You can imagine how much fun it is for me each year when April 1 rolls around. On the one hand, my website traffic spikes enormously, thanks to Google searches like “April astrology.” On the other hand:”Oh, it’s April’s a Fool Day!” my friends loved to squeal when I was a kid, and back in my office days my co-workers thought they were marvelously witty for making similar comments. Yes sir, witty as a fourth-grader (idea for a new TV game show?).
To the metaphysically inclined, of course, being a fool isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Fool is the first card of the Tarot, for instance, and represents the beginning of a journey, a querent in the state of hopefulness and naivety required to willingly undertake a thrilling challenge. I like this passage from the Wikipedia entry about the Fool card:
Another interpretation of the card is that of taking action where the circumstances are unknown, confronting one’s fears, taking risks, and so on…. In universal literature, The Fool would be considered the youngest son or daughter who accomplishes great feats despite the apparently better position of older siblings. Examples include Cinderella, Psyche, Cordelia (from King Lear), all the third sons of kings in fairy tales who succeed when their older brothers do not, the Grail Knight who may be destined to locate the Holy Cup where greater and wiser men have tried and failed, the one teetering at the edge of Nietzsche‘s abyss, at the cusp of dreadful knowledge that will pull him or her out of the cave, or even Hamlet before he decides to embrace his destiny.
As a youngest child, I certainly find this a flattering interpretation. And it’s true that of all my siblings I’m probably the one most likely to take risks, delve fearlessly (some might say excessively) into my psyche, place my neck on the chopping block of public opinion, and so on. (Interestingly, Cordelia is one of my favorite Shakespearean characters; my computer hard drive is even named after her!) I’m married to a youngest child, too, and of the many traits we share in common, one of the most pronounced is our emphatic refusal to be told something can’t be done. “Oh yeah?” we ask. “Watch.”
The closest astrology comes to Fool-ish symbolism is Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, a sign distinguished by its naivety and courage. As we approach the Aries New Moon on Saturday, Simone Butler examines the courageous pursuit of our dreams and desires, asking, “Have you been waiting for the “right moment” to take a daring step? Do you need a dose of courage to jumpstart something you’ve been putting off? Look to the area of your chart that’s activated by 16 degrees of Aries, and take a leap at this New Moon. Think of it as a game (a favorite Aries pastime) and have some fun with it. If you’re enthusiastic about playing and focused on the goal, your chances of winning are greater than average.”
Where does 16 degrees of Aries fall in your chart? Where are you ready to step off a cliff into a daring new adventure?
