The Fools Path - through Lupine Spirit Eyes

It is important to look at the Major Arcana not only as Spiritual Influences at work in a reading, but also depicting a journey we each experience. With time and application of your tarot talent, you will be able to identify each step of your own life as relevant to the steps the Fool takes upon his journey through the Tree of Life glyph. Although each card is able to stand alone in a reading and lend it's influence thereby, each also denotes a step, or a stage of life, and is a part of a cycle I know as the Fools Path.

The FOOL steps out into the world with a true heart and positive, albeit naive expectations of what will come his way. He has an idea or dream and he believes that he journeys under a blanket of protection, heedless of what dangers could befall him. As the winds blow and the rivers run, so does he follow his dream. He lets his world take him, because he knows naught of how to direct it to his own will.

As he learns of the duality of the world he ventures into, he learns to use discernment to make correct choices. He uses the powers and gifts he knows he can control already, rather than depending only on what the wind blows his way. He becomes the MAGICIAN; able to use his conscious mind to effect the outcomes he seeks. He expresses his will onto the world around him, and brings it into his control.

This power and control of the outer world gives him confidence in both faith and mind-power. He finds the source of his innate knowledge, or surface knowledge turning into deeper levels of understanding. He is unleashing the power of his subconscious mind and latent knowledge, thus transforming into the HIGH PRIESTESS.

In these three phases the Fool has gone from an idea, to an implementation of that idea, to understanding the workings of that idea.

Within that triad of understanding the Fool creates a foundation he can flourish from. As the EMPRESS, he embodies all fruitful and fulfilling ventures, the progeny of faith, or the harvest of a soul grown ripe through proper tending. His idea or dream has been birthed, and is mothered here.

With such a foundation, the Fool is able to relish the power of self-leadership, and reflect this role as the EMPEROR, the one who is able to lead his own destiny, therefore is qualified to lead others benevolently and effectively. The nurturing of the mother has engendered the self-esteem and image to rule as the father.

Those who follow will many times not see themselves taking on such a role, but will indeed come to worship the source within; the Fool now becomes the HEIROPHANT, the icon of faith that each individual needs to identify at some point in time. He recognizes the importance of what the Empress and the Emperor rule, and he epitomizes now the sacredness of that union.

In the previous triads, the Fool has learned of ideals & dreams, and power available to him through belief in benevolence, leadership, and faith. He knows the value of understanding how to lead. He can choose to do so in such a manner as to help others, or hinder them.

The great choice the Fool is faced with is demonstrated in the LOVERS card. This is a choice between physical and spiritual, or a choice to bring the two into harmony. The love of teaching and the love of learning are both reflected here, for either provides the Fool with the joy of giving or receiving a gift.

In gaining the understanding offered at the level of the Lovers, the Fool learns how to command the vehicle that is his life; the CHARIOT is his evolutionary vehicle, how and where he steers it is his choice entirely and controls the rate of his spiritual growth.

Now in control of his outer world, the Fool reaches within, to tame those beasts that hammer at his own soul - his shadow-selves. At this curve of the path, the Fool gains STRENGTH. He learns to work with his wild inner nature, in spite of his wild nature. He finds this wildfire to be a tool he can use to further his goals.

In that set of threes, the Fool has gained control over his duality, his life-course, and his inner turmoil. He is now at the stage where he is ready to take his wisdom out into the world and share what he has learned.

As the HERMIT, the Fool has attained a level of wisdom and discernment that allows him to look at the world around him from the heights of attainment. He knows the ancient crede “to will, to dare, to know, to keep silent”. He has wisdom to offer to those who will listen, he holds the light by which others may see, yet he will not offer his hand out to help them, unless they ask.

He has demonstrated the last level of his apprenticeship. He is now one among the higher levels of attainment, and how he chooses to use that knowledge is the mark by which his future growth is measured. The WHEEL OF FORTUNE is where the Fool, by his own word and action, may be either on the top of the world, or it may be on top of him.

With that knowledge, JUSTICE is the key by which the Fool now opens further doors. He realizes that although not always fair, the Fool’s path is usually just, and what comes his way, good or bad, is deserved.

This triad has brought the Fool through the building cycles of the Great Spiral of Life, the anabolic series. Now, in the remaining Major Arcana, the Fool learns of the balance created by the catabolic nature of the world. As does a tide rise, and ebb, so does the cycle of the life of the Fool.

THE HANGED MAN teaches the Fool the lesson of informed foolishness. Here, he has again played the Fool, yet an informed Fool. He knew better, yet he does it and he fails, and dies the threefold death. Yet he does survive this ordeal. He learns the value of listening to that which he has learned in the past. He learned that what goes around indeed comes around as well.

DEATH teaches the Fool that there is no real death, just transformation. Nothing in this universe ever truly dies, it simply changes form. He learns that change is growth.

So now he has learned to give and receive, to hang on and to let go. He is beginning to understand TEMPERANCE. He can take what elements are at hand, and create beauty. He can let go of what no longer serves him.

What the Fool has learned in this cycle of three is sacrifice and circumspection, and the beauty of understanding death as well as life. He trusts that in letting go, energy will find it's proper place.

The DEVIL is the portion of the path where the Fool is warned not to stray from his goals. This is the level of temptations and base desires, which it is every person’s choice to fall into or steer away from. He is the Guardian who warns us to remember our values.

If the Fool chooses to delve into the debauchery he is warned against by the Guardian, he may find that the foundation of his TOWER is faulty, and will indeed tumble. He is then given the opportunity to rebuild again, and learn from that which led him astray.

Now the Fool has learned a base lesson, and is better able to reach for the Higher Forms of Energy, such as the STAR. This is a funding of the Fool’s power by Higher Sources than he has yet known. He realizes his mortality, and the meaning of immortality, and can reach for heights previously unsought, knowing no destruction is final.

Here, the Fool learned the depths to which he can fall, and found the source by which he could extricate himself from them. This triad speaks of rebuilding one’s constitution should it be challenged.

Having passed those hard inner lessons, the Fool is faced by treachery from unforseen corners through the influence of the MOON. There is deception and mystery at this level, and the Fool must learn to discern between fantasy and reality, between lies and honesty.

He has passed the lessons that have come his way, and at the level of the SUN, he may ride forth in faith that all was for a good cause. His pathways into the coming cycles will be well-lit with the understanding and faith he has learned through the former lessons.

Finally, at the level of the UNIVERSE, the Fool can reach out equally in all directions, in balance, and able to dance the dance of life easily and with assurance. He knows the inner and outer workings of life, of his world, and of his place in it.

So ends the Fool’s path, and yet it never ends. From the ending of this tale, comes a new beginning. Understand that we each are at a point of the Fool’s Path wherever we are and whatever we are doing in our lives. We are each the Fool, and we each will sooner or later find ourselves at each stage of the path. I bid you use this knowledge to better your own understanding of the cycles of life around you.