The coolest thing about the Major Arcana cards is that they so beautifully describe all the different stages of the journey, from innocence to enlightenment. The first stage is when the Fool decides to go on a journey to find himself. He has no experience, and no idea where he is going. He is a free spirit who steps on the path with an open heart and a very positive attitude. He is excited about life and wants to learn everything he can on the way. He walks off, leaving everything behind, and never bothers to look back.
He first meets the Magician who teaches him that he has all the tools he needs to be able to manifest anything he wants. Then he meets the High Priestess, who initiates him onto his personal path so he can discover his own truth based on intuitive knowing.
Next, he meets the Empress who teaches him how to be creative and to really honor his true nature. The Emperor gives him a different perspective, of order and structure, which helps him feel safe for a while. He also visits the Hierophant who shows him the value of belonging to a group of people who all have the same values and beliefs.
In the mean time, he is experiencing the highs and lows of relationships, as well as ego gratification through his own accomplishments. All the experiences help him find his inner strength. Eventually, he realizes that he has to walk his path alone, because the path can only hold one soul at a time.
But, life is always changing, and it is easy to lose perspective. At some point, he is learning about what is right and wrong, good and bad. He might even have to step back and surrender to find another perspective on what the truth is.
His surrender leads to the death of everything he thought he knew, as well as rebirth of a whole new way of life. He realizes how foolish he has been, and he finally learns to use moderation, self discipline and patience in all areas of his life. But there are still so many pitfalls on the journey. Sometimes the temptation is too much! He forgets about his path and gets stuck in addictions and destructive behaviors that stop him from expanding any further.
Even though he learns a lot from all the contrast he is experiencing, he is not able to free himself until his life eventually falls apart. Everything that is built upon lies and delusions, has to go. He realizes all his mistakes and starts rebuilding his life, but this time, on a much more solid foundation. He looks upon the stars for guidance, because he no longer needs the contrast of darkness to show him the light.
He follows his dreams, but it is different now. There is a level of hope and clarity that he has never experienced before. He has left his old identity behind and made friends with the unknown. His ego has merged into the ocean of consciousness, and he has become as radiant as the sun. He has freed himself from all the shackles of the world, and in doing so, he is also freeing himself from the past by evaluating his mistakes and making peace with what happened.
When the Journey comes to an end, he feels so much love and joy overflowing that he wants to return to the world to share his wisdom with others. And this is the same journey every seeker has to walk.