It tells us that we are subject to the whims of fate but at the same time, it shows us that we do have some control – even if that control is limited to our own thoughts. The people and places may change but the circumstances are, in essence, exactly the same. ![]() It also advises that some cycles are harmful – such as the ones where we continue to attract the same situations constantly. It represents cycles, the underlying structure of the world, the universe and our interconnection with everything. The Wheel presents some conundrums to us. He re-members we are all one, and that the Universe is that one great entity, forever changing, eternally the same. He begins to learn that the answers he needs will come if he simply stops chasing the answers he wants to hear. Once again he stills the ego and becomes present and still at the centre of the Wheel. The Fool eventually realizes that he can use the teachings of the Hermit to understand. Of course, the ego is unable to recognize that it cannot control all things and ties itself in knots, causing great distress to the poor Fool He thought he had begun to lay his ego aside, but he feels he should be able to deal with these challenges, and thus his ego begins take charge once more. His new-found sense of peace is disturbed and he must find ways of putting what he has learned into practice. The Fool travels through the deck, meeting the archetypes of the Major Arcana and, hopefully, learning and growing from his encounters.Īfter the stillness and mindfulness of the Hermit’s teachings, the Fool begins to encounter challenges to upset and confound him. The Fool’s Journey is a metaphor for the human experience of the world. Bear in mind though, that these are open to question and debate. I have reproduced the most widely accepted meanings of the symbols in the table below. At the top of the wheel sits a blue sphinx holding a sword. We are to assume that the wheel turns widdershins or anti-clockwise. On the bottom and right, a red human figure with the head of a dog is ascending. On the left side of the wheel, a snake with a head at each end appears to descend downwards. The inner circle contains the alchemical symbols for sulphur, water, air and salt. However, if you read AE Waite’s description of the card, he says it is, in fact, divided into seven radii. In the centre of the card there is an orange wheel, which is subdivided into eight sections. These figures occupy the four corners of the card and each is holding and reading a book. ![]() Tarot Wheel DescriptionĪgainst a background of a blue sky and big, puffy cumulus clouds are superimposed the winged images of an angel, an eagle, a lion and a bull. ![]() Source: Courtesy of Holly Voley: copyright free, Pamela A version, 1909. Image credit: The Wheel of Fortune, Rider-Waite. © This page was created by TheRaggedEdge. Indeed, as a student of tarot, the Wheel of Fortune is a card you will definitely want to know more about. It is also the subject of much scholarly debate and can inspire thought-provoking insights into the human psyche. Today the tarot Wheel of Fortune is a mish-mash of symbolism taken from many of those sources. Over the centuries, the card has evolved from the idea of random fortune, through the highways and byways of Greek and Roman mythology, biblical references, medieval superstition and 19 th century ‘magical’ societies, such as Freemasonry and the Golden Dawn. It is way too simplistic to pronounce, “Oh this card means good luck will come to you.” It is a difficult card to read and the better you understand its layered depths, the better your readings will be. The Wheel of Fortune is THE symbol of the tarot, It encapsulates every other card, every human condition and every spiritual path within its complex symbolism.
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