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The Fool represents the beginning of the “story” represented
by the cards of the Major Arcana and usually depicts a young
person who appears to be setting out on a journey in a natural
environment, often depicted carrying a packet of belongings
and accompanied by a small dog.
The “fool” (person who is setting out to learn
and develop afresh) does so with trust … in him/herself,
in good fortune, and in all that will present itself. He
or she is open to everything that the journey will bring.
The associations of this card typically include intuition,
inner
certainty/conviction,
and the ability to listen to and act on ones inner voice,
ideals – and
the 'hope of a bright future.'
Drawing "The Fool" is a spread does not necessarily mean that
the sitter is behaving foolishly.
It is more likely to indicate
a fresh start (or fresh attitude - which can have a similar
effect !), willingness to set-out on a journey of discovery,
to take risks, to learn, and to open oneself up to new opportunities.
When the meaning is interpreted more literally, it can indicate
a fool in the context of an entertainer, the court "Fool" being
a forerunner of the more modern circus clown or other professional,
yet playful, entertainer - possibly one who's purpose is to
encourage people to laugh and relax.
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The cards of the Major Arcana are widely considered to be the
most powerful cards in the Tarot Deck. The 22 cards of the Major
Arcana tell a complete story when arranged in upright and numerical
order (beginning with The
Fool). This is a story of of development and enlightenment
and is sometimes referred to as "The Fool's Journey".
Some texts also include meanings for "reversed
cards". These
are for the situation in which the cards are shuffled in both
order and orientation. The theoretical advantage to this is that
it effectively doubles the number of possible "cards" in
the deck from 78 to 156. (However, in terms of the calculation
of obtaining results according to chance alone, it is not a simple
mathematical doubling because once a card
has been
drawn
it
cannot be drawn
again in the opposite orientation in the same reading.) |
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