Tarot Card of the Month - JANUARY

THE FOOL

0

Something new is starting, are you prepared? It’s ok if you are not. You are unlocking unlimited potential, but your innocence is revered. It’s windy where you are headed, keep your smile and believe in purpose.

Well.. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the month than with THE FOOL! Let’s talk about the presence of this elusive, innocent character. He likes to show himself to us when there is a new opportunity knocking on the door. There are quite a few cards in the deck that can represent new beginnings, but none as potent as card zero. The Fool has no number- he is seen as both first and last, acting as the default position of each cycle we go through in life. The card itself is joyous- take a minute to gaze at it. If you don’t have the card on hand, you can google the Rider-Waite card and look at it there. Let’s talk about the visual queues. The Fool is a young, handsome fellow.. His expression is aloof- he is holding a white rose of purity in his left hand and carrying his cloth sack in the other..packed and ready for his journey. He almost looks as if he is waltzing or skipping, and his loyal dog is by his side. His ornate and colorful tunic shows us that he is an expressive individual, and there is a plentiful amount of yellow- the color of joy, humor and mental stimulation. It is also the color of the Solar Plexus Chakra, where we tune into our gut instinct and personal power. I think the real juicy stuff lies in the landscape of this card. Check out the cliff and the mountains in the background- the jagged and cold nature of the mountains is in contrast to the rest of the warm scene lit by The Sun. This hints at those inevitable obstacles that we experience in every personal journey. The cliff in the foreground is obviously not an ideal place to start a quest..one might think.

The Fool is blissfully unaware that he may fall off this cliff as he continues to skip into his journey. Naivety is the key to this card. A new, fresh start can be spontaneous, out of character, slightly unplanned for or a total experiment. When we fall off that cliff, we have a choice to imagine ourselves plummeting to our deaths, or landing smack dab in the middle of a new pathway.. A little scraped up but no broken bones. Let’s focus on the latter.

Now that we have absorbed the imagery and set the scene- let’s get into what this might mean for you. This month we have the opportunity to grab hold of our inner Fool. The energy of this card is perfect for Gemini season, especially during the New Moon! The opportunities that pop up around you this month may be in disguise ..so open your mind up to the possibility of diving into something that is not in your wheelhouse. This is prime time to explore a new route or try something that has always interested you but had you feeling intimidated or scared in the past. The Fool is comfortable with any and all possible outcomes.. Can you imagine what we could accomplish with that mindset? When The Fool skips into our lives, we may also experience a sudden change that sparks the new beginning I keep referring to. The Fool is associated with the planet Uranus, who loves to break patterns and keep things rebellious. Now is a good time to examine what stifles us or gives us knee-jerk reactions. Whether we like it or not, we can’t always be prepared for new beginnings- sometimes we just have to hold our breath and dive off the cliff. With that being said, let’s not forget The Fool’s dog who is right by his side. This represents protection, and reminds us that we will always have the warm hand of our guides on our back when we need it. So this month, let’s get experimental, light hearted and loose!

What new path are you headed down? If you need some aid in this, you can always pay a visit to The Fool in meditation and ask for some guidance. This is a wonderful technique I learned in Tarot school. Close your eyes and breath into the scene, imagine the rectangular frame of the card becoming a door. Open it and step into the card. What do you smell? Feel? Hear? What are you wearing? How do you feel when you approach him? Does he speak to you? If you feel inclined, ask him questions or just chat. You could pet the dog, gaze at the mountains, lay in the Sun.. follow your instinct. Let yourself experience The Fool first hand, and write down any observations when you awake. There may be a hidden clue in there for you to figure out!

THE FOOL

Astro Ruler: Uranus

Element: Air

Number: 0 - Potential, elusive, vast

Stone: Turquoise, Tourmaline, Aventurine

Your tools: Naivety, joy, bravery, curiosity

Have you ever listened to the song Embryonic Journey by Jefferson Airplane? It’s a gorgeous tune from their 1967 album, Surrealistic Pillow. I think it’s an absolute perfect fit for The Fool’s energy. Set the scene and really melt into this song.

With love and encouragement,

Tate