Apart from astrological associations within the tarot, the mysterious symbols within the imagery has been the most fascinating personal discovery of this card a day coloring project. I’ve described it again and again as having the same appeal as the “WHEN YOU SEE IT” memes. When you see it, you can’t unsee it.
What I’ve found in researching the various symbols is, based on years of delighting in the symbolism in literature, movies, art, and music, that there are plenty of wrong interpretations out there. Since the notes in creating are my interpretations, it stands to reason that they should align with me personally, so if I think an interpretation is wrong I will leave it blank in my notes. Some symbols, however, are completely unknown to me so I have to rely on cross referencing sources on the Internet and in books.
In the Temperance card, the symbols were glaring. The image, a scene, was decorated beautifully with Superman style chest crests, a radiating sun, and enormous red angel wings. The Wheel of Fortune, while just as glaring, boasts a design rather than scene and is made up entirely of symbols.
People who read about tarot know that the Rider-Waite-Smith deck was meticulously designed to include a multitude of layers for interpretation, divination, and information. For example, many people are familiar with the fact that each suit in the Minor Arcana has an associated element. Far less people know what the Magician is holding, or that it reappears again later with purpose.
The Wheel and its mishmash of symbols around a circle filled with more symbols, letters, Hebrew, and alchemy, guarded by three strange creatures. Everything here is clearly on purpose but none of its purpose is clear.
I knew about the Wheel representing karma, destiny, and the wheel of life. I knew and confirmed that the most common interpretation is that it indicates a change in fortune, but where you are on the wheel today is relevant. For example, it is believed to mean that if you are having great luck, it could warn of a change in tides. But if you’ve been down on your luck, perhaps things will now change for the better. The Wheel, it spins.
This seems cheap to me, and it won’t make it into my notes.
I know that this card is not about that at all. This card is about karma, destiny, and the wheel of life. That part was right on. But the rest is quite a surface take, and maybe that is fine for some. For me, I’d like to explore the inner workings. I wonder, why was this the masterpiece that made it to the final deck? It had to have been perfect, otherwise it wouldn’t have made the cut.
What I found was that yeah, it is actually pretty perfect. Most of the authors with a deeper grasp on the meaning of this card choose to use questions rather than statements to explain the concept embodied in the Wheel of Fortune. If they understand it, they don’t want to impose it because they know it is meant to be discovered. They forget that people discover things in all kinds of ways, and “something read on the Internet” still counts. There’s no shame in putting things directly. Or on your blog.
The message in this card is simple, you’re here on this earth for a reason and that reason is so that you can do the things you already did and to do the things you are doing now. That’s the wheel baby. If that sounds like it sucks, go deeper. Mm. Go deeper.
This card is about the reliability of cycles. When you understand all of the cycles you participate in, you can see where you are in them. When you know where you are, you know what comes next and you expect it, allowing you to prepare.
If the Wheel of Fortune still looks like handing your life over to chaos and giving up your free will, you have much to learn about control.
This card contains no warning to speak of. It simply invites you to be fully present in the now, because the wheel spins, and you are never really “here” ever again. Of course it is easier said than done, but there within lies the security of the wheel. Everything is included in the cycles, you can never miss your chance to engage what you’re meant to engage. You’ll always get another cycle, and perhaps when you do, you will have learned enough to expect and prepare for engaging your destiny, the one that you have chosen.
As above, so below