The Fool
Major Arcana – Card #0
The Fool is one of my all-time favorite tarot cards. At first, glance, when this card is pulled for my clients, it is not uncommon for them to react quickly in a less-than-positive way. I always encourage my clients to take a breath and think about what The Fool is.
Society has taught us that being a fool is bad. It means that we should be laughed at. That shouldn’t be taken seriously. That we will make mistakes. While mainstream media may depict the fool this way, the card depicts an archetype that is so much more. The Fool is the embodiment of the free spirit, of will, and of the beginning.
In the Rider-Waite deck, The Fool is depicted as a jovial man, looking toward the distance with a bindle, or a sack tied to a stick which rests on his shoulder; however, in some decks, he is depicted as the “jester” character. Click here to see the lowest-priced tarot decks on Amazon.
This card is labeled as the 0 card in the deck (and in playing cards, its considered a “wild card”). Like a fool, when we just about to approach a journey, we know very little to nothing. The fool, the zero, the wildcard, is a representation of a free spirit. A spirit that does not struggle with its unknowingness or lack of knowledge.
Like a newborn, the fool listens to its instincts. He reacts positively to things that make him feel good. He lets that “feel-good” intuition guide him. Because he never truly knows how little he actually knows, the fool is the perfect candidate for growth and success!
When I get the fool in a reading, I like to think of the card as more of a moment in time than a direct reflection of the person this card is being drawn for. It means you are stepping into something new where there will be lots of room to learn and grow–trust me, you will be provided with all the tools you need to do that, even if you don’t see them yet. For now, you are armed up with spirit, curiosity, and intuition…and that is all you need to start.
Because the fool does not know of roadblocks or troubles, he is able to encounter them without seeing them through the lens of anything other than a learning opportunity. The fool is about taking that first step. It is your free spirit that will allow you to start a journey with a light-heartedness. The fool is a reminder to see and experience the fun in things.
As a flipside, this card is sometimes associated with a lack of seriousness. This card may speak to a lack of direction that you seem to have. While things may appear that way, it may be because you are not immersed in becoming skillful a specific path yet in this very moment. That is okay. Perhaps you are having fun with curiosity. Maybe you are trying a new hobby. Looking for your style, or trying new things out.
When the Fool appears in your answer to a question such as “Should I take path xyz?”, I would encourage you to think about your thoughts and feelings surrounding the specific path. This card is telling you to lighten up and to let go of any pre-conceived notions or imprints you may have about this change.
