"If you think you can, you can: if you think you can't, you're right."

As The Fool's wallet, his bag of tricks, has been discussed, let me begin with that symbology. The bag that contains all the esoteric Fool needs to know, understand, and take action on as he progresses on his journey is a feminine symbol; it encloses, shields and protects. The staff to which The Fool's bag of tricks is tied is a masculine symbol, representing power, weaponry, and support. The two symbols together are a sexual symbol and can be said to be the precursor of the breech and the healing of the breech between male and female in card number 6, The Lovers.

Not only does The Fools Bag of Tricks contain all he will need for his journey; it contains all that has transpired before this journey began: his memories.

In his left hand, The Fool holds a perfect red rose representing passion. As is the passion in The Lovers card, The Fools passion is all encompassing, adventure, learning, acquiring skill, developing talents, life... However, passion can push The Fool, pull The Fool, and cause him to act not only unpredictably, but also irrationally. It is when passion is controlled and focused that The Fool is transported to understand his base nature and to begin to know who he is.

The Fool gazes into the unknown; the unknown and the unshaped future, where passion can be expanded and expended. The undaunted courage to journey into the unknown is what makes it possible for the unexpected, the extraordinary, the phenomenal, and the sensational to happen. Astrologically, the planet most often associated with The Fool is Uranus, an erratic and nonconforming planet that is allied with human spirit of adventure, a fitting correspondence.

The Fool's clothing symbolizes personality. Is The Fool his personality? Or is personality the illusion of who The Fool is, of who we are?

The Fool's outer garment is patterned with the entire cosmos, the symbols of the Tree of Life are found here, as well as the esoteric keys to knowledge. The lighter colored undergarment symbolized consciousness and light, the red lining represents desire and passion, the dark background of the tunic represents the physical world. His brown leggings symbolize the protection offered by the Earth, his gray boots the benign indifference of the base nature of the human body.

The feather in The Fool's headdress symbolizes folly. The brilliant Sun behind him is symbolic of the power of the intellect. The mountains to his right are said by Cabalist to represent the Great Work. Hermeticists say it depicts the Alchemical Transformation of Matter. Whatever we choose to call it, the purpose remains unchanged: to remind us that active participation in our spiritual evolution is where we will find our joy, our bliss.

The canine companion to the occult Fool echoes this message. The dog is referred to as the spiritualized ego or the spiritualized intellect, a boon companion. And, oh yes, about that cliff? Nothing is going to happen to The Fool. He is, after all, going around in a circle...

Happy Hardy

Happy@hpymed.net