THE FOOL THE SPONTANEOUS and ADVENTEROUS BEGINNING OF A JOURNEY

The FOOL represents the number zero, a number with limitless potential. It depicts a young Traveller with very little baggage out on a journey towards the West, the direction of the unknown. He is standing on a cliff and steadily moving forward, unaware of what the future might have in store for him. To his advantage, he has a dog acting as a guardian. The dog makes him aware of all the dangers he might face.

The Fool holds very little in knapsack.  These objects in his knapsack are all that he has to carry and help him in his journey ahead. It contains seeds, the seeds that he has to sow. Whatever he sows is what he shall reap. As the work he endevours to start progresses so shall be the answer to his efforts. He holds the responsibility of his journey depicting that every man is responsible for his own path and his own way of life.

The staff that he holds can be used for two purposes – one as a support and another as a weapon. We can use it to take support from, to lean on it in times of tiredness or we can use it as is shown to carry the load or we can also use it to protect in situations that require vigilance and protection. The inner vest that The Fool wears and the rose that he carries in hand are both white. They symbolise the purity of the soul and the innocence of the Fool.

The sun and the mountains behind the fool symbolises descent from an achieved level to move on into a new direction., a new path that is being taken by the fool on completion of an old one. It represents a person who is a Traveller, or a person who comes into the querent’s life with a sudden rush and leaves as easily.

As the fool is shown to be at the start of a new journey, when it appears in a reading it would mean new beginnings, entering new phases of life, beginning of a new adventure of moving towards unknown Horizons. Unaware of the dangers ahead, the Fool lives in the moment, squeezing out every bit of life from it and acts as he desires. He has no expectation and is carefree and uninhibited. With his ever-present dog around he knows he is guarded, protected and loved. He believes that he will be delivered. Standing on the edge of the cliff, he trusts his heart to take on that crazy risk. His colourful cloak reflects on his colourful attitude.

The reverse of this card shows that the person is reckless and fickle and has absolutely no regard to the headings of the dog as his Guardian. He has fault in his judgement and for that he may encounter a lot of setbacks. He may lose a lot of opportunities on account of poor timing. He may also be letting go or avoiding his responsibilities. When this card turns up in a reading in the reverse, the querent is required to take heed and thoroughly consider his actions.