A couple weeks ago, I went to see Kamaljit, my favorite masseuse in the world, for a long overdue massage. I absolutely love my time there. I always feel like I’m in a safe and sacred port. On this occasion, Kamaljit decided to try something new. She had just journeyed to Santa Cruz to buy new Tarot cards, and as we were discussing how my body was feeling and what I wanted to focus on, she asked if I would be open to drawing 2 cards. I picked the “Justice” and the “Fool” cards.
Most cultures view the word justice as a positive word and fool as a negative one. I admit that I raised an eyebrow when I saw my choices and may have given an inner scoff at the fool card: “Oh great, that’s all I need! And the guy looks like an idiot running off a cliff…awesome!”
Sometimes We Need to Take a Leap
She explained to me that in Tarot the fool is the first card in the deck, number zero. It represents seeing the world with fresh eyes, as children do, with a sense of wonder and no expectations. In Tarot, the justice card represents all that we experience as we journey through life and the beliefs that we carry with us about how the world works, what is expected, and most importantly, if we were wronged in any way, that feeling that justice must be served.
Going into that massage, I had just learned of a situation that I felt deserved justice. I had been “wronged.” Why did that person get to proceed as if nothing had happened, and on the surface, appear to succeed? She reminded me to let go and to embrace the fool, “You’ll notice that the fool carries his experiences with him in a pack on his back, but he does not wear them.”
New experiences: climbing in Thailand (first part was barefoot)
The more cycles we go through on the planet, the easier it is to believe that we understand and know how the world works, how it’s always worked, and how it will continue to work. It’s extremely easy to fall into the trap of wearing our experiences, automatically knowing what to expect since “It was like this before. Why would it be different now?” What’s more, since we expect the result that’s always happened, we don’t open ourselves up to a new experience, and it further confirms that our belief is right: “This is the way the world works. I know because I’ve always experienced it this way.”
Perhaps the mark of true wisdom is to learn from our experiences, carry them with us, but remember that they only inform us up to a point. As Lao Tzu said in the Tao Te Ching, “You can never step in the same river twice.” We are not the same people we were even 6 months ago, and the world continues to change at a dramatic rate. Maybe it’s safer to view the world under our presuppositions because jumping off a cliff into the unknown can be terrifying. What if there’s no safe landing place?
I choose the third option: the wise fool. Holding onto my righteousness was only hurting me and preventing me from fully enjoying new experiences. We can learn from our successes and our mistakes, while having the courage to see the world anew. Who knows? If we give ourselves the chance to see with fresh eyes, we may begin to explore new opportunities and to see dreams that can be realized, if we only believe.
“WIse fool” is the definition of the word sophomore.
::pinky finger to corner of mouth:: Intriguing 😉
Huge insight! I don’t know much of anything about the Tarot, but in literary terms the Fool is also considered wise–especially in medieval and renaissance texts.
Hope you have a wisely foolish weekend————
Hugs,
Kathy
Interesting–I’ve never thought of it like that before, but now that I think about it, all the fools in medieval texts are portrayed that way. Thanks Kathy! You too! Happy St. Patty’s Day!
Powerful post, my friend!! I needed this reinforcement today! I love this description of wise fool. I appreciate your fresh perspective on life experiences!
Thank you! I appreciate yours too! 🙂
I love this, Jackie! Before I do new things and I experience resistance, I always think to myself, “Am I feeling fear over what is actually happening, or am I replaying a story I used to tell myself based on PAST experience?” It’s very freeing to realize that in most present moments, there is nothing to fear because I am only living anew in each moment and choosing to shed the stories of the past. While reading your post, I was reminded of this quote: “Innocence is knowing everything and still being attracted to the good.”~Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Thanks Currie! That’s a great question to ask yourself. I may have to start implementing that one as well. As far as trying something new goes, if I’m feeling fear around something, I ask myself “Is fear the only thing holding me back from doing xyz?” If it is, it’s not a good enough reason, and I do it.
Also, I really like that quote–thanks for sharing! 🙂
I enjoyed reading your post. I, too, believe that sometimes we just need to look at things through fresh eyes. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks Kristin! Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Glad to hear you liked the post!
Quite an interesting insight. Although, I am no believer in Tarrot but looking at the world with a child’s eye while keeping a bag pack of experience sounds fun.
It’s been fun experimenting with this take on life lately! I’ve noticed myself slipping a few times, and then I remind myself of the wise fool while looking on events with a fresh perspective. Thanks for reading and commenting, Ashley!
Love the first photo!
I bought it from istock–really liked it too!
I love the Daodejing… Ever take a look at the Zhuangzi? ^_^
Confucius? I have. The Dao is pretty amazing indeed!