Foolishness or wisdom: what can we learn from the Fool?

I've been thinking a lot about the tension of new beginnings - how they can feel both exhilarating and terrifying. I am excited (and a little scared) to be embarking on this new journey and invite you to join me.

On this writing journey, I will be exploring the tarot archetypes and images of the Major Arcana, the first 22 cards of the tarot deck, through a coaching lens. In my experience of tarot in my own life and in doing readings for others, I have seen how the symbols in tarot speak to core and universal human experiences, from major life transitions to the most mundane aspects of our daily routines.

I am also embarking on a journey of offering tarot-informed coaching. I have been practicing wellbeing coaching for some time, and I am excited to now be working within a tarot framework, while also continuing to offer tarot readings. Tarot intersects beautifully with coaching, since both involve unveiling layers of meaning within ourselves in order to gain a deeper sense of who we are, what we want, and where we are going. Tarot can help us see aspects of ourselves in a new light or reflect back realities that we have not previously been able to articulate. My goal is to use tarot as a tool for clients to explore their patterns, values, fears, and possibilities with greater clarity. Whether or not you understand tarot to be inherently mystical, its images can serve as powerful tools for reflection, storytelling, and self-inquiry.

It feels so appropriate to start with The Fool, the first card in the deck. The Fool is all about new beginnings. The character in this card is generally depicted as about to step (or jump? or fall?) off a cliff - there is a sense of youth and naivete, or even a blissful ignorance. In some cards, the fool is looking away, as if they are not aware of what is about to happen. The journey before them is one of uncertainty and requires either great faith or great stupidity, speaking to the term "Fool." Is this person just an idiot who has no idea what they are doing, blithely stepping/falling to their own death? Or is there a deeper wisdom (the "wisdom of the fool") that trusts in the process of taking that leap, not knowing where it will lead, but having faith that it will be worth it?

I feel a bit like the Fool myself as I launch this blog and my new vision for tarot-informed coaching. There is a sense of anxiety that accompanies this step, but along with it, great optimism, excitement, and a sense of purpose or destiny. I have no doubt there will be metaphorical mountains to climb, like the distant mountains depicted in some Fool cards, and this journey of entrepreneurship will be far from easy. I also wonder if not knowing everything that lies ahead helps me move forward; would I still take the leap if I could see into the future?

How about you? When have you felt on the precipice of something new and unknown, like you were leaping off a cliff?

How did not knowing what was to come either serve you or hold you back?

What did you learn when you took the leap (or decided the risk wasn't work it)?

What helped get you over the edge (or kept you from leaping)?

I would love to hear your thoughts, reflections, and stories of jumping into the unknown. Feel free to leave a comment or reach out to explore a coaching session or tarot reading.