Il Matto: The Fool
Verse
“Only a fool would try to fly
before their wings have time to grow
and venture forth in blindness
from the comfort of above for the inevitable chaos of below.
But if you don’t take the leap, you’ll never know.”
Keywords
Upright: New beginnings. Infinite potential. Courage to take a leap of faith. Innocence.
Reversed: Naivety. Blind faith. Reckless actions.
Correspondences
Planet: Pluto
Element: Air
Aroma: Juniper and Narcissus
Description
The Fool is the blank slate that represents all of us as we decide to venture forth on the journey to enlightenment.
Like the number zero, the Fool is infinite and ever-present. In the Hermetic Tarot they are known as ‘The Spirit of Ether.’
Theirs is the story the major arcana tells. It is a long and perilous journey to higher understanding.
The Fool faces the unknown with innocence, naivety, and optimism. They are about to take the leap from the cliffs of the spiritual world to the material world in search of enlightenment. If they are successful in their quest, they may one day return to this place. Their loyal companion tries to protect them as they attempt to fly before they’ve grown wings. The sun is still rising on their story.
This card is attributed to the element air and the planet Pluto.
In a reading, the Fool may represent a new beginning, strong potential, personal growth, or the courage to take a leap of faith.
If reversed the Fool may represent being too naive, reckless, or blind to the consequences of your actions.
Design
The Fool is the main character in the story of the Major Arcana. As such, it’s a very important card for setting the theme of a deck. My inspiration for this card was entirely personal. It represents the sense of mental and physical freedom I was yearning for at the time. The figure looks upon the bird soaring in the sky and mirrors their movements as if ready to fly with them despite not having the ability to do so. It doesn’t matter to them, they’ll try anyway. It’s that kind of blind, stubborn faith in myself that set me off on this journey in the first place.
Key Symbols
The Dog - The Fool’s faithful companion and spirit guide. They are here to support them and protect them on their journey. As in The Moon card, the inspiration for the pup is my own, Dusty. He represents all faithful animals that serve as our companions on our life’s journey.
The Bird - Birds throughout the deck represent the spirit. Here it also symbolizes freedom and the element of air that governs the energy of this card.
Clouds - This setting is meant to illustrate that the fool is starting from above to journey below to the physical world. They are high above everything, but at the same time surrounded by nothingness.
The Rising Sun - This is the dawn of a new journey.
Color Theory
Yellow - Instinct and confidence.
Green - A strong heart, love, and emotion.
Blue - Clarity and truth.
