This book is a work of fiction addressing many humanitarian beliefs. There is a fine line between humanitarianism and Shamanism — a line that with each passing year has for me become blurrier. I now wonder at times if they are not one and the same. Some would argue that you can be a humanitarian without being a Shaman, but this is merely semantics. ​ The word Shaman conjures up images of wizened old men and women from traditional cultures doing something exotic and mystical with rattles, bones, or herbs — but there are many definitions of what it is to be a Shaman. The definition that resonates with me is this: Shamans are defined by the way they walk in the world. The way they walk includes creating their own reality; taking complete responsibility for everything in their life; and being of service. ​ Currency took root within the context of this definition. We have the ability to choose what we place value on in this world. Thus, currency is the theme, and the Journey of the Fool is the plot. The Journey of the Fool has been written about since ancient times. It is the journey of innocent humans. This journey is more than an analogy about life, more than a metaphor of cycles, and more than the unbroken, never-ending circle. The Journey of the Fool is a reflection of the journey of the soul from womb to tomb, and from lifetime to lifetime. ​ As innocent humans traverse the journey of the soul, they encounter Archetypes who, each in their own way, offer up their energetics (their specific energy). As Dr. Carl Jung explained, this can have a profound effect on their individual life experiences. ​ This book features twenty-two of the best-known Archetypes. ​ Before we dive into each of the Archetypes in detail and their individual contributions to this work, let me stress that their manifestations in the world—and how they are portrayed within this book—offer you at best a tiny glimpse of them. Archetypes cannot be defined, quantified, described, or put in a box. They are more than the sum of their attributes, more than the number that represents them, more than the description of their astrological sign or planet, more than the meaning of their Tarot card, even more than the god or goddess corresponding to their energy. The Archetypes are massive energies extending far beyond our comprehension. My interpretation of them is even more expansive, but it is, regrettably, still a box. ​ The Reader’s Guide that follows offers a basic description of the Archetypal energy influencing each chapter of the book. You may note that the gods and goddesses I have selected to represent the Archetypes span many cultures, traditions, and time periods. There are two reasons for this. First, I want to underscore the universal recognition of these energies in all corners of the world. Second, after studying the pantheons of many cultures, I believe that these gods and goddesses best match the collective archetypal energy they represent. But we need to begin at the beginning, and the beginning is Parsifal, the Fool.