Tarot for Life and the Upside Down Fool

I've been coming to the Tarot in a number of ways, and have been pleasantly surprised at how many people who are in my life are familiar with or have used the cards with an open mind.  Friends, friends of friends, friends of relatives, neon signs in windows, my interest in cross-cultural symbols, metaphors, and archetypes: these things and more have gently allowed me to come to the point in my life where I am now actively pursuing an education in Tarot.  Just look at the previous post on this very same blog.

Yesterday, I purchased a book called "Tarot for Life," by a man named Paul Quinn, whose website can be found at http://www.thespiritedlife.com.  On page 4 of the introduction, the author suggests that the reader perform a simple Tarot reading, randomly pulling one card from a shuffled deck of just the Major Arcana.  I followed the instructions and asked the provided question, basically trying to figure out what I might expect to learn more about through use of the book (aside from the obvious "reading Tarot cards" angle).

What I neglected to do on the first go, though, was to focus only on the "dignified" or upright aspect of the card, for--as I've learned--if a card is upside down or "reversed," it can have a rather significant impact on its meaning and interpretation.  Appropriately enough, and with a last-second feeling that I was going to do so, I turned over an upside down card: The Fool, or number 0 of the Major Arcana.  A good friend with some knowledge of the relevant details tells me this is fitting.

The Universal Waite Deck's "The Fool" as I pulled it

Being somewhat nonplussed, I decided to conduct the exercise again, but with the caveat that this would be for other aspects I might expect to learn about, and specifically intended that only the upright position would be considered.  The second pull produced Major Arcana card 1, The Magician.  I have been told this makes sense, too, but beyond an initial impression I am unclear on possible significances this card may have.

The Second Card I Pulled

Taken together, I have yet to assign any major meanings to the sequence, the numbers, the cards, or their names.  As explained above, I have only yesterday purchased a guide to the Tarot and only received my deck early Sunday morning.  

I look forward to meditating on the meaning these two cards may have in store for me in the days and weeks to come.