The Fool Tarot Card

Card Name: Fool, Jester, Madman, Beggar

Position: 0/22

Time: Vernal equinox

The Major Arcana the Fool or the Jester is the most important card in the entire tarot system. It symbolizes the beginning and end of the spiritual path. This is Zorba-Buddha, who combines the two opposites of life. It is not for nothing that the character is depicted on the edge of the abyss – when the ego disappears, the person seems to die while still alive. But then he is immediately reborn, however – in a different capacity. In the plus, the zero Arcana personifies freedom and inspiration. But there is also the other side of the coin – stupidity and suspiciousness. Reversed, the Fool shows preoccupation with unfulfilled dreams. The person gets stuck in illusions and denies the real state of affairs.

Symbolism and Key Ideas of the The Fool

In the Rider-Waite Tarot, the Fool Major Arcana depicts a young guy walking to the very edge of a cliff. The man is dressed in a black dress, decorated with images of the sun with eight rays. A white shirt is visible underneath. On his feet are leggings and yellow boots. The uncovered head is adorned with a scarlet feather. In his left hand, the protagonist holds a white rose. On the right is a staff with a red knapsack tied to it. A white dog walks next to the guy. All the action takes place against the backdrop of a yellow sky and snow-capped mountains. The young man himself stands on a stone dais. The gaze is directed upward. Movement is from right to left. Thus, the character of the Jester Arcana goes as if from the future into the past.

The clothes of the protagonist on the Fool card symbolize the union of opposites – black and white elements are visible here. A flower in the hand speaks of lightness and beauty, innocence. A bag on a pole shows an eternal search, a journey. The dog symbolizes loyalty, friendship, pure joy. Some tarologists see the letter Aleph in the outline of the image of the dog. She occupies the first place in the Hebrew alphabet, is the archetype of all things. The scorching sun shows full manifestation, realization. Mountain peaks hint at commitment to higher ideas, spiritual growth. The Jester stands on a cliff, which symbolizes the transition, the return to non-existence.

Meaning of the Upright The Fool Card

A new path and rebirth, carelessness or honesty.
Frankness and willingness to learn something, sincerity.
The beginning of the journey, spiritual search and enlightenment of the mind.
Discoveries, freedom of action, impartiality and innocence.

In the upright position, the Fool symbolizes a new beginning and carelessness. The character of the card resembles a child who is exploring the world with interest. He still does not have conditioning and imposed standards, which is why the consciousness is not clouded and receptive. The Jester Arcana personifies life in the flow and the absence of desires. The questioning person does not think ahead, lives only in the current moment. This is an eternal journey in search of your "I". On this path, the hero will meet good and evil characters, there is no certainty and clear standards. That is why the card shows readiness for life itself and its unpredictability.

The very numerical value of the Major Arcana Fool hints at emptiness. There was no place for this card in the Tarot system. Rather, she takes the position of a passive observer, while the rest of the characters fight for their importance. The Jester symbolizes the absence of attachment, which means freedom. It is a carelessness that is akin to enlightenment. A person emerges from the Abyss of non-existence and returns to it again. This is indicated by movement from right to left. Zero closes the circle and again creates the next coil. Thus, the card serves as a kind of conductor connecting the entire holographic world of the Tarot deck.

Love and Relationships (Upright)

The desire to radically change the relationship with a partner.
Zeroing, old grievances that are completely forgiven.
The period of new acquaintances and easy communication or flirting.
Willingness to meet your other half, to change.

The Fool that has fallen out in the love spread means a kind of zeroing. This may be a complete lack of feelings for the questioner and a willingness to live without him. For the most fortuneteller, the Arcana predicts a new stage. He should let go of the situation and trust the world. At the same time, one should not lose faith in the best. Sometimes, however, the zero Arcana Jester symbolizes life from scratch. Partners can forget about past grievances, try to establish a relationship, find a common language. However, if people want to start over, then there were some good reasons in the past.

For singles, the Fool predicts an interesting period of life. The querent will feel free and independent. This feeling will push you to new acquaintances, give you the joy of communicating with the opposite sex. In the upright position, the value of the Jester takes on the most favorable. Experiences will finally leave the fortuneteller’s heart. The soul will be ready to meet a new true love. The Jester Arcana personifies complete freedom, thanks to which you can grow wings.

Career and Finance (Upright)

Moving to a new place, a radical change in activity.
Freelancing, detachment from the office, a certain schedule.
Making dolls or handicrafts, hand-made.
The first vacancy, gaining experience and studying responsibilities.

In the spread for work and career, the appearance of the Fool is read in two ways. On the one hand, this may be dismissal from the current position, freedom from duties. On the other hand, it opens up new opportunities and prospects. A person is ready to seek, to take on unknown ways of earning money, to acquire the necessary skills. Fearlessness and faith in the best allow you not to get hung up on certainty. The querent easily enters a new reality. The road will develop under the feet of the walker. The Arcana of Jester also shows the lack of money and material values at this point in time. But that only encourages me to keep going.

The significance of the Fool in terms of finances also has positive aspects. The card is read as the absence of encumbrances, debts and loans. A person starts from scratch, not minus. Often the Jester falls on students who have just graduated from an educational institution. They have to gain the necessary experience, learn a lot in practice, and not from books. In general, the Fool card promises brilliant prospects. You just need to move forward without fear of the future. Only in this case, you can hit the jackpot.

Health and Spirit (Upright)

Wellness methods; absence of toxins, slags.
Vegetarianism is also conscious intuitive eating.
Trust in others, in oneself, ingenuous disposition.
Hypersensitivity, compassion for others and kindness.

In the context of health, the Fool denotes various purges. This feeling of lightness in the body immediately after the procedure. The Jester symbolizes the youth of the body. And even if the querent is not a child for a long time, then all the same, his immunity copes well with the stress. The Fool shows outdoor activities, walks in the fresh air. All this has a beneficial effect on the well-being of the fortuneteller. According to this Arcana, the Beggar does not pass any serious illnesses. Any disease can be "corrected" by a healthy lifestyle.

The mental state is read as open and sensitive. A man perceives the world impartially. Everything that happens to him is a true miracle. Children or people who have experienced something tragic can boast of such an unclouded look. The Fool shows awareness of the value of life, the ability to breathe, look and hear. These are simple joys, which, by the way, are not given to everyone. The Jester personifies the ability to trust and perceive new information. This state of mind is akin to childish impressionability.

Situations and Questions (Upright)

Originality, pure individuality without templates.
The right to any choice or complete freedom, equality.
Lack of concept of fate; creative skills and talents.
A bright surge of emotions or impressions that left a mark.

The Fool in Tarot gives the meaning of novelty to the spread on any topic. It is always uncertainty, bordering on both madness and genius. The Jester corresponds to the planet Uranus, responsible for sudden events and changes. The card represents getting your own experience, and not using other people’s knowledge as crutches. The querent is ready for innovation, whether it is a work plan or personal life. Everywhere, the Madman is responsible for the very ability to see opportunities and not be afraid to go into unknown distances.

In general, the Fool Arcana does not give a clear answer to the question posed. The final is open, so the questioner must write the script on their own. The Universe provides an opportunity to radically change fate, to outwit fate. The Fool also hints at non-attachment to outcomes, the lack of a hook in the form of social approval. The Jester allows the fortuneteller to be himself, regardless of the opinions of others. This is pure freedom, which gives the ability to be creative and express yourself in any way.

Spirituality and Karma (Upright)

The ocean of life or the connection with the "cosmic mind".
Holiness, lack of attachment to people or objects.
Fearlessness, allowing you to rise above yourself.
Purification of the internal space, also a transitional stage.

All Major Arcana can be considered as a kind of "hero’s path", described by Carl Jung. This is a kind of journey of the spirit, during which a deep transformation takes place. The fallen Jester Tarot gives decisive importance to the spread on the topic of karma. This is the end of all suffering, complete enlightenment. But also a new beginning awaits the querent. The path is endless, and everything passed is just one of the turns. Further events will repeat, just at a higher quality level. Following this logic, the Fool serves as a connection between the past and the future, fixing consciousness on the present.

If we talk about karma, then the Jester personifies the complete loss of social status, material values. But all this happens inside the consciousness and soul of a person. The fortuneteller simply throws out unnecessary rubbish in the form of other people’s opinions and desires. A person may be very rich, but he does not put money first. If something happens, then a person can easily let go of his secured past. The Fool shows readiness for both luxury and poverty. None of this matters much to an enlightened consciousness.

Meaning of the Reversed The Fool Tarot

Carelessness, irresponsibility, tomfoolery, idiocy.
Lack of seriousness, learned helplessness or fear of life.
Wandering in the clouds and the inability to face the truth.
Underestimation of the abilities of the querent, exile or escape.

If you flip the Fool card, then the character seems to be already falling off the cliff. Now, the position of the Arcana indicates real stupidity. The querent stands in the face of danger, but does not even realize it. Directly, this was an uncharted ocean, but the reversed Jester card hints at a sea full of sharks. Trust turns into naivete, which everyone takes advantage of. The protagonist of the Jester Arcana is completely cut off from reality and lives in a fictional world of pipe dreams. That is why he does not notice the cliff right in front of his feet. In the reversed position, the Fool symbolizes an impending danger, a bunch of various problems. And the man himself is responsible for all this.

When the Fool fell out in the opposite form, then this is an indication of the short-sightedness of the questioner. There is no evil fate or fate here. The fortuneteller himself is to blame for his troubles. But seeing the true state of things is not so easy. The character of the reversed Fool card looks at the world through rose-colored glasses. He does not want to take responsibility and in every possible way avoids meeting with prosaic reality. The Jester in the opposite sense implies the inability to manifest itself, to declare oneself. This is a white crow that cannot fit into a respected society in any way.

Love and Relationships (Reversed)

Psychologically immature partner, afraid of responsibility.
Relationships without a future, fatigue from their other half.
Naivety, due to which the fortuneteller’s heart may suffer.
Acquaintance with a dangerous person or limbo.

In terms of love, the reversed Fool shows the unpreparedness of one of the partners for a serious step. The second half pushes him, but all this does not have a sustainable result. As a result, there is no equality and division of responsibilities in the pair. Only one of the lovers takes on the whole burden. The second is an eternal child who does not want to put up with everyday problems. The Jester in the opposite sense does not promise a change in the situation. The current position will not lose its relevance in the near future.

For lonely people, the reversed Fool gives an extremely negative prediction. Because of his carelessness, the querent can attract problems. He will come across frivolous or even dangerous potential partners. Such people want to deceive the questioner and are certainly not aimed at pure and great love. The reversed Jester warns of the danger posed by new acquaintances. So, the querent can meet a swindler or a criminal who is wearing the mask of sincerely in love.

Career and Finance (Reversed)

Various schemes of fraud or fishing for money.
Shell companies, fake employees, deception of colleagues.
Poverty, lack of basic necessities, stability.
Empty dreams and talk about creating a profitable business.

In the context of the significator of activity, the reversed Fool shows methods of enrichment at the expense of naive people. These are all kinds of fraud schemes over the Internet or by phone. Often, pensioners or teenagers become victims of dishonest hands. This is the category that believes in "free cheese". In general, the reversed Jester symbolizes the lack of stability, wandering in the clouds. The querent can get a job and immediately quit after a couple of days. The position of the Jester card hints at inconstancy and lack of discipline.

The financial component of life in this case is very “lame”. The Fool in the opposite position personifies need, but at the same time – hope for others. Such a duet will definitely not lead to success. As long as the querent will rely on outside help, he will achieve nothing. The reversed Jester shows life at the expense of others, an irresponsible attitude to work and one’s own needs. Man hopes for something that will never happen.

Health and Spirit (Reversed)

Non-serious attitude to one’s health and refusal of treatment.
Inventing non-existent diseases, lack of dynamics.
Antics, unreasonable laughter are features of a mental illness.
Complete detachment from reality, the desire to hide in oneself.

If the Jester fell upside down in a health spread, then this is a bad sign. This position of the Fool card symbolizes the abuse of fatty foods, alcohol or medicines. The human body is contaminated. The querent may refuse surgery or prescribed treatment, which only leads to a deterioration in well-being. The reversed Jester also speaks of disappointing forecasts, may show injuries resulting from a fall. Sometimes he hints at hypochondria – self-diagnosis.

The mental state is unsatisfactory. The person may be mentally ill. If in upright form the Fool spoke of foolishness, now the reversed position indicates idiocy. A person turns into a real clown, a laughingstock in the eyes of others. Often, mentally ill people pass through this position of the Jester card. They live in their own world and will never return to reality. Such an attempt to escape from oneself may be dictated by severe psychological trauma, which still causes pain.

Situations and Questions (Reversed)

An attempt to shift responsibility onto other people.
The mask of a fool, behind which lies a deep trauma.
The illusion of a bright life and emptiness in the head and even the heart.
Superficial judgments, outright stupidity and nonsense.

In any spread, the reversed Fool indicates suspiciousness and short-sightedness. Man becomes the cause of his own problems. To find a prestigious job or meet a worthy partner, you do not need to rely on chance. The psychological crisis occurs because of the personality itself, or rather, its unwillingness to live. This fear is rooted in childhood, when parents forbade doing something and making decisions on their own. Therefore, the reversed Jester is just an echo of the past days. It whispers that the past has sunk into oblivion, but the querent himself has not yet recovered.

The Fool, in the opposite way, asks questions: “Why is it profitable for me to be a fool?” and “How to stop living dreams?”. A person needs to ask himself more often about the simplest things and thereby return to reality. The illusory world beckons with fabulous prospects, but here’s the problem – it’s just clouds that you can’t reach. The questioner is invited to design an airship and fly to his dream. Even the reversed Jester indicates that life is in the hands of the person himself.

Spirituality and Karma (Reversed)

Superficial attitude to religion, spiritual knowledge.
Mediocrity who fancies himself a great teacher.
Being stuck in your past and refusing to live with the trauma.
Denial of the problem, suspension or fear of choice.

In the context of spirituality, the reversed Fool is revealed as the very beginning of the path. This is a child who is not at all ready for difficulties and limitations. He lives in a fantasy world that he heard about from his parents. Reality, on the other hand, seems to be a wonderful place in which happiness is sure to be found for the questioner. However, the Jester in the opposite position speaks of an incorrectly chosen path or method of cognition. A person is not ready to go to the next level, and therefore stands on the threshold of danger. New knowledge can simply drive you crazy.

From the point of view of karma, the reversed Fool hints at an unlived childhood, and therefore getting stuck in it. The querent needs to drink this cup to the bottom in order to move forward. It is also possible that the parents did not want the baby to be born. All this leaves an indelible mark on the soul of a future adult. Such injuries are worked out with the help of regressive hypnosis, immersion of the personality in the perinatal period. The reversed Jester can also talk about problems in past lives. Painful situations must be lived to the end in order to forever let go of the soul of the querent.

The Fool as a Significator of a Person

The fallen Fool, like all Major Arcana, can show specific people. In its direct form, the card personifies great actors who are able to skillfully transform. These are also famous comedians, circus artists. Such personalities are able to surprise and inspire. The character of the card walks along the edge of the abyss, like an acrobat on a tightrope under the very dome of the tent. James Thierre, Prince Randian and Pencil are big names and nicknames that hide natural talents. The Jester is the ability to create intrigue and give the viewer a bright, unforgettable show.

If the card lay upside down, then the Fool shows real madmen. These are the same people, because of whose silence other people’s destinies collapse. And even if there is no direct participation in the situation, but silent consent is worse than a resounding “yes”. A similar plot of spiritual degradation underlies the film Mephisto by Istvan Szabo, based on the novel of the same name by Klaus Mann in 1981. The Jester in the opposite form also falls on mentally ill individuals. There are also children and adults with autism. Their body is in the real world, but their mind is somewhere far away from here.

The Fool: Combination with other Tarot Cards

Advice and Warning of the The Fool Card

If the Fool fell out upright, then the card advises to exhale and do nothing. The situation should resolve itself, without the intervention of the querent. It’s best to relax and have a good laugh. Even if the questioner has feelings about something, then they are all in vain. As a warning, the Jester hints at the danger of moving forward and acting swiftly. All attempts to take control of the situation will only aggravate the situation. If you take on too much, you can collapse under the weight of responsibility. Therefore, it is best to leave everything as it is and not accept the role of a hero who can save the whole world.

The reversed Fool advises to put on a fool’s mask, even if the querent understands the situation better than others. It is necessary to throw off all responsibility and not allow others to manipulate. It is worth abandoning any actions and plans altogether. The plan will not come true, so waiting is meaningless. As a warning, the Jester, in the opposite form, speaks of the danger of fulfilling one’s desires. The goal may well be achieved, but it will bring with it disappointment and emptiness. Therefore, it is better to do nothing at all and abandon your plans.

The Fool: Daily Card Meaning

As a card of the day, the Fool promises rest. The querent will feel freedom and inspiration. It will seem to him that the whole world exists for the happiness of every person. This is a certain confidence in a positive outcome, recklessness, bordering on genius. Often, the Jester card shows a day off, the beginning of a vacation. The questioner has no urgent business or responsibility. Also, today there may be a desire to quit something, to retire. The individual needs rest to restore mental and physical health. The Fool can also show going to the circus or watching a comedy movie. This day will make you smile.

When reversed, the Fool hints at the approach of danger. Today you can get an offer of "profitable" cooperation. But all this is just a bluff. People around will want to take advantage of the naivete of the questioner, and then leave it to the mercy of fate. Also, the reversed Jester can show a conversation with a narrow-minded person. These are the type of people who make the interlocutor feel tired in five minutes. Moreover, this quality does not depend on age. Moreover, the position of the Major Arcana Jester can promise some kind of loss – both materially and mentally.