Fool’s Gold: Breaking Through the Fear of Seeming Foolish

“A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” ~ William Shakespeare

The energy of The Fool is one we can all identify with. For most of us, there is a lot of embarrassment, shame, humiliation, panic, and anxiety around the idea of being the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. It can feel as though the entire universe is pointing and laughing.

The avoidance of the energy of The Fool is a built-in part of our navigation system. So, wanting to steer clear of situations that might put us in that unpleasant position, many of us suppress our natural desire for free expression, particularly in social situations.

Most are familiar with the negative aspects of The Fool: silly, rash, stupid, naive, ridiculous, imprudent, gullible and self-absorbed. However, like all archetypes, The Fool has positive as well as negative qualities. Unobscured by preconceptions, The Fool has an innate trust in the universe which allows him to follow his heart no matter how wild or irrational the impulses may seem.

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Going Beyond Our Comfort Zone

In the Tarot, The Fool is the Zero card in the Major Arcana; the card that links the beginning and the end of the journey. Having just emerged from Source, he knows all is connected. And he knows enough to know he knows nothing.

Because the fool knows nothing, he doesn’t need to use ego to defend his knowledge. He listens attentively with an earnest thirst. He is open to everything. Having just emerged from the realms of perfection, back to the zero point, The Fool trusts in divine timing and doesn’t worry about how things will fall into place. There is no cynicism or pre-judgement with The Fool. He has the ability to look at whatever enters his awareness from a fresh perspective which allows him to see ideas, details and connections that might otherwise be obscured by preconceptions.

Because of this, The Fool is willing to take risks that to others might seem crazy. Oblivious to the concerns and judgments of others, The Fool operates in accordance to his own inner voice and desires. Because his trust in divine orchestration is innate, The Fool doesn’t feel the need to control everything in his environment. It is easy for him to let go and allow everything around him to unfold, according to its own internal rhythm.

Another powerful gift that The Fool embodies is the ability to not take himself too seriously. He is not dominated by ego; he holds a true freedom because there is nothing to protect or defend, and no need to impress others. He can be silly and laugh at himself, and feel joy at giving others the opportunity for a giggle – even at his “expense”.

The Fool also lives entirely in the present moment. There are no “what ifs”, “if only’s”, no regrets and no expectations; he just accepts what is. Because of this, The Fool holds incredible power, and is free to experience and indulge whatever the moment has to offer.

“People do not wish to appear foolish; to avoid the appearance of foolishness, they are willing to remain actually fools.” ~ Alice Walker

Tips for Integrating Your Inner Fool

In our consumer-driven society, which cultivates and relies on our personal insecurities, the ability to embrace and integrate our “inner Fool” is a powerful key to reclaiming our sovereignty. Once integrated, we can no longer be so easily manipulated by forces that profit from our fears.

The rewards for integrating this archetype are great. Once integrated, The Fool doesn’t stand alone; instead he inspires others, and becomes a valued member of our personal inner-team; an aspect in our personal toolbox that we can draw on when appropriate. For example, once we have integrated this energy we can move more fluidly and gracefully between being the student and the teacher. A teacher who hasn’t integrated The Fool energy might have trouble stepping ‘down’ into the position of the student, and thus miss out on the gifts being offered by another.

The key to accessing the gifts and lessons that The Fool archetype carries for us is integration. Through integration we transform our relationship to The Fool.

In order to integrate this archetype, we need to get over our dread of the uncomfortable feelings associated with being perceived negatively, and learn to let our impulses flow, without hesitation.

The first step to initiating any process is creating intent. Make a conscious decision to embrace your inner Fool. When we consciously make a choice to bring an aspect of the unconscious into our conscious awareness, we open up the pathways that make this transition possible.

Allow yourself to feel the energy. Take a few minutes every day to imagine being The Fool. Let the associated feelings rise up, and then just sit with these uncomfortable feelings. On an emotional level, feelings of embarrassment, shame, humiliation, panic and even terror can rise up. On a physical level muscles may tense, adrenalin might start to flow and we may momentarily stop breathing. Then take a moment to love your inner fool. Love the openness and innocence he embodies, and the potential for freedom he offers. The more we do this, the less ‘charge’ these feelings will have over time, until eventually they lose their power over us.

Remember that most people are so caught up in their own challenges that the amount of time they actually spend focused on the actions of others is pretty insignificant. The person who cringes, scorns or laughs at another is typically someone who is operating from a space of fear; this reaction occurs because of their own fear of appearing foolish.

Take risks. Push your own boundaries, and live beyond your comfort zone. Put yourself out there as much as you can. Say something, wear something, do something that you previously may have avoided because of the fear of looking foolish. Do it in baby steps, if necessary.

Embrace the failures as well as the successes. If we really put ourselves out there and permit ourselves to move freely through the world, unfettered by public opinion, there will inevitably be times when we fall (see my article, The Art Of Failing Well). However, the more we integrate the energy of The Fool, the easier it becomes to take his lessons on board and continue to move forward, impervious to the judgement of others.

Jump Into The Blue

A Book by author Christina Lavers

Divine Magic or Madness? Heroine or Fool?

Jump Into The Blue is a breathtakingly beautiful, at times disquieting, and occasionally terrifying journey to the outer reaches of reality. Moving from the grungy streets of Montreal, to Mayan Pyramids, Rainbow Gatherings, and ultimately to the far reaches of reality, Jump Into The Blue is a multidimensional story, told authentically from the heart, in which the author challenges her readers to evaluate their own understanding of reality.

With nuggets of wisdom and unique spiritual insight, this wild, enchanting journey, detailing incredible highs and terrifying lows, is sure to fascinate anyone interested in the deeper aspects of life.

Jump Into The Blue is available here on Amazon.

For more information, check out www.jumpintotheblue.com and Facebook/Jump Into The Blue.

Previous articles by Christina Lavers:

About the author:

Christina Lavers is a writer, an artist, a creative enthusiast, and an inner world explorer. Born in Montreal Quebec Canada, she now lives with her life partner and son in a rainforest pocket in the hills behind Coffs Harbour, NSW Australia. She spends her time playing, creating, growing and sharing.

“My journey has been about personal alchemy… exploring the mysteries of my soul and my environment, and learning to bring all aspects, the light and the dark, together with the transcending ingredient… love. The more I uncover and nurture the wounded aspects of my being, the more whole and grounded I feel and the more my outer world reflects the love, wonder and magic I have discovered inside”.

Christina is devoted to assisting people to find and connect with their own creative magical current that flows deep within. She is now offering a comprehensive e-course designed to help people light up their world with passion and creativity. You can access Section One here for free!

Christina has recently published her first full length book, a memoir about her wild awakening journey entitled Jump Into the Blue, and she is currently working on the next one.

You can follow Christina’s work at:

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