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Wheel of Fortune
Tarot Card Meaning
Life's cycles, destiny, karmic turning points, and the ever-changing nature of fortune
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Wheel of Fortune at a glance
Card Number: 10
Suit: Major Arcana
Element: Fire
Keywords: Cycles, destiny, karma, change, turning point, fate, good fortune, expansion
Upright Meaning: The Wheel of Fortune represents life's natural cycles, karmic turning points, and the arrival of destined events that shift your circumstances in significant ways.
Reversed Meaning:The Wheel of Fortune reversed signals resistance to change, bad luck or setbacks, feeling stuck in negative cycles, or the need to take control rather than waiting for fate.
What to know about Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune tarot card represents the cyclical nature of life, destiny, and significant turning points that change your circumstances. This card often appears when you're at a pivotal moment where fate seems to be taking the wheel, bringing unexpected changes, opportunities, or shifts in fortune. This card asks you to embrace life's ups and downs with grace, trust in divine timing, and recognize that you're exactly where you need to be in your journey.
Symbolism
This description is based on the Rider-Waite deck.
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The wheel itself contains Hebrew letters spelling YHVH (the name of God), alchemical symbols for mercury, sulfur, salt, and water, and the Latin letters T-A-R-O spelling both "Tarot" and "Rota" (wheel). At the top of the wheel sits the Sphinx holding a sword, representing wisdom, mystery, and the riddle of life. Ascending the right side is Anubis, the Egyptian god of the afterlife, representing the upward turn of fortune. Descending the left side is the serpent Typhon, representing the downward turn and the challenges that come with change. In the four corners, angelic figures representing the four fixed signs of the zodiac (Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo, Taurus) read from books, symbolizing the divine intelligence that orchestrates life's cycles. The blue sky suggests divine consciousness, while the wheel's constant motion reminds us that nothing stays the same—all fortune, good or bad, is temporary.
Upright meaning
When the Wheel of Fortune appears upright, it signals a significant turning point, karmic event, or shift in circumstances that feels fated or destined. This card represents the natural cycles of life—periods of growth followed by rest, success followed by challenge, and the constant movement that prevents stagnation. The Wheel of Fortune often brings unexpected opportunities, lucky breaks, or sudden changes that redirect your path.
Love & Relationships:
In love readings, the Wheel of Fortune indicates significant relationship changes, karmic connections, or destiny at work in your romantic life. This card suggests that your love life is entering a new cycle, and what happens now has been set in motion by past actions and choices.
Career & Finances:
The Wheel of Fortune in career contexts signals major professional turning points, unexpected opportunities, or changes in fortune that redirect your career path. This card often indicates good luck in professional endeavors and suggests that being in the right place at the right time will serve you well. Financially, the Wheel of Fortune can bring windfalls, improved circumstances, or the upward turn of a financial cycle after lean times.
Personal Growth:
On a personal level, the Wheel of Fortune represents understanding life's cyclical nature, accepting karmic lessons, and recognizing patterns that repeat until learned. The Wheel of Fortune asks you to embrace change with grace, trust in divine timing, and understand that both challenges and blessings are temporary phases in your ongoing evolution.
Reversed meaning
The Wheel of Fortune reversed indicates resistance to inevitable change, experiencing setbacks or bad luck, or feeling stuck in negative patterns and cycles. The reversed Wheel of Fortune can also indicate that you need to take more personal responsibility rather than blaming fate, or that you're so focused on controlling outcomes that you're missing opportunities that require you to trust and adapt.
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Love & Relationships:
When reversed in love readings, the Wheel of Fortune suggests relationship setbacks, missed timing with a potential partner, or feeling stuck in negative relationship patterns. The reversed Wheel may also suggest resistance to necessary relationship changes or refusal to accept that a relationship cycle has naturally ended
Career & Finances:
The reversed Wheel of Fortune in career contexts signals professional setbacks, missed opportunities, or experiencing the downward swing of career fortune. Financially, the Wheel of Fortune reversed may bring unexpected expenses, financial setbacks, or the challenging phase of an economic cycle that requires patience and resilience.
Personal Growth:
Reversed, this card represents feeling victimized by circumstances, refusing to accept life's natural ups and downs, or staying stuck in negative patterns without learning their lessons. The Wheel of Fortune reversed asks you to take responsibility for what you can control, accept what you cannot, and trust that even downward cycles eventually turn upward again
Common questions about Wheel of Fortune
Does the Wheel of Fortune mean good luck?
The Wheel of Fortune often brings good luck, fortunate timing, and positive shifts in circumstances. However, its deeper meaning is about cycles and change—sometimes the wheel turns upward bringing fortune, sometimes downward bringing challenges.
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How long does Wheel of Fortune energy last?
Wheel of Fortune energy represents a turning point rather than an extended period—it's the moment when one cycle ends and another begins. Think of it as the pivot point on a cycle that gradually ascends or descends rather than an instant transformation.
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Can I control the Wheel of Fortune's outcome?
You can't control the wheel's turning—life's cycles will continue regardless of your preferences. However, you can control how you respond, the attitudes you maintain during ups and downs, and the actions you take that seed future cycles.
Interpreting the Wheel of Fortune
The best wayto understand the Wheel of Fortune card is to reflect on the cycles and patterns in your life—recognizing where you are in various wheels (career, relationships, personal growth) and how past actions created present circumstances. What symbols really stick out to you in the imagery? Do you relate more to the ascending or descending creatures, the sphinx at the top, or the spinning wheel itself? What does your intuition tell you is ready for a significant shift, karmic completion, or new cycle beginning? The Wheel of Fortune asks you to zoom out and see your life from a higher perspective, trusting that everything is unfolding as it should.
If you've drawn the Wheel of Fortune card in a reading and want deeper insight into how it applies to your specific question, try our interactive tarot reading tool. This tool is designed to help you find the balance between the card's meaning and your intuition to answer your specific question.
Related cards & further learning
Similar Energy Card: The World
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Opposite Energy Card: Four of Pentacles
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Next Card in Sequence: Justice
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