Tarot is often associated with fortune-telling, where we picture a mystical gypsy at a fair or a psychic in a cozy room. However, there are many other ways to use Tarot. One of these is to reflect on the meanings and ideas represented by each card. These cards represent universal experiences that we all share, and by reflecting on them, we can learn more about ourselves. In this article, we’ll delve into the archetype of “Fortune” – exploring the duality of gain and loss, happiness and sadness. How we approach these experiences greatly affects the outcome, and by understanding the symbolism of the “Fortune” card, we can gain insights into our own lives. So, let’s take a journey into the world of Tarot and discover what secrets it holds for us.
Symbolism of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune card is a complex image that contains a wealth of symbolic meaning. At the top of the wheel, we see an Egyptian Sphinx wearing the crown of a Pharaoh. The Sphinx is a symbol of mystery and the Pharaoh was believed to be the physical representative of the gods in ancient Egypt. Together, these figures represent the side of ourselves that has knowledge and insight into the workings of nature and the unseen forces.
In contrast to this figure of knowledge and insight, we see a devilish character depicted beneath the Sphinx. This figure appears to be sinking lower beneath the wheel, astrologically symbolizing a loss of power and influence. This devilish character represents negative forces that can threaten to undermine our progress and success.
The wheel itself represents the cycles of fortune and fate that we experience in life, with different symbols and figures around its circumference representing the various factors that can influence these cycles. The interplay between these symbols suggests a duality and balance between positive and negative forces, which is a recurring theme in the card’s meaning.
One of the most striking symbols on the card is the snake that appears in the bottom left quadrant. The snake is often associated with transformation and rebirth, and its appearance on the Wheel of Fortune suggests that change and transformation are integral to the cycles of fortune and fate that the card represents. As the wheel turns, the snake appears to be shedding its skin, symbolizing the idea of transformation and the shedding of old patterns and habits in order to make way for new growth and opportunities.
The Good Times and the Bad
We all know someone, whether in real life or in a fictional story, who seems to be overtaken by grief or some other emotion that rules their entire life. Perhaps this person has experienced something so terrible that we can empathize with them for a time. We can listen to their stories of hardship, help them through some tough times, and maybe even cushion the blow for them for a while. Sometimes this person bounces back and tries to find their luck again, while other times they seem to be stuck in a never-ending cycle of misfortune. We can follow them down into their deepest sorrows, offer our condolences time and time again, and help them climb out of yet another hole. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, these people continue to repeat the same mistakes and live the same experiences again and again. It’s easy to believe that this is just who they are, that this is their personality.
The truth is, it’s sadly easy to get knocked around by life one too many times and feel as though “this is my life now.” As Jim Morrison of The Doors once said, “I’ve been down so Goddamn long that it looks like up to me.” We forget that we’ve been “down so Goddamn long” that we lose perspective, and our frame of reference becomes skewed. We become comfortable in our misery and wish to maintain it, all the while forgetting that the Wheel of Fortune turns every day, bringing new opportunities and challenges our way.
In this state, we could trip over a brick of gold, grumble about the inconvenience, and carry on walking toward our next failure. We become addicted to being “down,” instead of striving for true health and happiness. But what if we adjust our perspective just a little and see failure as an opportunity to learn? Instead of beating ourselves up over our failures, we can learn what works and what doesn’t, what our strengths and weaknesses are. Maybe we can see the blessings the world is giving us in this moment, but we weren’t prepared to see them before because we were too busy shitting on ourselves.
The Wheel of Fortune turns every day, and every once in a while, it gives us an opportunity to apply our lessons, wisdom, and strength to a situation, which can turn our whole world upside-down and into our favor once again. We’ve seen it before in other people’s lives – they were given opportunities either out of the blue or because they put in the effort, and everything changed for them. We can do that too. You can do that if you only see the world for what it truly is – a reflection of your intentions and hard work.
But remember, on the other side, you may feel as if everything is going for you and that you’re on top of the world. Yet the Wheel of Fortune will keep turning, as it always does. The world will turn upside-down again, and you may find yourself at the bottom. The question is, how will you respond to that? Will you take the tides of change personally and fight against them, or will you accept that circumstances have changed and wait patiently until the Wheel of Fortune turns again and your time comes back around? The trick of this game is that it’s much easier to remember when you’re falling than when you’re climbing. One day your cup may overflow, and the next it may run dry, and you must seek the charity of others. You have no control over this fact of life, except for your attitude toward it.