Monday, January 16, 2012

Here Comes the Sun: Week 19 with Tarot's Fool


The Fool has turned a corner in his journey. A good one! It's about time, I'd say, wouldn't you? True, it has been an amazing journey so far, a fantastic journey. In spite of tremendous challenges (or because of them), he's grown in profound and unexpected ways. 

He's had glimpses of the world's overwhelming power in its secrets and forces and possibilities (exciting and scary); accepted that he's not only made a few mistakes in his quest, but been guilty of and blindsided by self deception (humbling); understood instinctively that although he has faced defeat after defeat, partly because he needed to learn these lessons before he could succeed, what he's doing is important, it's great, and he must never give up (exhausting!); learned how to grow from each experience, good or bad (wow); embraced true humility (no easy feat, double wow), and learned to trust himself to the universe (very difficult, in fact not possible until he learned true humility). He's definitely due for a good turn.

Last time we were with the Fool, he'd taken a leap of faith as the full moon shone down on him and he found himself in a world of genius and madness (Week 18: The Moon). His choice was to either go mad, or trust the powerful river he stood in to help him find himself. He chose the river. He managed to climb into a boat with no oars or rudder before the river's strong current swept him away. At least the boat would take him somewhere, and he wouldn't drown. Exhausted, the Fool passes out in the boat as it carries him toward his destiny.

He wakes up at dawn to find himself still in the boat, but the river has come to an end. He's floating in a tranquil pond, surrounded by a walled garden filled with roses and lilies and gorgeous giant sunflowers. As he gets out of the boat and takes a few steps into the garden on shaky legs, he hears a child laughing somewhere nearby. The sun is rising, huge and golden, and the source of the laughter, a small boy, rides into the garden on a white horse.

The little boy leaps off the horse and runs over to the Fool. "Come see!" he says, taking the Fool's hand. He proceeds to show the Fool all the amazing wonders of the garden: the dewdrops on the rich green blades of grass, the seeds at the center of the sunflowers, the light as it sparkles on the pond. And then he starts asking questions of the Fool, like why is the grass green, why is the air sparkling, why is it so fun to smile?

As if his lips have a will of their own, the Fool discovers himself smiling, and the smile keeps growing, brighter than it has been for a long time. He has been tested and tried, confused and scared, dismayed and amazed since he started this journey, and now he is amazed all over again in a new way. This is the first time, he realizes, that he has been simply happy. He looks at the child who has given him this gift, who has invited him to share in his generosity and open spirit, and he knows that he now sees himself and the world in a fresh, golden light. "Who are you?" he asks the child.

The child smiles at the question and, as the Fool watches, he begins to shine, then grows brighter and brighter until he turns into pure sunlight. "I'm you," the Fool hears him say in a voice that comes from everywhere in the garden. "The new you." The Fool has just met his own inner light.

Now the Fool will move forward renewed, ready to face the final hurdle in his quest. He is filled with strength that comes from all he's been through and from the gifts of the child. There is nothing he can't do.

Renewal. It doesn't come easy. There's a special kind of exhaustion that comes from putting everything we've got into our quest and then having to let it go, trust ourselves to the universe. The alternative is to hold on tightly to our process from fear of losing control, but most of us know from experience that never works out very well. So the best we can do, once we've given the quest all we've got, is climb into our rudderless boat and let the river sweep us to our destiny. Scary. Tarot tells us, though, that if we do that, we will find our inner child once again, the spirit of our voice, and that can lead straight to renewal. Scary morphs into joy. It's not quite the golden fleece, not yet, but it does hold that promise. This particular journey is coming close to completion.

~ Linda
Links to Fool's Journey posts:  0—The Fool1—The Magician2—The High Priestess3—The Empress4&5—The Emperor, and The Hierophant6—The Lovers; 7—The Chariot8—Strength9—The Hermit; 10—Wheel of Fortune11—Justice12—The Hanged Man13—Death14—Temperance; 15—The Devil; 16—The Tower17—The Star; 18—The Moon 

My interpretation of The Fool's Journey as it applies to the writing life is my own, but the journey is long-established from a variety of sources. Those I've relied on most heavily are: TAROT BASICS by Burger & Fiebig, AECLECTIC TAROT by Thirteen, and EVERYDAY TAROT by Fairfield


11 comments:

  1. Linda, I've loved the journey the fool has taken. As I've told you, I feel like my life has paralleled his journey. And today my novel will arrive. I've put everything into its plotting, creation, editing, and birthing it into all I dreamed it could be. When my book arrives, I will have the task to read it one more time and make that decision... to say yes, it's ready to go. Or no, I want to do more work on it. Is it time to send it into the world and trust the universe? Baring any unforeseen problems, today the Fool may have provided me that answer.
    Thanks for another gret post!

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    1. How exciting, Karlene! You and the Fool ARE in sinc. I think what Tarot would say is, meditate on it. See where the river takes you. Those sunflowers might hold some beautiful surprises for you, good things you've never imagined in spite of your thoroughness.

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  2. Ah renewal, I am so ready for this stage. Bring it on!

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    1. My sentiments exactly, Heather. You have done a TON of work, I think you're ready, too!

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  3. This is exactly what I love about the Tarot-nothing is left without a way to create a positive. Renewal and rising from the ashes, turning a potentially major setback into an opportunity are just such wonderful ways to approach life.

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    1. I so agree, Julie. Anyone who takes on big challenges in life and puts it all on the line (takes the journey) is opening herself or himself to the universe's most demanding opportunities for growth. Without the kind of grounding and perspective Tarot offers, I don't know how we'd survive, let alone thrive. :)

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  4. I trusted the universe and let go...now I'm on a journey I never could have predicted and am happy for the first time in my life. But letting go of control wasn't easy, as this fool can tell you.

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    1. Em, that is fantastic. I'd love to know more! What was the 'letting go' moment like? I'm a 'control fool' myself and am intimately familiar with the fear and resistance of letting go, and the exhilaration of finally trusting the universe.

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  5. I could do with a bit of renewal myself...

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    1. Lydia, after reading your post I'm guessing you mean from your eye surgery/procedure. Nobody tells you how physically and emotionally draining that sort of thing can be afterwards, especially when it involves a dramatic, major change in the way you see the world (even when it's such a fabulous change, it can be kind of scary). Your renewal is on it's way, never fear. You've already put the wheels in motion!

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