Welcome to day one of Tarot Week here at White Rose of Avalon my Darlings!    Today’s post is about the Fool card in Tarot.   The Fool is the unnumbered Major Arcana card in the Tarot, placing it at the very beginning of the deck.   In fact, the Major Arcana is often famously read as a story, in the form of a journey, known as the Fool’s Journey!  

The energy of the Fool card includes optimism, beginnings, new growth, embracing the journey of life, and a spirit of exploration.   The title of the card is often changed out, as many deck writers may find the name Fool to assume that this card is simply naive when there is much more to the Fool than naiveté!   Other popular names given to this card include the Wanderer and the Seeker, both serve as great descriptions of the card’s energy.    The Arthurian Tarot uses the title the Seeker and through the more than year-long Hallowquest journey often done with this deck, you take on the role of the Seeker in the Wasteland, one who is seeking self-discovery!   The quest for self-discovery is in many ways at the heart of the Fool’s Journey.

Essentially, the Fool takes his or her journey through all twenty-one of the other cards to learn lessons.    These lessons will help the Fool progress into new stages in their life, and often in their spiritual journey.    This Fool’s Journey is not just a straight shot from beginning to end, which is why the culmination of the Major Arcana, the World card, is not just an ending but also a sign that a new chapter will be beginning.   It is often said that each of us is always on the Fool’s Journey at one point or another, for the Fool’s Journey is an endless cycle of learning and growing!   After all, life is truly a cycle that includes death and rebirth.   For that reason, the beginning of the Fool’s Journey can be seen as a time when we are being reborn in one way and must take time to learn new lessons for the new chapter in our lives.

When the Fool card appears in a reading, it is a sign that a new beginning is on the horizon.    The Fool signals a time of optimism and learning with youthful exuberance.   The Fool encourages us to walk fearlessly into the next chapter and to be willing to learn the lessons the Journey will teach us along the way!   In fact, the youthful exuberance of the Fool is another key part of the Fool’s energy, as this card is full of childlike wonder in the desire to search out new opportunities.   In that way, the Fool is nicely aligned with the energy of Springtime because the new growth and blossoming of the Earth during Spring is also aligned with the youthful Maiden archetype! 

Thank you for joining me for day one of Tarot Week!   I hope you have enjoyed this short exploration of the Fool card and the Fool’s Journey.    What is your favorite thing about the Fool card?   Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!    

Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a very creepy and fun version of the Fool card artwork.   I found the image on https://www.theghoulishgarb.com/products/the-fool-tarot-card-ghoulish-edition/         

Tarot Note: I have a page offering tarot and oracle readings for those interested in these services!    I am very happy to be offering these readings to my treasured readers at White Rose of Avalon!  Link to page: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/tarot-and-oracle-readings/

Further Reading

• The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need by Skye Alexander
• The Arthurian Tarot by John & Caitlin Matthews
• The Sacred Circle Tarot by Anna Franklin & illustrated by Paul Mason