Tarot Explained: The Fool

The Fool is the first card of the tarot’s major arcana.

The first card of the tarot’s major arcana is The Fool. Emblazoned on a yellow card, a youthful figure tilts their head towards the sky as they take a step towards the edge of a cliff. The Fool is associated with the beginning of a new chapter, naivety and reckless behavior; this archetype also embodies innocence and curiosity.

Symbols & Characteristics

The Fool is associated with pale yellow, as well as the planet Uranus and the herb Ginseng. The musical note which corresponds to this tarot card is E. Although this is the first card of the tarot, numerically the Fool is represented by zero. Zero’s infinite shape features no end and no beginning, representing endless possibilities.

Classically, the Fool’s gender has been regarded as androgynous or neutral. This is alluded to in the Hebrew name for the Fool, Aleph, meaning ox, a neutered bull. The Fool wears a tunic and holds a wallet slung on a wand across their shoulder, signifying wealth in accumulated knowledge previous experience. The white rose they hold in their hand represents clarity of purpose On the jacket worn by the Fool are circles divided by eight; these are symbols of the rising sun of the Golden Dawn; this symbolized the precursor to an “everlasting day” of spiritual enlightenment. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was secret society dedicated to the occult, which Waite (of the Rider-Waite tarot) was a member of.

The white sun shining overhead represents the belief that actions are guided and directed from the divine. Balanced on the Fool’s head is a leafy crown celebrating the vitality and triumph of nature in all circumstances. The “Feather of Maat” waves from the crown, representing the Egyptian God of Truth and signifying that the divine is found in nature. The feather depicted is also a symbol of air, which this card represents. Sharp mountain peaks in the background warn of trials and tribulations to come.

Reading The Fool Upright

The Fool represents possibilities and whimsy. A pure sense of being resonates from this card; there is great beauty in the freedom of vulnerability when connecting to the divine. The Fool is associated with new beginnings, stepping into the unknown, and possibility, as well as folly, delirium, and unpreparedness. This archetype embodies innocence, curiosity and mania. Receiving this card in a reading may indicate that it is time for the querent to take a leap of faith and trust in the process.