The Fool's Journey
It is on the Trump cards we will be concentrating for the purpose of the Tarot Meditations. To me, they are a journey, the first eleven cards traveling in an outward path, coming full circle and then starting again in an inward path, coming full circle again to make a figure 8, or the sign of infinity.
The journey starts with the Fool, a baby in the world, innocent and not yet aware of our separateness. There is no number on the Fool card. Out of nothingness merges an embryonic identity, I feeling of ‘I am’. This leads to the awareness of the Magician, the realization that we can manipulate all that surrounds us.
The Magician’s card is numbered 1, and he wields the tools of all he needs in order to both his limits and his purpose. When this stage of awareness is reached, we also become aware of other forces looming over us, The High Priestess (number 2), The Empress (number 3), The Emperor (number 4), The High Priest (number 5), and The Pope (number 6). These bring to us the powerful energies of male and female sexual energy, and the awareness that things can be of spiritual and material natures.
Card number 6 The Lovers carries with it a fledgling feeling of stretching the wings from the home and taking responsibility for our own choices. The Chariot (card number 7) picks up this momentum of the decisions in a vehicle of their own making. We have created an identity but where are we going? Isn’t there something more we should know?
Justice (card number 8) invites us to examine things, and we begin to feel that maybe so far our growth has been a bit self-centered. We put ourselves into a position of finding our own fulfillment by examining the feelings that Justice revealed to us with The Hermit (card number 9). Just as we set out to be a part of the physical world in finding our physical identity, we now set forth to do the same in the spiritual world.
The Magician’s card is numbered 1, and he wields the tools of all he needs in order to both his limits and his purpose. When this stage of awareness is reached, we also become aware of other forces looming over us, The High Priestess (number 2), The Empress (number 3), The Emperor (number 4), The High Priest (number 5), and The Pope (number 6). These bring to us the powerful energies of male and female sexual energy, and the awareness that things can be of spiritual and material natures.
Card number 6 The Lovers carries with it a fledgling feeling of stretching the wings from the home and taking responsibility for our own choices. The Chariot (card number 7) picks up this momentum of the decisions in a vehicle of their own making. We have created an identity but where are we going? Isn’t there something more we should know?
Justice (card number 8) invites us to examine things, and we begin to feel that maybe so far our growth has been a bit self-centered. We put ourselves into a position of finding our own fulfillment by examining the feelings that Justice revealed to us with The Hermit (card number 9). Just as we set out to be a part of the physical world in finding our physical identity, we now set forth to do the same in the spiritual world.
The Wheel of Fortune (card number 10) turns again, and a new voyage commences. The destination is unknown, but it is certain to take us to card number 11, Strength. Now it is possible to see ourselves clearly, and discern what we face. We understand that it is only by facing our fears can we conquer them. Thus, we place ourselves as The Hanged Man (card number 12) in a place of self sacrifice, willing to make whatever changes it takes in order to further our growth, and enter a place of Transformation (card number 13). Here we experience our first glimpse of how our old self is fading, and there is no grief from its passing. We are on the path, we understand we are grasping the lessons, and we come to Temperance (card number 14). Previous imbalances are beginning to be understood, and balanced once again. The challenges are not finished yet, though, for The Devil (card number 15) now enters unexpectedly to try to thwart our efforts.
We enter the storm around The Tower (card number 16) and see that we must unlearn much that which we once knew, because we are learning now of the powers within us. The Tower removes the obstacles onto which we are clinging, and assures us that we are no longer wandering without direction. It leads us to The Star (card number 17), a gentle guiding light towards our destination. There is one final challenge to undertake, one final adventure to experience, and we find that in card number 18 The Moon. Attractive and deceptive, The Moon teaches us teaches us that deceptive forces must be tested and understood as part of the lesson of faith. As sure as day follows night, The Sun (card number 19) surely follows The Moon.
In the light of The Sun we see our achievements and our victories, but the still the journey continues. We must let go of all of our separateness in order to fully experience ‘oneness’, and thus The Judgment (card number 20) comes our way. We learn to appreciate all things, and can see the perfection of wholeness, oneness with The World (card number 21). As The Wheel of Fortune turned for us previously, now The World also turns, back to the innocence of The Fool. One simple step, and the journey repeats itself in another dimension. One man’s ceiling is truly another mans floor, one man’s Kether is another man’s Malkuth…
We enter the storm around The Tower (card number 16) and see that we must unlearn much that which we once knew, because we are learning now of the powers within us. The Tower removes the obstacles onto which we are clinging, and assures us that we are no longer wandering without direction. It leads us to The Star (card number 17), a gentle guiding light towards our destination. There is one final challenge to undertake, one final adventure to experience, and we find that in card number 18 The Moon. Attractive and deceptive, The Moon teaches us teaches us that deceptive forces must be tested and understood as part of the lesson of faith. As sure as day follows night, The Sun (card number 19) surely follows The Moon.
In the light of The Sun we see our achievements and our victories, but the still the journey continues. We must let go of all of our separateness in order to fully experience ‘oneness’, and thus The Judgment (card number 20) comes our way. We learn to appreciate all things, and can see the perfection of wholeness, oneness with The World (card number 21). As The Wheel of Fortune turned for us previously, now The World also turns, back to the innocence of The Fool. One simple step, and the journey repeats itself in another dimension. One man’s ceiling is truly another mans floor, one man’s Kether is another man’s Malkuth…
"But back to what Tarot can do for us, I think it's a question similar to what higher education can do for us, or what exercise or a particular nutritional plan can do for us. The answer will differ for each person at least a little, sometimes a lot."~ Nevada