Stepping into the Adventure of Life as the Fool by Christine Danielle Vierling
Before I begin to share the meanings of the individual cards, I would like to add a few general comments on the Tarot. The 22 Major Arcana begin with the Fool (0) and complete with The World (21). The “0” which marks the Fool is a conception point whereby the energy-form is more spirit than matter, like a fetus. From this starting point, you embark on a journey of self-discovery, and encounter many transformative energies and experiences before you arrive at The World, a state of being whereby you go beyond the self and may completely merge with Existence as a Whole. At every stage of the journey, you may take the high road or you may slip into the shadows and lose your way. The cards serve as symbolic signposts that can help you to find the path to Wholeness and warn you of the pitfalls along the way. Call me a “Fool” but I always choose to embrace the positive signs in the cards and though I’m highly aware of the shadows, I consciously steer clear of them. As such, you won’t find me writing about the “reverse” meanings of the Tarot cards. For example, I recognize the “Fool” as a “free spirit” rather than a traditional representation of satire and strategic mockery.
Law 0 – (The Fool/All Elements): Know that you are born neither good nor bad. Celebrate your existence and a world of possibility is open to you.
When you are a baby everything is possible and good. The world is magical and captivating everywhere you look, from your mother’s nose to the shadows on the wall. Life is an adventure. You move forward without a worry in the world or fear of what lies ahead. My 10 month old would crawl right off the edge of bed with no regard for the bumps and bruises to come if I did not catch her. Like the fool pictured in the classic 19th century Rider Waite Tarot, a child steps into danger or disobeys only because the consequences of actions are not understood. Despite the dangers, only such seemingly foolish abandon can allow you to step into a world where everything is possible.
When it comes to the children in your path, whether they are your own or not, don’t judge them too harshly for they only mirror what they have witnessed. If you believe in bad apples, then you must look to the tree from which they have fallen. Whatever so-called bad behavior they exhibit they probably modeled after the familiar people in their daily lives. So do your best to show them your best. Let the life of the child stay magical.
When I was a girl, my imaginative dream world inexplicitly dovetailed with my daily life. Everyday was an adventure. I encountered gorillas in our backyard, communicated with extra-terrestrials, became a vampire-slayer and witnessed ghosts flying down the corridor in our Victorian flat, danced with buffoons in the San Francisco Opera House, played with an invisible girl named Ginger and received gifts from fairies in the garden next door, sun-danced with Indians, and tamed live ladybugs so that they would never fly away. Some of these experiences happened to me with open eyes and others were witnessed with my inner sight, or Third Eye some might say, but in all cases I was fully lucid and awake. Fortunately, my parents did not belittle or judge me for sharing these magical experiences with them, but rather they encouraged my ability to cross easily between seen and unseen worlds. The recent children’s films, Bridge to Terabitha and The Spiderwick Chronicles, capture the agility children have in leaping between parallel worlds. The challenge is to retain this child-like openness as you cross-over into the world of adults. Luckily for me, I have Moon in Leo (Genevieve can tell you if you have something similar) which allows me to naturally embody and encourage such childlike qualities in others, even at 42 years.
A child lives in the moment with no concern of the future and embraces whatever object of wonder is in the path without hesitation. The sensual pleasure of eating is one simple way you can savor the present moment. Your heart can be awakened to love through the sensuality and sheer magic of food in Lauriel Esquivel’sLike Water for Chocolate or Joanne Harrison’s Chocolat. There is something enticing and wonderfully magical about Grandmas and the food they give to us as children. Though my Grandma was not an exceptional cook, she awakened my senses with her orchard peaches (I can still picture her lithe figure climbing up into the fragrant branches while she picked the choicest ones for me and my brother), or her treating us to fresh chocolate milk served in glass bottles from the local creamery. Such sensual experiences can further reinforce your belief in the magic of life. Carpe diem!
Pick up a deck of Inner Child cards by Isha Lerner to inspire the child-like spirit in yourself.
In my next posting, I hope to enchant you with a visit to the Magician.
Before I begin to share the meanings of the individual cards, I would like to add a few general comments on the Tarot. The 22 Major Arcana begin with the Fool (0) and complete with The World (21). The “0” which marks the Fool is a conception point whereby the energy-form is more spirit than matter, like a fetus. From this starting point, you embark on a journey of self-discovery, and encounter many transformative energies and experiences before you arrive at The World, a state of being whereby you go beyond the self and may completely merge with Existence as a Whole. At every stage of the journey, you may take the high road or you may slip into the shadows and lose your way. The cards serve as symbolic signposts that can help you to find the path to Wholeness and warn you of the pitfalls along the way. Call me a “Fool” but I always choose to embrace the positive signs in the cards and though I’m highly aware of the shadows, I consciously steer clear of them. As such, you won’t find me writing about the “reverse” meanings of the Tarot cards. For example, I recognize the “Fool” as a “free spirit” rather than a traditional representation of satire and strategic mockery.
Law 0 – (The Fool/All Elements): Know that you are born neither good nor bad. Celebrate your existence and a world of possibility is open to you.
When you are a baby everything is possible and good. The world is magical and captivating everywhere you look, from your mother’s nose to the shadows on the wall. Life is an adventure. You move forward without a worry in the world or fear of what lies ahead. My 10 month old would crawl right off the edge of bed with no regard for the bumps and bruises to come if I did not catch her. Like the fool pictured in the classic 19th century Rider Waite Tarot, a child steps into danger or disobeys only because the consequences of actions are not understood. Despite the dangers, only such seemingly foolish abandon can allow you to step into a world where everything is possible.
When it comes to the children in your path, whether they are your own or not, don’t judge them too harshly for they only mirror what they have witnessed. If you believe in bad apples, then you must look to the tree from which they have fallen. Whatever so-called bad behavior they exhibit they probably modeled after the familiar people in their daily lives. So do your best to show them your best. Let the life of the child stay magical.
When I was a girl, my imaginative dream world inexplicitly dovetailed with my daily life. Everyday was an adventure. I encountered gorillas in our backyard, communicated with extra-terrestrials, became a vampire-slayer and witnessed ghosts flying down the corridor in our Victorian flat, danced with buffoons in the San Francisco Opera House, played with an invisible girl named Ginger and received gifts from fairies in the garden next door, sun-danced with Indians, and tamed live ladybugs so that they would never fly away. Some of these experiences happened to me with open eyes and others were witnessed with my inner sight, or Third Eye some might say, but in all cases I was fully lucid and awake. Fortunately, my parents did not belittle or judge me for sharing these magical experiences with them, but rather they encouraged my ability to cross easily between seen and unseen worlds. The recent children’s films, Bridge to Terabitha and The Spiderwick Chronicles, capture the agility children have in leaping between parallel worlds. The challenge is to retain this child-like openness as you cross-over into the world of adults. Luckily for me, I have Moon in Leo (Genevieve can tell you if you have something similar) which allows me to naturally embody and encourage such childlike qualities in others, even at 42 years.
A child lives in the moment with no concern of the future and embraces whatever object of wonder is in the path without hesitation. The sensual pleasure of eating is one simple way you can savor the present moment. Your heart can be awakened to love through the sensuality and sheer magic of food in Lauriel Esquivel’sLike Water for Chocolate or Joanne Harrison’s Chocolat. There is something enticing and wonderfully magical about Grandmas and the food they give to us as children. Though my Grandma was not an exceptional cook, she awakened my senses with her orchard peaches (I can still picture her lithe figure climbing up into the fragrant branches while she picked the choicest ones for me and my brother), or her treating us to fresh chocolate milk served in glass bottles from the local creamery. Such sensual experiences can further reinforce your belief in the magic of life. Carpe diem!
Pick up a deck of Inner Child cards by Isha Lerner to inspire the child-like spirit in yourself.
In my next posting, I hope to enchant you with a visit to the Magician.
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