The Fool is the Alpha of the Major Arcana - the beginning of the (spiritual) journey.
Although the Emperor is an "official" Aries card, the Fool captures the essence of not just the (exalted) Sun in Aries, but also Jupiter in Aries, as Jupiter represents faith and belief in something greater than ourselves.
The Fool is the card of faith - the belief that the Universe has got our back, and we are free to step off from the cliff into the abyss below because, in our heart of hearts, we know that there's going to be a Force to catch us, or our wings are finally going to make an appearance and we'll soar higher than Icarus himself.
Not all people (and not all Zodiac placements) possess this 'blind' faith in the divine. In fact, 7/10 people struggle with belief outside of the limited human senses. And the Fool also resembles Pisces in that regard - it oozes the energy of inherent belief that all will be well and that all is well, even as we are trudging off the cliff into possible death.
For death is nought but a transition through dimensions, a changing of clothes of sorts.
However, we cannot overlook the Arian power within the card - the positive attitude, the foolhardiness, the courage and the initiative - the Fool is giving us that nudge out of the door to face our destiny head-on and grapple with come what may once we're engaged in the dance called life.
There's a white sun, a white flower, white mountain peaks, a white shirt, and a white dog on this card. The predominance of white and yellow is nowhere present in any of the other cards of the Tarot, as it is in this one. Wonder why that is...?
Because white is the colour upon which we paint with all the other lights. It is the colour of innocence and possibility. It is the colour of the life-giving light of our solar system, and the colour that protects and deflects. There's a little bit of Sagittarius in this card, as well. Sagittarius is, after all, a blend of Aries and Pisces - a fiery temperament that has the soul of a seeker; a dreamer who dreams with his eyes open and heart on his sleeve.
The white dog represents the purity of the (human) soul; animals, dogs especially, are said to be angels in physical form. I use the term 'angel' not for its dogmatic connotations, but rather as the synonym for innocence that tugs at the collective consciousness. It's in human nature to view children and animals as "free of sin". Well, dogs are the closest physical beings to that of "sinless" angels we're used to imagining up there in "heaven".
In this case, the dog represents the soul out of the human body; the dog is the conduit for all that is good and pure, and most obviously, for that blind belief that all is going to end well. If all is not well, then it is not the end.
Although the Fool speaks of a beginning of a journey, inherently, it also teaches about the end of the (human) journey, for only after we shed the human skin, do we get to grasp how actually everything is well, and how relieved and unburdened the soul state is. That is where the teaching of the dog comes in - dogs are simple creatures, they have simple (living) rules, and they enjoy every day like it's their last. Their life span is criminally short compared to humans', but that is part of their lesson - they are trying to teach us, unnecessarily complicated humans, how life is nothing but a game, and how we should approach it in that manner - playing every day, eating what we like, jumping, running, kissing the faces of those we hold close to our hearts and spreading joy.
The Fool is one of my favourite cards to come up in a reading, even more than the Sun I'd say, as it foretells of a new beginning, a new journey and a sea of possibilities, just like when you're starting a new (RPG) game, and you can't wait to get familiar with the map and the quests.
The Fool can also be an omen of childbirth - a new soul entering human flesh in order to start its new gameplay, its new journey that will bring entire worlds into one lifetime.
If you do a Tarot reading and the Fool comes up, and you stumble upon a dog - adopt it! The Fool, more so than the other Major Arcana, is a clear sign from the universe that you are ready for the next great adventure, and having a faithful companion on that adventure can lead to the lesson of expanding the heart.
What is an 'expanding of the heart' you might ask...
It's one of, if not THE most valuable lesson you came into the physical body to learn - how the most important muscle in your body that contracts constantly in order to keep you alive, can also stretch and expand so much so that you feel like you can place the whole world in it. That's the power of the dog.
Just take a look at the tale of John Wick - the dog is the sacred animal to humans, not because they are willing to heel for us, but because their love is something that keeps us noble in our nature even as we are stuck in human flesh.
Dogs remind us of our divinity, and the Source from which we all stem, the dogs are the embodiment of soul purity, and they are fragments of the greater Soul that we can physically hug and receive love from during our stay on Earth.
The Fool can also warn us against acting a fool, being too dumb, or being too stubborn when it comes to big life decisions and important crossroads. Especially if it comes out in a reading combined with 3 of Cups, 5 of Wands, the Emperor or Hierophant. Just think of the most idiotic and brash acts and decisions made by an Aries you know in your life, and think "ah, so that's how it is, very well, message received" and back the fuck out of a situation.
If the Fool comes up in a love reading, you're either a fool for someone, and you're willing to give it all to that person, which is commendable and worthy of utmost respect, or you are falling in love with someone who is a fool and might bring you a lot of grief in the days to come. You really have to pay close attention to the surrounding cards, however, one thing is for sure with Fool - you'll never be bored, and there's always going to be something to keep you on your toes in that relationship.
Beware, though, if the Fool comes up with the Cups, or Swords - in that case, you're being made a fool by someone who is either more emotionally manipulative or calculated than you.
All in all, the Fool is a wonderful card to come up in a reading, and it almost always carries the meaning of a new beginning and new adventure. Especially if it comes up in a combination with the Chariot.
Sagittarius and Aries are best friends forever, but Sagittarius and Cancer make for the best travel buddies 😉