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The Fool
The Fool is the first card in the Major Arcana, and is given the number zero to indicate that it is the very beginning—before everything. Many people misinterpret the Fool, believing its message to signify absurdity or moronic behavior. On the contrary, the Fool is a symbol of the Creator, the “All That Is”, or however you envision deity. He symbolizes the trickster aspect of divinity: God’s sense of humor, if you will. The Fool seems to be stepping off a cliff to certain doom. He turns his face and eyes upward, not noticing the fate that awaits. In his satchel, he has what little he needs for his journey. His companion, a little white dog, runs along at his heels. The dog can be seen as humanity’s most extreme attitudes toward divinity: either seen as following blindly along, or lacking the firmness of belief necessary to take the step the Fool is about to make, and therefore, trying to hold him back.
The real message here is one of optimism. You must make a leap of faith, taking only the baggage that benefits you, with the ultimate trust that you will make it alright. The Fool encourages you to go beyond your boundaries, to work past your fears, and to believe that anything is possible.
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Illustrations and images from the Rider Tarot Deck reproduced by permission of U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT 06902 USA. Copyright © 1971, 1982 by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. The Rider Tarot Deck ® is a registered trademark of U.S. Games Systems, Inc. The world's largest source of tarot and cartomancy is U.S. Games Systems, Inc. A catalog may be obtained by contacting the company at 179 Ludlow Street, Stamford, CT 06902, Fax: 203-353-8431 or call 1-800-544-2637.
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