TAROT 101- THE FOOL [0]
Delve into the meaning of The Fool & how to embody his playful energy in your art
The Fool keywords:
beginnings
innocence
enlightenment
The Fool associations:
The element associated with The Fool is AIR
In Tarot, air is associated with the suit of SWORDS which represents the mind and intellect
However, personally, when I look at the Fool I see that his sack is attached not to a stick but to a giant WAND. Wands are the suit of fire and creativity. In my personal view, I see The Fool as embodying this creative fire energy as well
The number associated with The Fool is 0
0 is
nothingness
void
potential
infinity
wholeness
everything
The zodiac sign associated with the fool is…every sign
Remember 0 is everything. The Fool can’t be pinned down, he encompasses all signs.
Now, before we get into the meaning of The Fool, I want to include a few points about the differences between the Major and Minor Arcana cards
I will be writing a whole post on this in the future, but for now, it helps to remember that when it comes to the Major and Minor Arcana
The clue is in their names
The MAJOR Arcana is big picture stuff
These are the 22 cards with the words on them (Death, Justice, The Lovers etc.) and likely what most people envision when they hear Tarot mentioned
These cards are universal forces, spiritual or psychological concepts, your true nature and self, things that are long term and difficult to change
The MINOR Arcana is small picture stuff
These are the 56 suit and court cards in the Tarot
These are the immediate concerns of our day to day, changing circumstances or aspects of our lives, short term areas in which we have control, changes to be made
The Major Arcana can be regarded as one or more of these things:
22 Archetypes
The Fools journey from 0 to 22 (then back around again in a never-ending cycle)
22 astral planes for path-working
(If you have NO idea what I’m talking about here, don’t worry! We will be getting started with pathworking in this post and I will be expanding on it and sharing on the other topics soon)
THE FOOL
The Fool is the card for potential, beginnings, and dancing with the unknown.
In this card we see a carefree figure with his playful companion.
His burdens are light.
He carries his only worldy possessions with ease.
He has no responsibilities.
Nowhere he needs to go and nothing he needs to do.
He literally lives to ‘stop and smell the roses’.
He doesn’t look down at his path but up to feel the warm sun on his face.
He lives for experience in the moment.
He is totally present in the here and now.
He is either unaware or uncaring of the imminent danger that awaits him.
…Perhaps he realises it’s actually no danger to him at all
The Fool can be the card for naive innocence
or the card for enlightenment
(or both)
The Fool is card 0.
0 is without beginning or end.
It suggests infinite re-incarnations. The carefree nature of The Fool suggests that if he is to fall he knows he will return to learn and experience again in this earthly realm.
He has infinite chances.
He knows that failure is not the end, so it’s not something to be afraid of.
The end and the beginning are linked in an infinite cycle.
The dog that is joining him on his quest can be viewed as either
an enthusiastic companian
or
a potential distraction from his presentness.
Could the dog be trying to get The Fools attention?
To warn him of his impending doom?
He’s trying to help, but he doesn’t have the insight that his master does.
He doesn’t know that there is no death for The Fool.
The Fool dances with the unknown, the unstable.
He is beyond labelling and separating
Good vs. bad
Safe vs. dangerous
Smart vs. dumb
All is experience. All is a lesson.
The Fool is wise enough to know that he doesn’t know anything.
He isn’t trying to be in control
He’s in total surrender
He is enlightened with knowledge (here is where the air association comes into play)
that there is no ‘end’.
The cycle of life is never-ending.
He has gone through the cycle before.
He has completed his 21 card journey to reach the wholeness of The World
And now he’s back as The Fool
…And on and on it goes
The fool knows that magical thinking, daydreaming, play, and spontaneity in the present moment are all more important than commonsense.
More important than the rules of society and the material world.
Reading The Fool
The Fool card in a reading can relate to choice.
One way will lead to enlightenment and transcendence. The other to your downfall.
The Fool can indicate the start of a new endeavour, chapter of your life, or adventure. It suggests you adopt a carefree approach in these matters going forward.
Surrender to the moment and to the mysteries of the path ahead.
Keep your heart joyful and your eyes on the future.
Great wisdom can be gained from fun and play.
The Fool Reversed
A card reversal in Tarot means that a card has been drawn upside down.
Reversals can be read as:
The opposite meaning of what the card means upright
or
A weakened energy of the card
The Fool reversed can indicate
A person who suffers from Peter Pan syndrome.
Where naivety and refusal of responsibility have become hindrances on themselves and those around them. They refuse to grow.
A disregard for consequences and the seeking to be free when you need to commit.
The Fool & your creativity
Embodying The Fool in your creative practice could look like:
More play.
More rule breaking.
Trying new and unknown mediums or forms of creativity
Focus on process and the moment not outcome.
Make bad stuff on purpose.
Create. Share. Let Go.
Going on an adventure. Bringing nothing. Losing track of time. Frolicking and sniffing the roses.
Take a moment to consider the dog on the card.
Is there someone, or some part of yourself, that is holding you back from your true creative potential?
This person could be well meaning. They, or an aspect of yourself, is trying to protect you. However they are projecting their own insecurites on you and potentially distracting you from your lifes work.
Their own beliefs and fears about money and societal expectations are causing them to be doubtful of what you know to be true
That you are an artist
and that you can (and do and will) bring in abundance with your art
The Fool calls you to keep focused on your creative adventure. The fears of others aren’t yours.
You know in your heart that you feel the most alive when you are free to chase your calling of self expression.
There is no failure when you’re living in that state of freedom. Your creative spirit will always find a way. That can be hard for some people to understand, but it’s not your job to change their minds.
And if this little voice of doubt and apprehension is coming from inside you,
Keep going.
Keep creating.
Every time you resist this voice of doubt and turn instead towards an act of creativity, you build confidence.
Every time you look up at the sky instead of down at the void you’re bringing opportunity and light into your life.
Stay present. Stay light. Stay playful and follow your heart.
Pathworking with The Fool
What is pathworking?
Pathworking is a form of visualization or meditation used in a number of spiritual practices.
Pathworking when related to Tarot can be used in 2 main ways:
To get to know the cards deeper
To imprint qualities of that card upon yourself and imbue yourself with its traits and energy
In my next post I’ll be sharing more on pathworking and how and why you might use it in your Tarot practice
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