Thoth Study Group - Fortune - X

I really like this card in the Thoth deck - not exactly sure why - the colours I guess (purples, mauves, yellows).

From Akron / Banzhaf's Handbook to the Cards:

The Wheel Birth and death do not relate to each other like two sides of a coin. Instead, they are the same side, separated only by time or the wheel, for the wheel is the profound symbol of wholeness, in constant movement and yet unchanging in its center. Every thing appears, develops, and again disappears out of existence, for the rotating periphery of the wheel of life moves everything to the dance of destiny.

I liked the way that is written and makes a great deal of sense to me when I think about it.

I have been looking closely at the very centre of the wheel and am trying to decide if the symbol is a 10 pointed star (which ten of course relates to the card being number 10 I guess and the 10 spokes on the wheel itself). Or is it supposed to be the Sun, which sort of works for me, in that the planets revolve around the Sun (which after all is a star as well isn't it). Does anyone know what it is supposed to represent? In Akron/Banzhaf's book they describe it as the Star (the Eye of Shiva).

I also noticed the mauve triangle, behind the main wheel, and this has a sort of design just above the horizontal line of the triangle. I am curious as what the triangle represents? Three sides - three figures on the wheel?

I look forward to reading others thoughts on this card.

CreativeFire

PS. Have attached a pic of the card for ease of reference.

Some previous threads on the Fortune as well:

Fortune X

x - Fortune

CreativeFire

Banzhaf and Theler, in Keywords for the Crowley Tarot, suggest the ape-headed being (Hermanubis) is striving upward and represents constructive forces and creative spirit (becoming). The Sphinx represents wholeness and existence (being). And the crocodile-headed being (Typhon) is moving downward and represents desructive force and decay (passing). The cycle of one lifetime.

Each spoke of the wheel seems to have an energy trail issuing from it. It suggests the wheel is turning counter-clockwise.

To me, the ten spokes seem to relate to the ace thru 10 in the minor suits. Could this be how Fortune influences our everyday lives?

Does anyone know the significance of the colours used in this card?

I was looking at this card just earlier, and I was thinking that perhaps the Wheel can be related to the Chariot; in that the Wheel powers the Chariot. Hmnnn. I may be going off on a tangent here though, but I am of the feeling that the Wheel could refer to the passage of time, and the roll of a dice, so to speak. Therefore, it could be argued to represent the journey of the Chariot. Outcome undetermined as of yet; positive or negative.

Goldenhair, I really liked what you said with regards to the ten spokes of the Wheel as perhaps representing the 1-10 minors in each suit. I suppose if we look at it that way, and imagine someone as stood at the side of the Wheel, reaching out and turning it... waiting to see the position it will fall, and the fate it will have in store, then we could see how the Wheel could refer to the possibility of both positive and negative outcome.

CF, I found this re. the Sun in Ziegler's, Tarot: Mirror of the Soul; 'The Sun is at the hub of the Wheel, the source and meeting point of all creative forces. It is also the symbol of consciousness, recognition, enlightenment. It is the absolute centre - the eye of the cyclone that remains calm and unchanging despite the movement along the edges. It represents the innermost core, the witness who remains untouched by the constant up and down of duality, of happiness, and misfortune'.

To me, the ten spokes seem to relate to the ace thru 10 in the minor suits. Could this be how Fortune influences our everyday lives? [/B][/QUOTE]

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I think you're right here. Each suit reaches its culmination and fulfilment in the 10 so the revolving wheel mirrors the rise to perfection and the fall back to the beginning.

Chris. xx

I have always thought of the thing the armoured meditator in the Chariot is holding as the Wheel of Fortune, contemplating the cycle of life and guiding his chariot (his life) in the wisest direction...

I have a couple questions and comments......
1. I count the lightning bolts and I count 9...is this a relation to Atu IX The Hermit?

2. Also a relation to The Hermit, at the top of the lightning bolts is a 4 pointed star. This looks like the star on the “face”on the figure in the sperm in The Hermit?

CreativeFire said:

I also noticed the mauve triangle, behind the main wheel, and this has a sort of design just above the horizontal line of the triangle. I am curious as what the triangle represents? Three sides - three figures on the wheel?

Click to expand...

3. I'm not sure that I see a Triangle. I just see an upside down "V". But a triangle might represent the alchemical sign of fire. OR if there's a triangle it kinda reminds me of the triangle and the eye in the center ( the sun). Like on the American Dollar Bill...The all seeing eye...The eye of Horus? Just some suggestions to get the imagination flowin

4. I noticed a fist at the bottom of the wheel anybody have any insight on that?

5. Now when I look at the figures on the wheel I think of the Eygptian Gods.

Horus on the top...from http://www.crystalinks.com/horus.html Harmakhet (Horus in the Horizon) In this form he represented the rising sun and was associated with Khepri. He was also considered to be the keeper of wisdom. He was sometimes pictured as a man with a falcon's head, or a falcon headed lion. But his most recognizable form is that of a sphinx, or as a ram-headed sphinx.

Thoth as the ape/money headed figure

And from what I remember one story was that Typhon (symbolizing death and destruction) killed Osiris or has some relation to Osiris. He holds the wand of Osiris in his left hand like Osiris. He also holds the Ankh in his right hand like Horus. I don't know if this has something to do with the dying Aeon of Osiris? IF that's the case then I see the wheel spinning clockwise, Osiris decending and the new Aeon of Horus exalted?

Re: Re: Thoth Study Group - Fortune - X

Moonudjat said:

And from what I remember one story was that Typhon (symbolizing death and destruction) killed Osiris or has some relation to Osiris. He holds the wand of Osiris in his left hand like Osiris. He also holds the Ankh in his right hand like Horus. I don't know if this has something to do with the dying Aeon of Osiris? IF that's the case then I see the wheel spinning clockwise, Osiris decending and the new Aeon of Horus exalted?

Click to expand...

Moonudjat, thanks for sharing that thought. A great observation! And it would certainly make sense, within the context of what we know about Crowley and his talk of the New Aeon.

Moonudjat said:

1. I count the lightning bolts and I count 9...is this a relation to Atu IX The Hermit?

2. Also a relation to The Hermit, at the top of the lightning bolts is a 4 pointed star. This looks like the star on the “face”on the figure in the sperm in The Hermit?

Click to expand...

I am trying to figure out why the Hermit would be linked to this specific card? Could it be almost like advice in some form or another? Advice to think carefully about where one wants to be and what one wants to do, before turning the Wheel and making one's move? In that way, by thinking a situation or move through thoroughly before making any decisions (turning the Wheel), there is more likelihood that the Wheel will fall in your favour?

I have tried to look for the fist at the bottom of the card, but I can't see it. I have the standard sized Thoth, and I don't have a magnifying glass.

On another note, I made the observation earlier in this thread that the Wheel may be linked to the Chariot. I just found in Ziegler, the comment that the amethyst Wheel in the hands of the Charioteer, is representative of the Wheel of Fortune, so it kind of backs up my observation. More food for thought!

I see another blue wheel near the top of the card, but it's frame of reference is slightly different as if we're are looking at the side of it. anyone else see that?

Also, I kind of picture the wheel not moving steadily in one direction, but lurching back and forth, with the creatures on it responding accordingly -- the monkey/man (whatever it is) seems to be climbing to gain its balance, and the way Typhon is holding his tools seems to indicate some type of yearning to latch onto something external to the wheel so that it can control the movements of it.

I see the fist at the bottom of the wheel (right by Typhon's mane) and also it looks like the Sphinx is holding something..? a sword of some type?

Goldenhair

Just a thought : I agree with you that everything indicates that the wheel is turning counter-clockwise, well if thats the case wouldn't Hermanibus be the passing and Typhon be the becoming?

Diwha