A harlequin suit of purple and gold

and a pointed hat with bells so bold.

The court jester plays the clown

and acquires great renown.

Behind the mask another man

counsels the king and holds his hand,

Beguiled, bejeweled and bewitched.

A long flowing beard and face so wise,

What is hidden behind his disguise?

Purple robes tattered and worn

often the subject of people’s scorn.

He sees the future and knows the past,

understands how the die is cast,

Beguiled, bejeweled and bewitched.

The Jester has riches and gifts a plenty

many friends and power of the court.

While the wise man has naught;

Has he found the Truth he sought?

Beguiled, bejeweled and bewitched,

the secrets of the Wise Man and The Fool.

The Wise Man and The Fool

by Gigi Krop

A modern fool: one who is governed by his ego, thinks he knows it all and no one can tell him otherwise. His ego grows like an all-consuming cancer. To himself he’s a wise man; but to others, he’s just a fool.

In days gone by the wizard or magician was a respected sage, consulted by royalty and peasant.  Long ago, in a time before history lived Mananan McLir, a powerful wizard that cultivated prosperity. A member of the ancient Irish race, he was their provider and protector.

“Guardian of the Isle of Man, Mannannan MacLir rode a horse called Enbrr, meaning “Splendid Mane,’ that took him with ease over land or sea. No weapon could pierce Manannan’s armor, and no enemy could survive his sword’s thrust; that sword was called the Answerer… He was the happiest and most generous of wizards, and he made happy those about him.”1

Mananan MacLir was one of the first great wizards and Merlin the Enchanter, was the last of the powerful wizards. He helped young Arthur retrieve that most famous of swords, Excalibur and was instrumental in Arthur’s rise to Kinghood.

 “In his youth, Merlin the Enchanter observed a duel of dragons and was inspired to prophecy. He foresaw the rivers of England run red with blood of battle; but he also foresaw the coming of King Arthur and the glorious reign that followed.”1

Roger Bacon was a 19^th century monk in search of Divine Wisdom. He studied the sciences and used logic to understand the Divine Order. Magicians say that all the elements are linked together by the strings of harmony. (scientists call it string theory). If they are disrupted by magic, the result is chaos (or entropy): the dying of the sun, boiling of seas, famine or plague. They say that calling into existence an ordered world of light and harmony meant summoning its contrary i.e. Satin or the Devil.

Two of Bacon’s students wanted to know how their fathers were faring so Bacon took out his magic mirror. It showed the two fathers, once friends, engaged in combat. One of the old men died and his son wanted revenge. The young man drew his dagger, the other student defended himself and “the two boys lay mortally wounded on the floor of Bacon’s study”. The next day a messenger brought bad news about Bacon’s friend,

Friar Bungay -- he was found dead, his body burnt beyond recognition, after a night of black magic. A very upset Friar Bacon retreated to his chambers.

“Days later he emerged gaunt and pale. He had resolved to abjure his magic. It was knowledge, he said, not meant for fallible mortals, and death attended the practice.” 1 Bacon destroyed all his books and equipment, “Burnt the greatest learning in the world” and went into seclusion.../John Faustus the German scholar and doctor of Divinity, became bored with his studies. He developed magical powers and summoned Mephistopheles.

 “ Mephistopheles appeared without warning at the stroke of midnight, but not as a friar. He was gaudily bedecked as a court jester and bejeweled as a sultan.”1 three meetings John Faustus agreed to surrender his soul in exchange for the ultimate powers of magic. Instead of doingg reat deeds, Faustus misused his powers for lies and lewdness. A month before the contract was scheduled to end he prayed and begged for forgiveness. But it was too late. The day dawned dark and dreary and Faust’s mutilated body was found in his chamber. 

Merlin, Maclir, Bacon and Faustus were magician, wizard, scholar/wise man, and monk but what lesson did they learn? All four were great legends. Merlin, Maclir and Bacon recognized their boundaries and understood their limitations; they were wise men. What about Faustus? This great scholar was driven by his ego; he was weak. He surrendered to the Devil within and caused much destruction. John Faustus thought he was a wise man, but he was just a fool. The Devil appeared in the form of a court jester and gave the illusion of a fool but he was wise to the weakness of men.

In many stories from the Bible an angel appears in the form of a beggar to teach a lesson or offer guidance to someone in need. But the angel is often ignored because the person only sees a beggar.

Fact or fiction, folklore or legend the spiritual journey of the disciple and his rise from scholar to wizard has been the source of great study. Before the time of European kings and queens, before the traveling bands of gypsies and the ancient civilization of Atlantis, there lived a powerful instrument of divination, the images and symbols, the story of The Tarot deck.

The 22 cards of the Major Arcana tell the story of the Fool and his writ of passage from innocence to knowledge. They also represent the divine forces and the wisdom of our higher self. The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana portray the human condition and everyday life situations. Together the Arcanas reveal the secrets of life and death as we tread the path from Fool to Wise Man or Wise Man to Fool.

The Major Arcana tells the story of an innocent boy who thirsts for knowledge and the meaning of life. In search of answers, He decides to leave the safety of his small village and venture out into the world. His friends think he’s a Fool to leave the security of his hometown and expose himself to the dangers of the unknown. Many believe that the person who searches for knowledge is indeed wise whereas the one who takes pride in his importance is truly the fool.

  After several years of travel our Young Hero finds a small cottage deep in the forest. He knocks on the door of opportunity and is welcomed by the owner, a great wizard in search of an apprentice. After many years of apprenticeship, the Boy becomes a Magician with great powers. There are two types of magic; the first aims for ancement of the will, the acquisition of power. The other strives for oneness with creation and the Supreme Being. There is a big difference in these two approaches and in the attitudes of those who practice them; the first being the providence of the wise man that becomes a fool, the second being the fool who becomes the wise man.

Next our Hero receives spiritual guidance from the High Priestess. She represents intuition and spiritual inspiration and the application of the psychic senses for the raising of soul consciousness. The Empress is a woman who is guided by her intuition and inner strength. In a reading she brings forth love and happiness. In the story of the cards the Empress teaches our Young Aspirant how to exercise control over his emotions.

 From the Emperor our Spiritual Traveler learns the principals of realization, action and dominion; the ability to successfully execute a plan of action. The Hierophant is the protector of tradition and ceremony. He represents guidance, advice and the ability to hear your inner voice. As Our Hero matures he seeks another kind of development, the bond of love and joining of two hearts that only the union of male and female can achieve. He meets a beautiful young maiden with long flowing hair and a headband of energy and emotion. They become The Lovers. His heart aches for love but she teaches him to control his emotions and continue on the path to wisdom.

The Fool in search of knowledge sees a Chariot blocking his path. He jumps aboard and grabs the reins, takes control of a difficult situation, and brings about balance and harmony. Perseverance brings success as the soul directs the Seekers body and harnesses the forces of the physical world. Our Hero acquires inner Strength, a balance between body, mind and spirit that brings success and honor. But in order to become truly enlightened one must turn away from the material world so our Champion becomes a Hermit. He enters a period of meditation that gives him the inspiration to continue on his journey.

The Wheel of Fortune represents humanity’s ability to choose good over evil, the laws of karma, and the cycles of growth that our Hero needs to balance the scales of Justice.

Now the Seeker looks at life from a different point of view. He realizes that a fool follows the path of selfishness and materialism and that he must shed old views and go through a spiritual transition. The twelfth card of the Tarot The Hanged Man represents a positive transition and growth towards spiritual wisdom. It marks the Death of his old lifestyle, a major transformation, and a new beginning.

In the old legend from India “The Brahman and His Bride” the daughter of a fairy and an elf becomes a beautiful and pious young woman named Pramadarva. Ruru, the grandson of the King falls in love with her. A few days after their engagement, Pramadarva is bitten by a poisonous snake. Ruru is broken hearted and prays for her redemption, “Please let the power of my penance and merit restore my beloved to me”.2  A celestial emissary appears and says, “There is a way to bring back your beloved.” Ruru replies, “Please tell me the secret.” The angel answers, “If you give half of your life to this maiden, she will rise up again.” Said Ruru, “Gladly will I sacrifice half of my life to restore hers.” Then the emissary appeared before the Judge of Death and asked, “O Great One, please let Pramadarva rise up endowed with a part of Ruru’s life.” The Judge of the Dead responds, “So it shall be.” As a result of this decree, the maiden awakes; she and Ruru spend the rest of their days in love and happiness.

In life the Seeker must make sacrifices on the path to love and happiness: he needs to learn Temperance and patience to harness his energy and direct it towards the purification of the soul. He must overcome the temptations of material pleasures and conquer the evil inclination. The Devil tries to obscure his vision with negative energy. He must look beyond life’s evil influences and not be lured by false security and pride. If our Seeker is unable to communicate with his higher self he will descend into a spiritual crisis. The waves of emotion will crash against the foundation of his beliefs, darkness will envelop him, and lightening will strike and destroy The Tower of knowledge that our Hero has worked so hard to build.

After darkness there is light. The Star rises from the barren wasteland and shines down upon the Seeker. It surrounds him with the beauty of Divine Wisdom. The Moon shines through the clouds, a symbol of the unconscious mind. It is the feminine principle of reflection that illuminates the darkness. In a reading the Moon often represents peace after a difficult period. It has the same meaning for the Hero of the Tarot. The Sun sends him warmth, energy, and joy. He is illuminated by the purity of the white light. An angel plays the trumpet to welcome the dawn of a new existence and a new perspective of life. It is the awakening of cosmic consciousness. 

As he readies himself for the final Judgment and departure from The World the Seeker realizes that the more he learns the less he knows.  

The first and last card of the Tarot is one and the same; its number is zero representing the circle of life. At the end of his life many think that the Seeker has become a Wiseman but in his heart he’s still a Fool.

The cards of the Tarot deck are more than an allegorical story. They are a compilation of spiritual knowledge that combines numerology, astrology, metallurgy and vibratory science with the secrets of the Kabbalah (the Jewish concepts of mysticism), extra-sensory perception and higher consciousness. Every card has a number and represents a different planetary influence. The symbols of the Tarot transcend time, space and scientific knowledge. If used correctly they tap into the power of the soul and reveal information about our past, present and future, the answers to life’s questions.

Is our journey at an end or is it just beginning; is the wise man a fool or is the fool a wise man?

References:

  1. Wizards & Witches, Brendan Lehane, Time-Life Books, Alexandria, Virginia

2. Myths & Legends Series – India, Donald A MacKenzie, Avenel Books, Crown Publishers Inc., New York 1985

3. Psychic Tarot, Craig Junjulas, Morgan & Morgan, Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

4. The Sacred Tarot, C.C. Zane, The Church of Light, California 1969

5. The Bridge of Life, Life As A Bridge Between Past and Future, Harav Yechiel  Michel Tucazinsky, Moznaim Publishing Corp., Brooklyn NY 1983

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