The Fool’s Journey:
A Four-Part Map for the Soul-Led Leader
In the world of purpose-driven souls, we often feel pressured by the linear hustle - the idea that progress is a straight line of constant upward movement. However, true growth is cyclical. To understand this, we can look to the Major Arcana of the Tarot.
There are 22 Major Arcana cards, starting with The Fool (0) and ending with The World (21). By following the "Fool’s Journey," we can view our professional and personal lives not as a chaotic scramble, but as a structured spiritual quest.
Over the coming weeks, in between our New and Full Moon reflections, I will be using the Alice in Wonderland Tarot as our guide. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is one of my favourite books; the cards aren't just images, they are chapters of a journey. Alice’s disorientation, her encounters with eccentric authorities, and her eventual mastery of Wonderland’s nonsensical rules perfectly mirror the challenges we face when navigating our own lives and businesses.
In this four-part series, we will explore each card in turn, comparing the lessons Alice learns with the strategic insights you can apply to your own path today. We begin today with Phase 1: The Foundation.
Phase 1: The Foundation (Cards 0–7)
In this first stage of the journey, we follow Alice as she takes her first steps into the unknown. This phase is all about gathering your tools, discovering your inner resources, and beginning to establish a sense of authority. We move from the curiosity of the jump to the point where we finally start to form a determined plan.
0. The Fool
The Traditional Image: In most traditional decks, The Fool is depicted as a young person standing on the edge of a precipice, looking up at the sky with a small dog at their heels. They carry a modest bindle and a white rose, symbolising innocence and a lack of baggage.
The Alice Image: In the Alice in Wonderland deck, we see Alice at the very start of her story, jumping down the rabbit hole. This is her blank slate - the moment she leaves the mundane world behind and begins her adventure.
The Meaning: The Fool represents a new beginning, a fresh start, and the courage to step into the unknown. It is the energy of the blank slate, where anything is possible because no rules have been established yet.
The Strategic Insight: For the soul-led entrepreneur, the Fool is that moment of pure potential before the how-to takes over. We often feel we need every step planned out before we take the leap, but the Fool reminds us that curiosity is often a better guide than a roadmap. If you feel the pull toward a new direction in your business, trust the jump. The ground will appear once you’ve committed to the adventure.
I. The Magician
The Traditional Image: Usually, the Magician stands with one arm pointing to the heavens and the other to the earth. On the table before him are the four symbols of the Tarot suits: a pentacle, a sword, a cup, and a wand. He represents the bridge between the spiritual and the physical.
The Alice Image: In the Alice deck, the Magician is represented by the Caterpillar. He challenges Alice’s thinking with the pointed question, "Who are you?" In the image, we see him holding the Wand, Cup, Sword, and Pentacle, while those same four items are mirrored in the smoke above him.
The Meaning: This card is about the transition from dreams to reality. The smoke represents our visions and ideas, while the physical items represent the tangible world. The Magician shows us that we already possess the necessary tools to navigate our environment; we simply need to take action to use them.
The Strategic Insight: The smoke is your vision - the big, sometimes hazy idea of what you want your business or life to look like. When the Caterpillar asks, "Who are you?", he is forcing you to define your identity before you manifest your tools. The Magician’s lesson for the intuitive business owner is that manifestation isn't just a mystical concept; it is the grounded process of bringing your inner vision into the physical world. Stop waiting for a new tool to arrive and start using the ones you’re already holding.
II. The High Priestess
The Traditional Image: Usually depicted sitting between two pillars (one black, one white), holding a scroll of secret wisdom. She is the guardian of the subconscious and the veil between the seen and unseen worlds.
The Alice Image: In the Alice deck, she is shown as a young Alice looking into a looking glass. This draws on the scene from Through the Looking-Glass, where Alice’s mind shifts from mundane, daily life to the mysteries of nature. As she passes through the glass, she moves from her world into Wonderland - directly mirroring how the High Priestess represents the veil between the two worlds. Instead of a simple reflection, she sees an older, wiser version of herself looking back from the other side.
The Meaning: This card is a reminder that we are not a blank slate; we carry with us the wisdom and knowledge of all our previous experiences. It represents intuition, sacred knowledge, and the understanding that the answers we seek are often already held within us, just beyond the veil of our conscious mind.
The Strategic Insight: The High Priestess reminds the intuitive leader that your gut feeling isn’t just a whim; it is actually your internalised expertise and soul-wisdom speaking to you. In business, we are conditioned to look outward for answers - to mentors or data - but if a project looks good on paper but feels off as you look into your own reflection, trust that older, wiser Alice. Silence the noise of the hustle long enough to hear your own intuition; you already know the way through the glass.
III. The Empress
The Traditional Image: Usually depicted as a serene woman crowned with stars, sitting in a lush garden or wheat field. She represents the ultimate mother figure, fertility, and the abundance of the natural world.
The Alice Image: In the Alice deck, the Empress is represented by Alice helping the White Queen to dress. This is Alice, the child, taking on the role of the adult in the upside-down world of Through the Looking-Glass. The relationship goes both ways: Alice teaches the White Queen how to do these things for herself, while the White Queen gives Alice advice in return - the most important being to believe in six impossible things before breakfast.
The Meaning: The Empress represents the Nurturer. She embodies the knowledge and love of the natural world, and the desire to share that understanding with others so they can move through life with grace. She carries the deep wisdom that everything has a season; you cannot force a bloom before its time.
The Strategic Insight: For the spiritual business owner, the Empress is a reminder of the Seed phase of the business cycle. We often want to jump straight to the harvest, but the Empress teaches us that we cannot force growth. By nurturing your creative ideas and - crucially - nurturing yourself, you create the fertile soil required for a sustainable business. Are you holding onto that White Queen wisdom and allowing yourself to believe in the impossible goals you’ve set for your soul-led venture?
IV. The Emperor (The Dodo)
The Traditional Image: Usually depicted as an authoritative figure sitting on a stone throne adorned with ram’s heads. He holds an ankh and an orb, representing his role as the Father archetype - providing structure, law, order, and protection.
The Alice Image: In the Alice deck, the Emperor is represented by the Dodo. In the story, he identifies that everyone is wet and immediately organises the Caucus Race to get them dry. He is a leader who sees a clear problem, forms a practical solution, and distributes the resources to make it happen.
The Meaning: The Emperor reminds us that we are the stewards of our own lives, but also part of a society - something bigger than ourselves. He takes the Empress’s lesson about everything having a season and applies it practically, making sure we have the resources we need now and for the future. He is the guardian of the harvest, ensuring that our efforts are structured and sustainable.
The Strategic Insight: For the intuitive leader, the Emperor represents the necessary systems that protect your vision. Where in your life or business is everyone “wet and shivering" - where is there confusion or a lack of direction? The Dodo’s lesson is that structure is a form of stewardship. By organising the race - the processes and boundaries of your business - you aren't being rigid; you are ensuring that your resources are protected for the seasons to come.
V. The Hierophant (The Cheshire Cat)
The Traditional Image: Usually depicted as a religious figure sitting on a throne between two pillars, holding a sceptre. He represents tradition, formal education, and the established systems or rules of the world.
The Alice Image: In the Alice deck, the Hierophant is represented by the Cheshire Cat. When Alice meets him at the crossroads, she asks for directions. Because she doesn’t know where she wants to go, he famously tells her that it doesn’t matter which way she walks.
The Meaning: The Hierophant represents our belief system - the map we use to view the world. While the traditional card is about external structures, the Cheshire Cat version is about internal direction. It asks us if our daily actions are in true alignment with our beliefs. If you aren't clear on your destination, you will find yourself following everyone else's rules instead of your own.
The Strategic Insight: For the intuitive business owner, the Cheshire Cat is a warning against busy-ness without purpose. It is very easy to fall into the trap of following traditional business best practices just because they are there. But if those actions don't lead to your specific North Star, you are just wandering. Are your current daily tasks actually in alignment with your core values, or are you just walking because the Cat told you to?
VI. The Lovers
The Traditional Image: Usually shows two figures, often Adam and Eve, blessed by an angel. It represents love, harmony, and the union of opposites, but more importantly, it represents a significant choice that must be made from the heart.
The Alice Image: In the Alice deck, we see the Knave of Hearts standing between Alice and the Queen of Hearts. The Queen is infamous for her temper, her "off with their heads" rashness, and her demand for total control. Alice, by contrast, is calm, inquisitive, and grounded in her own sense of right and wrong.
The Meaning: The Lovers represents a crossroads. It is the moment where we must decide which path to take, not based on logic alone, but on our values. It highlights the tension between the Ego (the Queen) and the Soul (Alice).
The Strategic Insight: For the soul-led entrepreneur, this card is about brand and personal integrity. In business, we are constantly tempted to take the "Queen of Hearts" route - making rash, ego-driven decisions to get quick results or dominate the room. The Lovers asks: Will you lead from a place of reaction and ego, or will you stay grounded in the calm, ethical approach that Alice represents? Every choice you make in your business is a vote for the person you are becoming.
VII. The Chariot
The Traditional Image: A warrior stands in a chariot, pulled by two sphinxes of opposing colours. It represents determination, willpower, self-control, and the spirit of forward movement.
The Alice Image: In the Alice deck, the Chariot is shown as Alice playing croquet with her flamingo and hedgehog. On the surface, it looks like nonsense, but she is using the tools and resources available to her - however unusual they may be - to the best of her ability. She is focused on the game, trying to maintain control over elements that naturally want to scurry away in different directions.
The Meaning: The Chariot is the point where all the lessons from the previous cards come together to create the ability to move forward as a "fully functional adult" (though, do we ever really feel like we get there?). This is still an early step in the Fool’s journey, so it represents the phase where we are learning to master the skills we need to stay on course. It is the transition from thinking to doing.
The Strategic Insight: For the intentional entrepreneur, The Chariot is the momentum card. Just like Alice with her flamingo, you might feel like your resources aren't standard or that you’re juggling moving parts that have a mind of their own. But leadership is about using what you have right now to move toward your goal. The Chariot asks: Have you gathered your lessons from the foundation and turned them into a drive for progress? It is time to take the reins (or the flamingo) and move forward with purpose.
As we leave Alice on the croquet lawn, flamingo in hand, we conclude the first phase of our journey: The Foundation.
We have moved from the initial jump of the Fool to the determined, if slightly chaotic, momentum of the Chariot. We’ve seen how identity (The Magician), intuition (The High Priestess), and nurturing (The Empress) provide the seed, while structure (The Emperor) and alignment (The Hierophant and The Lovers) provide the soil.
At this stage, we have mastered the basic tools of our “adult” professional lives. We are moving forward, but the journey is far from over. As any intuitive leader knows, once you gain momentum, the universe tends to test your strength and your perspective.
We will continue this series in a fortnight, where we move into Part Two: The Internal Shift. We will look at Cards 8 through 13, where the journey moves away from the external world and asks us to look much deeper at our own resilience and the necessity of letting go.
Are you finding yourself more like the organised Dodo or the inquisitive Alice this week? I’d love to hear which archetype is showing up in your business right now.
A Little Support for Your Own Journey
As we navigate these archetypal chapters together, you might find yourself feeling a bit like Alice - wondering which way to turn at the crossroads or trying to make sense of the nonsense in your current season.
Because we are currently moving through a Mercury Retrograde in Pisces, the mental static can feel a little louder than usual. If you feel like you are wandering through the Pisces Blur and need a bit of clarity to help you move from Confused to Confident, I’m currently offering a Cosmic Reset.
To help you navigate this transit with ease, I’ve cut the rates for all my Tarot readings in half until the 9th of April:
The Quick Clarity Pull (£11): A three-card PDF snapshot to cut through the mental static.
The Retrograde Roadmap (£33): A comprehensive 6-card PDF guide and personalised strategy for your transit.
The Deep Dive Spread (£55.50): A cosy, 45-minute 1-on-1 live session via Google Meet to explore the deeper emotional fog.
If you feel called to explore what the cards have to say about your current path, you can book your reading at the button below. Just remember to double-check those digital forms - you know how Mercury loves to play with technology!!
