The Fool’s Journey: Part Three
We are now entering the third stage of our journey through the looking glass. If you would like to revisit the story so far, you can find the previous chapters here:
Part One: The Foundation – Navigating the external world and its eccentricities.
Part Two: The Internal Shift – The quiet, necessary work of self-regulation and ego-death.
In Part Three, the perspective shifts once more. Having navigated our internal landscapes, we now encounter the archetypal forces that test our resilience and expand our vision. This stage is about facing the illusions that can keep us tethered to the past and the sudden, jarring transformations that force us to see our reality with absolute clarity. It is a journey from the shadows of the wood toward the first glimpse of the stars.
XV. The Devil
The Traditional Image: After the careful balancing act of Temperance, the Fool risks a "fall from grace" if they lose that hard-won equilibrium. Here, a winged man-beast with horns and clawed feet sits upon a stone pedestal. Chained before him are Adam and Eve, now banished from paradise and enslaved by their own shadows. The most vital part of this image is that their chains are loose; they remain bound not by physical force, but by the illusion of it. It represents the self-imposed prison of our habits and the material desires we convince ourselves we cannot live without.
The Alice Image: In our journey through Wonderland, this stagnation is perfectly captured by the Mad Tea-Party. This is the Mad Hatter’s punishment for "murdering time"—the Victorian equivalent of wasting it. What should be an enjoyable afternoon has turned into a tedious, everlasting cycle where the cakes are stale and tempers are growing thin. Just as Alice eventually stands up and leaves, it is entirely conceivable that the Hatter and his companions could do the same. They aren’t held by locks, but by the repetitive nature of the party itself; they have become addicted to a moment that refuses to move.
The Meaning: The Devil represents anything that keeps us bound or distorts our perspective. This might be a bad habit, a flawed mindset, or even a good habit taken to obsessive extremes. The longer we remain at this stagnant "tea party," the harder it becomes to break the cycle. The situation is often not worth trying to fix; sometimes, the most powerful act is simply to recognise that you are no longer a guest, but a prisoner of your own making, and walk away.
The Strategic Insight: Audit your current routine for the Busy-Work Trap. If you are staying tethered to a strategy or a daily task list that has become tedious and unproductive simply because it feels familiar, you are effectively killing time. The advice here is to recognise that the security of this cycle is an illusion. When you admit that you are no longer creating real value in this space, you are finally able to unshackle yourself and walk away from the table.
XVI. The Tower
The Traditional Image: A tall stone tower is struck by a jagged bolt of lightning, which signifies a flash of enlightenment that reveals what has been hidden. The crown is knocked from the top, symbolising that worldly power and the ego no longer hold sway against the greater forces of nature. Figures fall into the abyss below, representing humanity at the mercy of a sudden disaster. Yet, amidst the destruction, there is fire—the element of purification, change, and eventual rebirth.
The Alice Image: Throughout Through the Looking-Glass, Alice works incredibly hard to fit in and follow the rules to become a Queen. She constructs a plan, nurtures expectations, and tries to understand the logic of this strange world. But when the reality of the Royal Feast is nothing like she expected, she finally reaches her breaking point. Crying, "I can't stand this any longer!", she seizes the tablecloth with both hands and pulls. Plates, dishes, guests, and candles all come crashing down together in a heap of chaos. This is the moment Alice stops trying to fit into a structure that is fundamentally broken.
The Meaning: The Tower marks a point of awakening. Following the Devil’s "fall from grace," this is a necessary stage of breakdown. We must allow our old structures to crumble so that our horizons can expand. Transformation is messy, and true change often brings destruction in its wake. While this is inherently scary, it is frequently necessary to clear the path. If you do not have the stomach to pull the tablecloth yourself, the universe will eventually provide its own not-so-gentle nudges to ensure the old way is dismantled.
The Strategic Insight: When a sudden shift or disaster strikes, do not attempt to patch up the old structure. Use the chaos as a legitimate excuse for a radical pivot. The advice is to lean into the reset: strip your business back to its essential truths and rebuild only what is necessary. If a house of cards has fallen, don't waste time mourning the debris—start designing the new foundation immediately.
XVII. The Star
The Traditional Image: A maiden kneels by a pool of water, an image of eternal youth and the creative soul. She pours water both into the pool and onto the earth, nourishing the life around her and symbolising resourcefulness and healing. Above her shine eight stars, their eight points representing renewal, hope, and divine guidance. After the destruction of the Tower, the maiden and her stars are a sign of hope for a new world; she lets the water flow, trusting completely that she is on her path.
The Alice Image: In the Tarot in Wonderland deck, we see Alice’s sister by the edge of a pond, retrieving a glove and a fan from the water. These are the souvenirs of Alice’s adventures—remnants of the dream she has just lived through. Rather than dismissing Alice’s stories as silly nonsense, her sister recognises them as important lessons that will feed Alice’s soul. It is an image of validation and the quiet preservation of magic.
The Meaning: The Star offers hope and a sense of direction. It is a reminder that sometimes we need to dip back into the pool that nourishes our hearts, cleanses our minds, and points us back towards our own "true north." This card suggests that we can better face any challenge when we take the time to look after ourselves first. It is the card of the healer and of good health, encouraging you to trust in the guidance you receive and to remember that the magic you seek is already inside you.
The Strategic Insight: Following a period of upheaval, the advice is to prioritise Strategic Rest and brand realignment. Do not rush into a new launch from a place of panic. Instead, take the time to look after your own health and mental clarity first. Use this quiet period to reconnect with your original vision and ensure your next move is a genuine reflection of your star qualities rather than a reactionary grab for stability.
XVIII. The Moon
The Traditional Image: A full moon and a crescent moon merge with the sun, hanging over an unknown path that winds between two watchtowers—the boundary between the conscious and the unconscious self. Below, a wolf and a dog howl at the sky, representing our wild instincts and our tamed selves acting as guardians of a rite of passage. From a pool, a crayfish struggles to surface, symbolising the primal fears of the subconscious. The Moon has no light of her own, only reflecting the Sun, meaning the path ahead is only partially illuminated.
The Alice Image: In the Tarot in Wonderland deck, this card is illustrated by the tale of the Walrus and the Carpenter leading the young oysters for a walk along the beach. As the story unfolds and the oysters are eaten, Alice repeatedly changes her mind about which character is the most unpleasant. She knows it is vital to judge right from wrong, but she struggles to decide whether to base her judgment on their intentions, their actions, or the eventual outcome. It is a scene of shifting perspectives and moral ambiguity.
The Meaning: The Moon reveals an uncertain situation where we simply do not have all the facts. It rises after the Star has given us hope, showing us the hidden impact of our realisations—the place where doubts and fears are found. How can we make a good decision based on incomplete information? Often, we miss warnings when we do not trust our own intuition. This is the dark night before the Sun rises, where things are not as they seem, and we must navigate by the dim, reflected light of our inner world.
The Strategic Insight: When faced with an uncertain situation where the facts are obscured, the advice is to stall. Do not sign contracts or make permanent commitments if your gut is telling you that something is off. In this environment, people may lead you along with pleasant talk while masking their true intentions. Wait for the fog to lift and for more information to surface before you commit your resources.
Conclusion: Trusting the Tides
Part Three has taken us from the suffocating, repetitive cycles of the Mad Tea-Party to the jarring collapse of the Queen’s feast, and finally into the quiet, reflective waters of the Star and the Moon. Alice has learned that staying in a situation that no longer fits is its own kind of prison, and that sometimes, you have to be the one to pull the tablecloth and let the dishes crash.
As we stand on this moonlit shore, it’s natural to feel a sense of uncertainty. The old structures are gone, and the new ones haven't quite formed yet. But remember: the Moon is only a temporary phase. The darkness isn't there to swallow you; it’s there to show you that your intuition is a much more reliable compass than the logic of a world that has stopped making sense.
Next week, we will conclude this series with Part Four, where the sun finally rises and Alice finds her way back to the real world, transformed and empowered.
Navigating the Post-Shadow Period
Mercury Retrograde may be officially over, but we are currently navigating the post-shadow period. This is the lingering Moon phase where the communication glitches have stopped, but the confusion hasn't quite settled. It’s the time for integration—sorting through the Walruses and Carpenters in your life and deciding which lessons to keep as you move forward.
If you’re still feeling the static or standing in the rubble of a recent Tower moment, a fresh perspective can be the light you need to see the path ahead.
To help you clear the final hurdles of this retrograde cycle, I am still offering my Mercury Retrograde Special: Half-Price Tarot readings. Whether you need to unshackle yourself from a stagnant habit or find the courage to follow your Star, we can dive into the cards together to find your true north.
