Thursday, March 4, 2010

The Fool (con't)

He stands for the unbridled spirit of  humanity. He encourages risk and ventures into the unknown. He urges us to find the faith in ourselves to embrace what we don't understand or are not familiar with.  The Fool encourages us to approach our lives and Life Journey with enthusiasm and wonderment.  Be spontaneous, he tells us. A meaningful life is not lived by logic and intellect alone. That would be tantamount to reading a poem by counting its words to quote Jay Haley the renowned psychologist.
This point is reiterated by the Fool and his rose which in mythology and religion represents passion and love. In fact, the rose is identified with Venus/Aphrodite (and later with the Virgin Mary). 

In Tarot readings, the Fool  reminds us that without the ability or motivation to see the world with fresh eyes there can be no enlightenment. All the other cards of the Tarot and their significance in our lives become meaningless if we remain unwilling to challenge our preconceived notions and premises. Perhaps Rumi said it best when he instructs us to "Become a Fool"
Since intelligence only incites you to pride and vanity,
Become a fool, so your heart stays pure.
Not a fool who wastes his life in playing the idiot,
But a fool who is lost and astounded in Him.
If, through astonishment, your reason leaps out of your head
Every hair on your head will become a new head.
Every hair on your head will become a new intellect.


Amen to that.

-Are you afraid of appearing "foolish"?

-Are you overly concerned by what others think of you?

-Are you too rigid and inflexible ?

-Are you spontaneous?

-Do you ever just forget ahead and let the chips fall where they may?

-Do you have faith that the Universe will take care of you?

-Are you seeking adventure and novelty?

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