The Fool
Major Arcana · 0
- beginnings
- spontaneity
- trust
- a leap of faith
- recklessness
- hesitation
- naivety
- a risk not thought through
In the picture
A young traveller in a bright tunic steps toward the edge of a cliff, a white rose in one hand and a small bundle on a staff over his shoulder. A white dog jumps at his heels and the sun shines behind him.
Upright meaning
The Fool is the start of the journey: a fresh beginning taken with an open mind. It suggests saying yes to something new before you know how it ends, travelling light and trusting that you will learn on the way. It favours curiosity over caution and experience over planning.
Reversed meaning
Reversed, the leap turns careless or never happens at all. It can point to a plan rushed without looking down, or to fear of looking foolish holding you back from a start you want. Ask which of the two is going on: too little care, or too much.
About the Major Arcana
The 22 Major Arcana are the trump cards of the deck, numbered 0 to 21 from The Fool to The World. Read in order they tell the story of a journey, and in a reading they tend to point to big themes and turning points rather than day-to-day events.
