1. Tarot
  2. Major Arcana
The Fool
Card "The Fool" Credit: Tarot Rider-Waite

0 The Fool

The Fool symbolizes new beginnings, new experiences, and the beginning of the journey. When it appears in a reading, it usually indicates that it is time to leave behind everything that hinders our goals, such as fears, doubts, and worries, to walk in new directions. The card suggests that this new beginning be undertaken with open arms and with joy.

A little more about the card The Fool...

The Fool is the first Tarot card (or the last one, depending on the deck). It symbolizes the beginning of the journey - or the beginning of a new cycle. It is an optimistic Arcanum, which generally carries a positive symbology.

The card does not have a specific place in the Tarot card sequence. It can come at the beginning of the Major Arcana or at the end. Incidentally, the Major Arcana are often thought of as “the Fool’s journey”.

In the card, as well as the symbology of zero, the Fool is the symbol of the beginning of a journey of infinite potential, the beginning of the Hero’s Journey. The Sun rising behind him represents the beginning of the walk, where he is heading towards the unknown and looking up towards the sky (or to the Spirit, to the divine, to enlightenment or something higher).

He carries nothing more than his purity, innocence, and confidence. His clothing contains the colors of the four tarot elements, indicating that he is in harmony and balance with everything around him. His intuition is immensely strong and he has all the support in the universe to launch himself into the unknown, all because of his innocence.

He seems to have all the resources he needs, but he also does not seem to know exactly what he has. The white rose in the left hand symbolizes innocence. The puppy will protect him along his journey, warning him of dangers but also forcing him to learn the lessons he needs along the way. The mountains represent the kingdom he just left behind.