The Fool and fear

BrightEye

I recently read something really interesting about the Fool, that he is about abandoning fear, which seemed to imply trust, which in turn implies the form of innocence he is often associated with. I always used to draw it as guidance for myself some years ago and now I always draw the card when I ask how a particular person feels about me. I never used to act on the advice of the Fool because I was too afraid. Could it be that then: that if someone feels the Fool about someone, they feel afraid to take a leap of faith?
 

Mellifluous

Or the opposite. Like when all your instincts are saying yes and you're excited by the prospect, and then you try to inject some caution. Maybe I shouldn't, what if, etc. Really you should go with your instincts though and trust your gut, trust the universe, trust the person. Take the leap of faith.

But as always the meanings can vary a bit, with or without using reversals. So, yeah, still a fair interpretation. :)
 

willowfox

He has no fear, he marches forth into places where ordinary people fear to thread, he has absolute faith in himself and what he is doing, some call him a fool but he knows the score.
 

BrightEye

I guess the Fool as advice is different to the Fool as feelings, but maybe not that different. If the Fool knows no fear and makes you feel 'yes, that's it', why would someone not act on that is what I wonder?
 

Whitestar

You asked if someone's feelings are the Fool, why they would not act on that....

A friend and I were recently talking about this. She said that love, feelings and desires do not always conquer all, unfortunately.

Dysfunction can be strong, and unbreakable no matter how strong your feelings and desires are for another person. I'm not talking huge dysfunction, but when it comes down to it, some aspects of the personality just cannot be overridden, even though the Fool's leap would possibly gain the person great happiness.

Those are my thoughts on it.
 

BrightEye

Whitestar said:
You asked if someone's feelings are the Fool, why they would not act on that....

A friend and I were recently talking about this. She said that love, feelings and desires do not always conquer all, unfortunately.

Dysfunction can be strong, and unbreakable no matter how strong your feelings and desires are for another person. I'm not talking huge dysfunction, but when it comes down to it, some aspects of the personality just cannot be overridden, even though the Fool's leap would possibly gain the person great happiness.

Those are my thoughts on it.
That sounds very plausible, Whitestar, though very sad, too. I remember now that the neighbouring cards were the Moon and Strength, Strength how I come across and the Moon as their thoughts about me. I always think of the Moon as something that pulls you under and over which you don't have control, a fear of drowning almost. It's almost as if the fear of the Moon overrides the encouragement of the Fool.
 

Whitestar

It is very sad, sad when you know how things could be, but the other person just can't take the plunge.

Just because the other person is feeling like the Moon right NOW, doesn't mean that that won't change with time and patience and growth...eventually maybe they will become the Fool!!!

Whitestar
 

Seafra

In getting the Fool as feelings, I would think that lack of fear is a given. But our Fool has impossibly beautiful goals at times. In the context of a reading a Fool might become practical, sometimes an unfortunate but likely happening.
 

BrightEye

Seafra said:
In getting the Fool as feelings, I would think that lack of fear is a given. But our Fool has impossibly beautiful goals at times.
I like the way you put that. Now that I think of it, the Fool has also meant someone's desire for freedom, either their own or someone else's.

Seafra said:
In the context of a reading a Fool might become practical, sometimes an unfortunate but likely happening.
How would that manifest in a reading then?
 

Seafra

BrightEye said:
I like the way you put that. Now that I think of it, the Fool has also meant someone's desire for freedom, either their own or someone else's.


How would that manifest in a reading then?

By other cards ;) Perhaps (RWS) one must take into consideration that the Fool travels light. He's not bringing emotional baggage with him even though that dog is nipping at his pant hem.