I’ve written interpretations for every card in the Wild Unknown Tarot. As the box of the deck states, there are no rights or wrongs. These are simply my perspectives on the tarot card meanings. I hope you find them useful!
Click here for a directory of all posts in my Wild Unknown series.
Deck Creator’s Keywords: destiny, fate, change of course
Carrie’s Keywords: turning point, changes, fate
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Wheel of Fortune Tarot Card Meanings in the Wild Unknown
In the Wheel of Fortune card, we find ourselves in a trippy world, a visual representation of the cosmically intertwined web of life. The Wheel itself serves as a focal point, a complex structure of tangled branches which serve as spokes, and woven rainbow threads.
The colorful thread shows a vital force that unites everything. There is inherent meaning in what might otherwise seem to be random chances of fate on a spinning wheel. Everything is connected through complex patterns. We may not be able to untangle events to understand why they unfold the way they do, but there is an unfathomable system at work in the turning of the wheel.
This card often shows changes that are beyond human understanding or control. You could think of these changes as fate or destiny, or you could think of them as simply random happenstance. Either way, the wheel brings changes that we may not be able to do much about – the changing of the seasons is one such example of this energy.
In the top half of the card, night abounds. The branches of the wheel are white, in contrast to the dark branches in the lower half of the wheel. An owl gazes out at us from the top of the wheel. Owls are a symbol of wisdom. The owl is not phased by change and does not try to control the movement of the wheel. Instead, she observes and adapts.
The lower portion of the card merges into a daytime scene. This turning of day to night, night to day is one manifestation of the Wheel of Fortune that we are all intimately familiar with. On a symbolic level, this can also show our fate changing from clarity to confusion, success to failure, and infinite other twists. Sometimes changes that at the time seem meaningless become rich with meaning only once we have gained distance and perspective. Such is the way of the wheel.
There’s a sense of mystery inherent in the Wheel of Fortune of the Wild Unknown tarot. We can’t grasp how or why the wheel turns. It’s structure at first glance seems chaotic, but on closer inspection we see the rainbow threads and find hope that there is a higher order at work. This is how we’ve come to speculate on the concepts of destiny and fate.
Our best option is to embody the wisdom of the owl. Instead of bemoaning the unseen forces that turn the wheel, we can try to accept inevitable change and roll with the turning.
Wheel of Fortune Tarot Card Meanings in General
Many depictions of this card include creatures in the four card corners that represent the four fixed signs of the zodiac. These can symbolize the wisdom that allows you to maintain your sense of stability even as change is enacted in your life.
It is also worth noting that we are not ENTIRELY powerless to the forces of motion. The greek god Anubis is often featured in this card, a god who had many roles including guiding souls from the world of the living to the underworld. Thus, you could consider that there are universal forces working in your favor to help you navigate changes. You may even have more influence than you believe you do in the turning of the wheel. Sometimes this card serves as a reminder of your role in stepping up and having an active say in your destiny.
Another key theme that comes through in this card is the notion that ‘what goes up, must come down.’ If you are having very good luck, it is not likely to last forever. The same is true of very bad luck. As the saying goes, the only thing constant in life is change. In The Spacious Tarot this is symbolized by the actual changing of the seasons. You are wise to know when to actively influence the forces of change in your life, and when to step back and accept that what will be, will be.
In a reading
The Wheel of Fortune draws your attention to changes that are currently at work both within you and in your outer world. If you have been avoiding accepting these changes, it may be time to face them directly. Remember that from a cosmic perspective, the shifts happening for you are not necessarily ‘positive’ or ‘negative.’ Instead, they are neutral forces.
If at this time you feel a negative emotional reaction to the turning hands of fate, remind yourself that you may not yet be able to see the bigger picture. As the imagery in the Wild Unknown really shows, the workings of fate are complex and tangled. Practice shifting your perspective so that you can best process whatever turning point you are reaching.
Hi, I'm Carrie!
I'm a tarot reader and mentor. My purpose is to encourage your expansion. If you're new, start here.
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Carrie, THANK YOU for all your beautiful insights! It was your site that turned me on to these amazing cards. Now I’m an addict… I can’t get enough of them!!!
Anyway, thanks again for making the effort and taking your time to post your thinking. Great job!
Bobby
You are very welcome, Bobby! Thank you for letting me know, it’s always awesome to get a great comment like this. ^_^
Anubis was not a Greek god. He’s from ancient Egyptian history.
I so appreciate your thorough interpretations of the cards. I come back to your blog regularly. Thank you
Hi Carrie I love tarot and my Nan was too and grandad I found out yesterday that my grandad sadly passed away and I’m struggling so much right now as he was truly kind spirited loving and will be missed so much though as I went to bed this evening I had a tarot card on my pillow and it was this one upright so here I am searching and promising myself I want to grow and learn thank you so much
Karen x
Love reading these! One thing though, Anubis is from the Egyptian pantheon.
Thank you for that correction!
Greetings,
I really appreciate your work, it is great, I just would like to add a little note about the four characters at the corners of the card. You said they are the four zodiac signs and it is true indeed, but they are also related to the four evangelists. In classical iconography Matteo is represented by the angel (water), Marco is the lion (fire), Luca is the bull (earth) and Giovanni is the eagle (air).
Sorry for my bad English, I’m from Italy 😉
Blessings
Roberta
Thanks for that addition, Roberta! I was aware of this but it would have been a valuable thing to talk about in the post. Your English is not bad at all! The four evangelists are usually referred to as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in English. I appreciate your comment!
Hello, love your interpretations but I have a question, what happens when a card appear upside down in a reading?
Hi Camila! Here’s a post about how I read reversed cards: http://carriemallon.com/blog/how-to-read-reversed-tarot-cards/
Thank you Roberta. I loved the insight of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John
Just wanted to say, I got this deck recently and was brand new to tarot. The book it comes with is great, but not very descriptive for beginners. I made my own notes based on that book and your interpretation for every single card, and you’ve helped me so much!! Just wanted to say thank you and it’s very much appreciated!! 😁
I’m so glad my posts have been helpful, thanks for the kind feedback!
If we are able to stay in our center (self-realization, calm abiding) the wheel turns around us and we are not subjected to the roller coaster drama that plays out as the wheel of fortune turns.