The Fool
The Fool represents the beginning of a spiritual journey, emerging from the underworld with the baggage of past lives and karma. This card symbolizes standing at a crossroads with unlimited potential, guided by inner wisdom and creative force. The Fool embodies the courage to step into the unknown, leaving behind what has been exhausted, while carrying the essential tools of hope, faith, and love. It speaks to both the fear and excitement of new beginnings, urging one to trust their guiding star and embrace their authentic path.
Keywords
Symbolism
The Fool emerges from the underworld, the underground realm, carrying a suitcase containing both an anchor and a machine gun (the handle is visible, but the full weapon is only seen on The Emperor card). The anchor was used by early Christians as a form of cross, symbolizing hope, salvation, strength, and the union of feminine and masculine principles (the bottom as the moon, the top as a phallic symbol). The suitcase also holds a guitar as a symbol of creative beginning. The suitcase represents the baggage of knowledge and karma that he carries from past lives. All of this together represents faith, hope, and love. Notice the heart depicted on the suitcase—a symbol of selfless love and happiness. The butterfly here symbolizes rebirth, transition into a new world; it is at the center of the sun, serving as its guide, driving force, the 'guiding star' of our Fool. This butterfly is the Monarch Danaus, which migrates annually to Mexico at the end of October, just in time for the carnival. This butterfly is also called Santa Muerte, as they migrate in huge numbers, as an entire colony, dying and being born on their journey. It turns out that one generation flies out, and a completely different one arrives. Orange marigolds (which we will encounter on almost every arcana) and sugar skulls at the bottom of the card attract the souls of the deceased. Skulls represent immortality, life force, fertility, wisdom, knowledge, and ancestral protection, so Santa Muerte is not about death—even though skulls are placed throughout the deck, there's no need to fear them. The background, with various structures and crosses, depicts the world and civilization. The path of civilization's movement from ziggurat to skyscraper. If you look closely, the nearest graves are in the form of ziggurats, gradually growing into the new world of modern skyscrapers.
Card's Message
A person is at the beginning of their path within the context of their inquiry, standing on the threshold, at a crossroads, emerging from another situation that has completely exhausted itself, but nevertheless only just emerging, only with 'one foot,' taking only the first steps. It's important to help the person make a choice about where to take this step. If there is an idea, then you will definitely find your path; if there is an idea, then everything will work out beautifully. The Fool has only begun to manifest their potential and is not at all attached to the material world. They have their guiding star, which they intend to follow, and they are somehow captive to this path. A 'childlike position' is present—going wherever they want. The card also speaks of the fear of taking this step, in any case—everything depends on the inquiry.
Advice
As advice, the card tells us that it's time to finally cast off the old suitcase and do your own work, which will help use your potential most effectively.
Visual Description
A grinning skeleton in a large sombrero and a colorful striped poncho strides through a cemetery at sunrise, a monarch butterfly perched on a bony finger. He carries a wooden guitar and a travel satchel adorned with a red heart, and an anchor is slung over his shoulder. Skulls in a bowl, lit candles, and marigold-like flowers fill the foreground while crosses and mausoleums rise in the background. The sun's rays fan out behind him, casting the scene in warm golden light.
Santa Muerte tarot
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