Major Arcana: The Fool

The Story Unfolds:

A Fool sets out on an adventure of heroism, danger, discovery, and reward.  He looks forward, optimistic about his future, unencumbered by his past, and ready to face whatever challenges he encounters along the way.  He is not exactly sure where he is going, but he knows he must travel.  So he travels, as all good adventurers do, by putting one step in front of the other.

The General Meaning:

When the Fool card is revealed in a reading, you can be certain you are going to be faced with a leap of faith, a new adventure, or a change of direction.  You must meet this quest with spontaneity, optimism, faith, and trust.  Do not expect to know all the answers, because that is not the Fool’s purpose.  You are leaving the known behind and seeing the world with the clear eyes of a stranger.  Be observant, open, and daring.

The Message:

Everyone feels like a fool now and then.  As humans, as adults, most of us have an especially difficult time letting go of that tight control we place on our minds and hearts.  We don’t want to appear foolish, and we are determined to know where we are every day, on every leg of the journey.  We plan, we organize, we set five-year-goals, and we constantly gauge our progress by some arbitrary set of rules we’re not exactly sure who imposed upon us.

There are points in life where no plan can lead us, where no organization can help us, and where there are no measures to tell us how well we are or aren’t doing.  This is the place of intuition, of trust and release.  This is the place where you don’t look at your feet, not because you’re sure the ground is there to catch you, but because you are certain if need be you can learn to fly.

The Fool travels light and doesn’t look backwards in concern or judgment.  We must also leave behind what no longer serves or inspires us, open ourselves to fresh horizons and new vistas.  There will always be those who think they must carry this or own that, but The Fool knows that nature and courage will prevail.  He does not need to burden himself.

This card is an invitation to us all to see through the eyes of The Fool, to look at our lives not as burdens to be carried, but adventures to be experienced.  The call of The Fool is to look forward, never backwards, and yet remain happily set in each moment of the present as it happens.

The Fool reminds us that contained within every ending is a new beginning, and within every beginning lies the end of what came before.  Life is not a straight line; rather, it is a set of concentric circles, a spiral that grows larger and more encompassing each time we walk its circumference.  If you think you’ve found yourself right back where you started, look more carefully.  You may be a little further along than you think.  Either way, you’ve got nothing but open road and the joy of discovery ahead of you.

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