The Fool wants to experience life. His energy is like spring emerging from winter. Renewal is felt in his soul. The Fool is the fun-loving, playful, spontaneous child in all of us. He is excited about what lays before him and is always ready to spring forward into action. The Fool is always on an adventure/journey, looking for new opportunities. He represents the beginning and the end of a journey or cycle. The Fool’s number “O” is symbolic of the infinite and the unknowable. His goal and challenge is to transcend the two worlds of the subconscious and the conscious.
The Fool represents our youthful, trusting side. He is guided by his intuition and enthusiasm for life’s experiences. Though he may not know what drives him, it is his inner desire to seek out enlightenment and to find his full spiritual potential in this world. He starts his journey spontaneously, living moment to moment. The Fool goes forward without fear, moving towards change and challenges. The Fool represents our continual journey into new cycles – completing one with acquired knowledge and moving to the next cycle of the unknown with courage and enthusiasm, while trying to be aware of his intuition, so he can be prepared to conquer the next dragon around the corner.
The Fool is not a serious character. He always starts his journey in a light and happy fashion with no plans or attachments to the past. He represents reincarnation in the purest form. He carries innocent wisdom with him. He is like a young child taking his first step, not sure what to expect but continuing without fear. If he falls, he tries again. The Fool contains all possibilities. His deeper message is to know and trust yourself. By using his inherent knowledge combined and balanced with spontaneity and awareness, he lets each day be a new day with new possibilities. He doesn't let the past’s baggage weigh him down on his journey. He wants us to take risks and have faith. If things don’t work out, pick yourself up, dust off and move on, knowing that the experience you had is just one of the many good and/or challenging on this path of life and spiritual growth.
The Fool doesn’t care so much for what society and others think. He works from the very core of what is true for his heart and will say so. He is not afraid to make mistakes. He knows the magic of life is being true to yourself. The Fool always has faith. He is innocent and trusting and goes forward with an open heart. He represents how all of us entered this world before society and people shadowed our inner awareness. He has no attachment to the outcome of his journey. He is on the road of discovery on many levels. We are all on our individual journeys. Each completion of a journey starts us at the gate of another and has us transformed yet again.
The Fool represents the hero’s journey – taking chances, leaping into the unknown, following one’s inner truth, trusting the self and embracing life’s experiences with the spirit of your life force. Step into your personal adventure with lightness of heart and awareness of soul – let your intuition guide you through the unknown journeys that lay ahead. Be the fearless journeyman.

The Fool descends down to the conscious world of his new adventure. The crystal he holds in his hand symbolizes memory that he brings from his past journeys. The eight–pointed star is his guiding light reminding him ‘as above so below’. The butterfly symbolizes transformation during his journey. The Fool carries his staff that connects him to the heavens as well as to earth. The morning glories growing on the staff are forever blooming as a reminder of the possibilities and opportunities that are always there regenerating in our lives. The raven calls our subconscious, reminding The Fool in all of us that the magic in life is available when we quiet ourselves and listen. The crocodile represents ancient instincts of survival, as well as the ‘fish god,’ a symbol of fatherhood, motherhood and the creative energy that is expressed and materialized when the two are in balance. The crocodile is partially submerged in the pool of the subconscious and knowledge. He peeks his head and tail out into the conscious realm maintaining the balance between the two realms. The river starts in the high mountains and constantly flows into the pool, forever replenishing thoughts and experiences. The sun rises behind the mountains representing a new day and adventure. The first quarter moon behind The Fool’s head represents new beginnings. The white roses on the Fool’s head represent a crown of innocence and purity. The Fool is on his way to test his instincts and explore new worlds. Astrologically the Fool is associated with the planet Uranus and the Hebrew letter Aleph, meaning Ox or Bull.

 

There is no growth year for The Fool. But, we all share The Fool’s universal principles and have his sense of innocence, folly,   courage and adventure.