Learning Tarot – The Fool
Ah, the Fool. The first card of tarot in the Major Arcana. The Fool represents the innocence we have when first setting out on a journey into the world. Just like children, we are full of hope and splendor, impulsivity, and yet we are also naive to what lies ahead. The Fool is representative of Carl Jung’s “The Hero’s Journey”. It can indicate new beginnings and fresh starts, but it can also serve as a warning.
In the RWS deck (Rider Waite Smith) the Fool is depicted as aimlessly wandering towards the edge of a cliff. He is in such joy of his new journey, that he fails to see the cliff he is about to plunge into. The white dog represents his child-like innocence. The yellow background and sun represent his happiness, his optimism, and joy. Even the white rose the Fool carries represents his innocence, and the red we see in his garments can indicate his passion and courage towards this new journey he is about to embark.
The Fool can either serve as advice or as a warning. Be careful not to be too impulsive that you set yourself up for a trap, or worse, self-sabotage. Be careful to not act foolishly. Be careful to not act impulsively and rush into anything too quickly.
Most of the time when I see the Fool in a love reading, it means the person is not ready for a committed relationship because they are just beginning to start on a new path and journey of self-discovery. Sometimes, it does show up when first meeting a new person, or when deciding to have a renewal and reconciliation with someone from your past. It indicates a new beginning, so if there is truly a reconciliation, then the past relationship had to go through a true cycle of death and transformation in order to be renewed.
In terms of career, the Fool means you have just started a new career path, or have just begun to discovery your true calling. I often find the Fool card in a career reading as very pleasant and uplifting.
Overall, the Fool tells you to be prepared for what’s to come, but take some time to smell the flowers, feel the breeze, and enjoy the ride.
