My wife wants me to practically write a book on tarot, since it's a tool I use frequently and am familiar with it. Mind you, I'm no oracle or one of those hags selling divination for money. In fact I only did it for money once, and my price was "give me whatever you think it was worth" because I felt so uncomfortable with selling this.
For me tarot is nothing more than a tool. I don't buy into some kind of crazy mysticism or belief that Jews secretly run the world because of some forbidden knowledge. Jews only run USA and I'm glad I don't live there. For me tarot is pretty much like having a flag that shows which direction wind blows. It's not the flag that causes the wind, wind doesn't blow for the flag and there are dozens of other ways to check the direction of wind. Thus when wind of fate blows, tarot is one of the ways to check it.
So in this slow-but-sure method I will be writing about cards, one-by-one from today onwards. So let's begin!
0 : THE FOOL
The Fool is the first, or rather zeroth card in major arcana. As such it's a card of beginnings. Monotheistic tradition states that in the beginning there was nothing but the god and his word above waters, and funnily several polytheistic religions agree on that. Egyptian myth also has self-created god that starts above water and creates the world. Mesopotamia, Greece and native America agree that the world started from chaos. Chinese and Hindu mythologies start with an egg, while several others even start with gods defeating some kind of monster and making the world out of it. Usually it's either one or two gods that create the world, rarely multiple.
But where this takes us? World starts from chaos where everything can happen, but you will be damned to find anything you want. Unlimited possibilities are major theme of this card. When this card comes up anything can happen, but it doesn't mean anything specific. After all when oracle tells you that you will soon begin something new, it's the most enigmatic thing it can say.
With beginnings and unlimited possibilities we often associate children, their innocence and naive demeanour. It's kinda second-hand meaning for this card, that usually plays more of a role in reversed meaning rather than the upright one. Another association frequently connected with beginnings is journey - after all how many new things can you see by staying where you always were?
Reversed cards usually look for darker or subversive interpretations.
New beginnings don't always mean beginning of something good. Trouble awaits those who leave comfort of status quo. Embarking on a new journey usually means unknown, possibly things we are not prepared or ready for.
Unlimited possibilities can also mean unrealised possibilities. Fear of commitment, of making the step forward, or indecision of which road to choose.
Innocence isn't always considered good too. Naivety can lead to being taken advantage of. Inexperience leads to mistakes. Remember - even mythological gods made mistakes, fucked up and had to live with the consequences of their actions.
If The Fool is a question, it's "Are you ready?"
If The Fool is a person, it's childlike, naive and inexperienced. Someone new.
If The Fool is a person, it's childlike, naive and inexperienced. Someone new.
If The Fool is an object, it's something new, found or encountered.
If The Fool is a situation, it's a beginning of something new.
If The Fool is a trait, it's inexperience, naivety, potential and freedom.
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