The Fool — Tarot Card Meaning

Upright

Folly, mania, extravagance, intoxication, delirium, frenzy, bewrayment.

Reversed

Negligence, absence, distribution, carelessness, apathy, nullity, vanity.

Reflection

Light
Freeing yourself from limitation Expressing joy and youthful vigor Being open-minded Taking a leap of faith Attuning yourself to your instincts Being eager or curious Exploring your potential Embracing innovation and change

Shadow
Being gullible and naive Taking unnecessary risks Failing to be serious when required Being silly or distracted Lacking experience Failing to honor well-established traditions and limits Behaving inappropriately

Symbolism

With light step, as if earth and its trammels had little power to restrain him, a young man in gorgeous vestments pauses at the brink of a precipice among the great heights of the world; he surveys the blue distance before him-its expanse of sky rather than the prospect below. His act of eager walking is still indicated, though he is stationary at the given moment; his dog is still bounding. The edge which opens on the depth has no terror; it is as if angels were waiting to uphold him, if it came about that he leaped from the height. His countenance is full of intelligence and expectant dream. He has a rose in one hand and in the other a costly wand, from which depends over his right shoulder a wallet curiously embroidered. He is a prince of the other world on his travels through this one-all amidst the morning glory, in the keen air. The sun, which shines behind him, knows whence he came, whither he is going, and how he will return by another path after many days. He is the spirit in search of experience. Many symbols of the Instituted Mysteries are summarized in this card, which reverses, under high warrants, all the confusions that have preceded it.

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