The Tarot Card The Fool is printed within the magical container of The Seed of Life on top, The Flower of Life beneath, a hexagram at the left, and a pentagram on the right. Together these symbols create a magical amulet to help manifest the powers and meaning of the Tarot Card it contains. In this case, The Fool.
Meaning of the Symbols:
The Seed of Life at the top: The Seed represents the sparking of all life, the beginning of creation, and the source of all matter and intention. It is there to remind you that in your evolution, you must pull from a higher power, not just your own mind and the experiences that are known to you. The Seed of Life represents the masculine force in creation - the place of single-pointed consciousness, overflowing love, focus, stillness, consistency, and intention.
The Flower of Life at the Bottom: The Flower represents matter and the quantum world where intention shapes that matter. In the Western Mystery traditions, this place is referred to as the Prima Materia - the Primal Matter. It is there to remind you that in the process of creation, you must allow the energy of intention to flow through your physical body unfettered, to shape the quantum world. It is also symbolic of The Fool - as the circle is the number zero and the entire journey of the Tarot is the journey of the individual (the Fool / The self) through evolution. The Flower of Life represents the feminine force in creation - the place of infinite expression, interaction, relationship, evolution, change, and the dance of life and death.
The Hexagram: Represents the higher mind and consciousness - our natural psychic interplay with all creation. It is the macrocosm of creation.
The Pentagram: Represents the physical body, the 5 senses, the emotional sense, and the microcosm of creation.
Together these symbols focus the power of the Tarot Card depicted in the center. In this case, The Fool:
The Fool Tarot Card: A woman or man is walking towards the edge of a cliff with their gaze lifted upward. She is wearing a green hat with a red feather and a white shirt over which is a tunic decorated with vines and flowers. The flowers on the tunic take the shape of the Wheel of Spirit (the circle divided into 8), and if you look closely, one of those wheels (at his chest) is shaped like a golden pomegranate that has been split open. The Fool also wears golden-yellow boots and pants.
In her right hand, The Fool is carrying a satchel attached to a staff; the satchel is decorated with the head of an eagle. In her left hand, she carries a white rose. The sun above her is white, the background is yellow over white mountains, and there is a white dog standing on two legs.
The Story of The Fool: The Fool is not about to fall into an endless abyss. The fool has faith and knows that even if she can’t see how things will work out, they will. The Fool has no fear of taking the next step because she knows that a path will appear to support her, even if she can’t see it from where she is standing. The Fool also knows that if she does fall, it will have a purpose. The Fool knows that when pain and suffering come calling, that she will never run away from them. She knows that her mission is to bring the ever-expanding light into the ever-diminishing darkness. She will continue to enter the darkness to serve and bring light whenever she is called.
In spite of any darkness and pain that exists in her human heart, however, The Fool experiences a sublime sense of freedom and is having the ultimate love affair with life, the universe, and everything. Symbolizing this at her chest is a Golden Pomegranate which has been split open. The Golden Pomegranate is also seen in the hands of The Emperor card (the embodiment of Divine Masculine), but it is closed. The open pomegranate is seen in The Empress card (the embodiment of Divine Feminine) but it is red. In The Fool, the two are united - The Golden Pomegranate has been split open and the abundance within pours out for all the world to receive.
Everything about the symbolism of The Fool indicates purity and mastery; the attainment of that which all true masters teach - an unspeakable state of knowing from which overflows the purest love. This is seen also in the white dog, which reminds us of The Moon card, where a dog and a wolf express our inner human polarity. Here, they have merged into a white dog, indicating that the wild and tame have united. The white rose, in a similar vein, is also an indication of the merging of opposites. It is the synergy of the white lily (The Divine Masculine) and red rose (The Divine Feminine). The red roses and white lilies were also seen in The Magician and The Hierophant cards.
The eagle decorating the satchel represents the element of water (symbolic of the unconscious and emotional realms). So we see that the Fool carries her unconscious emotional and instinctual world in a bag attached to a stick, away from her body. From this we can understand that The Fool is no longer affected by ego-based feelings, unconscious conditioning, fears, and biases. They still exist, but in the distance. They no longer have a grip on her mind and she is no longer affected or controlled by them. She is free from the deadly negative voices produced by unconscious negativity, shame, or guilt.
The Satchel is held by the staff representing the element of Fire. The satchel is also touched by the feather at The Fool’s crown. The feather also appears in the Death and The Sun cards. And the card associated with the Fire element is Judgement. By connecting the symbols of the staff and feather in The Fool card, the imagery hints that it is through the transcendence of self-judgment, the embracing of innocence, and letting go of the fear of death that we are able to become like The Fool, free to live as Spirit moves us and free from the unconscious fear of punishment and death.
The Death card is also the only other place in the deck where we see the white rose, indicating that transformations always come for our benefit and purification whether we know it or not. So The Fool hasn’t transcended death itself, rather, she has transcended the fear of death and embraced the need for life to end in order for it to have renewal. She has embraced that there will always be cycles of death and rebirth, joy and pain, and happiness and sorrow. She knows that there is no need to run from it. Even if at times she feels forsaken to experience the most horrible of betrayals, she still loves, and she still brings light into the darkness. But it is not the light of the visible sun that she brings, it is a different light - it is the light of the white, transcendent sun seen shining above The Fool.
The white sun above is not the visible, yellow, sun that we know. It is not the warming yellow sunshine we love to sit and bask in. The white sun is the source of invisible and living truth that fuels all visible stars and human hearts. It is what we all aspire to attain and that The Fool will never again be disconnected from, whatever her destiny may be.
Association with Air: The Fool is associated with the element of Air because of the open, expansive, and happy feeling that balanced and purified Air represents. Elemental Air, like oxygen to the body, is uplifting, lightening, and relaxing. When you experience fear, your body contracts your breath becomes shallow. But even in the gravest and darkest of situations, if you breathe consciously and deeply, your body can’t help but relax and focus. Similarly, with Elemental Air, if you allow it in, your mind can’t help but become a crystal clear and open vessel for Spirit to enter. And if you’ve done the purification work of the other elements as well, then Spirit will filter down into the core of every cell and something absolutely amazing will happen.
When to use The Fool Card: When you need courage to take a leap of faith in life, The Fool with support you. It will help you remember that if you follow your innermost calling, even if you can’t see how you will make it, somehow, you will. And even if you follow that voice and fall flat on your face, you will know that it had purpose, and that every step and tumble is a step in the right direction when you are following your spiritual guidance.
In addition, when you need to (or are ready to) release assumptions and expectations, and surrender your ego desires, call on The Fool. When you are ready to live a life that fully embraces joy and pain and live to the fullest without regrets or fear, follow in The Fool’s footsteps. Allow the disparate elements of your soul to unite and your ego to fade into the background. Allow your pure and golden heart to split open and the red seeds of life to pour out from within you to nourish all who cross your path.
Always remember though, that the fool isn’t sacrificing herself. Rather, she is fully embodying herself! So when you find that you are trying hard to fight against your natural self, realize that The Fool tells you not to give up the you that makes you you! Rather, it tells you to be your unique brand of personality with your likes, dislikes, and preferences in the material world. Do it without judgment. Do it without fear of death. Do it from the innocence of your blessed and beautiful being!
Altar Cloth / Tapestry details:
~ 100% microfiber Polyester
~ Hemmed edges for extra durability to ensure years of use
~ Advanced tapestry and altar cloth printing techniques guarantee crisp image detail
~ Multiple sizes (26x36 in, 50x60 in, 68x80 in, 88x104 in)
