Being in the midst of Aries season, I’ve been thinking about The Fool. While originally it had no number and sort of hung out between Trump XXI (The World) and Trump I (Le Bateleur), it has come to be accepted in modern times as the beginning of the deck. In fact, its meaning has evolved to be about beginnings and first steps, enthusiasm and initiative, rebirth and impulsivity. And, doesn’t that sound a lot like Aries? Starting things off with a leap of faith, pioneering, carefree. The life force, just like buds springing forth in April as Spring bellows to a waiting world that it’s time to begin anew, again.
The “I am”-ness of Aries refers to identity. “I am… what?” as the 1st House asks. Its glyph, the ram, lives on mountains much like the one The Fool is about to step so boldly off of. It teaches courage, like that which is needed to take risks. How else do we grow?
And so I got to thinking about the astrological correspondences of the tarot trumps, and how my Fool will always be Aries. I mean, sure- I get the Uranus connection. It’s the free spirit of the planets, following its own path… but have you ever sat down and tried to match up the cards with the signs & planets? There are so many possibilities. Who’s to say that what a bunch of middle-aged white guys from a hundred years ago with a spiritual stick up their butts decided were the best possible correspondences? Tarot wasn’t developed as an esoteric tool, that application came later. I have nothing against esoterica, but I don’t usually use it with tarot. To me, The Fool’s Journey is more like a roving tale of fluid archetypal imaginings than a sterile game of match-up.
So, go ahead. Grab a piece of paper and write the majors down the left. On the right, list ten planets and the 12 signs. Now start linking them up. Does the warrior-driven Chariot really embody emotional Cancer? What does The Hierophant mean to you? What’s the best placement for the goals-driven structure of Capricorn? If the Sun corresponds to The Sun, might the Moon be linked with… The Moon? What does Pluto mean to you and which card best represents that?
It’s a fun game, actually. And a great way to learn or refresh or re-examine your astrological knowledge. What makes more sense to you?
ARCANIS TAROT 