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Tarot
Gateway To Tarot:
The Fool's Journey
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by Bonnie Cehovet
Tarot Master
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As a fitting start to the year 2004, I thought that we might follow the Fool's Journey through the Tarot, and see what it has to offer us. The Fool's Journey is the journey of our life paths, and can be seen in several ways: as a straightforward journey - a progression of the soul from an unenlightened state to an enlightened state; as a triangle of seven groups (P.D. Ospensky); or as a progression, or series, of cycles. There are more ways to group the Tarot, but for our purposes we are going to take the Fool's Journey as a series of three cycles of seven cards each.
The Fool, carrying the number Zero, stands above the other twenty-two cards. He represents both the beginning and the end. Trumps number 1-7 represent conscious thoughts and feelings, and concerns of a social/societal nature. The second cycle of Trumps, numbers 8-14, represent our inner, sub-conscious self. In this cycle, we withdraw into ourselves and deal with issues of ego - this is a cycle of Death and Rebirth. The third cycle, Trumps number 15-21, speak of the spiritual realm, of our transcending worldly issues and forming a personal union with the Divine.
Before we go on, you may want to take out a Rider-Waite deck, or a reasonable facsimile (clone), and lay the trumps out as follows:
The Fool:
Beginning & End |
0 |
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| 01 |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
06 |
07 |
1- 7: Conscious thoughts and feelings,
and concerns of a social/societal nature. |
| 08 |
09 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
8-14: Inner, sub-conscious self.
Withdrawing into ourselves and dealing with issues of ego. A cycle of Death and Rebirth. |
| 15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
15-21: The spiritual realm of our
transcending worldly issues.
Forming a personal union with the Divine. |
The reason that it is best to use a Rider-Waite deck, or a reasonable facsimile, is that these decks carry traditional Tarot symbolism. You will find it very easy to look at the cards both horizontally and vertically and see the pattern that forms between and among them. Let our journey begin!
The Fool traditionally carries the number zero (although some authors attribute the number 22 to the Fool). The Fool represents all beginnings and all endings - he is the nothingness from which all is formed. His quality is one of potential. His leap of faith is that of the willingness to go forth into a new phase of life, to enter areas that are unknown to him, to walk where he has no prior experience. He carries a white rose, representing purity and passion. In his bag he carries all of his experiences. Over his shoulder he carries a stick, representing a wand - a symbol of power. In Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack comments that the Fool belongs anywhere and everywhere in the deck - especially where there is a difficult transition. 1 The Fool is the soul as it begins the journey of life.
The Magician is the first trump in the cycle of the conscious self. His posture - one hand pointing to the sky, the other pointing to the earth, indicates the interconnectedness between the spiritual and the mundane worlds. The Magician channels power in both directions: the power of spirit channeled to the earth to enable manifestation of mundane goals; and the use of personal effort and material resources to manifest spiritual goals. The Magician raises his wand with sureness and care, aware of the powers that it contains. On the table in front of him are symbols of the four elements, and the four suits of the Tarot. These are his tools to be used on his journey. The flowers surrounding the Magician represent our emotional selves and the power of creativity within us. The lemniscate representing spirit is above his head. The Magician is the embodiment of the trickster/coyote in life.
The High Priestess is the second trump in the cycle of the conscious self. Representing our intuitive and psychic powers, she gifts us with the ability to activate the wisdom of our unconscious minds. Her wisdom is hidden wisdom, wisdom gathered from all of our lifetimes. She represents darkness and mystery. The pillars that the High Priestess sits between represent Boaz and Jachim, the two main pillars of the temple in Jerusalem. Here we have the theme of duality and opposites. The veil hanging between the two pillars represents a barrier between humankind and ancient wisdom. The pool of water behind her is the unconscious mind, with all of its hidden truths. In her lap she holds the book of Tora - the book of Jewish law. Her feet rest on a curved moon - the symbol of life's mysteries. The High Priestess shows us what our future can be - all of the possibilities that are there.
The Empress is the third trump in the cycle of conscious self. Here we move from the internal focus of the High Priestess to a more extroverted energy. The Empress represents motherhood, and the creative nature of life. She sits surrounded by symbols of the abundance of life, and indeed oversees the very cycles of life itself. Her image is one of creativity, prosperity and abundance. Her shield carries the sign of Venus, Goddess of Love. At her feet the abundance of the earth is represented by a field of wheat. A river flows behind her, disappearing beneath her feet, representing the energy of life. Her necklace of nine pearls is representative of the nine planets, with her crown carrying twelve stars for the twelve signs of the zodiac.
The fourth trump in the cycle of the conscious self is the Emperor. Here we see mastery over the physical self. The Emperor implements the ideas developed by the Empress. The Emperor is all about organization and follow through. His is the power of leadership, aggression and control. His is the image of the father figure - the person who enforces the laws of society. The Emperor holds an ankh, representing the Egyptian symbol for life. He carries the power of life and death under the laws of society. The Emperor carries the ability to form boundaries and enforce them.
The fifth trump in the cycle of the conscious self is the Hierophant. The Hierophant represents the head of the spiritual world. His power is that of inner spirit. He acts as a guide for the exploration of spiritual beliefs - a place to begin forming our personal awareness of the Divine. Here we also deal with conformity to the laws of society.
The sixth trump in the cycle of the conscious self is the Lovers. This is a card of union, and an example of the triad symbology found in many Tarot cards. Here the triad is the two lovers with an Angel hovering over them - signifying that the union is being guided by spirit. This is a relationship with a higher purpose - and the union of the conscious and subconscious minds. The Lovers is not only a representation of union, but it asks us to look at the blocks in our lives and deal with/remove them.
The seventh, and final trump in the cycle of the conscious self is the Chariot. With the Chariot, we are being asked to take control of ourselves - as we are the vehicle in this lifetime. How we choose to present ourselves, or our "vehicle", is totally in our own hands. The Chariot is all about focus, determination and commitment to a chosen path. Rachel Pollack, in Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, suggests that the Chariot represents the developed ego - having absorbed the lessons of the earlier trumps. The Chariot carries many different levels of symbolism: the wand in the hands of the Charioteer, the eight pointed star on his crown indicates his mental self directing his passionate self (will); the chariot itself is stationary, indicating controlled motion; the skirt of the Charioteer shows magical symbols, while his belt shows the signs of the planets; the lunar faces on his shoulder represent the supposed shoulder plates of the High Priest in Jerusalem; the black and white sphinxes represent the duality of life. Quite a complex card, and quite fitting, as it represents the mature personality.
The second cycle of trumps represents our sub-conscious selves. The first trump in this cycle is Strength. Here we refer to inner strength, as opposed to brute force physical strength. Strength shows us a gentle path through life. The strength here comes from a loving nature, where victory comes with persistent effort over a period of time. One of the major symbols in the Strength card is the lemniscate over the head of the female figure, representing the interconnectedness of all things. Strength also represents the conscious mind bringing the subconscious mind "under control".
The second trump in the second cycle of trumps is the Hermit. (I have always felt close to this trump - which is understandable, as he is one of my birth cards.) The Hermit is definitely a card of "going within" - with his lantern, he acts as a guide to our inner selves. The Hermit represents spiritual truths. The Hermit's lamp shines with the light of inner truth. The Hermit appears in times of transition - or can signify the need for transition. The Hermit's staff is his wand, which he uses for conscious support.
The third trump in the second cycle of trumps is the Wheel of Fortune. The Wheel of Fortune represents the cycles of life, and karma - the sense of responsibility for our own actions, about cause and effect. When we step away from life, when we are less "involved", we are allowed to see the bigger picture of what is there. And so it is with the four symbols on this card, representing the four fixed signs of the zodiac and the four elements. The Wheel of Fortune is a card of change - change being brought to us that we may not understand. How we choose to deal with the new opportunities presented to us will tell what the next turn of the wheel will be. It is also interesting to note that the Wheel of Fortune, a card of change, marks the half-way point in the Major Arcana.
The fourth trump in the second cycle of trumps is Justice. Justice asks for balance and fairness in life - and what we "want" as an outcome will come under close scrutiny by this lady! The sword that she holds, point up, in her right hand represents our mental selves, and our search for truth. The sharp blade will cut away all that is not just or true. In her left hand she holds the scales of justice - balancing the energy that we send out with the energy coming back to us, our pasts with our futures. The veil behind her is purple, indicating inner wisdom.
The fifth trump in the second cycle of trumps is the Hanged Man. We are literally asked here to take a fresh look at our situation, in order not to become mired in it. We see a connection to life, and a sense of being "at peace".
The sixth trump in the second cycle of trumps is Death - a card of allowing transformation to take place. Here we let go of old ways of thinking and doing, and make room for new thoughts and actions. Death represents a time of major change. The white rose is the symbol of rebirth, while the figure with the sickle represents letting go - a form of death.
The seventh, and final trump in the second cycle of trumps is Temperance. In Temperance we see the unification of conscious and unconscious forces. The Angel stands with one foot on land and one foot in the water - representing our unconscious and conscious selves. Temperance shows us reconnecting with the outer, real world, but with a conscious sense of who and what we are. The water that Temperance pours from cup to cup indicates the mixing of the elements of life. The road behind Temperance indicates the journey that we have taken to get where we are in life.
The third cycle of trumps represents our transcendence of worldly issues and our union with the Divine. The first trump in this cycle is the Devil. The Devil represents the shadow side of ourselves. We can never be truly free until we understand the shadows in our lives. The Devil acts as a guide into our unconscious selves. The posture of the Devil is important - with one hand up, and one hand down, his emphasis is on earth, and the thought that there is nothing beyond the material. The sign of Saturn (which can be viewed as a sign of limitations) appears on the Devil's palm. A reversed Pentacle appears on the Devil's forehead - indicating of allowing your desires to over-ride your judgment.
The second trump in the third cycle of trumps is the Tower. Here life, and our perceptions about life, are literally blown apart. Through the energy of the Tower we experience an awakening. The bolt of lightening is the catalyst for our awakening - its tremendous jolt shakes the foundations of our life, and anything that is not firmly in place will be stripped away.
The third trump in the third cycle of trumps is the Star. After all that is not right is stripped away, we find hope for the future - the light at the end of the tunnel. By pouring the water into both land and water, the figure in the Star indicates that we are "pouring" our energies into both the spiritual and the mundane areas of our life - the inner and outer aspects of our world. This is a card of healing and wholeness.
The fourth trump in the third cycle of trumps is the Moon. Here we find the land of illusion - of things that are hidden from our awareness. The crayfish symbolizes our outer self - the "face" that we choose to show the world. The dog and the wolf represent our domesticated and our wild natures, respectively. The road runs through two towers - suggesting a journey into the unknown (the towers being the gateway).
The fifth trump in the third cycle of trumps is the Sun. The Sun brings us warmth, and a sense of peace and contentment. This is a card of accepting the self, accepting who we are. The gray wall represents our past, which we are freeing ourselves from. The Sun represents our super-consciousness - that feeling of being connected to all of the world, rather than feeling isolated from it.
The sixth trump in the third cycle of trumps is Judgment. Judgment allows us to release ourselves from self-imposed limitations. The coffin in the picture represents our limitations. The trumpet symbolizes our awakening to spirit. (Have you ever been to a seance where a trumpet was prominently placed? Interesting experience!)
The seventh, and final, trump in the third cycle of trumps is the World. Here the final piece in the puzzle of life has been put into place. Everything within ourselves is united with everything without - we are one with the Divine. The sash on the dancer pictured is red - indicating powerful energy. In her hands she holds wands - easily and gracefully. The green of the wreath represents the energy of nature. The blue sky is the color of communications.
And so is our Fool's Journey through life. A very good way to understand all that the Fool's Journey can be is to lay out the trumps as in the diagram above, and see how they relate to each other. Look down the line from the first to the last trump in each line. How do they relate to each other? How do they show the progression of thought for each quality: consciousness, subconsciousness and spirit? Look at the trumps in a vertical fashion. How do trumps 1, 8 and 15 relate to each other? What kind of progression do they show? Look for the similarity of symbols in the trumps: which figure holds a wand? How are they holding it? What does it mean? Where do we see a pattern of the appearance of the Lemniscate? What does that mean? Where do we see repetition of color? Where are we seeing the symbol of the triangle - and in which direction does it point?
The deeper we allow our knowledge of the Tarot to go, the deeper and more progressed will our personal life journey be. Allow yourself to go through the gateway that is Tarot and walk with the Fool and his compatriots. Listen to what these archetypes tell you - about yourself, and about life.
Bibliography:
Amaral, Geraldine & Cunnungham, Nancy Brady. TAROT Celebrations:Honoring The Inner Voice. Samuel Weiser Inc. 1997.
Genetti, Alexandra. The Wheel of Change Tarot. Destiny Books. 1997.
Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees Of Wisdom. Element (HarperCollins Publishers). 1997.
Footnotes:
1. Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees Of Wisdom. Element (HarperCollins Publishers). 1997. page 28.
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Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Master, and Reiki Master/Teacher.
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Bonnie Cehovet is a Tarot Master, professional Tarot reader and Reiki Master/Teacher.
Bonnie has been reading the Tarot professionally for over ten years. She has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, including Secretary and Web Assistant For Links. She is currently Certification Director and Secretary for the American Board For Tarot Certification. Bonnie is also a founding member of the World Tarot Network.
Bonnie has had her work published in the ATA newsletter, in Geraldine Amaral's "Celebrating The Tarot" print newsletter, on the World Tarot Network and other internet sites. She is editor for her own monthly newsletter "Gateway To Tarot" (Yahoo Groups).
www.tarot.thecrystalgate.
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