Tarot: The Fool

For simplicitys sake, we will be using the Rider Waite deck as a reference when discussing card imagery. There are literally countless tarot decks out there for you to choose from, and imagery varies throughout them.

The Fool is number zero in the deck, and therefore is often the sign of new beginnings. He is standing at the edge of a cliff, looking up at the sky and walking, rather unaware of what is front of him. All of his possessions are tied neatly into a knapsack he carries on a stick. He is accompanied by a small white dog who appears to be trying to get his attention, perhaps to warn him of the cliffs edge.

Upright

As mentioned before, The Fool represents the start of a new journey. There are two interpretations of this card in the upright position that I see the most:

1. Your goal and destination may be unknown to you right now, but thats okay. The Fool is a sign to shed your apprehension and trust that you are on the right path. Take a leap of faith. Stay open and receptive to new experiences.

2. The second interpretation of this card warns you to take a step back and think twice about the new endeavor youre embarking on. The Fool can suggest a certain naivety. You arent thinking clearly about the result of your adventure, or how truly dangerous it could be to blindly leap into something.

I end up using that second interpretation frequently in my readings, and my clients usually come back to tell me I was right. However, it is truly situational. Regardless of how you interpret it, this card upright still represents ideas of new beginnings, innocence, immaturity/naivety, and leaps of faith.

Reversed

Reversed, The Fool can indicate a person who is taking far too many risks when what they really ought to be doing is sitting down and thinking. Recklessness benefits nobody. You or the subject of your reading may be very stubborn, refusing to accept help or advice, ignoring all the red flags. If this card cannot be a wake-up call, you are almost sure to fail and possibly even get hurt, should you continue acting foolishly.

Ultimately, the art of reading tarot is a personal one. You may decide none of these interpretations make sense for you, or you may like them all and use them in your practice. It is up to you. Generally, it is better for you to use your intuition and read the imagery than to just memorize all 78 cards and robotically recall them for each reading.