heart shaped world
| fool | the magician |
high priestess | empress | emperor | hierophant | lovers | chariot | justice | hermit | wheel of fortune |
| strength | the hanged man | death | temperance | the devil | the tower | the star | the moon | the sun | judgement | the world |
Adam Kadmon, everyman (and woman), the Fool is all of us - powerless yet capable fof great power, potential. Think innocence, lack of preconceptions, trust and also self-confidence - he may be foolish but he's prepared to take the great leap of faith... does he have anything to lose?
The Fool is one of several cards in a loose 'theme': see the Hierophant, The Hanged Man, The Hermit, The Star.
Consider the fool as the Miller's son in Puss in Boots, being protected and guided by his wise cat... as with all the great stories this one is telling you much more than face value delivers. Consider also that the Fool is taking something with him in that knapsack.
Sometimes the last card
in the major arcane, sometimes the
first, sometimes the last but one – opinions vary.
There is no right and no wrong in this -
The Fool is a natural beginning to a notional
‘soul’s journey’ and naturally follows The World,
journey’s end, in the new
beginning that follows. The Fool
represents a state of mind that can, albeit achieved in different ways,
be
found at all these points in that notional journey to fulfillment. The Fool is free of ties, responsibility and expectations, cheerful to step into the void. In most cards he is shown with a small animal – a cat or a dog, though my pack shows what appears disturbingly like a large brown rat – which is trying to tug at The Fool’s leg to keep him from stepping into the void just beyond. There are some who see the animal as giving him a shove. The familiarity of the ‘intelligent’ – ‘sapient’ – animal to users of the early decks would put this as The Fool failing to listen to wisdom. The Fool has identified what little he needs and carries it with him, he has cleared his mind, is open to whatever the future brings. In my deck he wears cow bells – to warn of his approach, and a conical dunce-style hat, but he also has horns and animal ears. He carries a large stalk of corn. The Green man, the wild, random male seed. Depending on context, the Fool is either one with his vision having experienced life’s lessons, or is one facing the consequences of unpreparedness, risking loss. Between these poles there a myriad possibilities for The Fool in a reading. Playing The Fool can have more than one connotation. This card represents the dreamer in you, the idealist, the mystic. The Fool desires to do great things, but is often unaware of just how difficult great things are to do. He must always be very careful of the choices he makes, and remember that knowledge is his ally. The Fool often symbolizes a new beginning, unrestrained optimism and curiosity that hasn’t been dulled by time. While The Fool may well indicate a lack of experience or grasp of the pitfalls along the path he is taking, it is equally true that his lack of experience leads him to believe all things are possible, which brings nearly impossible goals within his grasp.
