10: Wheel of Fortune

 Major Arcana 10 is the Wheel of Fortune, and there is a great deal of symbolism found on the card. Let’s break it down and get into it!



The wheel of fortune has been around a long time, before gambling and the popular tv show. Through the ages it has been represented by many different things, and beings, especially Goddesses Fortuna and Airanrhod. It symbolizes the turning of life’s wheel and how at times things can be going in our favor and at other times, not so much. Many used to believe, and still believe that our fate is controlled by the wheel and there is not much we can do to change it, while other believe we have more control of the direction of our fate than we realize. 

There are a lot of references to Ezekiel’s wheel as mentioned in the Bible, which was said to be a wheel spinning with in the wheel accompanied by and angel with four heads, the head of a lion, an ox, a human and an eagle. The four winged creatures in the corners of the card are these four heads, but pictured separately as whole beings. Next to the wheel we see a snake, representing rebirth and the connection between the living world and under world, as well as the Goddess. We also see a sphinx which is the guardian of thereshholds to different levels of consciounesss and a jackal headed man, most likely Anubis who was a guide through the underworld. To me, these three beings all represent the ability to change your own fate, especially if you are able to tune into the voice of Spirit which is communicated through the intuition. You might also say your fate may be guided through your interactions with these beings and how you respond to their guidance.

Around the edge of the wheel we see the letters T A R O, which spell out three words TORA, representing the Jewish Torah, TARO referring to the tarot, and ROTA the Latin word for wheel. “Between those letters, are the Hebrew letters for for the magical name of the Jewish god Yahweh: yod heh vav and heh” (Pamita, pg 219). Additionally the center wheel has 8 spokes that represent the cycles of times and possible relate to the 8 sabbats of the solar year. There are also some symbols on four of the spokes which according to Madam Pamita in Magical Tarot, “represent mercury, water, sulfur, and salt — the alchemical versions of air, water, fire, and earth”(pg219). 

Receiving the Wheel of fortune in a reading can mean things are turning in your favor or that things may be turning against your favor. This is where the cards around it help to explain what it indicates in your reading. It is not a card to be scared of, and it signifies fate is on your side, even if things may be falling away. Sometimes we need to shed what isn’t working and the wheel can bless us with this gift. We too often focus on what we’re getting or what is working, which is wonderful but it can lead us to neglect that we have to let go of what isn’t working in order to make more room for the things we need to come in to bring us even closer to our destiny.

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