The Fool - The Hopeful Free Spirit

I rarely draw the Fool card, but it is a Major Arcana that represents hope, and the free spirit within and one of my favourites. A person can never have too much hope and having a free spirit may frighten those who rather play it safe and can't embrace that side of themselves. But life means risk if we want to grow in faith, trust and in hope.

And so it's always a much welcomed card and to see today, this first day of October. As I write, I can hear the duck hunters. I can't say I hope they get some ducks. But I do wish them safety, as I do the ducks.

When I think about hunting I reflect on my grandfather, who was an expert marksman. He was never really so interested in hunting. He he did get the odd duck I know, but had no passion for in big game hunting. I remember a family photo of him sitting on the back of a moose that had been sick and he'd nursed him back to health. Granddad simply loved living with nature,  he loved animals, the country life and was a creative, gentle, sensitive and kind soul.

As a teenager I loved nothing more than wearing his old canvas jacket with a rap around inside pocket at the bottom of the coat, for gathering up ducks. It always made me feel close to him when I wore that coat. Summer days spending time with him out in his garden is a special memory. He didn't talk much because he was hard of hearing and wouldn't wear a hearing aid. But it didn't matter so much because I always knew he loved me and wanted to spend time with me whether it be in the garden or just spending hours playing checkers.

My grandfather Roy Winslow Milner's heart and mind were open and faithful. His love of music and reading was also very evident, as he was always reading and played a number of instruments. I know his life was difficult, living through the Depression and working all of his life in the Foundry where he was a molder, working in such an awful very unhealthy place, in order to earn a living to support his family.

In spite of my grandfather's hardships, he was a man that instilled hope in me as his granddaughter, because I inherited his love of music, reading and nature. Like the Fool, embodied in the mythic figure of Dionysus, my grandfather in spite of what happened to him in life, his right brained, intuitive, and creative nature allowed him to connect to his hopeful and free spirit. I'm blessed so grateful to have known him as my kind and loving grandfather.

Roy Winslow Milner

Grandfather and my mother, Sarah Helen Milner

The Magician - The Tool Man

The Magician has a load of tools at his disposal, as we all do. It is up to each individual to decide to how and when to use them. It is a balancing act to maintain these tools in my life if I expect to live life in a harmonious way.

Prayer, trust, and persistence I would say are the three tools I have to use on a regular basis. These can all be problematic for me at different times, but I'd have to say the one I struggle with the most is persistence in particular areas of my life. Especially when it comes to physical exercise. I know it is what ties the mind and spirit together, much like the three legged stool, you can not have one without the other. This has caused me to really dig into the reasons why and how our physical selves is perhaps the most important leg of this stool for me.

Being an all or nothing type of person this can directly affect my sense of balance, when it comes to my level of physical fitness, and I know I am not alone in this struggle.

Within the last year I have been reading and re-reading now, my very own copy of a book that was given to me by my good friend, entitled The Heroine's Journey  written by Jungian Maureen Murdock. She has written about this very thing, regarding a woman's reclaiming the sacredness her body, and her instinctual body wisdom, that is such an important issue for so many women, and without understanding, it results in a lack of care and concern for the physical self, the body/spirit split, and the ignoring of her body, discrediting her intuition in favour of her mind.

I perceive the Mythic High Priestess as a counter part of the Magician, in that I see them both symbolizing the reunification of, and connection between, the masculine/feminine nature, and the earthly/spiritual realm. The Magician is about blending earthly passions, spiritual clarity, and is The Fool's guide. The High Priestess is also our spiritual guide, connects us to the mysterious inner world or the unconscious, through wisdom and discernment, revealing the secret to our real purpose and how to get there.

The Magician - Let The Adventure Begin!

The powerful energy of the mercurial messenger of the gods, the master of all elements, the Magician is embodied in mythical figure of Hermes, son of Zeus, who directly follows and offers inner guidance, and wisdom to The Fool, through the journey in the Major Arcana. The Fool is about to naively embark upon the journey of life, not knowing what lies ahead, he without the tools needed to help him along, but is neither concerned or fearful.

The Magician has all the tools at his disposal, and his life force energy connected to heaven and the earth which gives him great courage, strength, power, and insight. He is the harbinger of good news, in that he offers and advises The Fool to take hold of these tools, so he will be prepared for life.

However The Fool is innocent, without the experience to know how to make wise choices, and so he continues on his way, not listening to the Magician. The Fool sees the world through rose coloured glasses and magical thinking so to speak, and functions on an instinctual level through his impulsive behaviour, a wild thing really. The Fool is blind, and lacks any tangible insight.

When we are young we can't help but have a naive perception of life, and we are not in control of the future. We need to be prepared by having the right tools, this however comes only through experience. Upon meeting the Magician at the precipice, after leaving the safety of the cave, The Fool clearly knows the journey is possible, and there are many capacities to be explored and developed. The Magician will provide wisdom in all the spheres of life - intellectually, creatively, emotionally and physically. Let the adventure begin!

The King " Gimme " Pentacles

When I draw the King of Pentacles, embodied by the mythic King Midas, my mind promptly goes to the materialistic, capitalistic, corporate, money mongering, fat cats. There is more to this card than meets the eye. Oh there are those that are greedy, craving status, power and position, that seemingly have the Midas touch, similar to the King of Pentacles, and these types fit my description well, however there always exists two sides to every coin and card, both positive and negative.

King Midas was wise and pious, so it is said, and everything he touched turned to gold. He was ambitious and more that willing to work hard for what he wanted, in terms of material comfort and wealth. He was certainly never apologetic for his materialistic nature, and generally put this ahead of everything else, in particular his relationship with himself, others and with the gods.

He showed kindness to a drunk, Silenos, who was tutor to the god Dionysos, The Fool, so in my estimation he can't be all bad. However Midas seemed oblivious or in deep denial  about his own dark temptation toward corruption, and living the 'high' life that has preoccupied and consumed his thoughts.

Although he wanted recognition from others, which is what we all want, simply to be accepted by our peers,  loved by those we have relationships with. We all need to have our most basic and strongest human need met, and to have a sense of belonging, but King Midas got his priorities all screwed up, and has lost his perspective.

After showing kindness toward this drunk, Silenos, King Midas was rewarded by Dionysos, who granted him one wish. He wished for everything that he touched would turn to gold. Midas gave no thought, and had no foresight into what he was wishing for. The great King was starving to death because even his food and drink was turning to gold. Finally after some amusement by Dionysos he took pity on Midas and released him from the golden touch. He had learned the lesson about his own greed and reaching out for help, he managed to save himself from himself.

Love those you belong to.

The Fool's Journey - A New Chapter

A much welcomed card for me today, The Fool. In many ways, the card has more meaning to me, then all  other in the Mythic Tarot deck, for several reasons. This beautiful card signifies all that is youthful, creative, and being connected with our higher selves.

There are never any guarantees at the beginning of our life journey, that we will arrive safely, but we must be open to life because life is meant to be fully lived.

I love the Fool,  as the card represents an open heart, and mind to all the possibilities in life.
Many years ago when I lived in Prince Edward Island, I became very interested, and preoccupied with Commedia dell'Arte, and moved to Toronto to study the foundation of street theatre.

 The white face is commonly known in the world of the clown, and Mime. I learned as much as possible about the history of the white face in cultures. Traditionally white face it is seen as the death mask. Court Jesters had the job of reminding Kings of their mortality, to remain humble, and to laugh at themselves. Death is the great equalizer, and no one gets out of here alive.

The Fool being the first card of the Tarot, is augers a great enthusiasm to willingly embark upon the threshold of life's journey. The Fool is mortal, simultaneously, has an animal like instinct, and intuition, however, is also very much akin to the angels, with a child like innocence, and purity of heart. The Fool is very much a participant, never the bystander, who just is satisfied to sit on the side lines of life.

Representing Dionysos, the Fool is the son of the king of the gods, betwixt and between the heavens, and the underworld. Ever the creative artist, the dancer, the mad, irrational, the impulsive one, who does things 'out of the blue' toward change, and unknown horizons

 The Fool possesses the tools needed for a new chapter in life that awaits, and this always involves a willingness to take a risk.

How To Take Control of Your Inner Fool - The Fool

The Fool is a lovely card to draw today, considering the pending oncoming Winter, which is not at all my favourite time of year.

 I'm not so sure I want to take control of my inner Fool unless it is controlling impulsiveness and naivety. But then again the Fool would not be, if these characteristics were absent. I am not so impulsive as the Fool, which is directly related to my age I'm sure, but I still love to be spontaneous, optimistic with an open heart, which I think helps to keep your inner Fool alive helps to keep you young at heart and to grow old gracefully.

 The Fool's message to me is one of hope, excitement, having a forward looking attitude with optimism and an open heart, as the Fool is the carefree traveler embarking on the beginning of life's journey. The Fool doesn't know what lies ahead, but has the right attitude, is prepared as much as he can be, with his tools of life, carried in the satchel over his shoulder, and his canine companion following close by his side, or the eagle watching out for him as he begins his journey


Spending a lot of my life by myself, animals have always been my great comfort, and are wonderful companions. So it is fitting that the Fool would have his little dog, as seen in the Rider Waite Smith deck or the eagle, who is closest to the gods, watching over his journey. They are his close and loyal friends.


So the puss cats and I, are ready as we can be for the coming Winter with our life tools. We are beginning to hunker down, sticking closer to home near the fire, grateful for the load of wood in the garage, that will keep Jack Frost at bay. Problem is, like the Fool who is full of potential, but it is not applied as of yet, I am reminded I have to get four cord of wood into my garage before the snow comes!


The tools of life that we carry are so important on our daily walk through life. I have tools of life, but I have to be sure to use them, if they are to work for me. My tools have to be honesty, open mindedness, and a willingness to be at least willing to do the work it takes to live my life to the fullest. Trust, prayer, and  perseverance are also tools I must use in order to guard against and to take control of the negative aspects of my inner Fool.

The World - Transcendence

Wow, I drew the World this morning! This card always makes me feel good. It gives a great sense of wholeness, represents spiritual rebirth, and transcendence. I believe we are always transcending in one way or another. Some of us are moving at a faster pace, some slower, and at varying times, and stages. It's not a competition, thank God for that.

Achievement and integrating our mind, body, and heart  is what connects us to the Divine, enabling us to  experience life as being fully alive.

The World is an ideal goal rather than something that we can completely possess. This card brings us back to the bond and connection with the Fool's journey of discovery, through the opposing forces of one's human nature, the conscious and unconscious.

The great cycle ends where it begins, like the World Snake, completing the circle. Just when we think we have arrived, another challenge along our life journey arises, and we continue to grow and change.

The world and what is happening in it, can weigh us down, if we let it, depending on our perception and our attitude. I am most fond of this quote that I am happy to share with you.

" Wearing the world as a loose garment means not being upset by the surface wrongness of things but feeling deeply secure in the fundamental goodness and purpose of the universe"

The Magician - The Guide -The Trickster

When I drew the Magician this morning, I was pretty excited, as had never happened in a daily drawn card.
Here we meet the God Hermes, often called the Trickster, the child born of spiritual light, and primordial darkness. He is a mixture of earthly passion and spiritual clarity. He may give us answers to some of our questions, but they may not always be the right answers for us, and so we need to draw from our discerning insight.

Being the master of the four elements, he guides the traveler, the wanderer and the homeless, and is the inner guide of the unconscious and offers us wisdom often when we most need it, at critical and difficult moments. His wisdom is manifested through our intellectual, imaginative, emotional and physical selves. He directs us toward our undeveloped potential skills and creative capacities.

The Magician is a spiritual teacher and the protector of the Fool who is blind, but when he meets up with Hermes, the journey becomes possible.

the Trickster by gluki-goroda

The Hermit - The Way To Wisdom

I love the Hermit card, as I have always had a thirst to understand spiritual matters. This is a card of strong healing, as a result of solitude, loneliness, patience, and from which comes, insight and understanding.

 Who is this Hermit? He is the ancient God Cronos, who's name means time. The Fool, the first Major Arcana card of the Tarot deck, has four moral lessons to learn, and the last of these, is the lesson of time within the cycle of life, and the lesson of mortality.

Deciding to move to the countryside, being in close contact with nature, has allowed me to focus my mind and heart. Through quite reflection, and the solitude of living alone has provided me with serenity amidst the storms of life.

Spending my childhood and early youth, and early adulthood in the city, I understand all that it has to offer. As an adult I came to the realization I was unhappy, and that I was the only person responsible for my own happiness. After asking myself, when was I the happiest in life, the answer came to me immediately. It was when I spent hours in the country. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to now live in rural Nova Scotia for twenty years.

Some folks don't understand why someone would want to live in the country. I understand why folks want to live in more urban city locations, but I know I would be very unhappy, and out of touch with that serenity and solace, that I had longed for since I was a child.

There is a deep part of my soul that has become the Hermit, and believe this is why I identify with this card so much.

 I think of the wise words that the late Robin Williams echos my thoughts and feelings about the Hermit.

  " I used to think the worst thing in life is to end up all alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone." 

Canada Geese - The View From My Studio - Catherine Meyers Photography

The Fool - The Journey Begins

The Fool exits the solitude, and isolation of the cave wide eyed, with an open heart and mind. He is not afraid of risk, and is full of enthusiastic, contagious optimism.
He has all the tools he needs, and energy abounds within his carefree being, with pure intentions. Willing to leap into the unknown, and to start anew, he is eager to develop his capacities and potential. Lacking in foresight and being naive, makes no matter, as he is ready for the journey, the journey of life, and he is not fearful of getting lost along the way.


I have to say I love The Fool. For me, my identification with him goes back to my early life of studying Mime, and Commedia dell'Arte. Originally back in the late 70s, I had hoped to travel to a beautiful place called Paris Maine, to study with Tony Montanaro at the Celebration Barn. Instead due to financial, and geographical constraints, I went to Toronto and studied Commedia dell'Arte.

There are no regrets really, but I so do wish I had the chance to have met and studied with Tony. I believe he was one of a kind. A man who understood what it really meant to be The Fool, with humour, humility and humanity.

 The Fool has an ancient history. which I believe is very worth learning about, because there is much to learn from these so called agents of change, as the journey begins.

The Wheel of Fortune - Hubris & Humility

Oh I had a feeling, and was hoping for a "good" card today. This is it I thought, The Wheel of Fortune! I haven't drawn this before for myself. I was excited or maybe I just had too much coffee!
A Major Arcana card, cause and effect, along with Karma are the operative words. Reaping what we sow, bla, bla, bla. Sorry, I know I sound jaded, and cynical but please hear me out.

Unknowingly until now, I've been thinking about all this meaning, present in the Wheel of Fortune, really, since yesterday, and today. Perhaps because I've been doing some readings for folks lately, that have caused me to contemplate my own life, but I do this a lot, in one way or another, because I am involved with reading the cards everyday, but I've always been introspective. I got that contemplating my navel thing, down pretty good!

The Wheel of Fortune's meanings makes me think, yes I agree, we do reap what we sow. But what about those of us who seem to frequently get more of our share of suffering, and difficulty? It is hard to make sense of it all. We can feel even like, there has got to be some kind of person responsible for this, and when it all goes bad, we want to lash out in anger, and find someone or something to blame, because it is unjust, unfair and even cruel. When it goes well, sometimes we forget to be grateful, to really appreciate what we do have.

I think it's important to acknowledge the unfairness, and the unjustness of life, and allow ourselves to be angry. Anger is a feeling and I think it is more productive to simply feel and accept our anger in order to let it go, so we don't live in the problem and allow resentment to enslave us, our attitude toward life, and the universe. But it is just as important to see and exemplify fairness, justice, kindness and mercy in the world.

Life certainly is not all flowers and roses. We don't want or need to hear a bunch a platitudes and psychobabble we find condescending, and that minimizes what we are going through. Usually, when we are  experience hard times, we just need someone to hear us, and listen, we don't want advice or and philosophical gobbleygoop. My spell check won't even accept that word! 

 I heard a program today on the radio about aging. This older gentleman called up, and said he uses a slogan often to help himself wade through the messes of life. " Now Here This ". This isn't a spelling mistake,  here refers to the here and now. He compared the past and future as being swamps, that we get stuck in, and can create more unhappiness than what we are already experiencing. What this wise man in his eighties said, gave me serious reflection.

There are definitely laws of nature we can't deny, mostly we don't understand them, and it requires a faith and trust in something mysterious, unseen and seemingly unknowable. There is nothing we can do to control these laws. I wonder, if we could in fact control these laws, and the cycle of life, what would happen?
 It probably wouldn't work out so well in the long run, I strongly suspect. Human beings don't seem to be able to make good choice when left to their own devices and without the help and guidance of a power greater than ourselves.

The Wheel of Fortune depicts the Moirai, the three fates, daughters of Mother Night, conceived without a father. They wove the thread of life in the darkness, and in the secrecy of a cave, symbolizing the womb. They represent the source of life itself, older than the oldest gods, with so much power, the king of gods Zeus, dares not to challenge them. The profound inner journey is heralded. and coming to terms with one's life, past, present and future.
 The Fool is now shaken from complacency and begins the inner journey of humility, that will lead him to his own source.

The Wheel of Fortune is a card of sudden change in fortune, be it bad or good. Rest assured, whatever way the Wheel turns, there will always be growth. I think this is the positive bit. Granted we must dig in to our inner resources personally. 

If we refuse to accept or challenge our circumstance by shaking our fists at God, we may be afflicted with what was called hubris, compounded with even more problems, due to our false pride, and even arrogance. What ever we are in denial of, becomes a harmful nemesis. You don't want to mess with a nemesis, believe me , I know. She is the spirit of divine retribution for hubris. She is a real drag, and will bring you down.

                                                            Nenesis - 1837 - Alfred Rethel

Strength - Courage and Internal Fortitude

The tenth card in the Major Arcana is Strength, linked to the sign of Leo. The loin is a sexual animal, but his base instincts are checked and subdued by a hero's caress, ( Hercules). The message here is to use reason, your head, not your heart. Exercised restraint is called for, and to hold your power in reserve. Courage and  internal fortitude will bring success. It signifies possible healing qualities.

Collision with the inner lion is implied and inevitable. The creative handling of one's rage and senseless pride are greatly needed in order to handle the situation.

Trust in one's self and be a person that has integrity and humility, when interacting toward others, and this emerges through such an experience with the lion, which is Strength.

Strength is the next step in the Fool's journey, where through his great challenges and struggles he's learned to direct and harness aggression. His ego is channeled and transformed in a creative way. Through Strength there is reconciliation with forces outside or within the self.

 
The lion can represents the creative and unique Self  enabling us to stand the criticisms and opinions of others. When we have a strong sense of self, mentally and physically, there is an ability to cultivate latent potential to a higher state.

The Magician - The Inner Guide

A great card the Magician  is,who appears to possess all the tools needed.  The first card following the Fool in the Major Arcana, it is a masculine card suggesting powerful energy.
There is a great will and determination to see ideas or projects through to their completion. God knows procrastination is something many of us struggle with, and can cause all manner of trouble, chaos, and difficulty. So there is much to learn, and benefit from the Magician's tools. Powers of concentration and control along with desires that are fulfilled by a strong will, and the ability to utilize one's innate faculties to their fullest advantage with originality and invention.

The Magician is the inner guide, and a spiritual teacher for the Fool., and that unconscious power that looks after us.

 The Magician is seen often standing at a table with the four emblems of the Minor Arcana: wand (fire), cup (water), sword (air) and pentacle (earth). The four elements are at his disposal and always readily available to him to be used to their fullest extent.

Note: The Magician needs also his own inner guide as he is in danger of becoming preoccupied with the world of material things. I will discuss this in relation to The Hermit in my next post.

The World - Wholeness

A beautiful card the World is. The last card of the Major Arcana. It is a card of wholeness, unity and duality. Love, creative imagination, intellect and physical reality, are all represented by the symbols of  the four suits in the Minor Arcana: Cups, Wands, Swords and Pentacles. These elements are all surrounded and held in harmony within the great circle of the World Snake, an image of inexhaustible life.

Wholeness is an image portrayed here in the card, as an ideal goal, rather than something which we can completely attain and achieve. We can however experience and glimpse a sense of inner healing and transformation when we find resolutions to those conflicting and warring parts of ourselves, that finally brings  peace and serenity.

The World card has been likened to a great egg, that gives birth to the Fool.
The power of transcendence is within reach. We get our deserved rewards and triumph, attaining greater consciousness.

My World

© Caroline Falzon

the day is through, the sun is down,
only the moon seems to be up.
I go to bed, I lay to rest,
I open my eyes, as into the world I step.

I see green meadows, I feel the sun,
I feel content as I look around.
I keep on walking down the lane,
I hear the giggles of kids at play.

so many faces all come in glee,
the cheer, the laughter, everyone at peace.
singing and dancing, all around one man,
I take a step forward to join in the clan.

we all come together, no color no race,
we all want to shout out and to Him give praise,
our pastor, our savior, our only true love,
the reign of mankind, if only in Him we trust.

no rain, no pain, no evil, no shame
this is my world, it is yours too.
no tears, no fears, no aches, no blame
this is my world, I share it with you.

Source: My World, Inspirational Poem http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/my-world-2#ixzz2uAFclYMc

The Fool - Seize The Day!

In 1980 I took an adventure. I traveled to Toronto to study Mime, Commedia dell'Arte to be specific at Mime School Unlimited. It was the great unknown, and one of the most difficult, challenging and at the same time most rewarding experiences of my life. I took a huge leap of faith.

Prior to leaving the Maritimes, I began to study clowning and the role of the clown, the Fool/Jester. Particularly the white face. I learned that the role of the court jester, in the days of Kings, was to remind the Royal Court of their mortality, the white face represented the Death Mask.

For me the Fool is a wonderful archetype, and symbol of how I have often lived my own life as an artist, a free spirit, and it retrospect I know I've learned the most life lessons from, in many ways.

The card of the Fool in the Tarot, is represented  by the number 0 - the Zero point, and the beginning of the 22 Major Arcana cards that depict the archetypal journey of life.
Some find the card to be most mysterious and even disturbing. I do not, as it brings to my mind a humble vulnerability, innocence, a trusting open heart, with an eternal optimism and hope. It is the beginning of the journey as individuals, a time of risk taking, and learning new things, as we move along the road of life.

The image of the Fool is that of our inner impulse and willingness to leap into the unknown, an ideal symbol for springtime, new beginnings and new growth, we follow our intuition and creative instincts. Our leap of faith can lead us into a creative and fulfilling lives. Instead of being the guilty bystander, we are participators. Carp Diem! Seize the day!

The Fool is the potential that it not yet applied to anything. One is eager to experience and develop oneself, and their nature to it's fullest capacity and potential.
We start anew and are unaware of the direction in which to proceed, we act on impulse. The Fool is the excitement of endless possibilities and innocence, but also naivete and lack of foresight.

 As illustrated in the Rider -Waite deck there are pure intentions here, which are symbolized by the rose, and having all the necessary and needed tools in life, which are carried in the shoulder satchel. We have a loyal companion and protector along side in the form of a little dog, who will push us forward.

The Zero  indicates the space before the start of the new cycle of experience that will require decisions and action. It is a carefree period, without pressure or direction. The Fool looks heaven ward to the Great Spirit for direction and faith.