Tarot in My Life: Always Trust Your Cape

"Spread your arms and hold your breath, and always trust your cape."

Sometimes in life we embark on a journey that involves a leap of faith. We jump into the unknown future we desire with no idea where we will land. We just know somehow we will grow our wings on the way down and we will be ok. I believe the learning is in the journey. It's been almost five years since Chris and I bought our boat, and like The Fool we stepped off into the unknown. It's been an awesome journey. It has had moments that take your breath away and moments that scare the breath right out of you. But we've made it safely to each destination - whether figuratively as in getting through a difficult decision; or realistically as in making it to the next safe, calm bay. Intuition was our cape, we trusted it, and we didn't let anyone talk us out of our dream. We didn't know we couldn't do it, but we knew we had to try.

If The Fool could give us any advice he would sing us the song, "Trust Your Cape" by Guy Clark:

Listen to the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4q-Q6LSfuI

Eight years old with a flour sack cape tied all around his neck
He climbed up on the garage, he's figurin what the heck
Screwed his courage up so tight, that the whole thing come unwound
He got a runnin start and bless his heart, he headed for the ground
 
Well he's one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape
 
Now he's all grown up with a flour sack cape tied all around his dreams
And he's full of piss and vinegar, and he's bustin' at the seams
So he licked his finger and checked the wind, it's gonna be do or die
He wasn't scared of nothin', boys, he was pretty sure he could fly
 
Well he's one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape
 
Now he's old and gray with a flour sack cape tied all around his head
And he's still jumpin off the garage and will be 'til he's dead
All these years the people said, "He's acting like a kid"
He did not know he could not fly, so he did
 
Well he's one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape
 

Yeah, he's one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape
Spread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape
 
Songwriters
Clark, Guy / Janosky, Jim / Clark, Susanna Wallis

 *Linda and her fiance' Chris, have been traveling and living in the Caribbean on their sailboat, Troubadour. Read about their journey at http://sailingtroubadour.blogspot.com/

*Image of "The Fool" from Shadowscapes Tarot

Celebrating the Fool

Today is April Fool's Day. We in the tarot community have begun claiming this as a special day for tarotists, because the Fool, Major Arcana Card 0, is such an important part of tarot understanding.

To honor the Fool on this day I will make a list of some things I know about the Fool.

Please feel free to add to this list in the comments below.

The Fool is numbered Card 0 because he is the star of the story told by tarot. The Fool represents each one of us on our journey through life. The other seventy-seven cards represent the experiences, characters and lessons we encounter on that journey through life.

Tarot, especially the Major Arcana, was first referred to as the "Fool's Journey" by Eden Gray in the early 1970's.

The Fool is usually pictured carrying a pouch. We believe that the pouch holds the Four Tools of Magick - the Wand, the Pentacle, the Sword and the Cup. Of course these tools find their way to the Magician's Table in Card One of the Major Arcana, and become the four suit icons of the Minor Arcana.

The Fool is usually pictured with a merry countenance, getting ready to walk off a cliff. He message is that to begin our journey we must take a leap of faith.

The Fool is associated with Uranus, and therefore the element of Air. Correspondences include being unconventional, curious and investigative.

The Fool reminds us to nurture our inner child.

The Fool tells us to take risks, but to weigh risks carefully.

The Fool teaches us that life is a journey to be enjoyed without fear.

The Fool invites us to think outside the box.

The Fool tells us not to fear the judgment of others, but to be truly free in our own self-expression.