My Hero Zero, The Card of The Fool

My interpretation here is based on the Universal Waite Tarot, which I

strongly recommend for beginning students of the tarot. Please note

which deck you are posting your interpretations from as we move

forward, and feel free to add your insights and interpretations! Let's

remember that the beauty of the tarot is that there are no "right" or

"wrong" interpretations, it is entirely individual.

The Fool, the Number Zero, the beginning (and the end). When I look at
The Fool, I think of optimism, naivety, carefree......The Fool strikes
me as infantile in his emotional understanding of the world around him
at times.

In my interpretations, I frequently take The Fool as new beginnings,
the absence of preconceived notions, a blank slate waiting to be
written upon. Based upon the position of the card in the spread, I
look at that area as a fresh start, openness to adventure and
experience.

The down side of The Fool to me is foolish behavior, selfish in nature,
like a child who wants immediate gratification and cares only about
accepting things on their own terms. As represented in the Universal
Waite deck he gives me the impression of having a cavalier attitude and
being a totally self-centered adult......he is unaware and unconcerned
about his surroundings and if he is not careful he may just wander
right off the end of the precipice he is approaching.

I find the number zero to be important here as well. Zero is
assoiciated with the element of air, and this card is ruled by the
planet Uranus, which also rules the sign of Aquarius. For this card,
the elemental influence of air seems to create a vaccuum, the vaccuum
can either pull knowledge and experience in, or remain in suspended
animation in the self-centered hedonism of the card. If The Fool
remains inattentive he is headed to self-destruct, if The Fool IS
attentive, he can learn all that the elements of Fire, Water, Earth and
Air (depicted by the sun, the wand, the water and the flower in his
hand on this card) have to teach him.

The attire and color scheme of The Fool is important to his message as
well. The red feather in his hat (red for fire, feather for air),
showing a consciousness that is willing to analyze and take
action....the cloak, which if you look very closely, bears a red heart
embedded in the pattern printed over his chest, his heart is
open.........the white dog, is he playing along with The Fool, or is he
trying to warn him that he is approaching a cliff and to watch his
footing??? He wears a white tunic under his many-colored cloak, white
representing purity and innocence, can the innocence of The Fool help
your querent, or is the innocence just a form of being naive?

*This is actually a brief excerpt from my book "Uncloaking the Tarot"

copyright 2001, please feel free to add your impressions and

interpretations, as stated above, there are no right or wrong

interpretations as tarot reading is as individual as a thumbprint.