Monday Tarot: 0 the Fool

Every Monday I will do a quick one-card draw from one of my Tarot (or oracle) decks and interpret the card. This isn’t going to be ‘introduction to the Tarot’ or ‘intro to divination’ or anything like that, and my interpretations should not at all be seen as the only or correct way to read the cards. In fact, my interpretations will more focus on how the card is at play in my own life, how it is connected to the Otherfaith and our symbolism, or my impressions from the card.

The way I read Tarot is very, very intuitive. I’m not writing these posts to teach, but rather to share my thoughts and hear other ideas about the cards and their influences. If you’re expected someone who has read endless books on Tarot or can tell you their history, I’m not your girl! I read the cards the way they speak to me, and that’s pretty much it.

Today’s card is 0 the Fool from the Shadowscapes Tarot.

Personal Relevance: She showed up when I began reading Tarot for the Otherfaith. A red-haired woman tied with red ribbons, ready to fall. The fox – the creature of the Clarene – sitting and waiting to see where the Fool would go. This is no eager hound, eager to follow her partner where ever she may go. The fox waits. She watches.

The wings, the power of the gods, tugged me forward and forward until I fell, and it was only in falling I learned how to craft wings of my own to mirror the gods’. But I did not learn to fly immediately, and I fell still from the false life I had built up around myself.

Some Fool cards bring me trepidation, but this card has always brought me comfort. I always knew falling would lead to something – perhaps bruises or a bruised heart, but I trusted her. Just like I trusted the gods to throw me off the edge.

I could talk about the ‘red ribbon of fate’ – a symbol that popped up last year. But it was one I eventually tossed, because choice is what is important to me. Choice is what is important to the faith.

Otherfaith Relevance: As I mentioned – choice is vital to the Otherfaith. In an essay for one of my classes, I wrote how the Laetha asked me to let him in rather than shoving himself into my life. No matter the fool I may have been when I first met him, he still asked, and I said yes. No matter how I have struggled, I have not regretted that.

The gods have showed me how fate does not factor into the Otherfaith, how the red ribbons of fate are things they will shred. To them, there are actions and reactions. the Dierne’s words were actually, “There are just actions and reactions, rippling out through time.” This is all about choice – choosing to do something, choosing to be with someone, choosing to change yourself.

And choice means responsibility.

Being the fool means some loss of control, throwing yourself out, but we can never lose the power we each have. We may have to reclaim it or go on a great journey to find it, but we must remember the power we hold. We may be falling, but we are also in a world with others who are falling too. We cannot forget this.

We also see the fox and monkeys in this card, animals associated with the Clarene and Dierne respectively. The fox sits, patient and rooted, and the monkeys are stone – they will not fall with us. Instead, we fall past them. We stand upon them, their strong shoulders, and let the gods give us that one push.

It is not a test. It is the start of a great new journey. The Four Gods are not interested in testing us. They wanted us to succeed, and that is why they will push us. And it is also why they will ask before they shove, why they will ask before they snip away all we thought we were supposed to be. They rip from us the ribbons of fate to show us all the possibilities before us and before them, so that we can walk better with them. So we can chose better alongside them. So we can fall better next time.

*

New visitor and a little confused where to start? Head over to our About and Otherfaith pages, and then meander over to our ‘basics‘ series. Any questions can be directed to my email aine@daoineile.com or to the askbox on Tumblr (anonymous questions are enabled).

[Want more of the blog? Follow through RSS to receive consistent updates!]