Arcanum 22: The Fool
A light beginning
You can set out without a complete map, because curiosity is a good guide too.
A young traveller stands at the edge of a cliff with a bundle on a stick, a white rose in hand and a small dog at their feet. The next step falls over the precipice, yet they take it with trust and curiosity. Such a beginning requires willingness to learn along the way; a complete plan can wait.
Gifts and potential pitfalls
- Gift
- You travel light and with an open mind, so new places quickly become familiar. Starting from scratch is an adventure for you.
- Shadow
- You move so quickly that you forget to watch your step, and the cliff can be closer than it seems. A moment checking what is in your bundle can save trouble later.
- First step
- Take a different route today and notice three things you see for the first time.
In a pair
When this arcanum is at the centre of a shared matrix:
With one bundle between you, you set out into the unknown and draw the map along the way.
In the karmic tail
When this arcanum appears at one of the three points below the centre:
You enter something new with enthusiasm before checking the deadline and whom you need to notify. The first problems emerge along the way and surprise you more than they need to. Before your next start, ask: “What is in my bundle, and what am I missing?”
Where this arcanum appears in the matrix
The centre and other points are sums, so this arcanum can appear for many different dates. Three points depend directly on the date:
- Point A (personality): birth day: 22.
- Point B cannot have this arcanum: there are only twelve months.
- Point C (sum of birth-year digits), 1900–2026: 1984 (1 + 9 + 8 + 4 = 22), 1993 (1 + 9 + 9 + 3 = 22). Number of such years: 7.
Matrix number and card number
In the 1909 deck The Fool is numbered 0. Matrix values range from 1 to 22, so The Fool is 22.