The Fool’s Folly: A Look at the Impact of Major Arcana Card Zero
Interpreting tarot cards can be intimidating at first. The cards have their individual meanings, energies, symbols, and it’s easy enough to get a feel for the cards one by one. Putting them altogether and understanding the universe’s unique response to every unique inquiry? A challenge if ever there was one—especially as a beginner.
As with all things tarot, however, a little practice goes a long way. Today, I am focusing on The Fool, and to demonstrate Major Arcana Card Zero’s impact, I share four different spreads below. Each one is what I’d consider a “general energy reading,” which means that the cards come together to tell an overarching story about what might be going on for an individual or group. These spreads are not answering a specific question.
In each example, I detail what The Fool represents within the context of itself and the other cards. The sections are written as if I were reading these cards especially for you 😉. This blog post was written in conjunction with the 26-week tarot newsletter series, and it will make a lot more sense if you’re receiving the emails. Not signed up yet? Add your name to the list here.
One final note: Although The Fool is almost always depicted as a man and is described in most deck booklets as a “he”, I prefer to use “they/theirs” pronouns. Why? Well, with most cards in the major arcana, the guides are male or female to symbolically denote either masculine or feminine energy. The Fool, however, is a new soul, one that has not yet been influenced by either energy. Along their adventure through the Major Arcana, The Fool will receive counsel from both energies, eventually finding the balance and neutrality needed for enlightenment at the journey’s end.
Without further ado, let’s dive in…
Spread 1: Go Back to Basics
In the upright position, The Fool is a source of bold and enthusiastic childlike wonder. The Fool is unencumbered. As a brand-new soul, The Fool is at the beginning of their epic journey through this adventure we call life.
The Nine of Swords in reverse indicates that you’re waking up to the fact that imagined misery is halting forward progress. Things may feel miserable, but this is not the reality of the situation. Nevertheless, such feelings have prevented forward movement. The Ace of Swords in reverse confirms this. A powerful card of new beginnings in its upright orientation, the Ace’s energy is being thwarted by overthinking and a lack of clarity. The King of Coins in reverse adds to the inner conflict by interjecting feelings of instability, insufficient access to resources and an overall sense of not having enough of what’s needed to progress.
In this spread, The Fool offers a solution to all that ails you: Reject the past and begin anew. Progress will result from a culmination of seeing the world with fresh eyes, taking a leap of faith and giving yourself permission to be curious. Go back to basics. It is from this place that your journey can truly begin.
Spread 2: Impatience is the Source of Struggle
In the reversed position, The Fool is a misguided and ignorant soul, resistant to the counsel of wiser guides. This Fool is reckless and naïve, careless and uncommitted. Instead of being open to what the world has to offer, The Fool prefers to wander blindly caring little about the peril that awaits.
The Hermit is a call to go within. If The Fool is a new soul, The Hermit is very old. This wary man has seen many things in this lifetime. He knows the harshness of a cold winter and the fiery anger of war. The lessons he’s learned from his worldly experiences have taught him to seek comfort within. The Five of Cups indicates that there’s some crying over split milk, a feeling that you’re not content to meet the challenges that have led to inner turmoil. Temperance in reverse is a sign that all is not balanced. Impatience has limited your ability to travel inward and get to the heart of the matter.
The reversed Fool tells us that you’ve opted to ignore the wisdom from those in your world. Any advice The Fool receives in this state will fall on deaf ears, causing exasperation and irritability—the proverbial spilt milk is revealed. Now is the time to stop struggling against these feelings. Instead, commit to the energy of The Hermit. If the struggle is within, the solution will be, too. An open heart can overcome a closed mind.
Spread 3: Surrender to New Opportunities
Do you ever get the feeling like the ability to invite, nourish and grow new opportunities would be seamless if it weren’t for a shitty mindset? This spread is a physical manifestation of that vibe. The Ten of Swords tells us that the only way to move forward by accepting what is, surrendering to all that could be.
The Eight of Wands indicates that relinquishing a firm grip on the desired outcome will lead to brighter horizons. Something in the distance is much more appealing than what you’re imagining. After all, you cannot settle for the good and also embrace the greatness ahead. You must let go. The Fool is happy to support this endeavor. Completely free from the past and unexpectant of the future, The Fool greets each new opportunity with the awe of a newborn babe and encourages others to do the same.
With all this abundance within reach, what could possibly go wrong? The angsty Knight of Cups. In reverse, his energy is that of an overly emotional and completely irrational teen. He’d much rather sit in the rain and pout than explore his hang-ups. His moodiness holds him back. But what is nourished will grow. The Empress brings her Mother-Earth energy to support your wildest dreams. Don’t allow emotions to get the better of the situation. Harness the full force of your efforts and direct that energy to guide the journey ahead.
Spread 4: The Choice Between Murder and Blindness
A necessary death is upon you, and you’ve been ignoring it in the hopes that it will disappear. Not so, dear friend. You’re merely prolonging the agony. It’s time to cut ties and cut bait. You gave it the old college try, but now all that you have left is a dead-eyed horse you’ve been carrying around for no reason at all. Florence Welch would have buried it in the ground already.
This is the reason for your feelings of disconnect and frustration. The reversed Two of Cups is an indicator that things feel out of whack. The Fool says your willingness to keep your head buried in the sand is becoming a problem. You can’t continue to ignore the universe’s wisdom and simultaneously feel at one with its forces. Kill what needs to die and return to the flow.
The reversed Page of Cups supports The Fool’s message. She is similar to The Fool in many ways. A child with a lot of curiosity and emotional awareness, she feels lost when she cannot explore. Her orientation indicates that you’ve stopped seeing a situation with clarity because your emotions cloud your view. The longer you hang onto this situation, the longer you remain blind. The Two of Cups depicts a woman in exactly this predicament. With covered eyes and restricted arms, she stands in the wake, attempting to make an informed choice. Your choice is easy: Release the dead weight and thrive.