The Fool

The Fool

Possible keywords: Beginnings, renewal, faith, openness

The Fool is not foolish but childlike, open to new experiences, and unafraid to take a risk. He has yet to be damaged by life and carries no emotional baggage. In the RWS depiction, he seems unaware that he’s about to step off a cliff, but there’s no indication that he’ll die. He’s packed his knapsack with everything he needs and is ready to discover the world. The Fool teaches us to live in the moment and embrace that childlike sense of wonder we’ve lost over the years. He invites us to take a chance at a new beginning, knowing we have everything we need in our metaphorical knapsack. He’ll often appear when we’re at the start of a journey of discovery, whether personal or professional. The Fool is numbered zero and can be placed at the Majors' beginning or end. Everything he will become is already contained within him, just like the chick in the Wild Unknown. The Fool heralds a new direction or an awakening, but most of all, he reminds us not to take it all so seriously, to stay open to the light of possibility around us, and to embrace a beginner’s mind.