Tarot Secret
Wheel of Fortune in Tarot – Meaning, Symbolism & Spiritual Message
Reversed: Misfortune · Resistance to change · Stuck patterns
There are moments when something turns without you having stopped it.
One phase ends.
Another begins.
Not because you planned it.
Video: The Wheel of Fortune – meaning explained
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Wheel of Fortune – Historical Context
The Wheel of Fortune is one of the most complex cards in tarot. It shows a turning wheel surrounded by four winged beings — eagle, lion, bull, human — the four evangelists and the four fixed signs of the zodiac. The wheel itself carries Hebrew letters and alchemical symbols. Waite saw it as the cosmic law of eternal change.
Card Symbolism – What the Image Tells Us
| Symbol | Possible Meaning |
|---|---|
| The wheel itself | Eternal change — what is above comes down, and what is below rises |
| Four winged beings | Eagle, lion, bull, human — four elements, four evangelists, cosmic stability amid change |
| Serpent on the left | Anubis — Egyptian god of change, descent into the depths |
| Sphinx above | Riddle and wisdom — whoever understands the wheel masters fate |
| TORA on the wheel | Hebrew letters — the law behind all change |
| Alchemical symbols | Transformation of the four elements — everything transforms |
| Purple background | Spiritual depth — this card operates on a cosmic level |
Wheel of Fortune as an Archetype
This card embodies several universal archetypes:
- Fortuna — the goddess of fortune who turns the wheel
- Karma — cause and effect across time
- The cycle — everything comes and goes
- Fate — what is greater than us
- Cosmic order — a pattern behind the chaos
Wheel of Fortune Upright – Meaning & Message
The wheel turns — always. Up and down, rising and falling, beginning and ending: the Wheel of Fortune is the symbol for the unceasing motion of life. Various figures sit on the wheel — some rising, some falling, some barely holding on. In the middle sits the Sphinx: calm, unchanging, standing above the shifts. What changes is the outer position — what remains is the inner center.
This card stands for turning points, luck, fate and the rhythm of life that goes beyond individual control. It appears when something is turning — when a phase ends and a new one begins, when things change without you having actively brought them about. This can be a stroke of luck or a challenge — the wheel makes no distinction.
The deeper message: what changes is inevitable. But how you deal with change is not. Whoever learns to sit like the Sphinx at the center of the wheel — calm while everything turns around them — has grasped the true secret of this card.
Wheel of Fortune Reversed – Shadow Side & Warning
Reversed, the Wheel shows resistance to inevitable change — holding on to a phase that is already turning, refusing to let go of what wants to be released. Sometimes it also shows a period of ongoing bad luck, or the feeling that life is against you — events piling up unfavorably with no end in sight.
It can also point to a lack of trust in the course of things — the conviction that nothing can turn out well, that the wheel only turns in one direction. This belief itself slows the natural movement of life.
The invitation: What are you holding onto even though the wheel has already turned? And can you trust the rhythm of life even when it isn’t currently moving your way? The wheel keeps turning — this time too.
Wheel of Fortune in Different Areas of Life
Wheel of Fortune in Love
Upright: A turning point in the relationship — a positive change is coming. What was stuck is moving again.
Reversed: Unexpected change that puts the relationship to the test. Or: holding on to a cycle that has long since turned.
Wheel of Fortune in Career
Upright: A favorable turn in your professional life. Make the most of the moment — the wheel is turning upward again.
Reversed: Unexpected setbacks, or fighting against inevitable changes. Adapting is wiser than resisting right now.
Wheel of Fortune in Finances
Upright: Financial upswing after a difficult phase. The cycle is turning favorably.
Reversed: Unexpected financial changes. Flexibility and reserves matter now.
Wheel of Fortune in Health
Upright: Improvement after a difficult phase. The cycle is turning — healing is possible.
Reversed: Setbacks in the healing process. Patience — the wheel keeps turning.
Wheel of Fortune – Yes or No?
Upright: Yes — the wheel is turning favorably. Reversed: Patience — the cycle has to complete first.
An Example from Practice
One user, frustrated by an unexpected job loss, drew this card and at first read it as confirmation of bad luck. Looking more closely, he remembered a similar turn years earlier that had ended up opening an unexpected opportunity. He stopped fighting the change and started asking what new cycle might be beginning instead.
Next to The Fool, it emphasizes a completely new cycle. Next to The World, it reinforces the completion of a cycle coming full circle. Appearing next to The Hermit, it is worth asking whether this moment calls for change or for conscious stillness.
It matters to distinguish real change from simple resistance to something already in motion anyway. Can the change still be steered — or is it more a matter of letting it happen? In the first case, it is worth actively shaping it. In the second, letting go helps more than holding on.
Wheel of Fortune – Facts & Correspondences
| Number | X |
| Element | Fire |
| Planet / Celestial Body | Jupiter |
| Astrology | Jupiter — expansion, fortune, cosmic order |
| Numerology | 10 = completion and new beginning at once, a return to one |
| Hebrew Letter | Kaph — the fist, which grasps and releases |
| Time Quality | Turning points, shifting cycles, favorable or unfavorable windows of time |
| Person Description | Someone whose fate is turning — in either direction |
| Opposing Card | The Hermit (IX) — stillness instead of change |
| Complementary Cards | The Fool (0) — a new cycle; The World (XXI) — completion of the cycle |
Wheel of Fortune in Everyday Life
And what could that mean?
And: What remains when everything else changes?
And one last question:
If I knew the wheel keeps turning, what would I do differently today?
Stay here a moment longer.
💭 Which cycle in your life is turning right now — and can you trust it instead of trying to control it?
Frequently Asked Questions about Wheel of Fortune
What does the Wheel of Fortune mean?
It stands for eternal change and cosmic cycles. It reminds you that everything turns — nothing stays the way it is, neither the good nor the bad.
Is the Wheel of Fortune a good card?
Upright it’s considered very positive — a favorable turn. Reversed it points to setbacks or unavoidable changes.
What does the Wheel mean as a daily card?
A turning point is coming today. Stay open to the unexpected. Fate is moving — better to swim with it than against it.
What does the Wheel have to do with karma?
It’s often called the karma card — cause and effect across time. What we’ve sown, we reap. What we’ve avoided, comes back around.
Which cards complement the Wheel?
The Fool (new beginning), The World (completion), The Star (fortune). Challenging: The Tower (sudden collapse).
Reflection Questions about Wheel of Fortune
Let these questions simply be here. You don’t have to answer them.
- Are you fighting the turn, or learning to dance with it?
- What in my life is turning right now, whether I want it to or not?
- What used to be up — and is now down?
- And what could that mean?
- And: What remains when everything else changes?
The Journey Through the Major Arcana
The 22 cards tell a story — from card 0 to 21 and back again. A spiral, not a line.
The wheel has turned. Now comes the question of inner truth: Justice (XI) — cause and effect, truth and fair balance.
The wheel is not turning against you.
It is turning for you.
Even when it doesn’t feel that way.
Not sure what to make of Wheel of Fortune? Claire can help you find the words for it.