Tarot & Transformation
The Fool by Anna Matykiewicz
My Journey Through Jung and Irish Folklore.
Twenty years ago, I wrote a university thesis exploring Tarot, Jungian psychology, and Gnosticism. Back then, it was just an intellectual curiosity—now, it feels like a map I unknowingly created for my own spiritual path. As I revisit this work with deeper understanding and life experience, I see how my personal journey mirrors the archetypes I once studied.
This is more than a reflection—it's the beginning of something new. I'm now reinterpreting the Tarot through the lens of radical acceptance, Jung’s shadow work, and the magic of Irish folklore. In the coming months, I’ll be sharing fresh insights on individual Tarot cards, starting with The Fool, as well as updates on my own intuitive Tarot deck inspired by Irish nature and mythology.
✨ If you’re drawn to Tarot, psychology, spiritual growth, or Celtic traditions, I invite you to follow along. This is just the beginning of an evolving journey—and I’d love to have you with me.
"Consciousness and Transformation: Tarot in the Context of Jung and Gnosticism"
Rider-Waite-Smith; The Fool
0. The Fool - The Divine Child
The card that begins the journey is The Fool, marked with the number 0.
The position of this card is one of the essential mysteries of the Tarot, but when placed at the head of the Major Arcana, it can be connected with the hidden Divinity of Kabbalah, representing the source of all existence—without which nothing can occur. It is also the human elevated to the highest power. The Fool's madness is a divine trait. Symbolically, the Fool is both the beginning and the end—hence it bears no number at the start or end of the sequence. It can appear in either position.
The Fool card depicts a man dressed as a jester. In medieval or Renaissance Europe, the jester had a special role at court—he was often allowed to satirize rulers or make jokes that common folk would never dare to attempt. However, the Fool on the card does not hold such a lofty position. He is usually shown in tattered clothes, being attacked by a dog that is tearing at his pant leg. He carries a bag slung over his shoulder and holds a staff in one hand. The bag was originally depicted as an inflated pig’s bladder—a primitive balloon that was part of the Fool's gear. Sometimes, when he is chasing a butterfly, the bag serves as a net.
In Tarot, the Fool symbolises a lack of experience in social interactions. His mind is not closed off to new experiences—only to the chosen few. He is someone who exists on the edge, following his own path, ignoring rules and taboos. A madman with a spark of genius, scorned by society. A young child encountering the dangers of the world, or a seeker of enlightenment, chasing the butterfly of intuition in hopes it will lead him to mysteries. His mood is joyful and carefree, though hints of trials and traps are present.
According to Gnosticism, when a person is born, they receive a divine spark, which becomes trapped within them—in the physical body, often ignored. We are given potential that offers immense possibilities, but we often—unaware of it—push it into the unconscious and do not allow it to be set free.
This is the first station of life—a symbol of purity and innocence, also a symbol of the fetus, of something new, the very beginning. The Fool can be seen as a newborn child entering the world—unaware of itself as a separate being. It is the symbol of the inner child we strive to reach. It is often said that what happens in childhood greatly affects later development—the way and the circumstances in which we grow up, and the images we register at that time. We are born into different social environments. For some of us, that potential is nurtured, but there is a great risk from negative external factors—painful experiences that can suppress this potential.
Jean Dodal Tarot trump Fool
In Jung’s view, this is the first stage of the individuation process—turning toward the perception of surrounding reality. A child, not yet aware of itself as a separate being, accepts everything from its surroundings uncritically—even from parents—without yet distinguishing between good and bad. At that time, we absorb everything. Childhood is when we are most attuned to learning. This is also the stage of discovering one's shadow—the symbol of our other side, our “dark brother.” A poorly developed attitude becomes our SHADOW SIDE.
Paraphrasing Carl Jung, we might say that the shadow becomes darker the less it is integrated into our consciousness, and that confronting it is a necessary—though often difficult—step toward wholeness.
My Interpretation :
0. The Fool - The Divine Child
The Fool by Anna Matykiewicz 2025
A young boy stands at the beginning of his journey, wearing a fox mask. In this reimagining of The Fool, the boy captures the spirit of new beginnings, curiosity, and instinct. The fox, drawn from Irish folklore, replaces the traditional dog—clever, playful, and able to move between worlds. It represents both guide and trickster, much like The Fool himself, who walks the line between the known and unknown.
The mask he wears glows with a Sun, a symbol of clarity, warmth, and potential. In Jungian psychology, the mask—or Persona—is the part of ourselves we show to the world. It’s not false, but it isn’t the full truth either. Behind it, the boy’s true self is just beginning to awaken. He stands at the edge of self-discovery, unsure but open, innocent but powerful.
His clothing flows like a living map of the Irish landscape—green hills, purple moors, yellow blooms—woven together with floral patterns that connect him to the earth and the old stories.
This card invites us to embrace the unknown, to begin with wonder, and to ask: What part of ourselves is stepping forward—and what part remains unseen?
*Recommended Links *
Link to basic intro on Carl Jung's Archetypes (e.g., https://www.psychologytoday.com)
Intro to Gnosticism http://gnosis.org/welcome.html
Fox in Irish Mythology https://irishheritagenews.ie/fox-irish-folklore/
