Wheel of Fortune Tarot Card: Cycles, Destiny & Luck

After The Hermit teaches us to find wisdom in solitude, the Wheel of Fortune appears as card number 10 in the Major Arcana—reminding us that life is cyclical, that fortune rises and falls, and that we're all subject to forces larger than ourselves. Where The Hermit represents the stillness of inner seeking, the Wheel represents the constant motion of fate and change.

The Wheel of Fortune is the card of destiny, karma, and the turning tides of life. It shows us that nothing stays the same forever—what goes up must come down, and what goes down will rise again. This is the great wheel of existence, always turning, always changing.

Wheel of Fortune Tarot Card at a Glance

Number: 10
Element: Fire
Astrological Association: Jupiter (expansion, luck, abundance, divine timing, cosmic order)
Keywords: Cycles, destiny, fate, karma, luck, change, turning point, divine timing, fortune, opportunity
Yes or No: Yes—the wheel is turning in your favor

Wheel of Fortune Card Imagery & Symbolism

The traditional Rider-Waite-Smith Wheel of Fortune is one of the most symbolically dense cards in the tarot. Let's decode the imagery:

The Wheel Itself

A large wheel spins in the center of the card, representing the cycles of life, the turning of fate, and the constant motion of existence. The wheel never stops—it's always turning, bringing change, opportunity, and transformation.

The Hebrew Letters (YHVH)

On the outer rim of the wheel are Hebrew letters spelling YHVH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh), the unpronounceable name of God. This represents divine order, cosmic law, and the sacred nature of the cycles we experience.

The Letters TORA/TAROT/ROTA

Between the Hebrew letters are the letters T-A-R-O, which can be read as TARO (Tarot), TORA (Torah/divine law), or ROTA (wheel in Latin). This shows the interconnection of wisdom, divine law, and the turning wheel of existence.

Alchemical Symbols

The wheel is decorated with alchemical symbols for mercury, sulfur, water, and salt—representing the elements and the process of transformation. The Wheel of Fortune is an alchemical process, turning base metal into gold, suffering into wisdom.

The Sphinx on Top

A sphinx sits atop the wheel holding a sword, representing riddles, mysteries, and the enigmatic nature of fate. The sphinx asks: What is the meaning of these cycles? What wisdom can you extract from change? The sword suggests that understanding requires cutting through illusion.

Anubis Ascending (Right Side)

The Egyptian god Anubis, guide of souls, rises on the right side of the wheel. This represents ascent, spiritual evolution, and the upward turn of fortune. Anubis guides us through transitions and transformations.

The Serpent Descending (Left Side)

A serpent (Typhon, the Egyptian god of chaos) descends on the left side of the wheel. This represents descent, material forces, and the downward turn of fortune. The serpent reminds us that what rises must also fall.

The Four Winged Creatures in the Corners

In each corner sits a winged creature reading from a book: an angel (Aquarius/air), an eagle (Scorpio/water), a lion (Leo/fire), and a bull (Taurus/earth). These are the four fixed signs of the zodiac, representing stability within change, the four evangelists, and the four elements. They study sacred texts, suggesting that wisdom comes from understanding the patterns of the wheel.

The Clouds

The wheel floats in clouds, suggesting that fate operates on a cosmic, spiritual level beyond our immediate understanding. We can't always see why the wheel turns as it does.

The Number 10

Ten represents completion of a cycle (1+0=1, returning to the beginning), the end and the beginning, and the perfection of divine order. It's the number of manifestation and karmic completion.

Wheel of Fortune Upright: Core Meanings

When the Wheel of Fortune appears upright in a reading, it signals:

Change & Turning Points

A major shift is occurring or about to occur. The Wheel says: The only constant is change. Embrace it. This is a pivotal moment where circumstances are shifting, often beyond your control.

Good Luck & Fortune

The wheel is turning in your favor. Opportunities, blessings, and fortunate circumstances are coming your way. This is a time of expansion, growth, and positive change.

Destiny & Divine Timing

Things are unfolding as they're meant to. The Wheel represents the sense that larger forces are at work, that there's a divine plan, and that you're exactly where you need to be. Trust the timing.

Cycles & Patterns

Recognizing the cyclical nature of life—seasons, relationships, career phases, emotional states. The Wheel reminds us that nothing lasts forever, both the good and the bad. This too shall pass.

Karma & Consequences

What you've sown, you're now reaping. The Wheel represents karmic justice—the natural consequences of past actions coming full circle. If you've been planting good seeds, expect a harvest.

Opportunity & Seizing the Moment

A window of opportunity is opening. The Wheel favors those who are ready to act when fortune presents itself. Don't hesitate—the wheel keeps turning.

Acceptance of What Cannot Be Controlled

Some things are beyond your control. The Wheel teaches surrender to larger forces while maintaining agency over your response to circumstances.

Wheel of Fortune Reversed: Shadow & Challenges

When the Wheel of Fortune appears reversed, its energy becomes blocked or the wheel turns unfavorably:

Bad Luck or Downturn

The wheel is turning against you. Setbacks, obstacles, or a run of bad luck. The reversed Wheel can indicate that you're in a difficult phase of the cycle.

Resistance to Change

Fighting against inevitable change, clinging to what's ending, or refusing to accept that a cycle has completed. The reversed Wheel suggests you're resisting the natural flow.

Feeling Out of Control

Overwhelmed by circumstances beyond your control, feeling like a victim of fate, or experiencing chaos and instability. The reversed Wheel can indicate powerlessness.

Breaking Negative Patterns

Recognizing destructive cycles and choosing to break them. The reversed Wheel can actually be positive—it's the moment you step off the wheel of karma and choose a different path.

Missed Opportunities

Failing to act when fortune presents itself, or being unprepared when opportunity knocks. The reversed Wheel can indicate that the window has closed.

Karmic Debts Coming Due

Negative consequences of past actions catching up with you. The reversed Wheel can indicate that you're reaping what you've sown, and the harvest isn't pleasant.

Wheel of Fortune in Different Life Areas

Love & Relationships

Upright: Positive changes in love, meeting someone through serendipity, or a relationship entering a new and fortunate phase. The Wheel can indicate soulmate connections or relationships that feel destined. For those in relationships, it suggests a turning point toward greater happiness.

Reversed: Relationship challenges, a downturn in romance, or cycles of dysfunction repeating. Can also indicate the need to break karmic relationship patterns or accept that a relationship has run its course.

Career & Finances

Upright: Career opportunities, promotions, fortunate timing, or financial windfalls. The Wheel favors expansion, growth, and being in the right place at the right time. This is excellent for new ventures, investments, or career changes.

Reversed: Career setbacks, financial losses, or missed opportunities. Can also indicate economic cycles turning downward or the need to prepare for leaner times.

Spirituality & Personal Growth

Upright: Spiritual awakening, understanding karmic patterns, or experiencing synchronicities that confirm you're on the right path. The Wheel represents the recognition that life has meaning and purpose beyond what we can see.

Reversed: Feeling spiritually lost, questioning the meaning of suffering, or struggling to accept life's ups and downs. Can indicate the need to surrender control and trust the process.

Health & Wellness

Upright: Positive health changes, recovery from illness, or fortunate timing with medical care. The Wheel can indicate that health is improving or that you're entering a healthier phase.

Reversed: Health setbacks, chronic conditions cycling, or the need to address karmic health patterns (inherited issues, lifestyle consequences).

Wheel of Fortune as a Person

When the Wheel of Fortune represents a person in a reading, they are:

• Lucky, fortunate, blessed
• Adaptable to change, flexible
• Philosophical about life's ups and downs
• Someone who brings opportunity or change
• Possibly a gambler or risk-taker
• Someone who understands cycles and timing
• A catalyst for transformation
• Potentially unstable or unreliable if reversed

This could be you, someone in your life, or the energy you're being called to embody.

Wheel of Fortune's Advice

When the Wheel of Fortune appears as guidance, the message is:

• Embrace change. The wheel is always turning—flow with it rather than resist.
• Seize opportunities. When fortune presents itself, act quickly.
• Trust divine timing. Things are unfolding as they should, even if you can't see the plan.
• Remember: this too shall pass. Both good times and bad times are temporary.
• Learn from cycles. Recognize patterns and extract wisdom from repetition.
• Accept what you cannot control. Focus on your response, not the circumstances.
• Plant good seeds. What you do now will come back to you later.

Wheel of Fortune in Combination with Other Cards

The Wheel's meaning shifts depending on surrounding cards:

• Wheel of Fortune + The Magician: Manifesting through perfect timing and aligned action
• Wheel of Fortune + Justice: Karmic justice, reaping what you've sown
• Wheel of Fortune + The Tower: Sudden, dramatic change; fate intervening forcefully
• Wheel of Fortune + The Star: Fortunate timing bringing hope and healing
• Wheel of Fortune + Ten of Pentacles: Financial windfall or inheritance
• Wheel of Fortune + Two of Pentacles: Managing the ups and downs, balancing change
• Wheel of Fortune + Ace of Cups: Fortunate new beginning in love or emotions

Journaling Prompts for Wheel of Fortune

Deepen your relationship with the Wheel of Fortune through reflection:

1. What cycles or patterns do I notice repeating in my life?
2. How do I respond to change—with resistance or acceptance?
3. What am I ready to release as this cycle completes?
4. Where have I experienced good fortune recently, and how can I honor it?
5. What karmic patterns am I ready to break?
6. How can I trust divine timing more fully?
7. What seeds am I planting now that will grow in the future?

Working with Wheel of Fortune's Energy

To embody the Wheel of Fortune's power in your life:

• Track cycles—moon phases, seasons, personal patterns—and notice how they affect you
• Practice acceptance of something you cannot control
• Seize an opportunity that's presenting itself right now
• Reflect on karma—where are you reaping what you've sown?
• Let go of something that's completing its cycle in your life
• Trust timing—stop forcing and allow things to unfold
• Plant good seeds through kind actions, knowing they'll return to you

Wheel of Fortune's Lesson: Everything Changes

The Wheel of Fortune teaches that impermanence is the only permanence. Everything changes. Fortune rises and falls. Seasons turn. Relationships evolve. Careers shift. Health fluctuates. Nothing stays the same.

This can be terrifying or liberating, depending on your perspective. If you're suffering, the Wheel promises relief—this too shall pass. If you're thriving, the Wheel reminds you to appreciate the moment and prepare for change.

The Wheel shows us that we're not in complete control of our lives, but we're not powerless either. We can't stop the wheel from turning, but we can choose how we ride it. We can plant good seeds. We can learn from patterns. We can seize opportunities when they arise. We can accept what we cannot change and focus on what we can.

Final Thoughts

The Wheel of Fortune is the card of cosmic cycles and divine timing. It appears when change is afoot, when fortune is shifting, or when you need to remember that you're part of a larger pattern that's always in motion.

The wheel is turning. Sometimes you're on top, sometimes you're on the bottom, but you're always moving. The question is not whether the wheel will turn—it will. The question is: How will you ride it? Will you resist and suffer, or will you flow with the changes and trust that the wheel knows where it's going?

Fortune favors the prepared, the flexible, and the faithful. The wheel is turning. Are you ready?