The Wheel of Fortune X

Keywords & phrases

• Change & uncertainty
• Revolutions
• Seasons, cycles, rhythms & patterns
• Fate, destiny, fortune
• Luck & opportunity
• Life’s ups & downs
• Karma & consequences
• Inevitability

First impressions

A card filled with esoterica – every detail highly symbolic. Perhaps the most recognisable items are the angel, the snake, books and circles within circles in the centre of the image.

What is happening in the card?

What we see is The Wheel of Life which sits in the centre of the card. On it are elemental and alchemical signs, symbolic of the building blocks of life, the letters of the tetragrammaton YHVH – the unpronounceable name of God, and letters forming the words ROTA TAROT ORAT TORA ATOR – translated: The Wheel of Tarot Speaks the Word of The Goddess Hathor.

Spinning on the outside of The Wheel are three creatures: a Sphinx at the top holding a sword, a snake descending on the left, and rising on the right, Anubis, Egyptian God of the dead who takes the form of a jackal.

In the four corners, mythical winged beasts sit on white fluffy clouds, each with a book – the Torah containing God’s law as revealed to the Jewish people and central to Judaism.

These creatures represent the four fixed signs of the Zodiac. Aquarius is represented by the angel, Scorpio by the eagle, Leo by the lion, and the bull is Taurus.

So, this is what we see but what does it all mean?

How can we relate to this card?

As ruler of the 10s The Wheel of Fortune marks beginnings and endings, the inevitable cycle of life.

We can relate to The Wheel when we are experiencing or expecting changes in our lives. There is an inevitability to the turning of the wheel… life goes on and we must go through the ups and downs. And even as things come to an end, they make room for the new. Death and birth.

Ruled by expansive Jupiter, The Wheel may suggest that change, if we choose to accept and embrace it, can bring with it opportunity and optimism.

There is also a karmic message in the Wheel that what goes around comes around.

Message & affirmations

Today, I face change with optimism and curiosity.

Events, situations & readings

In a relationship spread:
The Wheel suggests the changing and cyclical nature of relationships. What point are you at right now? What patterns are you repeating? Are you going round in circles?

Reversed:
In reversal, The Wheel may suggest that you are resistant to the changes taking place in your life or struggling to adapt. Depending on the nature of your enquiry and the surrounding cards it may be an indication that you are going through a difficult phase.

People & interaction with other cards

With the 10s, The Wheel strongly indicates that something is coming to an end. Aces, Pages or The Fool would suggest expansion and new beginnings.

With powerful and challenging cards like Death or The Tower, this card suggests that events you may be experiencing are likely to be life-changing. How will you meet these challenges? You may be able to take inspiration or guidance from the other cards in the spread.

The appearance of the Judgement card in a spread with The Wheel would amplify the karmic nature of this card suggesting a rebirth of some sort.

When The Wheel appears with The World card, it brings a very positive message of completion in some aspect of your life and also fosters a certain level of trust that the Universe will bring positive changes even if you do not immediately recognise or understand the meaning of such changes.

Questions, prompts & insights

What changes are you experiencing in your life right now?

How open to change are you? How do you feel that you are adapting?

Are you repeating certain patterns in your life? How can you break free of those negative cycles?

Featured decks:
Main image from The Rider Waite Tarot.