The Fool's Journey is a view of the Major Arcana as a metaphor for the journey through life. Each card stands for one stage of that journey - a different experience that a person must incorporate if she (or he) is to realize wholeness. The 22 descriptions show how each card is connected to those that come before and after. They are based on catchwords for each of the Major Arcana cards. For each card, the catchwords work together to show the essential nature of that card from different angles. In the paragraphs below, the catchwords are highlighted.
The Fool stands somewhat outside the rest of the Major Arcana. Zero is an unusual number. It rests in the exact middle of the number system - poised between the positive and the negative. At birth, the Fool is set in the middle of his own individual universe. He is strangely empty (as is zero), but imbued with a desire to go forth and learn. This understaking would seem to be folly, but is it? Only at the end of his journey will the Fool know the answer to that question.
The Magician is the "positive" side. He represents the active, masculine power of creative impulse. He is also our conscious awareness. The Magician is the force that allows us to impact the world through a concentration of individual will and power. The High Priestess is the "negative" side. She is the mysterious unconscious. She provides the fertile ground in which creative events can occur. The High Priestess is our unrealized potential waiting passively for an active principle to bring it to expression.
The terms "positive" and "negative" do not imply "good" and "bad." These are human distinctions that do not apply to the Tarot. The Magician and the High Priestess are absolutely equal in value and importance. Each is necessary for balance. We may view the "negative" as our Shadow, but without shadows, we cannot see the light, and without a ground of potential, we cannot create.
The Empress (3) represents the world of Nature and sensation. A baby delights in exploring everything he touches, tastes and smells. He cannot get enough of the sights and sounds that enchant his senses. It is natural to delight in the abundant goodness of Mother Earth who surrounds us with her support.
The Fool also encounters rules. He learns that his will is not always paramount and that there are certain behaviors that are necessary for his well-being. There are people in authority who will enforce such guidelines. These restrictions can be frustrating, but through the patient direction of the Father, the Fool begins to understand their purpose.
A Hierophant is someone who interprets arcane knowledge and mysteries. On Card 5 we see a religious figure blessing two acolytes. Perhaps he is inducting them into church membership. Although this image is religious, it is really a symbol for initiations of all kinds. The child is trained in all the practices of his society and becomes part of a particular culture and world view. He learns to identify with a group and discovers a sense of belonging. He enjoys learning the customs of his society and showing how well he can conform to them.
The Fool also needs to decide upon his own beliefs. It is well enough to conform to the norm while he learns and grows, but at some point, he must set his own values if he is to be true to himself. He must start to question received opinion.
The Chariot represents the vigorous ego that is the Fool's crowning achievement so far. On Card 7, we see a proud, commanding figure riding victoriously through his world. He is in visible control of himself and all he surveys. For the moment, the Fool's assertive success is all he might wish, and he feels a certain self-satisfcation. His is the assured confidence of youth.
The Fool also discovers the quiet attributes of patience and tolerance. He realizes the willful command of the Chariot must be tempered by kindliness and the "softer" power of a considerate, loving approach. At times, intense passions surface, just when the Fool thought he had everything, including himself, under control.
The Fool begins to look inward, trying to understand his feelings and motivations. The sensual world holds less attraction for him now, and he seeks moments of solitude away from the "getting and spending" of society. In time he may seek a teacher or guide who he feels can give him advice and direction.
Sometimes his experiences appear to be the work of fate. A chance encounter or "miraculous" occurrence begins the process of change. The Fool may recognize his destiny in the special sequence of events that led him to this turning point.
He may change his habits and activities, moving off in an entirely new direction. Havng been solitary, he may feel ready for movement and action again. Before, the Fool was focused narrowly on his own concerns. Now his perspective is much wider, and he sees himself within the grander scheme of a universal plan. His sense of purpose is restored.
This is a time of decision for the Fool. He is charting his future direction and making important choices. Will he remain true to his insights, or will he slip back into an easier, more unaware existence that closes off further growth?
By becoming open and vulnerable, the Fool discovers the miraculous support that his Inner Self provides. He learns to surrender to his experiences, rather than fighting them. He feels a surprising joy when he sacrifices his ego defenses and self-absorption.
The Fool feels suspended in a timeless moment, free of all urgency and pressure. In truth, his world is turned upside-down, with the old priorities no longer so important. The Fool is now the Hanged Man, apparently martyred, but actually serene and at peace.
Sometimes death is painful. At times it seems to the Fool that this inexorable change is crushing him, but eventually he rises up to discover that death is not permanent, but simply a transition into a new, more satisfying way of life.
How much more graceful and soft is the "mastery" displayed by the angel on Card 14 as compared to that of the powerful, but rigid ruler in the Chariot (Card 7)? The Fool has come a long way in realizing the harmonious life.
The Devil is not an evil, sinister figure residing outside ourselves. He is the knot of ignorance and hopelessness that is lodged within each of us at some level. The seductive attractions of the material world have bound us so compellingly that we often do not even realize our slavery to it.
We live in a limited range of experience unaware of the glorious world that is our true heritage. The man and woman on Card 15 are chained, but acquiescent. They could so easily free themselves, but they do not even apprehend their bondage. They look like the Lovers, but are unaware that their love is circumscribed within a narrow range. The price of this ignorance is an inner core of cynical despair.
Only a monumental crisis will generate enough power to smash the walls of the Tower. On Card 16 we see an "enlightening" bolt striking the Tower, forcibly ejecting its occupants who are left to tumble to their seeming deaths. The crown indicates they were once proud rulers; now they are humbled by a force stronger than they.
It is unfortunate that such severe "destruction" may be required if the Fool is to free himself, but the resulting revelation makes the painful experience worthwhile. The dark despair is blasted away in an instant, and the light of truth is free to shine down.
The Fool is blessed with a trust that completely replaces the negative energies of the Devil. His faith in himself and the future is restored. He is so filled with joy that his one wish is to share his riches generously with the rest of the world. His heart is open, and his love pours our freely. This peace after the storm is a magical moment for the Fool.
The Moon stimulates the creative imagination. It opens the way for bizarre and beautiful thoughts to bubble up from the unconscious, but deep-seated fears and anxieties can also arise. These experiences may cause the Fool to feel lost and bewildered.
Now he enjoys a vibrant energy and enthusiasm. The openness of the Star has solidified into an expansive assurance. Positive emotions blend with mental clarity to produce a radiant vitality. The Fool is the naked babe pictured on Card 19, riding out joyously to face a new day. No challenge is too daunting. The Fool becomes involved in grand undertakings and achievements as he draws to himself everything he needs. He is able to realize his greatness.
The Fool feels a sense of absolution. He can forgive himself and others, knowing that his real self is pure and good. He may regret past mistakes, but he knows they were due to his ignorance of his true nature. Now he feels cleansed and refreshed, ready to start anew.
It is time for the Fool to make a Judgment about his life. His own personal "day of reckoning" has arrived. Since he sees himself truly, he can now make the necesary decisions about his future. He can choose which values to cherish, and which to discard.
The angel on Card 20 is the Fool's Higher Self "calling" him to rise up and fulfill his promise. Now he realizes his true vocation - his reason for entering this life. Doubts and hesitations vanish, and he is ready to follow his dream.
The Fool now experiences life as full and meaningful. The future is filled with infinite promise. In line with his personal calling, he becomes actively involved in the world. He renders service by sharing his unique gifts and talents and finds that he prospers at whatever he attempts. Because he acts from inner certainty, the whole world conspires to see that his efforts are rewarded. His accomplishments are many.
So the Fool's Journey was not so "foolish" after all. Through perseverance and honesty, he has reestablished the spontaneous courage that first impelled him joyfully on his search for Self, only now, he is fully aware of his place in the world. This cycle of development is over, but, in fact, the Fool will never stop growing. Soon he will feel ready to begin a new journey that will lead him on to even greater levels of understanding.
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Posted by Patricia Sherman Last edited 25 August, 1998. |