rose of 2. The Duel – with the owl of wisdom on top -a debate, actively questioning and seeking wisdom
perfection – health, beauty, balance, art, timing 3. The Bleeding Heart – the eye on the heart is consciousness and the rose underneath is perfection being watered by
XV. The Devil – Coagulation – the red dragon is the Devil, the hermaphrodite of the King and Queen is his captive – the tears – pain, suffering, heartache, growing through suffering
bad, vice, enslavement, Hell, bad habits 4. The Sage – she sits below the swords of troubled thoughts – meditation, concentration, thought, clear intent
XVI. The Tower – Greater Separation of the red and the white – the beginning of the Albedo (second white stage of the 5. The Blacksmith – hammering a blade while it is hot – fixing what is broken, righting wrongs
Opus) – breaking, separation, sudden change, expulsion, divine intervention, sudden insight 6. The Loving Breeze – filling the sail of the boat and carrying it away from the range of the swords, going with the
XVII. The Star – Purification – the Siren of the Philosophers giving blood (suffering) and milk (nurturing) with the flow, a higher power
ladder of the planets above – the peace beyond blood red fear and milk white hope, calm, understanding, ascent 7. The Fox – with a jumble of swords – cleverness, dishonesty, amorality, without judgment
XVIII. The Moon – Diana with her hounds representing the White Stone – rest retreat, anticipation, preparation, dreams 8. The Beast – The Four Evangelists in one, chained and caged by swords – trapped, blocked
XIX. The Sun – the Greater Conjunction – the Citrinitas (the third yellow stage of the Opus) – spiritual love, soul mates, 9. The Hero – facing a curtain of swords hung by threads – fear, facing fear, acting in spite of fear
marriage, enlightenment 10. The Victim – with ten swords in his heart – severe criticism, stabbed in the heart, rejected, injured
XX. Judgement – Resurrection – the skull with wheat symbolizes life from death – rejuvenation, healing, removing Lady of Swords – playing her lute on a cloud – eloquence, poetry, song
blocks, recalling the past, a judgment Knight of Swords – slaying a beast – righting wrongs, slaying evil, being judgmental, a hero is judged by the size of his
XXI. The World – The goal of the Opus, the Phliosopher’s Stone, the Red Elixir of healing – the woman is the Quinta foe
Essentia (fifth element) and the Anima Mundi (soul of the world)  – the good, the inner guide, the attainment of our goals Queen of Swords – with different colored wings and two swords – she presents a choice between the red, mature,
positive side and the green, immature, negative side
Coins – Earth- Sensation King of Swords – an eagle with an upright sword – clear thinking, positive thinking, confidence

Ace. The Rabbit – the hole in the coin is the unseen Anima Mundi and the arrows point to the four directions and the Staffs – Fire – Feeling
four elements – manifestation, a new source of wealth or health
2. The Fixation of the Volatile – the lion is fixed and the eagle volatile, the lion swallows the eagle – polarization, Ace. The Salamander – the Fire animal, who mates in Fire, with a living staff, sprouting leaves – a new passion, a new
something that is stuck or blocked project, a value judgment
3. The Artist – The glyphs on the coins are the three essences: Mercury, Salt, and Sulphur – creating art, creative work 2. Hermes and Aphrodite – joined torches with the glyphs for Hermes and Aphrodite – one lover lost in the other,
that earns a living, observation united passion
4. The Miser – burying his gold in the ground – investment, hoarding, stinginess 3. The Boat– the boat returns guided by its eye, a new wave, reinforcements, renewal, replenishment
5. The Beggar – the coins on the ground are the four elements and the coin in the sky the Quinta Essentia – sickness, 4. The Bride and Groom – the embracing of opposites- marriage, commitment to passion
poverty, something is missing 5. The Burning Hand – its five fingers are becoming torches – creative energy, a flow of creativity
6 Youths – Athena’s owl (wisdom) is on the coin held by the boy on top – generosity, sharing, innocence, trust 6. The Master Craftsman – with glyphs for purified silver and purified gold under his feet – honor, respect, good work
7. The Obelisk – the coins represent the seven metals, from the bottom to the the top: lead, iron, tin, copper, mercury, 7. The Fighting Dogs – the big dog is biting the little dog – competition, argument, aggression, passion out of control
silver, gold, these are related to the seven ancient planets  – moving through stages, transformation 8. The Woodcutter – cutting down burning staffs – cutting back, simplifying, focusing
9. The Grey Wolf – being burned in a fire to reclaim the King, who was swallowed by the wolf – a necessary sacrifice,
being overcome with passion
10. The Phoenix – a symbol of the rejuvenating power of the Stone – rebirth, strengthened by ordeals, renewed strength
Lady of Staffs – dancing in the hot, dry desert – dance, love of the new
Knight of Staffs – marching into the desert – seeking a new location
Queen of Staffs – holding a natural staff in one hand and a refined staff in the other – presenting a choice between what
is raw or natural and what is refined
King of Staffs – a dragon the master of Fire clutching his staff – a master of feelings

Hermes Publications

copyright Robert M Place 2007

All are free to copy this material for personal use but not for resale without permission form the author.

Introduction by Robert M. Place

In August, 1987, during the time of the Harmonic Convergence, I was studying an alchemical image that symbolized the
Philosopher’s Stone, the mystical goal of the alchemical work, and I had a flash of insight.  It seemed that the image had
unlocked a secret door in my mind and in an instant I saw that the alchemical Great Work and the story told in the Tarot’s
trumps were interchangeable.  I immediately picked up my copy of Jung’s Psychology and Alchemy and began to make
notes in the margins next to the alchemical images comparing them to Tarot cards. This was the beginning of a process
that would take several years. The fruit of this insight and labor was the The Alchemical Tarot, which was first published
by Thorsons in England, in 1995.

In this new edition, the illustrations have been improved and the columns that flanked the cards on the original have been
removed.  The images are larger, filling more of the card. In keeping with the explicit nature of alchemical symbolism,
the image that I originally drew for the Lovers card was sexier than the censored version that was published by Thorsons.
This edition has both versions of the Lovers.

The Fool and the trumps in the Alchemical Tarot each relate to an alchemical material or process, which is part of the
Magnum Opus (great work) of alchemy that leads to the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone, a mystical catalyst that
transforms what it touches into its highest form. Composed of a mysterious fifth element, it can cure any illness, turn lead
into gold, and turn an ordinary person into a sage. The Philosopher’s Stone is represented by the World card.

The four minor suits are related to the four mundane elements: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. And each of the elements is
related to one of the four functions of consciousness as described by Jung: sensation, intuition, thinking, and feeling,
respectively. Thus the feminine elements align with the  passive observational functions: sensation and intuition, and the
masculine elements align with the align with the active decision making functions: thinking and feeling.