When I was 19 I made the decision to move to Bathurst in order to study. This was three hours from home.  I uprooted my entire life because I knew that in order to grow as I wanted, I needed to be uncomfortable. 

 

And boy was I. 

 

I’m a self-proclaimed Extroverted-Introvert meaning I am very good at pretending to be very social and outgoing. However, most of the time I’d rather be at home in my Jim-jams with some tea and something trashy on TV. So when I lived on campus in a dormitory with shared bathrooms, kitchens and generally always populated communal spaces, I was a little on edge. 

 

Not only was I forced into social situations I typically wouldn’t have ever wanted to be part of, I was also doing a pretty intense degree. It was a close-knit theatre course with only 30 people per year admitted. The course was gruelling and unusual. Just so you can get an idea, one of the first major assignments involved going camping deep in the bush with a bunch of people I’d met maybe 2 weeks prior. For my damn theatre degree.

 

For the first few weeks I was there, I was deeply uneasy. But there was a delight I found in being faced with that discomfort. And look, yes, there were a few nights when I found myself crying in my dorm room desperate to return to the stagnant life I’d left back home. But reflecting on the past is a normal part of change. Usually after a good secret cry I’d make myself go talk to one of my dormies and quickly got the fuck over it. 

 

When I let the exciting energy of this new chapter lead the way, it wasn’t long at all before I found amazing people to connect with and became swept up in the  joy of exploring strange new landscapes. Those were some of the most formative years of my life. Not every experience I had was pleasant but every experience was necessary. I wouldn’t be who I am today had I not been brave enough to be The Fool and take that leap into a brand new chapter. 

 

So, you see, this is exactly what The Fool speaks to. It reminds us that all of the most valuable things life has to offer usually require some sort of bravery. It takes being uncomfortable to usher in new chapters of our life.  It asks us to take a deep breath and just go for it. We can’t let fear stop us from tackling new and exciting chapters in our lives. 

 

One of the most interesting things to note about The Fool is that its sequential number is 0. It sits just outside of the new chapter and appears the moment right before we take our first step. 0 is the number of limitless potential. It represents everything and nothing and is desperate to be moulded into meaning. 

 

When we pick up a Tarot deck for the first time we are The Fool. We feel exhilarated and eager but also somewhat intimidated by the sheer breadth of learning about to be undertaken. I want you to know that your Tarot journey will never reach an end. Sure you can study all the card meanings, learn a bunch of spreads and be reading the cards for years but the Cards will always have something new to share with you. This is the beauty of the practice. 

 

When it comes to Tarot, always be willing to be The Fool. Always be willing to approach as blank slate filled with wonder. 

 

Over the next week I want you to take a moment to reflect on a time in your life when you embodied The Fool. Write down the situation and articulate everything you felt. After that write down all that you gained from stepping in to the unknown. 

 

Until next time, Soul Fam. 

 

Em xx