We have embarked on an adventure where we view Tarot cards through a Jungian lens, focusing on archetypes and symbols. In this article, we had previously explained in detail how we can utilize Tarot within the realm of psychology. Now, it’s time to take a closer look at each card with our pince-nez glasses. It’s time to start to journey with the Fool card. First, let’s get to know our hero closely

The Hero’s Journey

Try looking at Tarot’s major arcana as if it tells the story of a hero’s journey. You’ll be very surprised when you see the trace of Joseph Campbell’s concept of the hero’s journey in these 21 cards! The Hero’s Journey is a universal motif of adventure and transformation that runs through virtually all of the world’s mythic traditions. He described this pattern in his book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” as a series of stages that almost every hero goes through during their adventure. The journey typically starts with the hero in a mundane situation from which some information triggers a call to adventure. The hero then faces tasks and trials, either alone or with assistance, leading to a crucial victory. After overcoming these challenges, the hero returns transformed with knowledge, power, or an important artifact to benefit the larger community.

The young man on The Fool card seems like Campbell’s hero himself or the hero of Jung’s archetypes; calling us to adventure. So, who exactly is The Fool?

Archetypes, Symbols, and Tarot

We need an image to carry and show archetypes to us. For example, we can grasp the mother archetype through an image like Demeter. Symbols work the same way. They bring messages from the archetypes to us. This is why you should always pay attention to what symbols whisper to you.

Symbols that constantly appear or attract you activate an energy within you. For this reason, the symbols we are drawn to in life are important. When a Tarot card appears before you, you must also pay attention to what draws you in. If you know how to listen, the major arcana can open the doors of your soul.

No Need to Reverted Tarot Cards

Archetypes, like everything in the world, are dual. They have light and dark sides. Therefore, every Tarot card that comes with archetypes carries both its positive and negative aspects. Because they are a whole. For the same reason, there’s no need to read cards reversed. Whether upright or reversed, every card appears with both its shadow and light sides. It becomes clear which side it reveals when interpreted alongside the cards that appear with it.

What is the archetype of the Fool character?

When interpreting The Fool card, understanding the archetype it presents is very helpful. This card symbolizes the child who never grows up. Remind yourself of the endless energy children possess. Thanks to this energy, we can step into adventure. However, if we don’t move past this point, we can’t grow. We would remain there, turning into puer aeternus. The Fool card brings spontaneity with child energy. However, staying as a child will bring us great inertia, which is the negative aspect of The Fool card.

The Eternal Child: Who Is The Fool?

In Jungian psychology, the eternal child, referred to as Puer Aeternus, certainly exists around you. Perhaps you are one of them. Puer people are boundless, entering everywhere, but they won’t let you into their world. They are wanderers and nomads. For this reason, they struggle to find their place. They don’t want to strive; they want to be discovered. They don’t want to stand against discipline or authority. They already dislike authority.

Like children, they get bored suddenly without any specific reason. When you see the young man on The Fool card, think of these traits.

Eternal childhood delays ego development. It delays learning how to set boundaries, which is a sign of remaining a child. The minds of Puer Aeternus individuals, like the character on the card, are “a handspan in the air.”

Their gaze is also in the air. The Fool is the card of ultimate void, wanting to ascend to the heavens and the divine. Their eyes are always there.

Since they may use material things to anchor themselves, Puer-driven individuals can be prone to addictions. Because this card symbolizes instinct, it does not provide continuity.

Peter Pan is a good example of this archetype—it is also very valuable to accept mortality.

Now you know the archetype of The Fool. As you look at the young man on the card, remember Jung’s eternal child. Now let’s look at the meaning of this card within Tarot.

The Journey Begins

Tarot’s first card, The Fool, is known as the zero card. However, this can also be interpreted as a circle. In the ancient world, the circle symbolized wholeness and thus the divine, representing completeness that encompasses everything yet has not descended into the material realm.

Zero is a space where balance and wholeness exist. When we say, “I’m at the zero point,” we mean that we’ve reached the end of something and the beginning of something else. The circle has no clear beginning or end, so all possibilities are within it.

I End Where I Begin

The Fool card is exactly such a card. It is neither the beginning nor the end. The energy of this card is cosmic womb energy. That is, it signifies a potential holding all possibilities within, preparing for birth.

In playing cards, The Fool appears as the Joker. They are those who show the audacity to tell kings everything. Similarly, The Fool reveals and makes us realize what no one else dares to say. The Joker in card games has the same effect—it becomes whatever you need. Thus, when it appears in Tarot, it tells you that it gives you this energy: Whatever you need already exists within you.

However, every card also comes with its dark side. While this card’s energy contains the potential of all possibilities preparing for birth, if we remain inside this cosmic womb for too long, we might continuously stay in retreat and searching, unable to manifest ourselves into life. We might fail to realize our potential.

Are You Ready for Transformation?

The first card of Tarot starts this transformative journey. The Fool is, in fact, a call to set out. It means: Something is calling me, and I’m ready. With its head in the clouds, walking along the edge of a cliff, The Fool exudes pure child energy. It has a pure excitement to leap into a brand-new adventure without looking ahead. As the first card of Tarot, it asks us: Are you ready to embark on an adventure? Do you have the courage to take bold new steps in life? Or will you continue playing in your own park, never leaving your comfort zone?

We mentioned that The Fool points to the circle, as zero. However, there is a very important point here: if we desire true evolution, we must not keep spinning inside the circle. We must ascend into a spiral, finding the courage to embrace new beginnings within those cycles. In life, it’s important to draw a spiral, not a circle. If it’s a circle, we would always remain trapped in the same cycle. If we seek real progress, we must break free from the circle and reach the spiral.

The Fool Tarot Tips

• When this card appears or when symbols reminding us of it appear in our lives, it signals that we are at a point of a new beginning—a fresh, clean page.

• If we draw this card for a choice or question, it tells us never to answer with logic; you can only find the answer through your intuition.

• You can search for the fool symbols in A Beautiful Mind, The Little Prince and The Wizard of Oz.

• The Fool is a very instinctual card. When working with this card, your energy rises, and you feel like dancing. Just like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz—who is a perfect Fool archetype. She is innocent. She brings a childlike quality, as if experiencing everything for the very first time.

The Fool Card Symbolisms

At the edge of a cliff, a young man steps into the void fearlessly and even joyfully. Like a child, he has the courage to leap into adventure without considering the consequences. With his small bundle in hand, he takes the first step to begin the hero’s journey. But what deeper messages does The Fool card convey to us?

The Fool’s Element

Air is the very essence of ideas and the first philosophical element. It brings the energy of air that we need to form an idea. The Fool card is also an air card.

The Dog

The dog represents instincts. The hero sets out on a path where the dog will accompany him. In Tarot, animals always symbolize instincts and intuition, showing us our primal urges. Therefore, we must pay attention to the nature of the animal depicted on the cards. Is it in a snowy or warm setting? Is it nocturnal or not?

The hero of The Fool card has the courage to walk to the edge of the cliff and even take the step. But something internal may stop him. The dog delivers this message. It symbolizes our intuition and loyalty to our path. If the hero encounters danger along the way, the dog—his instincts—will tell him to stop.

Colors

The card’s background is a bright yellow, the color of intuition and the element of fire, showing us that we are heading toward consciousness. With his yellow boots, he is ready to take the step to the light. Yellow brings everything that the sun represents in Tarot: enlightenment, growth, and activation. This hero is embarking on a journey toward illumination. Yellow is a divine one, while red is an earthly tone,

Red always represents revitalization, taking action, engaging in life, and moving forward. Did you notice that his sleeves are like in red, like a fire? The Fool’s red bundle holds everything he needs. When this card appears, it tells us: Everything you need is already within you, in your past, in what you’ve accumulated. The Fool also advises us to set out on the journey with a light load. Let go of your burdens; carry only what you need in a small bundle.

The hero holds a white flower in his hand. White always symbolizes innocence, purity, and rebirth. If the flower is feminine, it represents energy. If it’s a rose, it’s a sacred flower. The rose, one of the highest-frequency plants, symbolizes the heart and the opening of the heart. With its five-petal symbolism, it represents the unfolding heart chakra. The Fool embarks on his journey, step by step, opening his heart with innocence. From seed to bloom…

Snowy Mountains

The snowy mountains in the background show that the journey is just beginning and will be full of ups and downs. Since these mountains are covered in snow, they symbolize hidden stories that have yet to be revealed but will surface during the journey as the snow melts.

The Sun

Even a seed is drawn to light before it sees it. When we see the sun, we feel warmth inside; both nature and we ourselves come alive. In this card, the sun shines majestically in the background, as if saying it is behind us on this journey.

The Feather

The feather in the hat connects to the celestial. Feathers are one of the best examples of synchronicity when they appear before us. They are a beautiful omen and show that the inner and outer worlds are in harmony.

The Cliff

The hero stands at the edge of the cliff, elevated, showing us that he is still above and has not yet descended into the material realm.

The Character’s Gaze

The Fool’s gaze is upward. In Tarot, if characters look upward, they are focused on the celestial; if they look downward, they are concerned with the earthly and material. In this sense, The Fool is a card connected to the celestial.

The Magician card is next. Stay tuned for the Magician archetype!