Notes on The Wheel of Fortune
(Wheels Within Wheels)
Artist’s Notes on the Card:
To exist in space and time is to be caught up in cycles. There is the cycle of the seasons that is a reflection of the zodiacal cycles. There are the cycles of Morning, Noon and Night and cycles of the Moon. Each of these cycles comes with high points and low points and where we are in our own personal cycle can often feel like it is a random chance. Yet, if we can follow the signs and keep our wits and our humour about us, we can more easily navigate through the hard times and even enjoy their lessons. We can also deal with the easier times without expecting them to last or allowing them to make us soft for that is also a challenge. The more we can keep our inner selves in balance, the less we become slaves to circumstance.
For ultimately we embody the cycles as much as we are prey to them. This is as true in the greater game of life as it is in the games of chance that we play. Ultimately we make and generate our own luck as long as we realize that no matter how high a peak we reach, the nadir is just as low.
About the Archetype:
There are many cliches about the cyclic nature of life. How season follows season and how what goes around comes around. One day we are on top of the world with a great job and relationship and the next this has all disappeared. These expressions like all cliches have a good deal of truth to them. Action follows consequence (and sometimes vice versa). Shiva continues his dance and the cycles continue. This is the lesson of Fortune’s Wheel.
Life is always in motion. Everywhere we look things move in a cyclic way. Whether it be our own biorhythmic cycles, seasonal changes, political changes (the rise and fall of countries and kingdoms) nothing stops. We need to accept that our lives work in a similarly cyclic way and try to gain perspective from outside the wheels that we find ourselves on. Otherwise too often it may feel like we are hamsters forever on the wheel subject to blind instinct and blind fate.
It is difficult at times to perceive our own responsibility in the constant spinning. It is our hands that often keep the wheel in motion and our actions or lack thereof may determine the consequences.
Astrological Correspondent:
Astrological Correspondence-Jupiter (♃)– Jupiter guides our fortune and the areas in which we can be the most successful. Its energies point to the areas of interest that make our hearts sing. Jupiter’s location in our charts can be a strong indicator of where we wish to expand and our interests of exploration and study.
Jupiter encourages us to think deeply about our lives and to see where our strengths are. It helps us to determine our personal philosophy and spirituality. Jupiter is the force that encourages us to question deeply and to search for answers. It is an optimistic force that encourages our growth, expansion, and sense of adventure and play. Jupiter encourages us to experiment with ways of expanding our consciousness either chemically or with techniques such as yoga, tantra, or other forms of ritual. At its worst Jupiter can lead us to over-indulgence. It is at times associated with weight gain.
In a Reading:
When the Wheel of Fortune occurs in a reading, it normally means that things are cycling around for the querent and that their circumstances are changing. Perhaps they have found themselves busy with little time for fun and now their schedule is opening up. Perhaps a relationship or a job is ending. How do they accept the changes that life brings them? This idea of acceptance is a major lesson of this card. For people who like to feel in control, the Wheel can be a bit uncomfortable as it means that the changes are unlikely to come from anything that they are doing but rather from forces outside of their control. Yet it is when the querent can roll with whatever has come around for them and they can keep their equilibrium no matter what happens that they can find themselves the happiest. Most often tho when this card is upright, it means that the changes are beneficial ones. Even when they do not seem so based on other cards in the reading or position, patience is always advised for the wheel never stops spinning.
Inversed or badly aspected, the Wheel can mean that the querent is struggling against the changes in their life. There seems to be a run of bad luck that can be due to either past choices that the bill is coming due for or outside interference. Either way, it is best to accept the change in circumstances and deal with how things are rather than try to recreate the past. This does not mean ignoring the examination of the sources of the change as much as it does dealing with the present. Reversed the Wheel can also mean that the querent needs to take responsibility for their lives as opposed to letting circumstances happen as they will. This can mean an examination of how the querent may be causing their own fortune or misfortune and seeing how any action may have far-reaching implications.
Fate’s Whisper:
Every civilization and race or being is given the same cycle to redeem itself. When it is in the paradise phase, a time when prosperity is at its peak for everyone, the Dragon of Reality will send an emissary to gently warn of the danger ahead if a troublesome action keeps occurring. The Descent Phase, a time when the rift between beings isn’t as obvious but is more apparent in comparison to the previous phase, is when the Fish of Time sends prophets to instil fear so the event can be possibly be prevented words alone won’t solve anything. The Usurper Phase, a time when emotions are present about the rift between beings is noticeable but not at a problematic peak, is when the Tiger of Chance will awaken the insecurities of those who are struggling to bring a change for the better due to their circumstances. The Judgement Phase, a time when change is needed no matter the cost due to extreme stagnation being present, is when the Spider of Fate indiscriminately starts purging all living beings using anything and everything till the needed change happens.
Regardless of how big or small, we are all given a personal cycle. Some need harder measures to break out of these cycles while others learn quicker. Identifying what you cycle is key to your growth. After all the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. When change is needed this card can show you are working in the same cycle you have been running in. While this is neither good nor bad stagnation will eventually bring about problems regardless of how sweet the circumstances are. Change and grow into your personal “Infinity” there you will find the greatest source of fulfilment.