Wheel of Fortune: Tarot card points to unexpected changes

One of the letters from tarot The one that generates the most confusion is Arcanum X, the Wheel of Fortune. Almost immediately, people associate the word “fortune” with “riches”, and end up believing that this card represents money and material gains. However, this arcane has a much deeper and broader meaning.

Is this letter out for you yet? Try the Monthly Tarot for free here and see if the card resonates with you.. Next, let’s see more about The Wheel of Fortune.

Origin of Wheel of Fortune

First of all, it is necessary to understand the symbolic origin of this letter. The Wheel of Fortune is the loom of Moirae, Clotho, Láqueis and Atropos – the Greek goddesses who spun, wove and cut the thread of life. It is a metaphor for the processes of birth, growth and development, and disincarnation. The thread of life on the rock of destiny.

Fortuna is also the Roman goddess of luck, be it good or bad. She is usually represented carrying the cornucopia, a symbol of abundance, and the helm, which in itself already resembles the figure of the Wheel, plus the sense of direction.

In the image of this Arcanum, we see a large Wheel that is supported on an axis, and at the top a figure (generally a sphinx, which symbolizes the challenges), in addition to a character going up and another going down in his arc. It’s not about the wheel of money, then. It’s the wheel of life.

What cycles repeat in your life?

In its broadest sense, the Wheel of Fortune takes us back to the cycles of fate. As galaxies and great empires go through periods of development, peak and decline, so does our life.

However, the movement is circular and as nothing remains forever at the top of the wheel, nothing remains in decay either. The wheel turns and then a new phase begins. They are cycles within cycles – some longer, others short-lived.

This arcane asks us, therefore, what are the cycles that are repeated in our life; and it reveals, when associated with a minor arcana, what position on the wheel we are at that moment, in relation to a given situation.

Have you ever played Tarot Direct? With it, you seek answers to specific questions that are important at this time.

The transience of existence

If everything is cyclical, the Wheel of Fortune is a warning about the constant transience of our experiences. Separation, one way or another, is inevitable – even in the case of eternal loves. Stability is relative, we live in constant change. The duration of these cycles acts differently in each individual’s life.

Thus, we usually call “stable” those periods in which everything remains unchanged for a long period of time, but even this notion of time is relative.

Life, however, is unpredictable. Turnarounds can happen at any time, because we don’t have full control of what happens to us.

Arcanum teaches how to deal with external factors

Right decisions and choices, as well as our capacity for analysis and action, are great determinants of the paths we take in our existence.

However, we must remember that we are also subject to external factors, the force of circumstances and the will of the other – or others – throughout this journey.

The Wheel of Fortune invites us, therefore, to remain open to the opportunities that fate offers us, to take advantage of good luck and to deal with streaks of bad luck, denials or periods when things are not going well.

As correct as our attitudes are, the moment is not always conducive for us to achieve what we want. It’s not always our fault, it’s not always our responsibility.

The awareness of doing the best we can and giving our best must prevail in any experience, whether it has a glorious outcome or not. Thus, the concept that “we are responsible for our own destiny” takes on new meaning and another dimension.

What are we looking for?

The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that total control over our lives, as well as our destiny, is elusive. In certain situations, the exercise of free will is restricted to what concerns our attitudes and postures in the face of fait accompli and external factors.

We often invest a lot of energy seeking security for our lives, but a little reflection is enough to realize that having absolute control of situations is a utopia.

We must be skilful in steering our rudder, but we cannot always predict whether the sea we will sail in will be calm or rough. Or even if a storm will arrive without warning. Although these situations have been anticipated, it is not always feasible to avoid adversities.

The Wheel of Fortune brings us the teaching of confidence, in oneself and in life. Impossible not to ever fall. The important thing, however, is knowing how to get up. We then arrive at the next Arcanum, number XI, The Force (see everything about it here).