Card number 78 – Folly (The Alchemist).

Upright. – Excess of imagination. Misguidance. Folly.

Reversed. – Weakening of the mental faculties, temporary madness.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

A Blank Canvas

The Fool is not foolish; instead, he is ignorant to the evils of this world. Fresh-faced and inexperienced, he is about to take the first steps down a path of self-enlightenment. He is hopeful for the future, but has not yet learned to set realistic goals. Despite the fact that he is ignorant to what the future may potentially hold for him, he knows is that he will emerge from the ordeals ahead as a new person, although he has not given much thought to the trials and tribulations that this journey will throw his way. He does not feel the need to manipulate the situation at hand in any specific way, and is content with letting things settle naturally.

You are much like The Fool, and are starting down a new path of personal growth, despite the fact that you are unsure of what this process will throw your way. You may have never experienced something like this before, and have very few sources of outside experience that you can consult for sound advice. Despite this, you are ready to move forward with enthusiasm and positivity. However, your ignorance as to the potential complications of your journey has led to a sense of internal anxiety; whether or not you have made any moves to change the situation, you still worry about the unpredictable. Take this as a sign to relax your mind and take whatever developments this journey will present to you, as they may change you in ways that you hadn’t previously expected. Let go of any unrealistic goals that you may have, as they will only lead you to disappointment when you don’t get want you want. Pay attention to what is really happening, as opposed to what you want to happen, so that you can get the most out of the lessons that this journey will teach you.

Change is on the horizon for your love life. Perhaps you’ve started gravitating towards a new potential partner, and are seriously starting to consider initiating a relationship with them. Or maybe you’ve been in a relationship for some time, but have decided that it is time for it to end. No matter how this change manifests in your life, you have much to learn in the way of how to be the best lover that you can be. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with you now; instead, take this as an opportunity to learn how you function in a relationship and why, so as to improve your ability to foster healthy romantic relationships in the future.

Don’t spend your efforts on trying to change the situation. If someone is not ready to reciprocate your feelings, don’t push them into being romantic with you. If your current relationship is truly coming to an end, don’t stress yourself out over finding a way to fix it. By fighting against the natural progression of things, not only do you run the risk of getting even more hurt, but you are also preventing yourself from learning a valuable lesson. Perhaps you throw yourself too quickly into romance, leading to romantic partners feeling uncomfortable with your attention and demands for a more serious relationship. Or maybe you have the tendency to disregard your own health and stability in order to receive constant validation from another person, specifically a romantic partner. Use these upcoming changes in your love life to highlight these shortcomings and learn how to grow past them.

ZERO. THE FOOL

With light step, as if earth and its trammels had little power to restrain him, a young man in gorgeous vestments pauses at the brink of a precipice among the great heights of the world; he surveys the blue distance before him—its expanse of sky rather than the prospect below. His act of eager walking is still indicated, though he is stationary at the given moment; his dog is still bounding. The edge which opens on the depth has no terror; it is as if angels were waiting to uphold him, if it came about that he leaped from the height. His countenance is full of intelligence and expectant dream. He has a rose in one hand and in the other a costly wand, from which depends over his right shoulder a wallet curiously embroidered. He is a prince of the other world on his travels through this one—all amidst the morning glory, in the keen air. The sun, which shines behind him, knows whence he came, whither he is going, and how he will return by another path after many days. He is the spirit in search of experience. Many symbols of the Instituted Mysteries are summarized in this card, which reverses, under high warrants, all the confusions that have preceded it.

In his Manual Of Cartomancy, Grand Orient has a curious suggestion of the office of Mystic Fool, as a part of his process in higher divination; but it might call for more than ordinary gifts to put it into operation. We shall see how the card fares according to the common arts of fortune-telling, and it will be an example, to those who can discern, of the fact, otherwise so evident, that the Trumps Major had no place originally in the arts of psychic gambling, when cards are used as the counters and pretexts. Of the circumstances under which this art arose we know, however, very little. The conventional explanations say that the Fool signifies the flesh, the sensitive life, and by a peculiar satire its subsidiary name was at one time the alchemist, as depicting folly at the most insensate stage.

At the same time, you may also be facing massive changes in your career. You may have recently gotten a new job, a promotion, a new set of responsibilities, or you may have even left your previous job and are now learning to cope with being unemployed. The road ahead may not be easy, and it would be wise for you to prepare yourself for the challenges that it will bring. Now is not the time to be preemptive; instead, focus on dealing with problems as they arise. Most likely, you will find that the challenges that this journey brings will be completely different from anything that you could have possibly anticipated.

By keeping an open mind about the future, you will be able to take the lessons that this journey will teach you so as to be a better employee than ever before. This may be practical knowledge, such as specific job training. If you’ve held a similar position in the past, and are annoyed by the fact that you need to alter your habits in order to follow new rules and guidelines, then this may be a sign that it is time to let go of your old ways. Instead of letting yourself get frustrated with the situation, take a moment to step back and closely consider your methodology. What can you do better in order to adapt to the issue at hand? If you are truly struggling, try reaching out to others that have taken this same journey. This may be more experienced coworkers, members of leadership, or even a recruiting agency if you are having great difficulty in finding a new job.

All journeys of personal development are initiated for a reason; even when they develop naturally, if you are truly struggling to adapt to a new situation, it is because you still have something to learn from it. When The Fool appears in the reversed position, it may be a sign that you are fighting against a lesson that you stand to learn at the moment, causing an issue that could otherwise be resolved to be drawn out into a far more lengthy and painful battle.

Let go of any preconceived notions, beliefs, biases, or prejudices that may be holding you back from learning a meaningful lesson from the situation at hand. You will find that there is a reason you are meant to learn this lesson; it only serves to make you into an overall better person, whose strength and experiences allows you to overcome similar situations in the future with far less effort.

The Fool is a positive tarot card, representing new beginnings and luck. This card is often a message to have faith in the future. It reminds you to have that bright outlook on the world like a new-born baby and usually indicates an answer of ‘YES’.

• The Fool Upright – Yes or No?
• The Fool Reversed – Yes or No?
• The Fool Upright for Love – Yes or No?
• The Fool Reversed for Love – Yes or No?
• The Fool Upright for Advice – Yes or No?
• The Fool Reversed for Advice – Yes or No?
• The Fool Upright for Career – Yes or No?
• The Fool Reversed for Career – Yes or No?
• The Fool Yes or No – Can I trust them?
• The Fool Yes or No – Am I on the right path?