The Wheel of Fortune in the Tarot of Marseille: positive or negative?

This card’s name is particularly evocative and positive, but the picture of this major arcanum in the Tarot of Marseille is intriguing, to say the least. What does lie behind this Wheel of Fortune?

How is the Wheel of Fortune represented in the Tarot of Marseille?

Three improbable animals take center stage on a six-spoke and flesh-colored wheel:

• One of them, which looks like a yellow dog donned in blue, is climbing on the right-hand side.
• Another one, some kind of flesh-colored monkey donning a red and blue loincloth, is going down on the left-hand side, with his head downwards.
• Finally, the third one, a blue animal with wings, the head of which is covered by a crown, holds a rudimentary sword as he sits on top of the wheel.

A white handle can be seen on the right-hand side of the wheel.

The Wheel of Fortune is, literally, an object: ancient lotteries used a hollow wheel in the shape of a drum containing the numbers that would be drawn so as to designate the winners. Today, it is still a lottery game. Figuratively, it refers to an allegory of destiny, the vagaries of life.

The card of the Wheel of Fortune also refers to luck

The Wheel also represents the universe, the world, its cycles in space and time. The wheel is spinning. If you consider that The Fool, the Arcanum without number, is the beginning and the end of the major arcana, the loop is closed.

The word “fortune” comes from the Latin “fortuna”, which mean destiny, chance or luck. It also means wealth.

The Wheel of Fortune refers to various stages of our evolution, various degrees of awareness, the angles under which we see the world. This evolution can either be spiritual or material in essence. But, of course, every card takes on its full meaning when surrounded by others but also – and above all – when the one who drew them perceives something in them.

The hidden meaning of the Wheel of Fortune arcanum

The positive aspect of this tarot card refers to self-control and control over events thanks to some deep reflection and unfailing calmness.

It does not, strictly speaking, have a “negative” meaning. It is ambiguous, just like many arcana making up the Tarot of Marseille because you never know what life holds in store for you. The Wheel of Fortune represents the ups and downs of life, good and bad “fortune”…

It heralds a change in a cycle: if you are high above, you go down. If you are down, you go up. That is what makes interpreting it so subjective.

To know more about the cards of the Tarot of Marseille and their hidden meaning, I have written two articles:

• One about the arcana that bring about a feeling of rejection at first sight
• The other one about the arcana that immediately seem to be positive

You may find below, other interesting articles from My Magic Blog:

• Yellow Aura
• What is a Mystic?
• What is my Planet Sign