Feast of Fools!

The day of all-fools. Fools rush in where wise man fear to tread, foolhardy, leap of faith...

The fool. The card has a flash image on it, but I like it because it adds to the radiance...the card of course is The Fool from the Rider-Waite deck. The Fool is the first and last of the trump cards, it's number is zero, the number that runs around to come back to itself.

Fool is not stupid. Fool is innocent, trusting, curious- the belief of the fool in their own luck protects them. In the image the fool is moving towards the cliff- will he step off, or turn, or pause, or fly or just continue on his way... it doesn't matter, for the fool knows that things work out for the best.

Fools are new growth, new journeys, new luck. They are blessed- as for the dog what does it mean? It is small and white and faithful, is it playing or warning or a fool itself? Is it faithfulness, fidelity, animal innocence, care, companionship...the fool is not alone in the world.

This is one of my favorite cards, a happy card, a good omen. I love my cards themselves- they are old and soft with wear, handed down, I am not sure of the date of mine- they are of early printings: the colors are bright, the images clean and crisp. Later versions have muted, faded colors- they don't sing with the brilliance of the early decks. The deck itself was created in the early 1900's, with printing dating from 1909. The production company was Rider, the artist was Smith, the scholar Waite. Waite was influenced by Elphinas Levi (a 19th century magician) and each specific thing in each image has symbolic meaning. Love them.

I learned to read them as a child- I read for any who will ask, if the time is right. I believe in them as intuitive tools- the symbols and meanings serve to unlock what we know spiritually, intuitively. I read for insight, not for prediction- rather like a psychological perspective. I used to read for money, but I don't enjoy doing that~ I think that it should be a gift freely given, and if anything is returned that is an unexpected pleasure.