One of the best things about tarot cards is that the meaning of the cards is never stale. The roots of each card are alive, spreading the nourishing gift of emotional sustenance. There is no one formula for each card that applies undoubtedly to other decks, or to each reader for that matter. The same reader can use two different decks for the same, or similar questions, and come up with very different responses from two alike cards. Obviously, these are my own thoughts, and there is no one right way to read or compare the cards.
I want to share some thoughts I have for The Fool from my two tarot decks, The Wild Unknown and the Ostara Tarot. If you look back to my old school posts, you can see that the Wild Unknown was my first deck. It was the very first one I learned to read. I finally made the purchase to acquire a second deck, and I chose the Ostara Tarot. I chose that deck actually because of The Devil card in particular (but that is a different post for a different day).
The left card is The Wild Unknown depiction of the Fool. The right is the Ostara Tarot depiction of the Fool. I will share the similarities of each card, the differences in meaning, the pros and cons of each card, and the one (if there is one) that speaks to me the most.
The Fool from The Wild Unknown is a baby chick, perched and ready for flight. Above the branch the expansive sky is golden, showing that it is a treasure to be one of the few creatures in this world that can navigate this path. It is endless and full of light. Below the branch is bleak, darkening into the depths of the plummet. Clearly this precipice is going to take heart and guts. Both above and below are unknown. Above brings freedom. The sky brings possibilities and the ability to grow.
This is also seen in the other Fool. A young girl grasps her broom. She has already taken flight. Although what is behind her is also dark, the obstacle that struck me was the way the artist depicted the tumult of wind. Her hair is blowing behind her, and birds all are around her, always trying to brave the way. Here, this Fool shows that although the leap of faith was taken, the path is not just smooth sailing. She will be confronted with dangers and threats, even though this is clearly the path she was destined for.
One of the main differences that I see in these cards is the perception or perceived feeling of preparedness. The chick looks small and frail, but animals are always so inspirational to me. No matter how unable and weak they seem, they were made for their environments. Thousands of years of evolution have allowed such small babies to take the most daring of leaps. The girl, on the other hand, has more of the traditional look of the classical Fool. She is young. She is so ready for her adventure that she doesn’t even notice that her shoes are untied. But if you look closely, she has red elbows and scratched knees. This isn’t her first attempt, but she kept trying.
Both of these young Fools speak to new beginnings. The pros of the Wild Unknown are the clear demonstration of following your calling. If birds who are meant to fly, but never can, they will mostly likely die. The pros also show that the journey is worth more than anything. The chick is surrounded by flowers and comfort, but still she knows she must fly. The pros from the Fool from the Ostara Tarots shows the layers of the journey. The young girl has bloody knees, and a wind that could overpower her. But she persists. She dares to fly amongst the birds and the height.
In truth, I don’t find one speaks to me more than the other. I will say I love the Fool from the Wild Unknown. I love the idea of following what must be done before our physical forms go back to the dust and the stones. I relate to that Fool perhaps a little more because for a while I tried to make my way on the branch, where there was true comfort. The flowers show that the start is not a bad place. But the fact that I hadn’t leaped into my own sky meant that the deep depth felt like it was encroaching more inch by inch.
I would love to hear what you think of these cards, or of the Fool in your cards. You can find the Wild Unknown deck at www.thewildunknown.com. I purchased my Ostara Tarot deck from Amazon. These are not affiliate links.
We all have been the Fool at some point, and it is a beautiful place, despite the obstacles. Stay wild wolflings.