The Fool's Journey Date Thursday, April 25, 2024 - 03:18 PM PST Topic Religion Card 0 - The Fool Description The first card of the tarot, the fool, is a fascinating character. Within the frame of our view, we see the fool. She stands at the precipice, ready to step off. She has a staff and cloth slung across her shoulder. At her feet stands the lantern she will use to light her path. Unlike any other deck I have encountered, I chose to portray the fool as a female. I have heard it say that the fool is the only truly universal character - a male that had embraced his feminine side and viewed the world with the innocence of a child. I portray the fool as a powerful female who has embraced her masculinity. The same innocence and wonder exists as she prepares to step into the unknown, showing faith in the divine and it's power to keep her safe. Some interpretations have the fool simply dressed, while others have the fool wearing the costume of a court jester. Some say colorful clothing sets the fool aside as one who has no cares. Others say this represents the fact that he is a simple man. I chose to portray the fool as a plainly dressed character. With the simple dress and outlook, the fool finds joy. The Journey We join the fool near the beginning of her journey. She was born to a life of luxury, but she wants so much more. Approaching her parents, she tells, "Mother, Father... I must leave. I need to explore. I need to see the world. I need to find myself." As any good parent would, they grant their blessing. They may not understand their child's need to see the world, but they support her. She sets off to see what the world has to offer. Standing at the cliff, she surveys what lies ahead. The staff, laid across her shoulder, carries the tools of enlightenment - the staff itself, the cup, the pentacle, and the blade. These tools will be important as she moves through life, though she does not use it. Meaning The fool is an ancient representation of innocence. Many religious texts state that we should approach life as a child. Children, at the beginning of their life, see all things as new and wondrous. The fool shares this sense of wonder, unlike most people. To see this card in a reading, depending on its position, can be a good or bad influence. In it's upright position, the Fool represents a need to be childlike in your life. This can mean living without fear, taking a chance - or taking a moment to realize the beauty and wonder you have around you. In its reversed context, the innocence is lost. It can mean many things - disillusionment, a knowledge of things carnal, ignoring the brilliance of the world around you or knowingly making the wrong choice. Card 1 - The Mage Description The second card of the Tarot is the Mage. Some decks call it the magician, the magi, the wise one. There are as many names for the card as there are for the universal force called magick. Traditionally, the Mage is depicted as a robed individual standing before an altar. On the altar are the ritual tools contained in the Fool's pack - the wand, the pentacle, the cup and the blade. Each of these tools represents one of the elements. The Fool, on the left side of the card watches as the Mage teaches the arcane secrets to the innocent wanderer. Traditionally, the Mage stands over the altar and holds the wand aloft, representing an embrasure of the masculine aspects of life. Above the Mage's head hovers the sign of infinity, a symbol of arcane knowledge. We chose to represent the arcane with a simple flame, coupled with a lens flare. The reason for this was simple. What set us aside from all of the other creatures of the divine's creation. The first real difference was our embrace of fire. Now, in our Tarot and our senses, the powerful flame represents the arcane. The Journey The Fool leaves the cliff, walking with a confident step into the unknown. As she walks deep into the forest, where the light from the noonday sun is tinted a livid and living green by the leaves, she discovers an ancient place. The house stands surrounded by standing stones, and the power contained within practically sings in the air. She has found the home of the Mage. The Mage welcomes the Fool into her home. As they talk, mage begins to realize that the fool, is truly innocent. And while it is possible to be innocent at home, it can be dangerous in the world. The Mage makes a choice - the choice to share knowledge. The Mage unwraps the tools from the pack and lays them out and begins to tell the Fool of the mysteries, the elements and aspects, the ways of the celestial. The Fool drinks in every word, hungering for the meal placed before her. As time passes and she learns and masters the ways of the arcane, she comes to a realization - she is no longer innocent, for in embracing knowledge, she has opened her eyes to reality. The Fool... is now a Mage. Meaning These elements are not the scientific things that the word has come to mean, but the mystical embodiment of the ancient elements. These primary forces of nature are Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Each tool is linked intrinsically to a specific element and each element is linked to a concept which is used extensively in the Tarot suits. Earth is linked pentacles. I have seen them referred to as discs, pentagrams, coins, sphere and icons - and I am sure there are more names than that for them. Earth represents the physical, both need and deed. If there is labor to be done, or a physical need to be met, the pentacles will be seen. In many cases, the pentacles are also intrinsically linked to money. While it is true that every reading will be different, and each reading will be completely dependent on the person being read and the reader themselves, money is such a driving force in the modern world that it is hard to avoid it's effects on everything - magick included. Air is linked to swords. Rarely, if ever, have I seen any name other than swords or blades applied to this tool, though I have once seen them represented as the suite of Lasers. (I tarochi de robota is the name of the deck if you are interested in looking it up.) Air represents intellect. Intellect can mean many things, but when seen in the tarot, it can be tied to learning, knowledge, skills, or the ability to think beyond your means. Some people have questioned why intellect is linked to weaponry more than fire. I have always answered that a battle waged by anger without intelligence is already lost. Fire and wands are intrinsically linked. When I was first learning the way of the cards, I had a hard time understanding why this was so. I mean, aside from the fact that wands are made from wood, and wood burns. One teacher was able to enlighten me to the reasoning for this. The fire, representing passion, is portrayed as a phallic symbol. The wands, while representing passion, will often be representing a "masculine" aspect due to their phallic nature - though in modern times, the line between male and female aspects is beginning to blur. Wands have also been called, staffs, staves, and pillars. Water is represented by cups. The link between these symbols should be fairly obvious, but there are deeper reasons for it. As Wands, with its phallic imagery is representative of the male aspects of life and psyche, cups is a symbol for the "feminine" aspects of life and psyche. The link between these is esoteric but clear. The most telling trait of femininity is the menstrual cycle. In many cultures, this has been referred to as the "moon cycle," due to the 28 day nature of both. The moon exhibits sway over the tides, which are clear even far inland along lakes and rivers. Most often, a cup or container will be holding a liquid. For the purposes of the tarot, that liquid is water. Water, (and as such, the cups) represent emotion. Cups covers all of the "womanly virtues" of old, emotional power, sensitivity, and due to its link to the moon, many cases intuition or psychic ability. While this seems like a meandering explanation, the understanding of the suits and tools is imperative as these images are scattered throughout the Tarot. Knowing this information may help you on an intuitive level when giving a reading for another or for yourself. The Mage, at its most base level represents enlightenment. As with all cards, the exact meaning will be modified by a) it's position in the reading, b) the context of its appearance, and c) the interpretation as it has gone already. This card can represent a loss of innocence, enlightenment, embracing the future, knowledge, or the arcane. It also contains many secrets and as such, may also represent a secret in the questioner's life. The reversed meanings range from ignorance to keeping secrets, to being naïve, to refusing to learn a life lesson. Card 2 - The High Priestess Description When referring to the cards I have said, and will continue to say, "traditionally." The reason for this is obvious to many, but it bears repeating. The tarot was constructed with a common set of images and symbols embedded in every card. This imagery was, until recently, fairly universal. Only in the last century, since the dawn of the industrial age, have the common images begun to unravel. In recent times, many artists choose to depict the cards with different images and symbolism, as these new sets of tarot are very personal things. Artistic license is the most common reason for this. As such, I will speak about the traditional setting of the card, and then how mine differs from it. This approach is designed to remind you of the ancient symbols as well as the modern. The High Priestess, traditionally, features a female figure on a throne-like chair. This woman obviously, in name and stature, is a spiritual leader. Behind her stand two pillars, one of black and one of white. As you look at our High Priestess, you see the fool on the left. She is kneeling before the High Priestess. Cupped in her hand is the light representing arcane knowledge. The High Priestess holds aloft the wand. Absent in our card are the twin pillars. This was for no aesthetic or artistic reason - we simply do not own a set of massive stone pillars, nor do we have the funds to procure them. The Journey As the Fool masters the arcane arts, she feels that the power she now wields is all she needs to face the world. But soon, she realizes that power for its own sake is an empty pursuit and feels a need for something more. The forest, while wary of her power, seems to speak to her. Her innocence was broken and discarded by embracing the arcane, and now there is a void where it once lay. She continues along her path, walking further into the forest, and not grasping the peace that exists all around her. As she begins to lament her lost innocence, the path widens, opens into a clearing in the trees. The clearing is perfectly circular, and laid into the ground is a symbol that she recognizes instantly - the pentacle. In the center of the large pentacle is a large oak, reaching skyward. Leaning with her back against the tree is a woman. The woman's eyes are closed, and her face shines brilliantly in the sun, a serene smile upon her lips. "Come, child. All are welcome here." Her voice carries clearly though she speaks barely above a whisper. "Tell me. Tell me what troubles you." The Fool, though innocence is lost, trusts easily and tells the High Priestess of her travels. She speaks of her journey, from the moment her parent's allowed her to go - the cliff, the path, the forest, and the mage. Her story is told with the enthusiasm of youth. At the end of the story, the High Priestess is smiling, and she speaks again. "Power for its own sake, is meaningless, little one. Allow me to show you more of the nature of the universe." The High Priestess speaks to the Fool for days, until the full moon. As the moon rises, the coven emerges from their own paths and begin the celebration of Earth Mother and Sky Father, invoking the power of the spirit, and the Fool feels the serenity she seeks. On her knees, she watches and the coven returns to the forest. The High Priestess approaches, and the Fool invokes the arcane, and offers it up. She offers it up to the divine, and begins her study, learning the way of the spirit, the greenwood, and the soul. Meanings As with all of the Tarot, this card can mean many things. But as the Mage represents the Male aspects of the universe, the High Priestess, is highly feminine. She grants life in more than one way. She is a mother, or mother to be, and cares for our spiritual well being. Traditionally, there are the white and black pillars behind her, one on each side. These pillars can represent many things. The Craft sees the black pillar as absorption of negativity, and the white pillar as positive energy in your life. These precepts can also represent Christianity in its most basic form - Mary giving the white to the world and Jesus acting as the black pillar. Many cathedrals feature a white and black pillar in the main area of worship. The High Priestess, in her upright position is a sign of spirituality. This is not the same as religion. I have known many spiritual people who did not have any sign of religion about them. The Fool offers up her arcane knowledge, and by willingly giving of herself is enlightened beyond the "real world" and shown the spiritual. When reversed, its connotations imply a need of spirituality, or ignorance of where we come from. ***** Those of you who know, will understand. Those of you who do not know, will also understand... Eventually. This article comes from Shmeng http://www.shmeng.com/ The URL for this story is: http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=656