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ARCANA Major • Major Arcana

The Wheel of Fortune

“Cycles, Change, Destiny, Luck”

ElementFire
GroupMajor Arcana
Sacred Symbology

The Wheel of Eternal Destiny

he Mystic Cycle of Destiny

At the heart of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, The Wheel of Fortune card emerges as a visual portal to a world where time and destiny dance in a symphony of eternal change. The scene captures the essence of a constantly evolving universe under a blue sky representing the cosmic mind.

The colossal wheel dominates the landscape, adorned on its rim with the letters T-A-R-O and the Hebrew Tetragrammaton (יהוה). In its center, the alchemical symbols for Mercury, Sulfur, and Salt mark the formative forces of matter. In the corners, the four living creatures (an angel, an eagle, a lion, and a bull) appear winged and reading books, symbolizing the stability of divine law amidst change.

A blue Sphinx, armed with a sword, rests in balance atop the wheel, representing equilibrium and justice. On the sides, the serpent Typhon descends, representing involutive force, while the red figure of Hermanubis ascends, embodying the evolution of consciousness.

The Wheel of Fortune card encapsulates the eternal dance between order and chaos. Its iconography invites reflection on impermanence and the acceptance of destiny's turn with vision and courage.

KEY SYMBOLS & ESOTERIC MEANINGS
The Wheel: Symbol of the perpetual cycle of life, destiny, and the movement of the universe.
The Four Creatures (Tetramorphs): Represent the elements and the fixity of spiritual law in the material world.
Sphinx: The balancing intelligence that remains still while the world turns.
Hermanubis: The intelligence that ascends and evolves toward wisdom.
Typhon (Serpent): The descent of vital energy into physical manifestation and matter.
Letters T-A-R-O / R-O-T-A: The enigma of the Law of Tarot and the wheel of existence.
Practical Meanings
General

The Wheel of Fortune — General (Upright)

Guarded at the four corners of the cosmos by the winged creatures of the Tetramorph and crowned by the poised Sphinx, The Wheel of Fortune embodies the universal law of perpetual motion, karmic cycles, and destiny's synchronicity. It teaches us to inhabit the serene hub at the center of the wheel: while outer circumstances turn through rises and shifts, the wise consciousness remains centered and aligned with cosmic order.

The Hermetic Mirror symbol at bottom of page

Espejo Hermético