THE FOOL – OVERALL MEANING
The Fool is your inner child. It signifies a new beginning, a leap of faith, a spontaneous drive for something new. But it also comes with good heart, fairness and open mind.
It is about simple joys in life, a period when you, like a child, are astonished and amazed by the world around you, with no expectations or judgement.
Of course, on the flipside, this can mean immature behaviour with all its shades, such as being naïve, irresponsible and careless.
But it certainly doesn’t have to be all that. It can simply mean a person finally reaching a stage or temperance, when they live a simple life, enjoying and appreciating what they have. And this is not something easily accepted by many in today’s society, as we are a generation of those who always want more.
In any case, the Fool lives in the present, having a very vague plan for tomorrow and no plan at all beyond. It is an honest, open person, who is ready for a change, who will meet you at 5am to go on an unexpected road trip, will sing with you in the car and you will enjoy every minute of their company. But tomorrow, they already might be boarding a plane to move to a different country.
To judge which qualities the Fool card brings to a spread, you will need to look at neighbouring cards and overall picture.
The Fool always predicts something new in your life that, at times, can create a temporary chaos. It usually is not a sign of danger, unless comes up in a pair with cards like the Devil or Tower.
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THE FOOL – CONSCIOUSNESS
Fool brings in the element of surprise that, according to Plato, is a beginning of conscious development and growth. Once again, it can be as much of a devil may care type of behaviour as a realization that most things in life are not worth your time and energy. In the latter case, it teaches you to stop creating a problem when there is none and learn to consolidate your resources and spend them on what is truly worth it. But despite the fact that the Fool Arcana is associated with the higher consciousness, not every Fool is a wise man.
THE FOOL – WORK & CAREER
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The Fool predicts that you will step on a new path with regards to your work or career, perhaps by starting to work in the area you are not yet professional at. At times and depending on the surrounding cards, the Fool can symbolize lack of concrete plans and goals, irresponsible behaviour, mistakes and rule breaking.
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THE FOOL – LOVE & RELATIONSHIP
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The Fool is not a relationship card on its own. While it can symbolize the beginning of a new relationship, it is quite alarming to receive this card if you are inquiring about serious matters and future plans. The reason for that is because the Fool lack stability. It can predict frivolity and irresponsibility that would lead to the relationship falling apart. However, the Fool is usually NOT a cheater or liar.
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Nevertheless, if you are starting a new relationship, the Fool is the sign of a union of two cheerful and generally happy people that enjoy having fun. They will have a good time and every day discover something new in each other.
The Fool can mean an unexpected pregnancy, at times, due to a reckless behavour.
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THE FOOL – HEALTH
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Usually, when it comes to health questions, the Fool speaks of good energy and stamina. Having said that, the Fool describes a person that is quite negligent towards their health and does not take any signs and symptoms seriously. The good thing is that usually there are no consequences for this negligence.
In a combination with negative cards, the Fool speaks of serious psychological problems and distress that can lead to breakdowns, alcohol and drug dependencies.
THE FOOL - MAJOR ARCANA COMBINATIONS
The Magician - The Fool: madness, strange ideas
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The High Priestess -The Fool: not enough knowledge or information
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The Empress -The Fool: unexpected pregnancy, spike of creativity
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The Emperor - The Fool: new order or boss, unpredictable intentions of a man, end of anarchy
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The Hierophant - The Fool: search that leads to understanding of yourself and your moral principles
The Lovers - The Fool: a choice that leads to a new beginning or relationship, change of partner, a wrong choice
The Chariot - The Fool: uncontrollable situation, search for independency, escape from toxic or abusive behaviour
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Strength - The Fool: need to tame your impulses and control yourself
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The Hermit - The Fool: search or fight that leads nowhere
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The Wheel of Fortune - The Fool: sudden change, Fool's luck, new cycle, a one-time chance or
opportunity
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Justice - The Fool: issues with the law, new law passed, adoption, legal mistake, not doing due diligence
The Hanged Man - The Fool: a mistake, spontaneous move or irrational behaviour that will lead to stagnation, trap or trauma
Death - The Fool: shuttering news, sudden changes, opportunity for transformation
Temperance - The Fool: a chance for peace, things coming together at last, new friend, blessing
The Devil - The Fool: dangerous situation that leads into a trap, a risk that will bring misfortune, lies and manipulation
The Tower - The Fool: destruction of the past, end of illusions, harsh reality
The Star - The Fool: innocence and purity, epiphany, freedom and independence
The Moon - The Fool: drug and substance abuse, anxiety and panic attacks, witchcraft and occultism (often amateur), lucid dreams
The Sun - The Fool: fame and glory, childing behaviour, seeking attention
Judgement - The Fool: prophecy coming true, miracle, healing, unavoidable change
The World - The Fool: travel abroad, moving to a new home, adventure