The fool

[rennfahrer]

I don't understand my book on Tarot (Pyschic Tarot by Criagh Junjulas). In the major aracana section it lists the fool twice. It has the cards numbered 0 (the fool) through 0/22 (also the fool). The first description says 0 The fool (alpha) and the second says 0/22 The fool (omega). There's only one fool in my deck and the card pictured for 0 and 0/22 is the same. The description differs slightly though. What's going on here?

 

[Inana]

All decks have only one Fool card. Traditionally the Fool has no number. Some people like to place it as the first Major Arcana, seeing him like a child who is about to start an adventure learning from all the other majors (The Fools Journey).
other people prefer to place the Fool after the World, seeing him as the last Major Arcana, an enlightened and free spiritual being.

Someone else will be able to explain this better. Anyway, is the first time I see someone using the Fool in both positions at the same time, alpha and omega.

 

[rennfahrer]

Inana wrote:All decks have only one Fool card. Traditionally the Fool has no number. Some people like to place it as the first Major Arcana, seeing him like a child who is about to start an adventure learning from all the other majors (The Fools Journey).
other people prefer to place the Fool after the World, seeing him as the last Major Arcana, an enlightened and free spiritual being.

Someone else will be able to explain this better. Anyway, is the first time I see someone using the Fool in both positions at the same time, alpha and omega.

Maybe they're trying to tell you you can do either or but unless I missed it that is not articulated. Are you supposed to just pick one meaning or the other and go with it or go back and forth the meanings depending on the situation you're trying to look into?

 

[Inana]

I suppose you can do either, what feels better for you. The Fool is the Joker, no rules for him.

And both things are connected. He is like a playful child who feels free and sure because he is not aware of anything, so everything is possible. We all, after growing and noticing the not-so-nice reality, responsibilities and dangers, etc? often feel limited and we need to act like a child again.

 

[wizzle]

Many writers and thinkers liken the majors to a journey through life taken by the Fool. As the zero card, he starts out with no pre-conceived notions, no experience to weigh him down. Many decks show him carrying a small bag, the symbol of the journey he is about to undertake.

On his trip, he meets all of the aspects of life represented by the other 21 cards. And with each meeting he becomes wiser, carrying each lesson to the next card. When the entire journey is complete and he passes beyond the 21st card, he is the wise fool signified by the number 22. And the journey begins again.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[spiral]

The fool signifies the first issuing from nothingness - the alpha in the outgoing, the expansion of the universe. Likewise we come across the fool again on the return to "nothingness in it's complete expansion" - the omega.

 

[Xander]

this is what i understand from what i think ur book is telling u dude about the fool being first and last!

its like this dudes

Ok the fool is indeed representing us! everyone in here is a fool and it clearly tells us this in the tarot!
the fool is a card that shows us that everything will come to us naturally and we shouldnt be so amazed when we see something new! we spend to much time gawping over something we havent seen instead of saying 'ok thats cool - lets goto the next' everyone is being guided already so stop taking time outs!

then as said the next cards after the fool in the major show us on our jorney learning this, learning that bla bla BUT.... its things we already know!!!

We all know that we need strength, control, wisdom
and we all know that we bottle things up, need guidence and seek love! bla bla woot woot

this is all the cards are saying to u! the fool in the beginning will always get to the end of his journey no matter how short or long and in this journey u will experience and learn all that your meant to learn!

Accept, learn and move on...i think

and i think thats what they mean by putting the fool in the beginnig and the end???? maybe who knows dude who knows

 

[PlatinumDove]

Some people see The Fool as being at the end of the Majors, some see it as being at the beginning. That's most likely where the 0/22 is coming from, and why the description is slightly different, because in the beginning, he hasn't been through anything yet, he hasn't see the Tower get hit by lightning, or met The Empress, etc. But if you put him in the end of all that, he has seen it all, and he is the Wise Fool, wise enough in his lessons to know more than we do about what is over that cliff edge, and perhaps what he holds in the beg is he is at the end, is what knowledge he has accumulated through his journeys.