The Fool's Journey...
Step 7:3. Write your version of the Fool's journey.
Using Victorian Romantic…
The darling of the vaudeville circuit, Gloria Simpleton, was simply adored by the general public. It was this propensity she had for doing a number of balancing acts in quick succession that were her specialty. Considering that Gloria had more gumption than education, she did very well for herself. The turnaround time from town to town was just as fast. The days would roll by without so much a thought as to where her and her troop were going or had been.
Such a grind would often be followed by a night out with her fellow performers to what seemed to be the same exact watering hole, regardless of town. This had become habit in the last few months and Gloria was becoming strangely tired. One given evening, after her show, she decided to leave the old gang behind, and wonder around alone. Perhaps a quiet walk would do her some good.
Within a block or two of her walk she saw a sign: “The Great Zeal!” and just below that, in smaller letters, “apothecary”.
Zeal is exactly what she needed, she thought, and as she looked in, she could see a faint light glowing within. Before she could put fist to door, a voice shouted: “come in!”
Weird, she thought, as she hadn’t knocked. Slowly, she made her way through an endless collection of goat heads and jars, eek.
Zeal Mostiev (The Magician) was a great big man wearing a fine red rob, his silky platinum beard seem to suit his fine gentle face. His voice was as rich and deep as his appearance.
“Hello, my dear, please come in”. Crazy, thought Gloria, just crazy, but, perhaps, good crazy. She sat before Zeal’s huge desk, and spoke simply by lantern light. Zeal moved in to take a closer look at Gloria’s face. “Your eyes, my dear…uuumm, yes”. He knew what she needed. “One so young shouldn’t be so tired” he spoke. Gloria didn’t know how Zeal could have known this but did. She felt at once shock and relief. Zeal handed her a small vial of what looked like water. Tiny were its contents, but how could she trust this strange old man. “You don’t have to stay here, my dear, you can take it when you are in the safety of your home”.
Then Gloria thought, she doesn’t have a home. Zeal’s face looked gentle enough. At once she popped the vial open and took a shot. Nothing happened. “Hey, now, old man, where is the magic? I feel nothing!” Gloria insisted.
“So, no payment then, my dear, no payment, you are free to go.”
Such disappointment, Gloria thought as she left, and now feeling more tired with every moment. She made her way to her hotel room, and as she reclined on the chase lounge she saw smoke. It quickly began to engulf the whole room. Good god, she thought, a fire! The smoke was peculiar, as it did not make Gloria loose breath.
The lady (The High Priestess) was half-dressed, revealing herself as the smoke wrapped around her. No words came from her mouth and yet they were clear: “why have you left, Gloria, what is it you look for?”
Gloria pinched at her own face and felt as alert as ever, if never. The woman’s voice registered something within. She thought and answered: “I’m looking for rest, for happiness.” At once she found herself out of the smoke and into a beautiful garden. A mother there tending to, what appeared to be, children. The kids were odd for they had wings. What woman (The Empress) would be so well-equipped to tend to angels? The High Priestess continued to speak in Gloria’s heart.
The words melted into her, knowingly: “Tenderness is of a high nature, witness it as you will, and give it forth freely.”
In a flash, Gloria found herself in the court of a great man (The Emperor). He sat silently before her. All Gloria could think was if this man could see her. She was unaccustomed to being ignored. The High Priestess’ voice remained: “concentrate to hear his words.”
Emperor Migato looked rather stern, he knew that the commencement of war was at hand. Happiness is not a thing to be chased, some sacrifice will have to be made. Something must die in order for another to be born. To be born. It was strange how Gloria could simply gain access to this man’s mind, and feel his story in her totality. Now she understood what it meant to take care, as her parents once told her. The same parents she constantly rebelled against. Gloria understood that she had lacked something in the giving, and what of the giving, what of the sharing?
The Emperor’s court turned into in a small drawing room. A teacher (The Hierophant) and his pupils, quietly sat on the floor, speaking in low tones.
The man looked kindly upon his students as they reviewed some important teachings. “It is far better that you remember the Laws of Nature” he said. She felt as if the words were not so much for the children as for herself. But what of the giving, she thought, how could she give?
With that Gloria found herself in another garden, yet again. A young couple (The Lovers) stood alone, hand in hand. Vows were exchanged silently. Gloria could feel their great love and commitment to each other and to themselves. What could all this mean, Gloria thought, and at what speed it touched her. From the garden, she found that the ground had suddenly gone, and upon a flying Chariot she sat. The wind whipped at her face when one of the ladies acknowledged her presence. This had been a first since the High Priestess, and how refreshing to be seen again. “My dear, you are here with my sisters and we, all, are to deliver this little soul to destination. A tiny beam of light, a speck really, sat in the woman’s hand.
No words were spoken after that, but Gloria knew that great things were about to happen. A child would be born to that lovely young couple in the garden. This little beam of light, traveling at a great speed, from a great distance to give something. Gloria never realized the intricate trouble one would take to simply be born and felt a great reverence for her own life. At once she closed her eyes, and when opened, she felt herself becoming ether. Feeling herself expelled in and thrown to an adjacent wall, she looked behind and realized she had been expelled from the mouth of a ferocious lion (Strength). “You cannot give what you do not have” the High Priestess voice remained. “There is power in restraint and silence”. As the word “silence” seem to linger, Gloria found herself on the banks of a great river. Please sit, a voice said, and so she did upon a sturdy rock. To her left a very skinny, old man ( The Hermit) sat in a burgundy cloak. They both looked upon the river as the old man spoke of the duty of silence. She never thought much about it as he handed her his hourglass. The words “renewal” came to her. Just as the day retires to night, all is renewed. Away she went, this time she would be greeted by the sound of chirping birds in a cage.
The time it passes as is the Law of this place, and circumstance does change as people must. A young man in strange garb rested upon the grass, looking lovingly upon his catch. Strange birdcatcher, what is it that he seeks, she thought. “It is not what he seeks as much as what seeks him” the High Priestess whispered, and what seeked him was responsibility to his country. A new King would soon take reign. How can one so gentle, be King? Reluctantly, she left and was lead to another happening of sorts. The visions were growing wilder and more fearful, but something in Gloria remained objective. Now she knew she was on a journey she simply could not wake up from. One that had taken hold of her for a reason, hopefully. She would follow it through without resisting, without fear.
What a sight came upon her of biblical proportions (Justice), an angel and a falling man, except his decent somehow slowed. It looked as if she had come upon a three dimensional portrait. What did this mean? Why this vision? The angel turned to her and asked: “do you see my scales?” Gloria nodded yes. “They are now in balance.” The man, Gloria asked, what of the man? “he will hang”, the angel replied. Suddenly a voice yelled over to her, but from behind: “youwhoo.” Gloria turned without wanting to, because she had more questions for this angel, and as she did she found herself under a bridge.
To her horror a man hung from its over hang (The Hanged Man), clear in front of her, “youwhoo” he said, not looking particularly upset. Now you see what has become of me said the man. Do not wonder young lady, for I see better than you. Gloria wondered how he could see at all since his eyes remained shut. Takes more than eyes to see deary, the Hanged Man said and laughed. Do you believe what you see behind you, he asked as he continued to laugh. With that Gloria turned, thinking of the angel, but seeing what looked like the very bowels of purgatory (Death). With that, she let out a horrendous scream! It looked like agony, but she felt nothing, heard nothing, and no one noticed being observed. Not even Death itself. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see anymore, enough, she thought, enough! That old man poisoned her, for free, for what, why? A familiar sensation took her by surprise, and at her fingertips she felt water. A greater sensation took her body, as if she was lying on her back, a motion took over. She opened her eyes and a beautiful angel (Temperance) comprised her view. You need to rest said the angel, so rest with me. Gloria wanted to speak but felt she didn’t have to. The angel knew of all that she had seen and would see. She was indeed at the bottom of a boat, the angel stirring. The stars glittered through the night sky, she felt very calm and peaceful. “Am I dead” she asked. The angel just smiled at her as if to say-what do you think? Gloria hadn’t heard the High Priestess’ voice for what seemed an eternity. The angel made her feel as if that was the way it was meant to be. Her own voice would speak and guide her now. She knew there would be more and closed her eyes once again.
“Wake up, Gloria, wake up!” she was awakened by her friend Lill Shwartz. Good ‘ole Lill, ready as ever in her bat costume (The Devil), ready to take a pic, sing a song, and charm the pants off any well-groom gent. “my goodness Glo, that must have been quite a party you bumped into, and without invitin’ your gurl, Lill!…Come on, get dressed me lassie!!!”
Gloria sat quietly on the corner of her bed, found herself in the safety of her loathsome hotel room, but felt a deep relief. She felt as if parts of her had been ripped, if unwillingly, apart (The Tower). She felt a wreck, and yet replinished (The Star). How long had she been asleep? It seemed like for days. Whether Lill knew it or not, there would be no more performances tonight or any night. The Moon was out and she needed a breath of fresh air. In gazing up at the moon, it appeared as if the night had become blue and it enveloped her. A breeze washed over her sweaty face. Now she could think of the dream, and of her reality. What did it all mean? Whatever the meaning, the dream meant so very much at this very moment. Deep within her being, she knew the weariness was gone (The Sun), she felt strangely safe wondering why, and knew, intrinsically, she must move on (Judgement). Away from the harried life she had built. There was something more that she wanted, but at this moment, she did not know what. There was more to see of this World, more to know that did not involve what she was, who she was, and where she came from. Inexplicably nothing could bind her as before, the night air felt good, and a new sense of tomorrow filled her with hope.
