The Meaning of
"The Fool" Tarot Card

One of the most well-known cards in the tarot deck, The Fool is the first card of the Major Arcana. Numbered zero, the card is sometimes said lie outside the main sequence of Major Arcana cards, with the actual first card being number 1, The Magician.

On the card we see a well-dressed young man, setting off on a long journey — his belongings on his shoulder, dreaming of adventures ahead. His tunic is covered in a floral pattern representing carefree joy.

Lost in his dreams, the young man doesn't seem to notice the cliff-edge approaching in front of him.

Lost in his dreams, the young man doesn't seem to notice the cliff-edge approaching in front of him. A small dog barks at his heels, perhaps trying to warn him of his impending doom.

The young man holds a single white rose in his left hand — symbolizing innocence and perhaps naivete. His right arm holds his pack, hanging from the edge of a long pole — or is it a wand? His bag bears the image of an eagle's head, symbolizing his ambitions to soar to great heights.

A stark landscape rises in the background, but the skies are sunny and bright.

NOTE: Observant tarot readers will note that the The Fool borrows heavily from the Suit of Wands. Many of the visual elements from the Wands cards are here if one looks closely: The strong reference to the element of Fire in the sleeves of his tunic; The wand on his shoulder used to carry his belongings; The desert-rock beneath the young man's feet — All these elements are direct references to the Suit of Wands cards. The message here is clear: The young man is living in the world of ideas, and ignoring the world around him.

NOTE: The white rose held by the young man in The Fool card is generally believed to symbolize purity and naiveté. Another interesting appearance of a white rose in the Major Arcana however, is on the Death card. This mirroring is intentional and sets an ominous reminder of the young man's potential fate should he wander over the cliff-edge.

The Fool is a card of infinite optimism, new beginnings and potential energy. The thrill of promise and possibility is everywhere.

The Fool card often points to the beginning of an adventure and the idealistic hopes and dreams that come with it.

The Fool card often points to the beginning of an adventure and the idealistic hopes and dreams that come with it. We all know what it's like to dream big when making plans for the future; Thoughts and ideas often leave realistic potential far behind.

When the Fool card shows up in a reading it speaks to freedom of spirit, and a carefree attitude. Responsibility, careful planning and even logic may temporarily take a back seat to the pursuit of dreams and new ideas.

The card may also point to a younger person known to the reader, or someone less experienced; Someone who exhibits qualities of idealism, inexperience and possibly naiveté.

There are times when it's important to throw caution to the wind; To live for the moment, to take chances and to embrace excitement. All of us live through many of those moments; Without them life would be quite boring. The Fool points to a time when dreams and ideas take center-stage, and the burdens of reality are temporarily pushed to the side. We all have an inner child that needs to dream, wander and play now and again.

The Fool card also carries a very real warning however: The naive pursuit of dreams without forethought or caution can very easily carry one over the edge of a cliff. Live for this moment, but don't forget to look where you're going.

There are several possible meanings to the The Fool reversed. They are mostly somewhat negative aspects to the upright position.

In most cases the inverted Fool card points to a critical level of inexperience and naiveté.

In most cases the inverted Fool card points to a critical level of inexperience and naiveté. Someone who lacks experience may be endangering a greater project or goal, or may have done so in the past.

Another possible meaning to The Fool card in its reversed position is that someone's negativity or lack of optimism may be impacting progress or having a negative effect people around them. Perhaps someone is being overly critical, which may be stifling creativity or threatening a greater goal.

In other cases, the appearance of the inverted Fool card may indicate someone who fears new things and has difficulty embracing new ideas. Sometimes it's necessary to suspend criticism and allow new ideas to breathe and grow.