X - The Wheel of Fortune: The Eternal Cycle in Tarot
The Wheel of Fortune, marked with the Roman numeral X, is one of the most symbolically rich cards in Tarot. It represents the ceaseless flow of cycles, inevitable change, and the perpetual dance between ascent and descent. Its appearance in a reading evokes the mystery of destiny, the hidden laws that govern the universe, and the interconnectedness of all events.
History and Origin of The Wheel of Fortune
The image of the wheel as a symbol of fate and life's mutability isn't unique to Tarot. It appears in traditions as ancient as the wheel of the goddess Fortuna in Roman mythology, the wheel of samsara in Eastern beliefs, or the cosmic wheel of the Celts. In Tarot, from medieval versions like the Tarot de Marseille, the card depicts a spinning wheel accompanied by symbolic figures rising and falling, reminding us that nothing remains static.
Card Elements and Figures
In many decks, The Wheel of Fortune is flanked by winged figures of the four evangelists or the four fixed zodiac signs: Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo, and Taurus, each holding a book symbolizing eternal wisdom. The wheel itself may contain letters like T-A-R-O, forming both the word TAROT and the Latin word ROTA (wheel). Common imagery includes a sphinx at the top, a dog or monkey ascending, and a serpent descending - all representing opposing yet complementary forces.
- The wheel symbolizes the eternal cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.
- The sphinx represents the riddle of fate and the wisdom governing it.
- The serpent alludes to descending force, matter, and inevitable change.
- The winged creatures embody stability amidst movement.
Esoteric Meanings in Tarot Reading
The Wheel of Fortune in a spread doesn't merely announce changes; it's a reminder that life follows cycles and the forces operating around us obey cosmic order. It represents karma, the law of cause and effect, and opportunities that emerge and vanish as part of this flow.
-
Inevitable change
Nothing remains static; the wheel always turns bringing new circumstances.
-
Opportunity
A propitious moment may arise; it's time to act decisively.
-
Fate and free will
The card reminds us that while greater forces exist, our choices matter.
-
Karmic cycles
The return of past situations as lessons to be learned.
-
Balance in change
Maintaining inner calm amid fate's turns.
Correspondences and Occult Symbolism
The Wheel of Fortune is associated with the planet Jupiter, ruler of expansion, abundance, and higher laws. In numerology, the number 10 implies completion of a cycle and beginning of another. It also connects to the number 1, symbolizing new beginnings.
In Hermetic tradition, the wheel represents the universe's perpetual motion. Its immobile center symbolizes the equilibrium point where higher consciousness resides, while the periphery remains in constant flux.
- Relation to Jupiter: expansion, universal laws, growth.
- 10 as a symbol of wholeness and renewal.
- The wheel's center as the eye of eternity.
- Perpetual motion as reflection of universal change.
The Wheel in the Initiatory Path
Within the Fool's journey through Tarot, The Wheel of Fortune marks an inflection point. After the introspective learning of the Hermit, the soul faces destiny's forces and must learn to flow with them. The card teaches that change is essential to spiritual evolution.
As an initiatory lesson, it invites occupying the wheel's center: the still point where time stops and from which one understands the eternal turning.
Advanced Symbolic Interpretation
In certain decks, the figures ascending and descending on the wheel represent phases of rise and fall, reminding us that what's up today may be down tomorrow, and vice versa. It's a call for humility in prosperity and hope in difficulty.
- The wheel as mirror of lunar and solar cycles.
- The four fixed signs as guardians of cosmic order.
- The word ROTA as anagram of TARO and ORAT (speaks), indicating destiny's occult language.
The Wheel of Fortune's Profound Message
The essential message of The Wheel of Fortune is to accept change as universal law. Resistance means suffering; flowing with the turn means harmonizing with divine order. Each rotation offers new possibilities, and every ending is simultaneously a beginning.
In summary, The Wheel of Fortune isn't just an announcement of external events, but a living teaching about existence's very nature. It invites maintaining faith in invisible processes and trusting that the universe's movement always leads us where we need to be.