The Tarot teaches us a lot about cycles. From The Wheel of Fortune, forever going around and around, to Death, showing us the transitions of life and the world around us. We have come to the final card of the Major Arcana, The World. What comes next? There’s a hint inside the symbolism of the card itself:
We see again those depictions of the human/angel, eagle, bull, and lion that represent the four fixed zodiac signs. We saw them in The Wheel of Fortune. We see in some depictions an Ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail. The woman in the centre has crossed legs, reminiscent of The Hanged Man. She holds wands like The Magician.
I am reminded of the concept of Flow, being ‘in the zone’. The woman in the World card is in a state of flow with the whole world. She recognises that she is connected with everyone and everything else. The wreath resembles a seed or an egg, or the 0 that represents The Fool.
Within the completion of the Fool’s Journey is the seed for it to begin again. Remember beginner’s mind? Look back at your journey in life as if you are The Fool again. Recognise how far you have come, and how far you have yet to go. Rebirth happens throughout life, again and again. Notice the infinity signs in the wreath around the woman.
Graduations, birthdays, celebratory events such as these represent an ending, but also a new beginning. You accomplish things not so that you can stop, but so that you can do something new. Take a moment to pause and reflect. This is a card of harmony and fulfillment.
If you have been reading these posts in order from card 0 to card 21, I would like to say thank you and congratulations. You have completed a long and difficult journey as The Fool. If you have not read them all, I would encourage you to study each card step-by-step so that you can understand how The Fool got here.
I will be back soon to begin writing about the Minor Arcana, which are the remaining 56 cards in a standard Tarot deck. I am also planning to write about the following topics:
- Reversals
- Picking your first tarot deck, misconceptions, and shop recommendations
- Deck reviews
- Tarot spreads and how to ask questions
- Pamela Colman-Smith (the artist of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck)
- Book reviews and other resources
I hope you will continue learning about tarot with me. Please let me know if there are any topics you would like me to cover. You can find me on Twitter or Instagram, and there is a contact page linked at the top of this website. If you click ‘About Me’, you can find ways to support my work if you are able to. And of course you can subscribe to get email notifications every time I post in the sidebar.
Iona Grant 