The Wheel - Neutral or dignified?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 09 May 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Sushi	09 May 2005
When the wheel comes up in a reading, do you interpret it as a change in fortune of either direction or you do you rely apon whether its well or ill diginified to interpret the direction of the change? What about those who do not use reversals?

Citrin	09 May 2005
It depends so much on the cards around it! If The Star is next to it, I see it as good luck, and faith being "kind" at the moment... If 3/Swords are close, well... You get the drift. ;) I don't use reversals btw, I just rely on the cards around, that's why I hardly ever pull only one card.

Sulis	09 May 2005
I think it depends on the deck you're using, the spread, surrounding cards and the question. I often read the Wheel as just change. It makes me think of The Wheel of The Year. Time goes around and around. This card tells me that everything is cyclical. You feel good now but tomorrow may be a completely different story. Likewise, if you're going through a bad time now then it's likely to be a phase which will pass. I like the depiction of the Wheel of Fortune in the Morgan Greer deck http://www.angelpaths.com/decks/morgangreer/majors/Image3.html it's much more like the Marseilles card than the RWS images. The DruidCraft Wheel tells me that I can control my own destiny; it shows a priestess or witch casting a circle on a beach before she does some spellwork - the Wheel turns but it's not completely out of our control. Here's a link - you need to scroll down to the bottom of the page ;http://druidcraft-tarot.druidry.org/majorarcana.html Love Sulis xx

Fudugazi	09 May 2005
I agree - it depends on the surrounding cards. Wheel followed by the 10 of Swords RWS doesn't look like good news to me. Followed by 3 of Pentacles - looks promising. The Wheel is Fortuna, the inconstant goddess - she can swing either way. Remember that as some creatures are climbing it, others and going down. In a way, the Wheel is irreversible, because it is round. When I read with reversals it is one of those I did not read" reversed" because there was no need.

Sulis	09 May 2005
Helvetica wrote: When I read with reversals it is one of those I did not read" reversed" because there was no need. This is exactly what I was trying to say in my long winded way :) Thankyou Helvetica you've given me the words I was looking for. The Wheel is round, it doesn't matter whether it's reversed or not :) Love Sulis xx

mike gorth	09 May 2005
I find it depends all on the cards around it.

Free Flight	09 May 2005
Hi Sushi I use the surrounding cards to interpret whether the turn is going to be up or down. But as Sulis said I interpret this to mean merely change. the only constant thing in life is change so it can never be a bad thing. However as I read reversals when this is ill-dignified I am would be interpreting this more as a downward turn of the cycle...I would then use the surrounding cards around to see what lesson there is to be learnt and the positivity that will come out of it

Vadella	09 May 2005
I see it as if things were bad in the past they will get better or vice versa. If you are already down the only way is up. What goes up must come down. lol

tarotbear	10 May 2005
In the Robin Wood deck, there are eight images within the wheel with different expressions going from Upright being very happy to Reversed being the depths of despair; Likewise, I have always interpreted upright as good fortune and reversed and bumpy times ahead. It is important to remember that no matter what, the wheel is always spinning and 'what goes around comes around.' If things are not going well at this moment, the wheel will soon spin and bring you to a better spot. It things are going well at the moment, it is best to remember that life is a wheel of constant change so nothing is permanent and someday your fortunes will change, too. So, what do you read when the Wheel comes up as the 'crossed' card in a Celtic Cross? Is that good, bad, or indifferent? On one old deck four figures carry banners that say: “I shall reign,” "I reign,” “I have reigned,” and “I am without reign.” It indicates the unexpected arrival of good fortune and success. It also indicates that everything happens in a cycle or circle, and in its own time. Having one of those I shall or I have banners 'upright' even with the card on its side is a much different picture than saying "the Wheel can only be upright or reversed."

psychic sue	11 May 2005
Or maybe it's a reminder that the wheel turns around for all of us. Some losses some gains. Sometimes we ride high on the top of the wheel and sometimes we fall off. Sue x

The The Wheel - Neutral or dignified? thread was originally posted on 09 May 2005 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.