The Fool's Journey

[wayfriend]

If you are familiar with tarot, you may be familiar with the Fool's Journey.

In the tarot, there are 22 major arcana cards. Each card represents a stage in a journey through life, from 0 (The Fool) to 21 (The World).

The end of this journey is ... wholeness.

So my question for everyone is ... has anyone ever considered the Chronicles in terms of the Fool's Journey? Surely there are some tarot enthusiasts out there.

Just scanning some of this stuff ... I am intrigued.

Consider that the final card, representing the end of the journey, is The World. Can it be a coincidence?

• The Fool reenters the World (21), but this time with a more complete understanding. He has integrated all the disparate parts of himself and achieved wholeness. He has reached a new level of happiness and fulfillment.

Who is this Fool? you ask. Well, he begins the journey thusly:

• At the start of his trip, the Fool is a newborn - fresh, open and spontaneous. ... He is ready to embrace whatever comes his way, but he is also oblivious to the cliff edge he is about to cross. The Fool is unaware of the hardships he will face as he ventures out to learn the lessons of the world.

That would not be a completely incorrect description of Thomas Covenant before he encountered leprosy.

Just to throw out some high points which demonstrate a certain amount of correspondencenicity...

• By the time the Fool becomes an adult, he has a strong identity and a certain mastery over himself. Through discipline and will-power, he has developed an inner control which allows him to triumph over his environment. ...
  
  At first, the Fool feels defeated and lost. He believes he has sacrificed everything, but from the depths he learns an amazing truth. He finds that when he relinquishes his struggle for control, everything begins to work as it should. By becoming open and vulnerable, the Fool discovers the miraculous support of his Inner Self. He learns to surrender to his experiences, rather than fighting them. ...
  
  Death ...
  
  The Devil is not an evil, sinister figure residing outside of us. He is the knot of ignorance and hopelessness lodged within each of us at some level. ...
  
  The Fool feels absolved. He forgives himself and others, knowing that his real self is pure and good. He may regret past mistakes, but he knows they were due to his ignorance of his true nature. He feels cleansed and refreshed, ready to start anew. ...

Anyway ... I am sure that someone who is wiser than I in tarot might have a take on this. If not, I might pick it up and see what I can do.

[Avatar]

Wow, that all makes an eerie amount of sense WF. Perhaps it is that we are all involved in a Fools Journey...perhaps it is a relevant metaphor for life and hence it's resonance with any sort of progressive journey that people undertake.

Some people make it to the end, others tumble off the cliffs on the way.

--A

[aliantha]

Nice job, WF. You've sucked me in.

I could do one cycle for each of the Chrons; one for Covenant and one for Linden; one for the series as a whole; and on and on. I'm gonna stick with Covenant in the first Chrons for now.

The Fool - 0: Covenant, obviously, as you've already said. And yes, it could be him prior to his leprosy diagnosis. But you'll note that the Fool is about to step off a precipice. Does that remind you of anything in the Land? The dog at his heels could either be his vertigo trying to push him over the edge, or his Unbelief holding him back.

The Magician - 1: The Magician is someone who takes power from above and channels it into this reality. I'd nominate either the Creator or Lord Foul for this slot. Or both, even.

The High Priestess - 2: She's feminine intuition and information that's withheld from the Fool. A mystery. She can also be the perfect woman all men dream of. Lena, maybe?

The Empress - 3: In a traditional reading, the Empress and Emperor often stand in for the influence of one's parents. So the Empress could well be Atiaran.

The Emperor - 4: Which makes the Emperor Triock. Although the card can also be a powerful, ambitious individual -- so maybe Mhoram.

The Hierophant - 5: This card relates to traditional structures of society -- typically the Church. So I'm thinking Prothall.

The Lovers - 6: This card can be about love, yes, so Linden could fit here (although I think she's on her own Fool's Journey). But it can also be about a partnership. So maybe Mhoram fits here? He and Covenant have a kind of bromance going on...

The Chariot - 7: Ah, Foamfollower! This card is about directing your efforts toward a goal, and perservering 'til you win. Which Foamfollower does in Hotash Slay.

Strength - 8 or 11 (depends on the card deck): This card is about courage, self-control, and generosity. The card in the Rider-Waite deck features a woman petting a lion. Sounds like the Ramen to me.

The Hermit - 9: The Hermit can be about retreating from the world, but this old guy can also be a guide. So we are spoiled for choice: the Haruchai, Hamako, the Unfettered One who brings Covenant back from death....

Wheel of Fortune - 10: Unexpected good fortune. I'd nominate the Fire Lions and/or Covenant's inspiration to have Foamfollower and the revenants defeat Foul with laughter.

Justice - 8 or 11: As you'd expect, this is about justice being served. This could be Covenant refusing Mhoram's summons to save the snakebitten girl.

The Hanged Man - 12: Sacrifice, transformation, self-surrender -- this is totally Hile Troy.

Death - 13: There are a couple of scary-looking cards in a Tarot deck that don't actually mean what you think they mean. Take, for instance, Death. It doesn't mean someone is going to die. Instead it means transformation -- the death of an old habit or way of life so that something good can take its place. Is this Mhoram's rejection of the Oath of Peace, maybe?

Temperance - 14: Harmony, balance, adapting to changing circumstances. A clash between the old and the new. Maybe this is about Hile Troy putting his battle-strategy skills to the test.

The Devil - 15: Another of those scary cards, right? But here's the thing about those nekkid people who are chained by the Devil -- the chains around their necks are loose. They can take them off at any time, if only they can get past their fear of the big guy. I'm thinking this card is all about Covenant's relationship with Elena. He can choose whether to be drawn into her craziness, and of course ultimately he chooses not to be.

The Tower - 16: Forget Death and the Devil; this is the *really* scary card in the Major Arcana. The Tower is about a violent upheaval that disrupts everything. Like Elena drinking the Earthblood and calling back Kevin. I'm just sayin'.

The Star - 17: Hope, fulfillment of promises. It might be a stretch to put the ending of TEW in this category. But hey, at least Foul's army is destroyed.

The Moon - 18: Dreams, illusions, projecting fear into your present circumstances based on past ordeals. I'd put Covenant's frustration at not being able to find any trace of Hile Troy in his real world into this bucket.

The Sun - 19: Good health and happiness, joy and success. Covenant's destruction of the Illearth Stone might fit here.

Judgment - 20: Awakening and rebirth. Assimilating what you've learned, so you can put the past behind you. Covenant's conversation with the Creator after defeating Foul would seem to fit.

The World - 21: The cycle is completed. Covenant is back in his own world, a changed man. He goes back to writing with a new purpose. But the thing about the Fool's Journey is that it's never really over; once the cycle is complete, it begins again. Hence, the Second Chrons.

Hmm. I think I've got some events in the wrong order. Anybody else want to take a stab at it?

[Vraith]

Heh...that makes me want to go back to a project I abandoned a while ago of making a Land-based Tarot deck.
I think mentioned it...maybe even made a thread about it...around here once upon a time...

[wayfriend]

making a Land-based Tarot deck

I think if you could depict the major arcana with various scenes from the Chronicles, especially Covenant, it would be very cool. Are you a Reader?

Nice job, WF. You've sucked me in.

I admit that I got put onto the notion from reading your Seasons interview!

(I will take a stab at it eventually.)

Perhaps it is that we are all involved in a Fools Journey...

There's certainly no mention of tarot anywhere in the GI .. yes, I checked. But, yes, I think it's probably a matter of different roads leading to the same deeper truth.

[aliantha]

Vraith -- When you get that deck done, I'll buy one. Seriously.

WF -- What have I started? Looking forward to reading your version!

Perhaps it is that we are all involved in a Fools Journey...

There's certainly no mention of tarot anywhere in the GI .. yes, I checked. But, yes, I think it's probably a matter of different roads leading to the same deeper truth.

Exactly. I'd suspect SRD of only a glancing familiarity with the Tarot, if that. But the Fool's Journey -- a.k.a. the hero's journey -- is one that everybody's on, in one way or another. And I think we're all both the hero and the Fool in our own lives. Which is why it works so well as a narrative structure.

[Vraith]

making a Land-based Tarot deck

I think if you could depict the major arcana with various scenes from the Chronicles, especially Covenant, it would be very cool. Are you a Reader?

Yes...not scenes exactly [or at least not direct representations] in my plan. Though close. Many, like Mhoram with krill and a host of others, are hard to ignore/set aside. All the major arcana cards were [are, in rough outline somewhere in my files] major characters...even if not named.

I made some study of it, used the cards for meditative purposes, story/idea explorations/inspirations, a bunch of fun things initially stolen/inspired by, then modified from
Italo Calvino's "Castle of Crossed Destinies".

But I've never tried reading for another person.

[Savor Dam]

The Empress - 3: In a traditional reading, the Empress and Emperor often stand in for the influence of one's parents. So the Empress could well be Atiaran.

The Emperor - 4: Which makes the Emperor Triock. Although the card can also be a powerful, ambitious individual -- so maybe Mhoram.

Not to put too fine a point on what was otherwise a very interesting analysis, Trell (rather than Triock) is the name sought in #4.

[Avatar]

Good posts guys.

--A

[aliantha]

The Empress - 3: In a traditional reading, the Empress and Emperor often stand in for the influence of one's parents. So the Empress could well be Atiaran.

The Emperor - 4: Which makes the Emperor Triock. Although the card can also be a powerful, ambitious individual -- so maybe Mhoram.

Not to put too fine a point on what was otherwise a very interesting analysis, Trell (rather than Triock) is the name sought in #4.

Right, thanks. That's what I get for relying on my increasingly faulty memory...

[wayfriend]

As this is the Fool's Journey, I have attempted to cast all the major arcana in terms of Covenant, or in terms of a someone's specific relationship with Covenant. Some fit wonderfully, most fit well, and some are a bit stretched, but I stand by those nonetheless. The endings of the separate Chronicles fit very nicely at cards #7, #14, and #21, which I find quite pleasing. Ask me questions and I will explain my choices.

• -----==[ FIRST CHRONICLES ]==-----
  
  The Fool (0)
  
  We begin with the Fool (0), a card of beginnings. The Fool stands for each of us as we begin our journey of life. He is a fool because only a simple soul has the innocent faith to undertake such a journey with all its hazards and pain.
  
  At the start of his trip, the Fool is a newborn - fresh, open and spontaneous. The figure on Card 0 has his arms flung wide, and his head held high. He is ready to embrace whatever comes his way, but he is also oblivious to the cliff edge he is about to cross. The Fool is unaware of the hardships he will face as he ventures out to learn the lessons of the world.
  
  The Fool stands somewhat outside the rest of the major arcana. Zero is an unusual number. It rests in the exact middle of the number system - poised between the positive and negative. At birth, the Fool is set in the middle of his own individual universe. He is strangely empty (as is zero), but imbued with a desire to go forth and learn. This undertaking would seem to be folly, but is it?
  
  This is Covenant before he contracted leprosy: a successful author, new father, and loving husband. He sees only more of this idyllic existence ahead of him. The depredations of leprosy could not be imagined.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, working at his book, while his wife and son are seen leaving.
  
  The Magician (1)
  
  On setting out, the Fool immediately encounters the Magician (1) and the High Priestess (2) - the great balancing forces that make up the perceived world. It is a feature of the material universe that as soon as we name some aspect of experience, we automatically evoke its opposite.
  
  The Magician is the positive side. He represents the active, masculine power of creative impulse. He is also our conscious awareness. The Magician is the force that allows us to impact the world through a concentration of individual will and power.
  
  The terms positive and negative do not imply "good" and "bad." These are human distinctions that do not apply in the tarot. The Magician and the High Priestess are absolutely equal in value and importance. Each is necessary for balance. We may view the negative as our Shadow, but without shadows, we cannot see the light, and without a ground of potential, we cannot create.
  
  This is Covenant as he enters the Land and becomes the incarnation of white gold. He is Berek Reborn, tasked to save the World. He has the power of wild magic, which can save the world, but he doesn't recognize his own power.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, screaming into a storm, while lightning strikes his outstreached hand.
  
  The High Priestess (2)
  
  The High Priestess is the negative side. She is the mysterious unconscious. She provides the fertile ground in which creative events occur. The High Priestess is our unrealized potential waiting for an active principle to bring it to expression.
  
  This is Covenant confronting the early consequences of his actions in the Land. Thoughless, and rooted in unbelief, his newly found potence bears dark fruit. The beautiful Lena awakens his sexuality, and he rapes her, an act that symbolizes his capacity to damn the Land. If he does not gain control, the Land will become a fertile ground for his inner despiser.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, striking out from Mithil Stonedown, while Lena hides behind a stone.
  
  The Empress (3)
  
  As he grows, the Fool becomes more and more aware of his surroundings. As with most babies, he first recognizes his Mother - the warm, loving woman who nourishes and cares for him. He also comes to know Mother Earth, who nurtures him in a larger sense.
  
  The Empress (3) represents the world of nature and sensation. A baby delights in exploring everything he touches, tastes and smells. He cannot get enough of the sights and sounds that enchant his senses. It is natural to delight in the abundant goodness of Mother Earth who surrounds us with her support.
  
  This is Covenant who comes to love his daughter Elena. Elena has given sight to Hile Troy, and she also awakens new sensations in Covenant. Her unconditional love for him, not as a hero but as a father, nourishes him, and he begins to look beyond himself. She awakens in him love, albeit confused, and it is this capacity to love his daughter that becomes the capacity to care for the whole Land.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant facing Elena, who stands before a stream and is wrapped in a blanket.
  
  The Emperor (4)
  
  The next person the Fool encounters is the Father in the figure of the Emperor (4). He is the representative of structure and authority. As a baby leaves his mother's arms, he learns that there are patterns to his world. Objects respond in predictable ways that can be explored. The child experiences a new kind of pleasure that comes from discovering order.
  
  The Fool also encounters rules. He learns that his will is not always paramount and there are certain behaviors necessary for his well-being. There are people in authority who will enforce such guidelines. These restrictions can be frustrating, but, through the patient direction of the Father, the Fool begins to understand their purpose.
  
  This is Covenant as he plots to save himself by supporting Elena's lust for Foul's demise. He thinks he has figured out the rules of his trap, and that if he cooperates with the Lords and supports their efforts, he can create a way to escape his fate. Perhaps the Land will not ask for what he fears to give after all, and if so, he can go along with it rather than fight it.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant facing Elena, who stands before a river of Earthblood.
  
  The Heirophant (5)
  
  Eventually, the Fool ventures out of his home into the wider world. He is exposed to the beliefs and traditions of his culture and begins his formal education. The Hierophant (5) represents the organized belief systems that begin to surround and inform the growing child.
  
  A Hierophant is someone who interprets arcane knowledge and mysteries. On Card 5 we see a religious figure blessing two acolytes. Perhaps he is inducting them into church membership. Although this image is religious, it is really a symbol for initiations of all kinds.
  
  The child is trained in all the practices of his society and becomes part of a particular culture and worldview. He learns to identify with a group and discovers a sense of belonging. He enjoys learning the customs of his society and showing how well he can conform to them.
  
  This is Covenant who, alone for the first time in the Land, wanders frozen and crippled. Triock and Foamfollower, Bannor and Pieten, and mad Lena, have shown him the world he (as the Emperor) has helped create. Now amanibhavam has made him insane, and in the depths of his insanity, Covenant begins to see what it's all really about. His education in the land has taught him about hate. There seems to be no answer to Despite. But Covenant desires nothing but an answer to it. It is then that the Land reaches out to restore him, through the symbol of the Unfettered healer, a keeper of arcane knowledge and mysteries.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, spear for a crutch, hobbling across a wind- and snow-streaked land.
  
  The Lovers (6)
  
  Eventually, the Fool faces two new challenges. He experiences the powerful urge for sexual union with another person. Before, he was mainly self-centered. Now he feels the balancing tendency, pictured in the Lovers (6), to reach out and become half of a loving partnership. He yearns for relationship.
  
  The Fool also needs to decide upon his own beliefs. It is well enough to conform while he learns and grows, but at some point, he must determine his own values if he is to be true to himself. He must start to question received opinion.
  
  This is Covenant, who decides to take a stand. He realizes that he loves the Land, and all it stands for, and that this love outweighs his self-centered concerns. He has decided how to believe, and that he must stand up for those beliefs to be true to himself. He sets aside the dictates of his leprosy, requiring that the Land be a dream, and demanding that he make no effort on behalf of love.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant standing beside the Fist looking out over the lower Land.
  
  The Chariot (7)
  
  By the time the Fool becomes an adult, he has a strong identity and a certain mastery over himself. Through discipline and will-power, he has developed an inner control which allows him to triumph over his environment.
  
  The Chariot (7) represents the vigorous ego that is the Fool's crowning achievement so far. On Card 7, we see a proud, commanding figure riding victoriously through his world. He is in visible control of himself and all he surveys. For the moment, the Fool's assertive success is all he might wish, and he feels a certain self-satisfaction. His is the assured confidence of youth.
  
  This is Covenant, who has mastered both Foul and himself. He has mastered his passions, and has defined himself by what he loves - the Land. In doing so, he has achieved an epic vision that frees him from the futility that shackled him in his earlier life. He is no longer in the ironic mode, a man defeated by his environment. He leaves the land victorious, satisfied with his achievements, and assured that he can tackle the rest of his life.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant standing before a cowering Lord Foul, while Foamfollower in chains laughs.
  
  -----==[ SECOND CHRONICLES ]==-----
  
  Strength (8)
  
  Over time, life presents the Fool with new challenges, some that cause suffering and disillusionment. He has many occasions to draw on the quality of Strength (8). He is pressed to develop his courage and resolve and find the heart to keep going despite setbacks.
  
  The Fool also discovers the quiet attributes of patience and tolerance. He realizes the willful command of the Chariot must be tempered by kindliness and the softer power of a loving approach. At times, intense passions surface, just when the Fool thought he had everything, including himself, under control.
  
  This is Covenant as we find him in the Prologue to The Wounded Land. Foul has taken Joan, but Covenant is strong, and knows what he needs to do about Foul. Being strong, he can patiently care for Joan until he gets his chance. Being strong, he can tolerate her need for blood. But his passion to take on Foul still burns.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant standing in his doorway facing Linden.
  
  Hermit (9)
  
  Sooner or later, the Fool is led to ask himself the age-old question "Why?" He becomes absorbed with the search for answers, not from an idle curiosity, but out of a deeply felt need to find out why people live, if only to suffer and die. The Hermit (9) represents the need to find deeper truth.
  
  The Fool begins to look inward, trying to understand his feelings and motivations. The sensual world holds less attraction for him, and he seeks moments of solitude away from the frantic activity of society. In time he may seek a teacher or guide who can give him advice and direction.
  
  This is Covenant arriving in the Land with Linden. Covenant is Linden's teacher, introducing her to the ways of the Land, guiding her to find her own truth. They begin to search for answers to the Land's need, as they see the people there suffer and die.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant and Linden on Kevin's Watch.
  
  Wheel of Fortune (10)
  
  After much soul-searching, the Fool begins to see how everything connects. He has a vision of the world's wondrous design; its intricate patterns and cycles. The Wheel of Fortune (10) is a symbol of the mysterious universe whose parts work together in harmony. When the Fool glimpses the beauty and order of the world, if only briefly, he finds some of the answers he is seeking.
  
  Sometimes his experiences seem to be the work of fate. A chance encounter or miraculous occurrence begins the process of change. The Fool may recognize his destiny in the sequence of events that led him to this turning point. Having been solitary, he feels ready for movement and action again. His perspective is wider, and he sees himself within the grander scheme of a universal plan. His sense of purpose is restored.
  
  This is Covenent who finally understands his culpability in the Land's fate, and who now knows what he must do. A miraculous Sooth-tell has shown him what he needs, and a chance encounter with the Giants of the Search has provided a means. He has a purpose which would seem to meet his designs.
  
  The picture on this card is a Giantship approaching a rocky isle.
  
  Justice (11)
  
  The Fool must now decide what this vision means to him personally. He looks back over his life to trace the cause and effect relationships that have brought him to this point. He takes responsibility for his past actions so he can make amends and ensure a more honest course for the future. The demands of Justice (11) must be served so that he can wipe the slate clean.
  
  This is a time of decision for the Fool. He is making important choices. Will he remain true to his insights, or will he slip back into an easier, more unaware existence that closes off further growth?
  
  This is Covenant dedicated to the destruction of the Clave. This was a difficult decision. He may not be able to rid the world of Foul or the Sunbane, but he is responsible for the slaughter of the Land's people, and he must make amends. As he does so, he must fight the seduction of Foul's venom, which would impel him to destroy all he loves.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant standing before the gates of Revelstone, weilding a black theurgy.
  
  Hanged Man (12)
  
  Undaunted, the Fool pushes on. He is determined to realize his vision, but he finds life is not so easily tamed. Sooner or later, he encounters his personal cross - an experience that seems too difficult to endure. This overwhelming challenge humbles him until he has no choice but to give up and let go.
  
  At first, the Fool feels defeated and lost. He believes he has sacrificed everything, but from the depths he learns an amazing truth. He finds that when he relinquishes his struggle for control, everything begins to work as it should. By becoming open and vulnerable, the Fool discovers the miraculous support of his Inner Self. He learns to surrender to his experiences, rather than fighting them. He feels a surprising joy and begins to flow with life.
  
  The Fool feels suspended in a timeless moment, free of urgency and pressure. In truth, his world has been turned upside-down. The Fool is the Hanged Man (12), apparently martyred, but actually serene and at peace.
  
  This is Covenant when he enters the Banefire, apparently suicidal. The burden of venom and wild magic has become too difficult to endure. It seems as if he has utterly lost. But then he gives up and lets go, opening his soul to the flames, hoping for a new truth.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, entering the flames in the sacred enclosure, while Linden pleads for him to withhold.
  
  Death (13)
  
  The Fool now begins to eliminate old habits and tired approaches. He cuts out nonessentials because he appreciates the basics of life. He goes through endings as he puts the outgrown aspects of his life behind him. He process may seem like dying because it is the death (13) of his familiar self to allow for the growth of a new one. At times this inexorable change seems to be crushing the Fool, but eventually he rises up to discover that death is not a permanent state. It is simply a transition to a new, more fulfilling way of life.
  
  This is Covenant when he realizes how he must fight Foul. Everything he has tried has failed, and he realizes he cannot win by being his old self. Entering the Banefire, he has ended that life and all of it's power, which he willingly discarded for the sake of the future. Then he discards all but his essential friends, and safety. He intends to offer his very life to Foul. It seems like an act of defeat, but Covenant seems to know netter.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, prostrate, with a flame burning like a knife in his chest, and Foul holds a ring.
  
  Temperance (14)
  
  Since embracing the Hermit, the Fool has swung wildly back and forth on an emotional pendulum. Now, he realizes the balancing stability of temperance (14). He discovers true poise and equilibrium. By experiencing the extremes, he has come to appreciate moderation. The Fool has combined all aspects of himself into a centered whole that glows with health and well-being. How graceful and soft is the angel on Card 14 compared to the powerful but rigid ruler in the Chariot (Card 7)? The Fool has come a long way in realizing the harmonious life.
  
  This is Covenant as he appeared at the end of the Second Chronicles, the angelic figure who destroys Foul through acceptance. Having the grace to bear what must be bourn, he understands that both he and Foul, the hero and the villian, are both part of his whole. He has embraced the paradox, and he is tempered - made stronger - absorbing Foul's power until Foul was gone. All his aspects - man and arch and white gold - have become melded into a cosmic alloy. He leaves the saving of the Land to Linden, because he has come a long way from the man who needed to personally save everything in order to feel worth. He has done his part, and it is enough.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, a floating silver spectre, standing over Linden, who holds his body, and a ring lies nearby.
  
  -----==[ LAST CHRONICLES ]==-----
  
  Devil (15)
  
  The Fool has his health, peace of mind and a graceful composure. What more could he need? On everyday terms, not much, but the Fool is courageous and continues to pursue the deepest levels of his being. He soon comes face to face with the Devil (15).
  
  The Devil is not an evil, sinister figure residing outside of us. He is the knot of ignorance and hopelessness lodged within each of us at some level. The seductive attractions of the material bind us so compellingly that we often do not even realize our slavery to them.
  
  We live in a limited range of experience, unaware of the glorious world that is our true heritage. The couple on Card 15 are chained, but acquiescent. They could so easily free themselves, but they do not even apprehend their bondage. They look like the Lovers, but are unaware that their love is circumscribed within a narrow range. The price of this ignorance is an inner core of despair.
  
  This is Covenant as Linden finds him at the beginning of The Runes of the Earth. Covenant is Dead, and Foul, Covenant's Devil, is ascendant. Dying for the Land, he is now part of the Arch, and has no earthly needs. But his love compels him to fight his devil yet. In this state, he can do little, because Foul and his minions can banish him with ease. Linden, his lover, unknowingly walks the path Foul has created for her.
  
  The picture on this card is a man with flaming hands striking a woman and throwing her backwards.
  
  Tower (16)
  
  How can the Fool free himself from the Devil? Can he root out his influence? The Fool may only find release through the sudden change represented by the Tower (16). The Tower is the ego fortress each of us has built around his beautiful inner core. Gray, cold and rock-hard, this fortress seems to protect but is really a prison.
  
  Sometimes only a monumental crisis can generate enough power to smash the walls of the Tower. On Card 16 we see an enlightening bolt striking this building. It has ejected the occupants who seem to be tumbling to their deaths. The crown indicates they were once proud rulers; now they are humbled by a force stronger than they.
  
  The Fool may need such a severe shakeup if he is to free himself, but the resulting revelation makes the painful experience worthwhile. The dark despair is blasted away in an instant, and the light of truth is free to shine down.
  
  This is Covenant resurrected. With power enough to smash the boundary between Death and Life, Covenant is restored to his humanity, limned in lightning. Everything has been put at risk to bring Covenant back, but this monumental crisis is required to allow Covenant to complete his Journey. Life and death, too intimately intergrown to be severed from each other. He was imprisoned by Death, but now he is free, although he and his companions seem nothing but doomed.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, wreathed in ligntning and crying in pain, as Linden watches aghast.
  
  Star (17)
  
  The Fool is suffused with a serene calm. The beautiful images on the Star (17) attest to this tranquility. The woman pictured on Card 17 is naked, her soul no longer hidden behind any disguise. Radiant stars shine in a cloudless sky serving as a beacon of hope and inspiration.
  
  The Fool is blessed with a trust that completely replaces the negative energies of the Devil. His faith in himself and the future is restored. He is filled with joy and his one wish is to share it generously with the rest of the world. His heart is open, and his love pours out freely. This peace after the storm is a magical moment for the Fool.
  
  This is Covenant after his resurrection by Linden. The world is doomed by the Worm, but Covenant is blessed with trust that Linden will find a way to make everything right. His faith that the future will be restored is unwavering, and his love for Linden, who has granted him a great gift, is likewise unwavering.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant and Linden gazing at the stars, in which there is a void shaped like a devouring worm.
  
  Moon (18)
  
  What effect could spoil this perfect calm? Is there another challenge for the Fool? In fact, it is his bliss that makes him vulnerable to the illusions of the Moon (18). The Fool's joy is a feeling state. His positive emotions are not yet subject to mental clarity. In his dreamy condition, the Fool is susceptible to fantasy, distortion and a false picture of the truth.
  
  The Moon stimulates the creative imagination. It opens the way for bizarre and beautiful thoughts to bubble up from the unconscious, but deep-seated fears and anxieties also arise. These experiences may cause the Fool to feel lost and bewildered.
  
  This is Covenant as he is wracked by the fissures in his mind. Time and again he departs reality to live in visions of the past. Being incomplete, he's afraid and anxious of what he might become.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant standing in a river, holding a stricken woman, while the moon shines above.
  
  Sun (19)
  
  It is the lucid clarity of the Sun (19) that directs the Fool's imagination. The Sun's illumination shines in all the hidden places. It dispels the clouds of confusion and fear. It enlightens, so the Fool both feels and understands the goodness of the world.
  
  Now, he enjoys a vibrant energy and enthusiasm. The Star's openness has solidified into an expansive assurance. The Fool is the naked babe pictured on Card 19, riding out joyously to face a new day. No challenge is too daunting. The Fool feels a radiant vitality. He becomes involved in grand undertakings as he draws to himself everything he needs. He is able to realize his greatness.
  
  This is Covenant who has emerged from a caesure with his mind repaired. He has braved nothingness, and has emerged into reality again. He has re-created his own mind and his own body in an act of sheer will, and is now ready to do what must be done.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant standing on a dry seabed, holding his krill and attended by two Haruchai, as the last sunset shines behind him.
  
  Judgement (20)
  
  The Fool has been reborn. His false, ego-self has been shed, allowing his radiant, true self to manifest. He has discovered that joy, not fear, is at life's center.
  
  The Fool feels absolved. He forgives himself and others, knowing that his real self is pure and good. He may regret past mistakes, but he knows they were due to his ignorance of his true nature. He feels cleansed and refreshed, ready to start anew.
  
  It is time for the Fool to make a deeper Judgement (20) about his life. His own personal day of reckoning has arrived. Since he now sees himself truly, he can make the necessary decisions about the future. He can choose wisely which values to cherish, and which to discard.
  
  The angel on Card 20 is the Fool's Higher Self calling him to rise up and fulfill his promise. He discovers his true vocation - his reason for entering this life. Doubts and hesitations vanish, and he is ready to follow his dream.
  
  This is the Covenant who rides out of the blaze of wild magic and faces Kastenessen. He has been refreshed by the lurker's hurtloam, and his doubts and hesitations have vanished. This is the Covenant who marries Linden, because he now realizes that life is about joy, not fear. He has forgiven himself for what he needed to do, and he helps Linden forgive herself for what she had done. He trusts himself to decide how to meet the final days. And the weight of his judgements rules all.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant riding out of a blaze of argence and weilding a wild magic sword.
  
  World (21)
  
  The Fool reenters the World (21), but this time with a more complete understanding. He has integrated all the disparate parts of himself and achieved wholeness. He has reached a new level of happiness and fulfillment.
  
  The Fool experiences life as full and meaningful. The future is filled with infinite promise. In line with his personal calling, he becomes actively involved in the world. He renders service by sharing his unique gifts and talents and finds that he prospers at whatever he attempts. Because he acts from inner certainty, the whole world conspires to see that his efforts are rewarded. His accomplishments are many.
  
  So the Fool's Journey was not so foolish after all. Through perseverance and honesty, he reestablished the spontaneous courage that first impelled him on his search for Self, but now he is fully aware of his place in the world. This cycle is over, but, the Fool will never stop growing. Soon he will be ready to begin a new journey that will lead him to ever greater levels of understanding.
  
  This is Covenant in the Epilogue to the Last Chronicles. He has remade the World, and having done so, re-entered it. He has made himself whole by integrating Lord Foul in order to become the Creator. And he has recreated his family as well, by uniting with Linden and Jeremiah, from which springs his happiness. The people of the Land revere his accomplishments. The future is filled with promise, but his journey is not done, for he is humble enough to see that he has more to learn.
  
  The picture on this card is Covenant, in Andelain surrounded by Wraiths, while his wife and son are seen approaching.

[aliantha]

Nice job!

For Strength, I might suggest the scene where Covenant gladly goes to his death in order to spare Joan's life.

For the Wheel of Fortune, I'd put ak-Haru Kenaustin Ardenol on the isle above them, watching the giants' ship arrive.

Your imagery for the Tower is perfect.

[peter]

Wow! Clever stuff Guys; I'm truly impressed!

[wayfriend]

Your imagery for the Tower is perfect.

I have to say, I admired how things lined up on several cards, trying, as I was, to keep to Chronicles order of events.

Fool
Magician, High Priestess
Lovers
Chariot
Strength
Hanged Man, Death, Temperence
Tower
Judgement, World

They line up so well, in fact, that I don't feel bad about the clunkers.

But to me, this alignment makes it certain, to me anyway, that the Fool's Journey needs to apply to the Entire Chronicles.

I am curious, aliantha, how you used Fools Journey in Season's of the Fool. (In retrospect, I suspect the title gives us a big hint.) It would help me understand it's application I think.

[aliantha]

RAFO.

Oh, fine. I don't take the main character through the whole Fool's Journey; instead, I chose a couple of cards per season, and had her experience them in connection with walking a labyrinth.

[Rod]

Hi Wayfriend,

If the Major Arcana represents Covenant's journey as the Fool, then you might consider that the Hanged Man represents the half-way stage between the physical and the spiritual World.
Covenant's "real world" and his time in "the Land" should comply with this delicate balance.

As there are 10 books in the entire series this could get way too complex and confusing. But then there are 10 pip cards per suit. Using the structure of the pip cards to select which book is which should lessen the complexity.

Using the First Chronicles as an example, as follows:

The Fool Filled with dreams and inspiration is about to take on the world. Golden Boy.

The Magician is Covenant the writer, with all the tools at his disposal.

The High Priestess is Joan, his loving wife.

The Lovers is the arrival of their son, Roger.

The Chariot is the onset of leprosy.

Strength is the leprosarium.

The Hermit home alone!

Wheel of Fortune choices.

Justice is the Court House.

The Hanged Man is the price of guilt.
"Or I Will Sell My Soul" ... to the old man in the ochre robe!

Death is the police car.

Temperance Drool Rockworm

The Devil is Lord Foul, the Despiser.

The Tower is Kevin's Watch.
And also, Kevin's Watchtower.

-
-
-

Judgement is endings.

Fire Lions
Gallows Howe
Foul's Creche.

The World ... home again, home again!

Each cycle is repeated for each book.

All the characters of the Land fall into the Lower Arcana.

For the First Chronicles:
The Swords and the Staffs belong to the Loresraat.
The Discs and Cups belong to Revelstone.

I know these examples haven't been strictly in step, they're just some ideas that may help you separate the wheat from the chaff.

DF

[Avatar]

Wow, that was pretty good too.

--A

[peter]

[Pick brains time; Is the 'Fools Journey' a sort of set-piece in the acrana of the Tarot. If so can it be briefly summerised {so that I don't have to do 2 years intensive study before I can understand this thread. }.]

[Rod]

The Fool's Walk - Link

One explanation is as good as another. If you drop THE FOOL'S JOURNEY into a searchbox you're sure to find many good examples. I like the summary provided in the Link.

I've been interested in the Tarot for more years than I can remember, but have never indulged in a Tarot pack of my own. Partly because I'm too skeptical by nature to practice divination, and also conflicts arising from my Christian upbringing. Since learning Tarot is being used more and more these days in psychotherapy sessions I've now been taking a closer look.

And this thread has thrown up a few new surprises for me, as well.

Thanks to all postees.

[peter]

Many thanks Dura. That is indeed a good starting point. I have a deck that uses Aztec [?] pictures and peoples and I worry that much of the symbolism refered to in the link may not have carried over into this particular rendition. Is there a sort of 'code' that has to be followed in a deck's production to stop the loss of these symbolic elements - or do I need to acess a 'better' deck maybe?