The Fool’s journey begins …
The Fool is both the beginning and the end. He begins as a newborn infant, without any experiences to define him. The philosopher John Locke proposed that human beings start as a tabula rasa or blank slate. The Fool begins as an empty canvas, painting new visions and identities of himself through his experiences. The Fool is you. He symbolizes your journey through life. The Major and Minor Arcana are the many coats the Fool comes to wear on his quest.
Like all humans, the Fool goes through periods of questioning. Who am I? Where did I come from? The big questions. At the end of his journey, he realizes he can’t be sure of anything. The very fact of his human consciousness means that he can’t know anything beyond his perception of it. He is now back at the beginning. This is why the Fool is often numbered 0 in a Tarot deck.
The Fool is often depicted as young and carefree. The simplest of things excite him because of his lack of experience. But, this novelty also comes at a price. The Fool is unaware of the many risks he faces. This naivety allows the Fool to dive in without fear. The Fool asks us to embrace the unexpected. Challenge yourself to something you’ve never done or seen before. A child or career change. A move to a foreign country. What will happen if you open up to new possibilities? Only the Fool can know.
The Fool’s Advice for a Reading:
Take the next step and experience the thrill of the unknown. There are beauty and innocence in not having expectations, but also potential dangers.
Keywords and Phrases:
Leap of faith, impulsivity, naivety, youth, reckless abandon, taking risks, letting go of inhibitions, new beginnings
