The Fool card symbolizes the birth after the big bang of the universe, possessing a huge force to drive forward. It represents not only disorder and chaos but also the embodiment of creativity, implying rich ideas and huge possibilities.
The Fool's Positive Orientation#
The Marseille Tarot has a universal interpretation method, where we can divide the card into two halves to understand the distribution of its energy. The right half represents positive energy, that is, active and proactive; the left half represents negative energy, that is, passive and receptive.
The Fool's shoes and the staff in his hand are both red, symbolizing active positivity. He is facing towards the right, moving in a positive direction, showing vitality and strength.
The red stick in The Fool's hand may symbolize the driving force for his progress, or it may be turning around without finding a landing point. The specific interpretation needs to be combined with the querent's situation. The yellow belt on The Fool's body and the four bells symbolize the four centers of human beings: the mental center, emotional center, sexual or creative energy center, and the material and physical energy center.
The Ego Drives the Soul Forward#
In the lower left corner, there is a light blue animal, symbolizing spirituality or higher consciousness. The animal's front paw is placed at the base of the person's spine, which is the position of the sacral chakra, symbolizing the opening of energy in Hinduism.
So, is this animal a guide dog? No. The fact that The Fool is facing the animal indicates that he knows his direction, and the animal behind him is more about propelling him forward.
The animal can symbolize the ego, while the person symbolizes the soul. The ego constantly drives the soul forward, but the soul knows where to go. The journey of life is not linear, and we will constantly face challenges from this animal, that is, the ego. The soul needs to overcome these challenges to grow.
Complete Openness and Dedication#
There is a light yellow moon on The Fool's head, symbolizing constantly receiving negative energy, while the orange part symbolizes consciousness, awareness, and intelligence. It is open upwards, like a container, presenting a state of complete openness.
On the left, there is a red crescent moon, symbolizing constantly taking action with positive energy. It is open downwards, with energy flowing towards the earth, indicating continuous dedication to others.
The Position of The Fool Represents the Direction of Energy Flow#
In practical interpretation, the position where The Fool card appears will affect its meaning.
When The Fool card appears to the left of other cards, it will energize the cards on the right.
For example, if the cards on the right are related to money, material, or energy, and the querent's question is whether to do something, the message conveyed by The Fool card is to go ahead, boldly move forward, you will have a rich reward, but of course, you also need to maintain a certain level of discernment during the process.
When The Fool appears to the right of other cards, it means The Fool will leave the scene represented by the cards on the left, symbolizing letting go, liberation, or a new beginning, very relaxed and free.
Therefore, when we draw The Fool card, the most crucial question to consider is, where should these energies be directed, which direction?
Positive and Negative Interpretations#
The Fool card also symbolizes the starting point of a spiritual journey, indicating liberation from the old state and entering a new state. This may bring confusion, making people wonder if they are crazy. It seems like acting without any restraint, but this is part of the journey of consciousness.
From a negative perspective, The Fool may represent madness, loss of discernment, blind obedience, guilt, etc., or being very stubborn but unwilling to reflect on oneself, unwilling to look back, and thus being stuck here.