Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune represents change and the cyclical nature of life, where one can experience ups and downs. It signifies the law of returns, indicating that good fortune may come or that one should prepare for challenges ahead. When inverted, it highlights apathy and a lack of action in changing circumstances, reminding individuals that they must take responsibility for their own lives to steer their fate.
Keywords
Personal Reflection
I am changing.
Imagery and Initial Thoughts
I really, really don’t like the imagery on this card in the Basic deck. It’s not helpful in figuring out what the card means (at least not to me), and I always used to ignore it. It reminds me of a Demetri Martin joke: “If you want to make your own mythical creature, just take a regular animal and add wings to it. A horse becomes Pegasus. A lion becomes a griffin. And a hawk becomes … a double hawk.” (He labels the double hawk “I’m awkward.”)
Awkwardness in Readings
The Wheel of Fortune card is awkward when it comes up in readings. It’s the beginning and the end. Sometimes you’re riding the wheel, and sometimes you’re ground to dust under the wheel. It’s very subjective.
Law of Returns
This card is about the law of returns. It can be about good things happening and luck turning around or a warning to batten down the hatches and get ready to rumble. This is a great card to have in a reading, but if you’re a reader, it kind of sucks. It’s ambiguous, and it’s hard to get a clear direction. I just say, “Everything is going to be okay. I don’t know what okay looks like right now, but it’s going to be fine.” That’s not exactly why people get tarot readings, but some things just have to work themselves out. You have to go through the whole process to really learn the lesson, and we can’t tell you, because it’s cheating. I love getting this as a final card because I get to look at the client and say, “Yeah, I don’t know. High five!”
Possible Negative Interpretation
It can also mean the exact opposite. Things are going to suck for a while, and I don’t know how badly, but everything will work out okay. Your high five will be less appropriate and appreciated at this time.
The Wheel of Fortune Inverted
The Wheel of Fortune inverted reminds me of a quote by W. Edwards Deming that my friend Mary shared with me: “Learning is not compulsory; it’s voluntary. Improvement is not compulsory; it’s voluntary. But to survive, we must learn.” This card comes up when someone has tacked themselves up on a cross and is doing nothing to change their situation. “I need a new job,” “I don’t like my health,” “I hate my relationship,” etc., etc. What are you doing about it? Nothing? Okay, then. Things won’t change. If you keep waiting for other people to make decisions about your life, you don’t get to be in charge of it anymore, and you have to deal with their reality and their decisions. This is the apathy card.
The Muse tarot
💜 Please support creators. Buy official decks.
ℹ️ Disclaimer
All card images and descriptions are taken from public sources. They are used for review purposes only. All rights to these images and descriptions belong to their creators. If you believe there is a copyright infringement, please contact us at [email protected].