The Wheel of Fortune tarot card is one of the most important cards in a tarot deck. It is full of symbols that all have meanings of their own and can be interpreted in a multitude of ways.
The Wheel of Fortune is a Major Arcana card. There are 22 numbered cards of 78 in a tarot deck (numbered from 0 to 21). It is best that we first understand its important details.
The meanings of the card change depending on how it is drawn from a stack of tarot cards. If it is upright, you’re probably going to have the time of your life soon enough. But if the Wheel of Fortune is reversed, expect some bad luck headed your way!
But you should not be worried by the “loaded” nature of the card. We'll be breaking down all the symbolism that lies in the card and tell you how it will impact your career, money, love life, relationships, health and more!
The Wheel represents changes in life, be they good or bad. It shows us that if life seems grim at the moment, good times will eventually make them better. Simultaneously, it also tells us to be on our toes and make preparations for the incoming bad times.
Now with that aside, let’s discuss the symbolism behind the Wheel of Fortune tarot card. For someone new to the world of tarot cards, so many symbols can become daunting to understand! We’ve therefore compiled a list of all the symbols that are present in the Wheel.
This is the first and most notable thing that you will see. On the wheel’s outer circle are four letters inscribed. These can be read either as “Rota” (meaning “wheel”) or “Taro” (the older spelling for Tarot).
In the absolute center of the card are four symbols that represent the four elements. Water, earth, fire and air.
The X stands for the number 10 and represents the twists, turns and unpredictable nature of life. It also represents fate and destiny.
The Wheel of Fortune tarot card has symbolism all around it that you might want to read up on before we continue further. Like:
Each corner features a figure. These are a bull, an angel, a lion and an eagle. In the card, they appear as guardians defending the four corners of the world. In Christianity, they represent the four evangelists. This might be the reason why they all have wings.
Each figure in the corners is holding a Torah, the Jewish Holy book. The Torah means self-understanding and wisdom.
A snake can be seen close to the Wheel of Fortune. It represents two things. The life force that is descending into the material world, and knowledge from the Tree of Good and Evil.
This means nobility and divine right. It also means the wisdom of kings and gods and life’s riddles.
The Devil/Anubis represents the underworld, harmful and malicious things. It and the Sphinx are in continuous motion. When one comes up, the other must go down.
Some versions of the Wheel include a dog as well. It symbolizes the animalistic desire that resides in all of us.
Now with all of the symbolism aside, let’s get to the real deal. What does the Wheel mean when it is upright?
Change is essentially the theme here. If you’re going through some tough times, remember that the grass is always greener on the other side. Things will get better in all aspects of your life. Your health will get better, your career brighter, business might be booming hard and your relationships too will see much more love and support from your loved ones.
Though this doesn’t mean that afflictions won’t be there to alert you of an upcoming “downtime” that you must avoid in order to maximize the “good times”.
If you’re single, this might just be the time to find that “special one”. However, don’t expect everything in this area to be exactly how you thought it to be. Your soulmate might be someone completely new and unexpected. Putting yourself out there and “getting the reps in” is crucial if you want to make the most of these good times.
As for the committed ones, things are about to go one of two ways. If you’re content in your relationship, the Wheel of Fortune love being upright can mean a much stronger bond and compatibility with your loved one. This is the time to start a new phase and a more concrete stage in your relationship.
Though if you’re committed to someone but are having issues with him/her already, an upright Wheel of Fortune love tarot means a lot of upheaval coming your way. Things might go downhill, but it will be for the greater good and you will eventually come out of it stronger, yet much more determined to a more suitable and like-minded partner in the future.
With regards to a monetary setting, the Wheel does bring a unique twist to your finances. If you’ve been holding back on that career switch, now’s the time to get it done. Wondering about a promotion? It’s highly likely that you’re about to get it. Contemplating that investment but having no idea what to do? Try and become successful with it. Even if you are content with what you have right now, an upright Wheel means that sooner or later you’ll be getting some challenges that will lead to much better opportunities.
If you’ve been comfortable with your money lately, the upright Wheel alerts you that things can go south and it might be a good time to start saving before it gets too late.
While there isn’t an absolute certainty that everything will go the way you want it, the chances of success outweigh failure.
Lastly, what if you’re someone who’s already going through a “rough patch” in the monetary department? The upright Wheel of Fortune tarot card means that things are looking better for you in the future and good financial luck is around the corner.
As we’ve seen time and again in this article, change is the theme of the Wheel of Fortune. If you’ve been going a bit rough with yourself, be it physically, mentally or spiritually, expect some “downtime” soon enough to remind you to take your body much more seriously.
However, if you’ve been fighting some illness already, it only means rest and recuperation from that condition and a general recovery period will soon follow.
In the spiritual realm, things might be taking a turn for the better soon enough. You might be much more in touch with your spiritual side and connected with people who are much more spiritual than you. Things might seem falling into place for many, with tons of signs pointing towards a “rebuilding” phase.
Start listening to your gut feeling when you see the Wheel of Fortune tarot card upright. This is a chance to listen to yourself a bit more and what YOU feel in certain situations.
Jupiter rules the Wheel of Fortune and is known commonly as the planet of expansion and good fortune. In astrology Jupiter is known as the “Greater Benefic”, meaning “the bringer of the best of everything”.
While the Wheel itself has both good and bad connotations, the addition of Jupiter to the mix makes things way better for you. New offers and surprising opportunities might be headed your way.
Unfortunately, you can’t only experience sunshine and rainbows in life, and it certainly applies when it comes to the Wheel when it’s reversed.
There will be some loved ones whom we will no longer remain in touch with. Business might take a hit and your career might go downhill too. Lastly, in the health and spirituality area, there will be some afflictions. However, there’s no need to panic, these are factors that are beyond your control and accepting that is the first step.
Next, you need to be cautious with all aspects of your life. And we’re here to help you with that!
If you’re someone who’s having a rough time with your lover lately with no improvement in sight, there’s only one sentence to sum this up. “This too shall pass”. Expect a good amount of chaos and confusion as both you and your loved one will try to work things out between yourself, to no avail.
This will be a rough patch and there will be some lessons learnt, but knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel will be the guiding factor when it comes to your relationships. It certainly doesn’t mean that you should take decisions on a whim and ruin a situation which could have been salvaged. Rebuilding trust is essential when you’re trying to make things work.
The Wheel of Fortune when reversed doesn’t always mean that all of your love and relationship efforts will be in vain. Who knows, you might be going through a transformation phase that leads to reconnecting with some loved ones?
Your finances and career might become more disrupted or stagnant in these trying times. Maybe switching to the new job wasn’t a good idea, or not investing in that project that could have reaped returns.
Though these “jumps” in life are only here to teach you two things. The first one is that you should’ve been much more observant regarding your finances and should have made plans for rainy days.
The other thing it teaches is to not beat yourself up for what has happened and be wiser when the situation improves. The cycle of life never stays the same and good days will soon bring more wealth and happiness to you.
Transposition is what the Wheel of Fortune tarot card is all about. If you were currently in great physical, mental or spiritual shape then expect things to go into some disruption or upheaval. Remember that whatever is happening to your body isn’t what you wanted, but what you got.
It can be very demanding at times to cope with this spiritual/mental/physical illness but do not let pessimism take over. Remember that it will get better, seek professional help and look forward to the good times.
The Wheel of Fortune tarot card depicts life in a very concise, yet brilliant manner. With ease certainly comes hardship and vice versa. Things might have been grim lately, but it’s always a good idea to hang tight and let the bad times pass. Money might be a distant aspiration, career choices slim, health not optimal and relationships might be messy. But everything will be better.
And if you’re in good times, it is necessary to remember that anything can happen. Changing jobs or careers, saving money, making new and sustaining existing relationships and taking care of your body, mind and soul should always be the priority.