Tarot Card Meanings – The Fool

I’ve already spoken about the meaning of  Tarot cards, in relation to the Major Arcana, which is where the Fool belongs. But as that was only a brief overview, and as my search stats tell me that people coming here are looking for a more  detailed explanation of each of the cards, I thought I’d start putting together a kind of  series on ‘tarot card meanings‘.

Just don’t expect these to all be posted one after the other. I am a great believer that the meanings ascribed to each Tarot card as laid down in guide and text books are simply given to help provide a foundation. If you’re serious about taking your Tarot journey to a higher level, then I strongly encourage you to learn to listen to the cards yourself. Rely on your own judgement and you’ll find not only will your tarot card readings be much more accurate, but you’ll learn the meaning of tarot cards much quicker if you’re not constantly turning pages in a reference book.

The Fool

It’s fitting to start with The Fool because he’s the first card in the deck. He also appeared in the reading that led me to start this site in the first place so I guess it’s doubly fair that he should lead the way.

In the Rider Waite deck, The Fool looks as though he’s just about to walk off the edge of a cliff. Blissfully unaware of any danger ahead of him, he is setting forward on a journey with no concerns about how it might turn out.

When The Fool appears in a Tarot card reading, it’s a sign that the questioner is also about to set out on their own journey into a completely new phase of their life. It may that an unexpected opportunity will appear without warning, or perhaps a major decision needs to be made that will result in your life taking a completely different direction to that which it’s been heading up till now.

Either way, you need to simply ‘go with the flow’. The Fool is a reminder that sometimes we need to just get on with something instead of worrying about where it will lead or how it will turn out. Have faith and trust that this new direction in which you are heading is the right one.

Sometimes, as with anything new, there is a feeling of uncertainty. You may be confused and perhaps caught off your guard but don’t be put off by this. The Fool is letting you know that it’s time to move in a new direction and leave the past behind.

I’ve also had this card appear just before being asked very unexpectedly to go on a trip. It was through work, and while I do sometimes have to travel in relation to my job, this particular trip wasn’t related to my usual duties so I was quite surprised and more than a bit nervous as to the reasoning behind it. As it turned out, the trip was more beneficial on a personal than a work sphere. But do be aware that sometimes, The Fool can signify a physical journey that you may not have previously considered.

The Fool Reversed

Although some Tarot readers believe that a reversed Tarot card has a different meaning than it’s upright counterpart, I don’t subscribe to this view. However, the important thing once again, is that if you feel a reversed image is relaying a different meaning to you, then it probably is. Personally, I think if a different meaning was meant to be portrayed, the deck would have presented a different card.

If you do believe that a reversed card holds a different meaning, then The Fool reversed is signifying that you need to be wary of taking a risk, instead of advocating it.  You may be blindly optimistic in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary. Don’ t make any impulsive decisions as your judgement could well be clouded as this time.