in a Peter Pan state of mind 🪶
// this is an archived post from April 7th, 2023 from a previous website hosting service //
The Fool is, visually, one of the most identifiable tarot cards to those unfamiliar with the arcana. (next to Death, The Lovers, and The Hanged Man)
to learn about what The Fool represents and how we can interpret it, let's first look at the imagery on the card itself.
you can see The Fool is wearing a fancy dress and a cap with a red feather. they're carrying a knapsack with all their earthly belongings. they hold a white rose in one hand and walk toward the edge of a cliff with a white dog trailing at their feet. there are snowcapped mountains in the bright yellow background and the sun is shining.
let's start here.
the red feather represents power, passion, and freedom.
the white rose represents purity, freshness (or newness), and romanticism.
some say the white dog is a guide, since the figure in the card isn't looking where they're going and some have interpreted The Fool to be blind. (this can be accentuated in artworks of different decks)
the white dog can also be interpreted as a symbol of a carefree spirit and, again, purity.
the action of the step shows us that something is beginning.
the yellow sky portrays a happy mood and the white sun is encouraging as well.
the mountains in the background show us that the journey may not be easy, and in fact it'll be quite the climb.
you can also look to the number of this major arcana - zero. the number zero represents "complete freedom from limitations, … potential and choice." generally in numerology, zero represents boundless potential and is a good sign for new beginnings and projects.
The Fool is also connected to the astrological sign of Aquarius and, therefore, also the planet Uranus. ♒ these two things are all about spontaneity, innovation, and (practical) daydreams, which fits exactly with The Fool's themes of new beginnings and endless possibilities.
throughout the major arcana, we go on what's commonly called "The Fool's Journey." obviously, The Fool is the first step. it's the beginning; the blind optimism we have for the future which can nearly send us off a cliff if we're not careful.
so what does it mean when we see The Fool in a reading?
keyword & phrases: newness/being "green," new beginnings, (blind) optimism, adventure, innocence, clear conscience, freedom, joie de vivre
there's a lot of things The Fool can mean because, of course, it can depend on the cards surrounding it in a spread. we'll look at some examples later.
The Fool on its own can simply say, "the universe has your back and you're on the right track with whatever you're ready to start - but that doesn't mean you shouldn't look before you leap."
in The Way of The Tarot by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Marianne Costa, they provide an alternative take: The Fool "[allows] yourself to let go of logic & trust intuition." they also used a phrase to associate with The Fool that I loved, which is: "All paths are my path."
this phrase ties back to something Benebell Wen attributed to The Fool in her book, Holistic Tarot. The Fool has a "Peter Pan mentality."
have you heard of Peter Pan syndrome? I think this can explain The Fool, or perhaps the "unevolved" Fool. Peter Pan syndrome entails a carefree attitude that leads to avoidance of responsibility, impulsive behavior, avoidance of criticism, and reliance on others. personifications of the phrases "I don't wanna grow up," or "I can't adult today."
I think all these things can be attributed to The Fool reversal, which we'll talk about shortly. Peter Pan does have some (debatably) good qualities as well, going back to the "all paths are my path," quote. these qualities would be: adventurous, inspired, enthusiastic, optimistic, spontaneous, and full of energy.
what does it mean if The Fool is reversed?
keywords & phrases: being taken advantage of, blind optimism, vanity, disregard for consequence, impulsive...and obviously, foolish.
if you see The Fool reversed in your reading, it's time to reel it in a little. being optimistic is no crime, but when you're blind to any negative outcomes that might come from your actions (and willfully so), you gotta take a step back.
this blindness (remember the seeing-eye dog symbolism? 🤔) can lead to more distasteful folks taking advantage of your happy-go-lucky attitude for their own personal gain.
we just talked about Peter Pan syndrome. again, the reversal of The Fool is very much a childish kind of figure. someone who may choose to not take responsibility for their actions, or minimize any damage they've done with a disregard for others and their feelings. this same Peter Pan will ask you for a favor the following day.
sometimes it may be hard to hear this is the behavior you're unknowingly displaying, but no one said looking yourself in the mirror is always easy.
I will say that in my experience, more often than not, the Peter Pan mentality does not rear its head and the reversed Fool typically falls under those first two explanations. however, it still pops up and it's good to practice self-awareness.
different depictions of The Fool across decks
here's a photo of what The Fool looks like in a couple decks from my collection.
you can see the cliff imagery echoed in a lot of these illustrations, as well as an animal companion in some referring to the original white dog.
you may also notice that some illustrations opt for a jester-like appearance, or, in the case of Tarot Familiars, simply include a jester hat.
for me, my favorites are the Shadowscape Tarot & the Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot because they both capture the carefree nature of The Fool and also include a lot of the original imagery from the Rider-Waite Smith illustration.
how to read The Fool with other cards
here are some examples on how you could interpret some pairings with The Fool.
here we see The Fool paired with the reversed King of Swords. a reversal of this court card can translate to coldness, being too mercurial, or unempathetic.
pair it with The Fool, and what do you see? consider what you think & feel about the pairing before reading on.
for me, intuitively I feel as though The Fool is walking away from this mindset. it's as if The Fool could have come out reversed, portraying all the traits we discussed previously about such a reversal, but instead the seeker/tarot client/querent is optimistic about their ability to change and move forward into a more positive state of mind which will shine outward as progress is made.
in this pairing, we see The Fool & the King of Cups. this is a beautiful pairing. the King of Cups is a person or energy that is in control of their emotions, deeply feeling while maintaining rationality (not letting emotions take over), and a comforting presence.
how would you interpret this? consider what you think & feel about the pairing before reading on.
this is a great omen, if you ask me. this is a pull for someone who is in control and not likely to be taken advantage of. The Fool can often be found in such a situation where they're taken advantage of, but the King practices healthy boundary-setting. the seeker/tarot client/querent is starting something new with a full heart, confidence, and a grounded attitude.
lastly, here's The Fool with the Two of Wands. the Two of Wands is about planning & decision making. I like this illustration of the Two of Wands in particular because you see the figure holding a miniature version of the Earth in their hands, which opens up the card to more insightful interpretations.
how would you read this? consider what you think & feel about the pairing before reading on.
if I received this pairing for a client, I would explain that while being hopeful & optimistic isn't a bad thing, it's important to ground yourself. you have the whole world in your hands, but with many possibilities come many risks. I would tell the seeker/tarot Client/querent to tread carefully and frequently check in with themselves when they come to a fork in the road.
so, did you learn something new? let me know in the comments or in the community Discord what you thought, as well as what you'd like to see in the future, be it cards, discussion on the history of tarot, or whatever you may think of.
I hope this helped you on your tarot journey!
