The Wheel of Fortune X
Wheel of Fortune Keywords
Upright: Good news, spontaneity, luck, karma
Reversed: Bad timing, bad karma, surprises
Planet: Jupiter
Numerology: 1
Element: Fire
Next card: Justice
The Wheel of Fortune Meaning
The Wheel is, simply, karma. What goes around comes around—and it does so in style.
Represented by the number "ten," the Wheel of Fortune is meant to symbolize absolute completion—which is why we might consider this card to be an "ending" to the first numerological cycle of the Major Arcana. The Major section includes 22 cards, and two full numerological cycles. The first cycle begins and ends with the number 10 (the Wheel)—because 10 can be paired down to 1. The next cycle is from 10 - 19 (The Sun). And the Major ends on 20 (Judgment) - 21 (The World).
With that said, we might consider the Wheel of Fortune to be a moment of swift change that prompts us into the next chapter, and consequentially ends the last chapter.
It's as if, after we learn the meanings of morals and ethics (Justice), we're tested with a karmic shift that asks us to reconfigure our path and start anew. And as we move forward toward the Death card, the hero in the journey must decide what's helpful to keep in his life and what isn't.
​
The Wheel of Fortune is represented by the lucky planet, Jupiter. With that, we can see why karma is a huge part of the Wheel. You aren't lucky on accident. Additionally, Jupiter tends to make everything a little bigger. So, there's always a sense of drama that follows the Wheel around.
Wheel of Fortune Upright
When the Wheel appears in an upright position, it discusses a time of good luck or good fortune. Whatever happens, it will be positive and unexpected. While the Wheel brings exciting news and shifts, it also loves the element of surprise. So, don't ever expect to guess what this means. The only way we might get clues into what the Wheel points to is by looking at the surrounding cards. They will detail the kind of theme the Wheel is dealing with.
​
The upright Wheel can also mean a time of letting go. This can be especially true for someone who enjoys holding on to their life with a firm grip. So, the Wheel can be coming in with advice to trust in the universe around you. Your highest good will always come forth!
​
Overall, whenever the Wheel appears upright, know that good things are coming. It's really a sign of encouragement to keep moving forward. Spiritually, it says that you are on the right path and whatever comes next is something you're supposed to experience.
Wheel of Fortune Reversed
The Wheel of Fortune in a reversed position can symbolize a number of things. The first, is that bad luck or "bad fortune" is on the way or has wrecked havoc on your life already. The thing to note here is that nothing is "bad" in tarot. You were gifted this experience (whether you wanted it or not) in order to gain more knowledge of something; it's to give you more tools, not less.
​
The second interpretation might simply be bad timing. With the Wheel reversed, it indicates that something isn't aligning with your current plans. Why? Because it just wasn't meant to. For example, this may appear when two lovers are "star-crossed" and just miss meeting one another by a minute.
​
Another interpretation of the Wheel reversed is bad karma. Whenever the Wheel appears, it means that the universe is interfering in our life. So, when upright, it says that the universe is gifting us something we'll enjoy. But reversed can mean that the universe is giving us back some malice that we gave to other people.
​
The Wheel always follows the rules of karma. You get what you give.
