What better place to start than with the card of infinite possibility? The first card of the major arcana is numbered zero, but really it should be numbered ∞. “Zero” implies static nothingness. The Fool archetype is exactly the opposite: dynamic and full of limitless potential.
Learning the practice of Tarot often starts with learning the card archetypes. When I say “archetype” I mean a generic abstraction of the idea symbolised by the card. As an example, here is one definition of the generic meaning of The Fool archetype:
“The Fool represents new beginnings, having faith in the future, being inexperienced, not knowing what to expect, having beginner’s luck, improvisation and believing in the universe.” – Wikipedia
Sometimes, unfortunately, the beginner is presented with a list of predictive meanings instead of abstract ideas. I say “unfortunately” because such an approach causes the Tarot to be caricatured as just a fortune-telling gimmick in the eyes of the world. Here is an especially bad example of The Fool being interpreted predictively:
“The Fool is a good omen if you’re single and want a relationship. It can predict that you will be swept up by someone who is exciting and carefree. They will be fun to be around and the relationship will feel like an adventure. The Fool is not desirable if you’re looking for something more serious. This card can represent someone with a childish predisposition coming into your life.” – Divination and Fortune Telling by Lisa Boswell
A list of interpretive keywords is a good starting place, but the real excitement starts when the archetype is physically embodied in a graphic on a piece of cardboard. That’s when the card transforms itself into your own, personal, intimate guide, with a message that is perfect for just you, just here, just now.
That’s exactly the experience that I head when I read one particular card in December 2015. I am going to share that experience in this blog, in the hope that you will share my sense of wonder at how one card unfolded in my imagination into a moment of profound insight that a whole book could not have imparted. The card was The Fool, of course, but in a guise specific to the Tarot deck that he came from. In my next post I will tell you all about him.
Infinity Tarot 