excerpts from a paper I wrote for "Embodying Spirit" flow might be a bit funky so bear with me.
Tarot cards are a ‘leap of faith’ -- a moment of inner trust -- that graciously offer an invitation to my own ancient wisdom to come forward and have a few wise things to say to me. Questions, big and small, give rise to this opportunity; by my shuffling and the pulling of a card/s, I lay before me pictures and numbers that can, if I choose, stimulate my spiritual creative self to shift and see another possibility that, maybe, I hadn’t thought of, to place on the altar of my life. Tarot cards are a beautiful tool for deepening inner wisdom and trusting that we are indeed powerful beings. Divinatory practice and the study of Tarot could easily fit the quote from 2 Timothy as being "given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." After all, some sacred spaces do need furnishing.
For furnishing my sacred space I decided to explore the Fool’s Journey. This archetype is based on the Fool in history. In medieval times, the Fool played a very unique role in the royal medieval court. His sole job was to amuse the King and the court, and he was not bound by the same rules of social propriety or order that bound his peers. In fact, the Fool was actually expected to break with social convention in order to provide comic relief and amusement to the monarch. He was allowed to be outspoken, and was known to ridicule and tease other people who would otherwise be above reproach. The Fool was also sometimes a very trusted consort of the King. Unlike the other advisors of other monarch, the Fool could be quite open in his opinions and views. His candid observations and analysis made him an invaluable ally to the monarch. The Fool was, in short, a welcome breath of fresh air in a society bound by strict rules. Understanding the special social place of the Fool helps us to crack open the role of the Fool in the tarot. Like his actual historical counterpart, the card of The Fool forewarns of something unexpected. It is a card that represents spontaneity, unpredictability, the inconsistency of human life and the need to adopt an innocent, trusting belief in your own destiny. This archetype resonates a lot with me, I tend to approach the world with a childlike explorative attitude but could develop a more trusting belief in myself and my destiny. I know my path will not be as consistent and predicable as I’d like and there will be many surprises. When I look at the Fool, it is a quiet reminder that I should ride the uncertainties of life with faith and humor, trusting that new unanticipated forks in the road and the overall ebbs and flows of life are leading to the place where I should naturally be. A reminder to be in the here and now and embrace it with joy.
The fool begins life on a journey to find meaning and happiness. As a child I began with a simple innocence and faith. At the start of this trip, the Fool is a newborn - fresh, open and spontaneous. I want to start off on any new venture with my arms flung wide, and my head held high. I am ready to embrace whatever comes my way, but I might be oblivious to the cliff edge I am about to cross. As I start of on a new venture I may be unaware of the hardships I will face as I ventures out to learn the lessons of the world. I want to tread forward on my journey to stand on my own as an individual while maintaing the wonderful partnership that has been growing.
