Wheel of Fortune Card Meaning: Going Up and Down
April 10, 2025Whenever I pull this card in a reading, my clients have two responses. They get either excited about "good luck" or nervous because they believe that good always goes with bad in life.
Actually, there's nothing wrong with both these approaches. Yet, I have to admit they miss the point. Because the Wheel of Fortune is so much deeper and meaningful than just "luck."
Real Meaning of This Card
The Wheel of Fortune is a representation of reality in which everything is changing. No matter how good and beautiful the situation is now, sooner or later, you will have to face changes. And you will definitely feel them.
The main idea is that you cannot escape the cycles of life. But you can learn how to work with them and make the best out of any turn of the wheel. Promotions, relationships, success, money — everything that you experience is part of some greater pattern and destiny.
Brief History of This Card
The Wheel of Fortune appeared long before tarot reading. In medieval times, it was one of the popular symbols of luck in gambling. If you spun a wheel, you either won or lost.
With time, the symbolism of this card changed, becoming more profound. Now, the meanings of the Wheel of Fortune are influenced by Eastern philosophy, karma, and destinies. Occultists like A.E. Waite and Aleister Crowley developed the card into a tarot meaning.
This history shows that Wheel of Fortune is much more than luck. It's an amazing pattern of life and destiny that you can understand and work with.
Symbols to Look For
There are certain elements of tarot symbolism in the Wheel of Fortune card that you shouldn't ignore (Rider-Waite-Smith deck).
The Wheel Itself
Notice the wheel. It bears letters spelling TARO, TORA, and ROTA - Tarot, the Law, and Latin word for wheel. Also alternated with the said letters are Hebrew letters spelling YHWH - the divine name. This is a coded message suggesting that even behind all random elements of fortune, there is some order. The wheel does not spin randomly; it spins in a certain order.
Sphinx at the Top
Look at the creature at the top of the Wheel of Fortune. It's a sphinx, a creature of wisdom. It doesn't teach you the knowledge that's written in books but allows learning the wisdom of experience and life.
The Sphinx teaches you to observe life with interest, to pause, and to learn from each change. It helps you understand why something happened and to move forward in a calm manner.
Anubis and Typhon
To the left and right of the wheel are Anubis (Egyptian jackal-headed god) rising to the right, and Typhon (serpent-like creature) falling to the left. The one signifies the rising, and another one signifies the descent, inevitably accompanying each other.
The Four Living Creatures
The four corners of the card depict four creatures with wings: a man (or angel), an eagle, a lion, and a bull. They are the "Living Creatures" from the Ezekiel's vision, and the four fixed signs of the zodiac: Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo, and Taurus respectively.
All these creatures are depicted reading books, thus symbolizing wisdom and knowledge acquired through the circle of life. They are eternal and stable witnesses of the rotation of the wheel while fortune fluctuates. Even while fortune rises and falls in humans, these four remain motionless in their places – a reminder of some bigger order behind all changes.
| Symbol | Traditional Meaning | Modern Interpretation | Cultural Variations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheel | Cycle of life, fate, fortune, change | Fluctuations of circumstances, karma, time | Wheel of Dharma (Buddhism), Rota Fortunae (Roman) |
| Letters (TARO/TORA/ROTA) | Divine law, the tarot itself, the turning of the wheel | Hidden order beneath apparent chaos | Hebrew Kabbalah, Latin Rota Fortunae |
| The Hebrew Letters (YHWH) | The unpronounceable name of God | Providence — a divine pattern behind chance | Jewish mysticism, Christian Kabbalah |
| Sphinx | Wisdom, knowledge, enigma, guardian of secrets | Detachment, perspective, higher understanding | Egyptian mythology, Greek mythology |
| Rising Figure (Anubis) | Ascent, success, good fortune, opportunity | Progress, achievement, recognition | Varies depending on specific deck depiction |
| Falling Figure (Typhon) | Descent, challenge, loss, misfortune | Learning from experience, humility, necessary change | Varies depending on specific deck depiction |
| The Four Living Creatures | The four fixed zodiac signs (Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo, Taurus), the four elements | Stability, balance, the eternal witnessing of change | Ezekiel's vision, Christian iconography, astrology |
| The Alchemical Symbols | The four elements as building blocks of creation | Integration of opposing forces, transformation | Alchemy, Hermeticism |
The Meaning of the Upright Wheel of Fortune: Changes and Opportunities
Upright Wheel of Fortune tarot card is a strong omen that shows you the cycles of life that are about to unfold.
Opportunities in Various Aspects of Life
In career tarot readings, the Wheel shows you unexpected opportunities for career change and growth. It may mean a sudden promotion, unusual job offer or some project that will change your career forever. However, it's not a guarantee of success but of change.
In love readings, Wheel of Fortune tarot shows a deeper connection with your loved ones or the arrival of new love into your life. Sometimes, it can be about some new level of intimacy or ending some relationship for the sake of good.
Personal Growth and Destiny
The card often appears during spiritual awakening and personal development in people's lives. It means that you start experiencing life in different ways. You begin to see new opportunities around you.
When the Wheel Reverses: Rest and Resistance
Well, what if the Wheel of Fortune tarot card turns upside down? I have to tell you, sometimes it causes people fear. However, I don't think it's necessary because the meaning of a reversed Wheel of Fortune tarot card is not that terrible.
Resistances
Some obstacles appear in the way of your progress in life. They can be both external (deal fall through, plans delay, etc.) and internal (fear, self-doubt, etc.). You cannot avoid them.
Bad timing
Maybe, you have a good idea of what to do next. Yet, it's not the right time to start working on your goal. I have a lot of cases like this in my practice. Someone tries hard to achieve his goal but fails because of bad timing. And half a year later, the same opportunity brings success.
The Need of Releasing Something
We are often so attached to our plans that we cannot accept the better ones. So, sometimes, reversed Wheel of Fortune tells us about the necessity of letting go and relaxing. This is the period when you have to go with the flow and stop struggling with it.
I had a woman who pulled the reversed Wheel of Fortune after several months of unsuccessful job applications. She felt tired and frustrated. But in our conversation, she understood that she was looking for the jobs that belonged to the past version of herself.
Afterward, she released the attachment to the old job and began applying to another type of jobs. And within two weeks, she had three job interviews.
Position of the Wheel in Tarot Spread
As you know, tarot reading is always performed in spreads. The position of the Wheel in the spread adds another aspect to its meaning.
Spread Position and Card Combinations
Past Position
In the past position, the Wheel means that the past cycles of wins and losses affect your present. When the card is reversed, it may indicate that you are still holding some past disappointments.
Present Position
When the Wheel appears in the present position, it shows you the great changes that happen now in your life. At this point, you're facing a turning point in your life.
Future Position
In the future position, the Wheel shows what will happen if you continue to go on the current path – in most cases unavoidable changes for the better (but check the adjacent cards).
Challenge Position
Usually, the Wheel of Fortune is placed in the challenge position when some obstacles and challenges occur because of external circumstances.
Advice Position
In this position, the Wheel shows you the need to stop fighting something and go with the flow.
| Spread Position | Primary Meaning | Key Questions Addressed | Card Combinations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past | Past influences shaping current circumstances | What past events have led to my present situation? | Wheel + Judgement (karmic lessons), Wheel + 5 of Pentacles (past financial difficulties) |
| Present | Active change unfolding | What transformations am I currently experiencing? | Wheel + Death (rebirth), Wheel + The Tower (sudden change) |
| Future | Potential future outcomes | What future opportunities or challenges might arise? | Wheel + The Star (hope and inspiration), Wheel + The Devil (temptations or setbacks) |
| Challenge | Obstacles to overcome | What is blocking my progress? | Wheel + 8 of Swords (limitations), Wheel reversed + 2 of Cups (relationship challenges) |
| Advice | Guidance for navigating change | How can I best get through this transformation? | Wheel + Temperance (balance and harmony), Wheel + The Chariot (determination and control) |
How to Work With This Energy?
The best thing you can do is to live the meaning of the card and feel it in your soul.
Practice "both/and" thinking
When something good happens in your life, celebrate it but don't become attached to it. And when something negative occurs, grieve about it but don't assume it's eternal. Each thing is just a turn of the wheel.
Notice your cycles
Keep a simple journal and record your ups and downs. After some time, you will notice certain patterns of your life. There are periods of the year that feel heavy. And there are times when you're feeling yourself light. This is not accidental. This is your rhythm.
Ask better questions
Instead of the question "why is it happening to me?" try to ask the questions like "what is this cycle asking me to learn?" or "how can I move with this change instead of fighting with it?"
Release the need to control everything
This is not easy. But the Wheel of Fortune teaches you that not everything depends on you. The only thing that is in your power is your reaction.
The Wheel of Fortune is the card that grows up with you. The first time you see it, you think "luck." The tenth time, you think "cyclical." And the hundredth time, you say just "ah".
It's not the card that frightens you or promises you luck. It's the card that reminds you of your belongingness to the greater pattern of life and destiny. No matter where you are now, on the top of the Wheel or on the bottom, this place will not last forever.
The Wheel is always, always turning.
If you would like to know more about the wheel of your fortune, you can get a personal tarot reading online.
Pete Perry
20 years. Still learning.
