The Fool’s Journey: The Psychology Behind the Tarot's Major Arcana

How the tarot mirrors the Hero’s Journey of self-actualisation

A Map of Becoming

Every story of transformation begins with a single, uncertain step — and in the Tarot, that step belongs to The Fool. With eyes lifted to the sky and trust in the unseen, the Fool begins with more faith than knowledge.

The 22 cards of the Major Arcana trace this same path of becoming — the long arc of learning, challenge, healing, and self-realisation that every person moves through in life. It’s the journey from innocence to awareness, from separation to wholeness.

This universal pattern was famously mapped by mythologist Joseph Campbell, who called it the Hero’s Journey — a timeless story found in myths, sacred texts, and modern films alike. We see it clearly in Star Wars, where Luke Skywalker leaves home, faces darkness, discovers his power, and returns transformed.

Anyone who has studied screen or playwriting will recognise the three-act structure of classic storytelling: Act 1- The Set Up (call to adventure), Act 2 - The Confrontation (the trials and transformations), Act 3 - The Resolution (illumination and wholeness).

The Tarot’s Fool’s Journey follows that same rhythm. It isn’t a prophecy — it’s a mirror. Through its archetypes, the Tarot maps our inner evolution: the call to grow, the challenges that shape us, and the wisdom we bring home.

For this reason, I prefer to use the more traditional Tarot decks that maintain the classic imagery and symbolism.

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Part I: Departure — The Call to Adventure

(The Fool → The Chariot)

Every story begins with a call — a whisper that something more awaits. For The Fool, that call is the invitation to experience life in all its wonder and risk. This is the stage of beginnings — of curiosity, learning, and forming identity. It’s when we step out from what we’ve known and begin to explore who we might become.

The Fool’s leap leads to The Magician, who discovers will and creativity — the power to make things happen.

Soon after comes The High Priestess, representing the inner voice — that quiet intuition guiding the Magician’s action.

With The Empress and The Emperor, we meet nurture and structure — the balance between caring for life and giving it direction. They are the inner mother and father within us, helping us grow through love and order.

The Hierophant brings tradition, learning, and guidance — the beliefs and mentors that shape our early worldview.

But then, with The Lovers, we begin to make our own choices — learning to align heart and mind.

Finally, The Chariot arrives: confidence, movement, and determination. This is the moment we claim our individuality and set our course — the young hero steering out into the wider world.

Psychologically, the Departure phase is about self-formation. It’s where we begin to realise that we are both the traveller and the map-maker — learning, exploring, and preparing for what lies ahead.

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Part II: Initiation — The Trials and Transformations

(Strength → The Tower)

If the first stage is about discovering who we are, the second is about discovering what we’re made of. Here, the hero faces trials, doubts, and awakenings — the inner dragons of fear, ego, and shadow.

Strength begins this chapter — not through control, but through compassion. It teaches emotional resilience and gentleness in the face of fear.

Then comes The Hermit, who withdraws to seek truth within. In psychological terms, this is introspection — the quiet turning inward that deepens awareness.

The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that life moves in cycles — we’re not always in control.

Then Justice appears, asking for integrity, fairness, and accountability. It’s where we begin to live consciously rather than reactively.

The Hanged Man and Death mark the threshold of surrender and transformation. Here we let go of what no longer fits — old stories, identities, or attachments. It’s the stage of profound change, where endings become beginnings in disguise.

Next comes Temperance, the alchemist — bringing healing, balance, and integration after upheaval.

But soon, The Devil arrives: the temptations, fears, and patterns that keep us stuck. This isn’t evil — it’s awareness. It’s the moment we see what binds us so we can finally choose freedom.

Then the lightning strikes. The Tower collapses — ego, illusion, and anything built on false foundations come tumbling down. It’s shocking, but necessary. Without the Tower’s fall, there’s no room for light to enter.

Psychologically, the Initiation phase is about transformation through challenge. It’s the messy middle of life’s journey — when what once worked stops working, and we’re asked to grow beyond it.

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Part III: Return — Illumination and Wholeness

(The Star → The World)

After the storm, stillness. The Star rises as the first light of renewal — healing, faith, and gentle hope. It’s the soul catching its breath.

But healing isn’t linear. The Moon follows — a realm of dreams, uncertainty, and intuition. Here we navigate illusion and learn to trust our inner compass even when the path isn’t clear.

Then comes The Sun — clarity, confidence, and joy. The veil lifts, and the self stands radiant and whole, no longer hiding or pretending.

Judgement sounds the call of awakening — reflection, forgiveness, and purpose. It’s where we understand why the journey mattered, and how every detour was a teacher.

Finally, The World completes the cycle. Wholeness, fulfilment, unity — the realisation that we’ve returned home to ourselves.

But the story doesn’t end. The Fool appears again, ready for the next adventure, a little wiser, a little braver, carrying the light of experience into a new beginning.

The Return phase represents integration — bringing together all we’ve learned and sharing it with the world. It’s the full circle of growth: innocence to awareness, awareness to wisdom, wisdom to renewal.

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The Hero Within

In myths, the hero slays dragons and saves kingdoms. In real life, the dragons are internal — fear, doubt, and resistance to change.

The Fool’s Journey, like Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, reminds us that we are each the hero of our own story. Life continually invites us to grow, to let go, to heal, and to begin again.

And much like Luke Skywalker’s path from dreamer to Jedi, the journey of Tarot is not about power but presence — finding our strength, facing our shadows, and returning with the light of understanding.

The Fool doesn’t leap because they’re fearless — they leap because they trust that life will catch them.

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Bibliography

Campbell, J. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Princeton University Press, 1949.

Jung, C. G. The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. Princeton University Press, 1968.

Nichols, S. Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey. Samuel Weiser, 1980.

Hillman, J. The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling. Random House, 1996.

Rosengarten, A. Tarot and Psychology: Spectrums of Possibility. Paragon House, 2000.

Edinger, E. Ego and Archetype. Shambhala, 1972.

University of Melbourne, Contemplative Studies Centre (2023). Symbolic Thinking and

Mindfulness-Based Imagery. https://psychologicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/CSC

Lucas, G. Star Wars: A New Hope. Lucasfilm, 1977 (film reference).