Since it’s April 1, this seemed like the only appropriate card for the day.
The Fool is Spirit that had descended to the realm of matter, seeing the world with new eyes, stepping out boldly without hesitation. Taking chances, jumping off that cliff when everyone tells you “STOP!” But you know it’s the only thing you can do. Maybe you’ve tried everything else, and things just aren’t working. And you know what they say, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Perhaps it’s time to take a new tack,sail into the wind.
Writer of vampire stories and science fiction. First novel, "Revenants Abroad", available now at Amazon. If you like a vampire you can go out drinking with and still respect yourself in the morning, I think you'd like Andrej.
View all posts by D. D. Syrdal
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10 thoughts on “These Are a Few of My Favorite Fools”
‘Baroque Bohemian Cats’ is one of my favorite decks, although my daily single card pull is Albano-Waite, whose Fool is a bit garish.
I’ve had The Witches Tarot the longest, but I tucked it away after Ellen Cannon Reed died. I talked to her a few times on ye olde IRC back in the day. Albano-Waite isn’t much to look at, but it’s a good daily read deck for me.
Lucky you! I used to be on the TarotL discussion list, joined not long after Tea Prentiss started it, but it’s become almost useless now. We had some wonderful members back in the day, though: Nigel Jackson, Mary Greer, Bob O’Neill, etc. Hard to have a discussion about Tarot now without someone trying to glom their particular religious beliefs onto it.
This is so cool…the cards are amazing…so beautifully done. Yes, I like the idea of taking a crazy risk out of sheer desperation. I’m there. I feel as if it’s time to dive off that cliff and let the chips, or cards, fall where they may. Thanks for sharing all the Fool cards. They are delightful dear Dame.
The Vampire is rather lovely, isn’t he? 😉 I purposely didn’t put up too many of my “dark” or “gothic” decks. I adore them, of course, but they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. Maybe someday I’ll do a page of cards from all my darker decks. It’d be an interesting contrast with these ‘lighter’ versions.
you know I love those Bohemian Cats. Is the Tarot fool any relation to the fools of Shakespeare, who always have the nerve to speak the truth to the King when nobody else will?
The tradition of the wise or holy fool goes way back. I lifted this text from this site:
“According to (Robert M.) Place, the Tarot is descended from Roman and medieval triumph parades that used symbols to teach the lesson that Worldly power (i.e. The Emperor) is defeated by time (The Hermit), which brings death (Death), which is defeated by fame (The Sun), then finally eternity (The World). The triumph parades and the Tarot Arcana were warnings to monarchs and peasants alike that the gifts of this world are temporary and that more spiritual goals and virtues (like Temperance and Justice) must be sought in order to reach true happiness.”
There’s more about the idea of the “holy fool” here. It goes back to the Romans, at least.
D.D. SYRDAL 
‘Baroque Bohemian Cats’ is one of my favorite decks, although my daily single card pull is Albano-Waite, whose Fool is a bit garish.
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That’s one deck I don’t own, the Albano-Waite. A garish Fool sounds perfect, though 😉 I love the BBC deck, too, so gorgeous!
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I’ve had The Witches Tarot the longest, but I tucked it away after Ellen Cannon Reed died. I talked to her a few times on ye olde IRC back in the day. Albano-Waite isn’t much to look at, but it’s a good daily read deck for me.
LikeLike
Lucky you! I used to be on the TarotL discussion list, joined not long after Tea Prentiss started it, but it’s become almost useless now. We had some wonderful members back in the day, though: Nigel Jackson, Mary Greer, Bob O’Neill, etc. Hard to have a discussion about Tarot now without someone trying to glom their particular religious beliefs onto it.
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This is so cool…the cards are amazing…so beautifully done. Yes, I like the idea of taking a crazy risk out of sheer desperation. I’m there. I feel as if it’s time to dive off that cliff and let the chips, or cards, fall where they may. Thanks for sharing all the Fool cards. They are delightful dear Dame.
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Aren’t they fun? I love seeing all the different artists’ takes on them. I collect decks as much for the art as to read with them.
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What kind of fool am I? My 2 faves are the Baroque Boho Cats and the Vampire. Thanks for posting all these fools — they are fantastic.
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The Vampire is rather lovely, isn’t he? 😉 I purposely didn’t put up too many of my “dark” or “gothic” decks. I adore them, of course, but they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. Maybe someday I’ll do a page of cards from all my darker decks. It’d be an interesting contrast with these ‘lighter’ versions.
LikeLike
you know I love those Bohemian Cats. Is the Tarot fool any relation to the fools of Shakespeare, who always have the nerve to speak the truth to the King when nobody else will?
LikeLike
The tradition of the wise or holy fool goes way back. I lifted this text from this site:
“According to (Robert M.) Place, the Tarot is descended from Roman and medieval triumph parades that used symbols to teach the lesson that Worldly power (i.e. The Emperor) is defeated by time (The Hermit), which brings death (Death), which is defeated by fame (The Sun), then finally eternity (The World). The triumph parades and the Tarot Arcana were warnings to monarchs and peasants alike that the gifts of this world are temporary and that more spiritual goals and virtues (like Temperance and Justice) must be sought in order to reach true happiness.”
There’s more about the idea of the “holy fool” here. It goes back to the Romans, at least.
LikeLike