DAILY TAROT: WHEEL of FORTUNE
The Rota, the Wheel of Allotment, the Helm of Determination.
X. WHEEL of FORTUNE.
This card represents the Rota, the wheel of allotment, the helm of determination.
The number is X(10) and is the 11th Card in the Major Arcana.
HOW TO CONSIDER THE TAROT
For an introduction to this series and an outline of how to appreciate Tarot, in a very different paradigm to what one may be used to, the reader is encouraged to familiarise themself with the following post: How to Appreciate Tarot—a Hermetic guide to Semiotics & Allegory
INTRODUCTION TO WHEEL of FORTUNE
An understanding of The WHEEL of FORTUNE would be incomplete without a clear understanding of the nature of Fate & Destiny.
The WHEEL of FORTUNE invites contemplation of life’s most profound paradox: the tension between what is fixed and unchangeable—our Fate—and the ever-expanding horizon of possibilities that we call Destiny. While we stand as the product of all that has come before, we are also participants in an unfolding story, where each choice we make directs the course of what is yet to be.
Of key relevance is the understanding that Fate is simply all that is present, that was determined by all that which lies in the past, the current static and immovable effect of prior causes. Thereby, Destiny is what remains possible from this point onward.
This framework underscores the dynamic tension captured by the WHEEL of FORTUNE: the turning of cycles, the transition points between cause and effect, the domain of Karma, and the interplay between our degrees of free will and determinism.
Like the turning of a wheel, our experiences are marked by seasons of ascent and descent, gain and loss, all governed by a deeper order the spiritual and philosophical traditions of the East referred to as Dharma. The concept of Dharma encapsulates both our ‘lot’ in life—the conditions and circumstances we inherit—and the cosmic purpose that every element of existence intrinsically shares. It aligns with Aristotle’s notion of Telos, the ultimate aim or purpose toward which all things naturally strive, uniting the individual with the universal in a shared trajectory of meaning and fulfilment.
Note on the following sections:
These analyses—turning of the archetypal jewel and the holographic lens of Logos, begin always with the abstract: Numbers, geometry, symbols and etymology before diving into the interpretive allegoric context which we can relate to on a personal level. This is done deliberately to prime the part of our understanding with a kind of troubling intimacy that can only be encountered via not knowing. You are encouraged to not try to understand these sections and the accompanying diagrams, simply read into them.
NUMEROLOGY & NUMBERS
Numerology is the study of numbers. If mathematics is the language and the grammar, geometry is the syntax and poetry, and numbers are the base letters.
WHEEL of FORTUNE is assigned X(10) on the face of the card.
The number 10 is the foundation of the metric system, representing simplicity and universality in measurement. The system’s reliance on powers of 10 reflects the intuitive structure of counting, emphasizing order and scalability.
The symbolic meaning of the number 10 signifies a cycle has ended and a new cycle has begun.
NUMEROLOGY
The number 10 in the numerological purview symbolizes the conclusion of a cycle. It is the culmination of the single digits (1–9), representing fulfilment and the integration of experiences.
By numerological reduction, 10 becomes 1, which signifies new beginnings, leadership, and the initiation of a fresh cycle. This highlights the dual nature of 10: the end of one phase naturally becomes the starting point for the next.
The 1 represents individuality and the active principle, while the 0 represents infinite potential, the unmanifest, and wholeness. Together, 10 symbolizes the interplay of the finite and infinite, action and receptivity, form and void.
Numerologically, 10 is a number of balance, integrating the lessons and energies of the previous nine numbers into a harmonious totality. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of all parts within the whole, encoded in the Tetractys.
PYTHAGORAS
For the Pythagoreans, 10 was a symbol of perfection or completeness.
DECALOGUE
In Judeo-Christian tradition, the 10 Commandments serve as a foundational ethical code, symbolizing completeness in divine law. This historical resonance positions 10 as a number of moral and spiritual order.
KABBALAH (GEMATRIA)
In Kabbalah, the number 10 is indeed profoundly significant and is intimately associated with the Hebrew letter Yod (י), the smallest letter in the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. This connection enriches the meaning of the number within the framework of the WHEEL of FORTUNE card.
As the smallest and simplest letter Yod (י) symbolizes the seed of creation, the infinite point of Emanation.
MODERN CONVENTION & HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Our social era are marked in decades, increments of 10.
10 is the score awarded to a perfect performance in the Olympics.
GEOMETRY & SEMIOTICS
Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation, the systematic study of sign processes and the communication of meaning.
WHEEL of FORTUNE is card X(10) and thereby the 11th card in the Major Arcana.
PYTHAGOREAN TETRACTYS
The number 10 holds special significance in the Pythagorean Tetractys, the triangular arrangement of ten dots representing the foundation of existence. The Tetractys symbolizes the progression of life from the One to the Many and the ultimate return to unity.
ROMAN NUMERALS
The symbolic meaning of the number 10 signifies a cycle has ended and a new cycle has begun visually invoked by the Roman numeral 10, the letter X.
X as a symbol represents the countersign, the cross, two axes as complementary spokes on a wheel, a coordinate on a map, and the point of intersection between one helical packet and the next.
If two sin curves intersect, two X marks are formed (see positions 2 and 7 in the diagram above), at the north and south nodes respectively, and between them, a packet is nested. In a helical structure like the Hermetic Caduceus, it is referred to as “the twist in the snake”.
This is partially depicted in the Christian symbol of the fish (Ichthys).
By this convention, 10 as X represents transition and the initiating and terminating markers, like a sign and countersign on a contract.
GEOMANCY
Geomancy is a form of divination based on the 16 geomantic figures that form the alchemical tetra-polar magnet. (See Figure 3 and Figure 4.)
The Roman numeral X (10) visually invokes the Geomantic figure Conjunctio, which symbolizes union, connection, and integration. In geomancy, Conjunctio represents the harmonious joining of opposites, the point where dual forces intersect to create unity.
THE LABRYS
The Roman numeral X (10) visually invokes a rotation of the Greek Labrys. (See Figure 3.)
The Labrys, a double-headed axe, symbolizes the duality and balance inherent in life—creation and destruction, masculine and feminine, active and passive forces. Its symmetrical design reflects fairness and justice, making it a symbol of equilibrium and impartiality. Historically, it was associated with feminine divinity, particularly in Minoan culture, where it represented the goddess's authority over life, death, and transformation. The Labrys was also linked to the labyrinth, symbolizing the journey inward toward self-discovery and spiritual thresholds.
In modern contexts, the Labrys has become a symbol of empowerment and resistance, representing autonomy and the reclaiming of marginalized voices. Its enduring significance bridges ancient wisdom and contemporary ideals, embodying the cyclical nature of existence and the power of unity within duality.
DHARMACHAKRA
On the central wheel of the WHEEL of FORTUNE card, are two crosses, one set to the four cardinal points (North, South, East and West) and one offset by 45 degrees. These form the compass, the ship helm and the spokes of the Dharmachakra: the Dharma wheel, which represents both Fate & Destiny.
Fate is the cast of the world, the unchangeable present shaped by the forms and forces emergent from all past causes. It is the established trajectory of everything as it exists at this moment, a complex and intricate web of inevitabilities woven by prior actions and circumstances. Fate encompasses all that is, the immutable design of reality as it stands.
Destiny, by contrast, represents what is possible from this point forward. It is the unfolding potential inherent in each form and force, the pull toward becoming, like a river irresistibly drawn toward the lake or ocean, or the humble acorn that contains within it the promise of a mature and majestic oak tree. Destiny is the horizon of emergence, the invitation to fulfilment that awaits beyond the constraints of fate, and the pole star that beckons us onwards towards that horizon.
Together, Fate and Destiny form the complementary dynamics of existence: Fate is the current position, the defined past, and the solid present; Destiny is the forward motion, the yet-to-be-defined potential, and the pull toward growth and transformation. The Dharmachakra is the wheel that turns at the intersection of these two forces, embodying the perpetual cycle where what has been cast the form of what is, while what is moves inexorably toward what will be. This relationship between Fate and Destiny ties the unity of Source with the process of Emergence toward Telos. Fate, as the immutable framework of what is, serves as the foundation and cast through which the divine unity of Source is expressed. It reflects the order and coherence of existence, shaped by past causes and aligned with the universal principles that bind the cosmos.
Destiny, as the field of possibility, embodies the forward pull of creation toward Telos—the ultimate purpose or fulfilment. It is the dynamic force of emergence, where the potential latent within the present is drawn toward actualization and transcendence. Destiny ensures that the unity of Source finds its expression in the unfolding journey of Becoming.
Together, Fate & Destiny form a sacred interplay: the static wholeness of the Source meeting the dynamic process of Emergence.
EMERGENT SYNOPSIS
The WHEEL of FORTUNE reflects the dynamic interplay between the fixed nature of Fate and the boundless potential of Destiny. It captures the profound rhythm of existence, where each cycle concludes to initiate the next, and every point of culmination becomes a point of renewal. The Roman numeral X, with its intersecting lines, evokes the crossing of thresholds and the unity of opposites—marking the transition between what is and what may yet be.
Through its turning, the wheel mirrors the balance between the immutable patterns of the past and the creative emergence of the future, linking the unity of Source with the process of Becoming. It is the intersection of the forces that shape us extruding the forms we inhabit and the choices that impel us forward in a tension between the given and the possible.
ARCHETYPE & FORM
The WHEEL of FORTUNE card depicts several archetypal references that illuminate the meaning of the card and the nature of Tarot itself.
ORACLE
The archetypal Oracle represents humanity's enduring quest to bridge the mortal and the divine, to uncover hidden truths, and to navigate the intersection of Fate and Destiny. Embodied across cultures as figures like the Pythia of Delphi, the Egyptian Thoth, or the Norse Volva, the Oracle stands as a conduit of Logos—the underlying order of the cosmos—offering guidance through cryptic insight and symbolic language.
Positioned at liminal thresholds, the Oracle mediates between opposites: knowledge and mystery, clarity and ambiguity, the known and the yet-to-be-revealed. The WHEEL of FORTUNE card itself depicts the oracular nature of Tarot, emblematic of the cyclical nature of existence and the interplay of forces that define our ‘lot’ in life, inviting reflection on the mutable nature of our journey within the greater cosmic design.
LADY LUCK (FORTUNA)
The archetype of Lady Luck, or Fortuna, embodies the capricious and dualistic nature of fate, fortune, and chance. As a personification of luck, she is often depicted as a blindfolded figure turning a wheel, symbolizing the impartial and unpredictable forces that shape human lives.
Fortuna’s essence lies in her paradoxical nature: she bestows prosperity and opportunity as easily as she brings misfortune and upheaval. She represents the fundamental tension between order and chaos, control and surrender, highlighting the human experience of uncertainty and the inevitability of change. As an archetype, Lady Luck serves as a reminder of the interplay between chance and choice, urging reverence for life’s cyclical rhythms and the wisdom to navigate them with grace.
SPHINX
The Sphinx is an archetype of mystery, wisdom, and guardianship, embodying the threshold between the known and the unknown. In mythology, the Sphinx is a liminal figure, often stationed at critical junctures to pose riddles that test insight, understanding, and worthiness. With its composite form—part human, part animal—it symbolizes the union of higher intellect with primal instinct, representing the synthesis of opposites and the path to transcendence. As a guardian of sacred truths, the Sphinx challenges seekers to confront the enigmas of existence, to reconcile dualities, and to earn passage through self-realization.
WEIGHER OF SOULS
Anubis is the Weigher of Souls archetype associated with existential discernment, judgment, and the guide through transitional thresholds. In Egyptian mythology, Anubis, with his jackal head, presides over the weighing of the heart against the feather of Ma’at, symbolizing the principle of cosmic balance and truth. He is a psychopomp, leading souls through the liminal spaces between life and death, ensuring they are aligned with the divine order. Anubis embodies the principle of measure and reckoning, assessing how one’s actions harmonize with universal laws. His role in the WHEEL of FORTUNE card signifies the critical moments of alignment within the cycles of Fate and Destiny, where the weight of choices defines the trajectory of becoming.
EMERGENT SYNOPSIS
The WHEEL of FORTUNE card represents the perpetual cycles of existence, where the interplay of Fate and Destiny is navigated through archetypal principles. It embodies the Oracle’s revelation of hidden truths, Fortuna’s capricious distribution of luck and change, the Sphinx’s challenge of wisdom and transformation, and Anubis’ discernment and balance at moments of reckoning. Together, these archetypes illustrate the dynamic nature of life’s cycles, the inevitability of change, and the profound opportunities for self-realization and alignment with the greater cosmic design.
The implication is that Fate & Destiny are partly determined by the partially predictable rota of life, and partly by our choices, conscious and unconscious. This emergent archetypal synopsis reflects the tension between the forces of inevitability and the agency of will, wherein we are invited to participate actively in the unfolding of our journey while acknowledging the larger cosmic framework within which it occurs.
ETYMOLOGY & LANGUAGE
Vertical shallow Etymology finds the nearest root words and leaves it at that. Deep and Wide Etymology reaches down and laterally, to explore the full essence of meaning that is related to the word.
WHEEL
The word wheel derives from the Old English hweol or hweogol, from the Proto-Germanic hwehwlan, which is related to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root kweklos, meaning “to turn” or “circle.” This PIE root also gives rise to the Greek kyklos (circle, wheel) and the Sanskrit cakra (wheel, circle, or cycle), the latter being the origin of the term chakra in Vedic traditions.
The notion of the wheel inherently connects to cycles, motion, and recurrence. It is emblematic of the rhythmic nature of existence, embodying both progress and return, as well as the infinite turning of time and experience.
FORTUNE
The word Fortune originates from the Latin fortuna, which stems from fors, meaning “chance” or “luck,” and is related to ferre, meaning “to bring” or “to carry.” The term carries dual implications: the serendipitous outcomes of chance and the cumulative ‘lot’ shaped by one’s actions, context, and the forces of existence.
In Roman mythology, Fortuna is the goddess who governs luck, chance, and the unpredictable turns of life’s wheel. Her image as blindfolded, steering a wheel, signifies impartiality and the random distribution of outcomes.
LOT
The word lot originates from the Old English hlot, meaning “object (such as a piece of wood or stone) used in casting lots” or “share, portion, or destiny.” It is derived from the Proto-Germanic hlutą, meaning “portion or share,” which in turn comes from the Proto-Indo-European root kleu- or klei- meaning “to lean, slope, or incline,” and by extension, “to divide or allocate.”
The idea of a lot as a method of decision-making or divination emerged from the practice of casting lots—randomly drawing or throwing objects to determine outcomes—symbolizing the distribution of fate or fortune. Over time, the term evolved to signify one’s allotted portion in life, encompassing both material inheritance and metaphysical destiny.
In broader contexts, lot also influenced words like lottery, referring to systems of chance, and retains its connotations of randomness and divine allocation.
DHARMA
The Sanskrit word dharma is rooted in the verb dhri, meaning “to hold,” “to support,” or “to sustain.” It conveys the cosmic law that upholds the universe and the inherent nature of things. Dharma implies a harmony between the immutable principles of existence and the emergent actions that fulfil purpose, balancing stability with movement, through cadence and alignment.
EMERGENT SYNOPSIS
The etymological roots of Wheel, Fortune, and Dharma converge to illustrate the archetypal dynamics of the WHEEL of FORTUNE card. The wheel, as a symbol of cycles, motion, and eternal return, encapsulates the rhythmic cadence of existence where every turn represents both continuity and transformation. Fortune embodies the interplay of chance and consequence, reflecting the unpredictable yet interconnected nature of life’s outcomes.
Dharma, as the sustaining principle, bridges the cosmic order with emergent potential, holding the balance between what is fixed and what evolves. Together, these terms reveal the profound relationship between fate and destiny, as governed by the rota of existence, where universal laws and the ceaseless motion of Becoming coalesce. The WHEEL of FORTUNE is thus both a mirror of life’s unpredictability and a map for navigating its cycles with alignment and purpose.
APPEARANCE & ARRANGEMENT
The WHEEL of FORTUNE card depicts a large wheel at the centre, divided into 8 equal segments, with the outer rim containing the letters T-A-R-O. These letters are interspersed with the alchemical symbols for Mercury, Sulphur, Salt, and Water. The letters of the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) are also inscribed on the wheel.
Around the wheel, a gold serpent descends on the left side, while a bronze jackal-headed figure ascends on the right. Atop the wheel, a feminine blue Sphinx is seated, tail curled beneath it, resting a sword upright over the shoulder.
In the four corners of the card, 4 winged golden figures are depicted, each associated with one of the 4 fixed signs of the zodiac: an angel for Aquarius, an eagle for Scorpio, a lion for Leo, and a bull for Taurus. Each figure holds an open book.
The background of the card features a blue sky with scattered clouds, giving the impression of elevation and motion. The overall composition is symmetrical, with the wheel dominating the central space and the four figures positioned in balance around it.
EGREGORE & ESSENCE
Egregore is an esoteric concept representing an emergent archetypal thought-form that arises from collective thoughts.
The WHEEL of FORTUNE card represents Dharma, the wheel of life on which the soul, travels in cycles to be transmuted via the alchemy of experience.
Ill Fortune never crushed a man whom good fortune deceived not.
Francis Bacon
The WHEEL of FORTUNE card represents the tension of opposites, yin and yang, Logos and Cosmos, in perpetual relation which is inherent to all of existence, the dynamic interplay of which yields the realisation and emergence, of ongoing creation.
This is the interrelationship between Fate & Destiny—between what was, what is and what might and will be and the power agency and choice, conscious or otherwise have on that determination.
A relationship exists between determination and allotment. How we face our current Fate, determines our future Fate.
THE UNFOLDING
The WHEEL of FORTUNE is the Zodiac, the fact of it and the divinatory oracle of it, the wheel of life on which the soul, travels in cycles to be transmuted via the alchemy of experience.
Fortune is a word that refers to our luck, with chance, with fate and with destiny, but also our ‘lot’ in life. All forms of Divination are means to parse Fortune. This is true for economics, meteorology, or Tarot—trying to divine truth about our Fate or Destiny based on a combination of indicators, models and intuition.
Fortune refers as much to the genetic and psychological reality we inherit through the genealogical line and the body we are born into, as it is the astrological moment of our birth. And then also the place and the time, the scene that was unfolding at that moment, and the cultural reality we inhabit through our family, our societies and our era.
The four fixed signs of the zodiac in their angelic expressions hold down the corners of the the cosmos. They are each related specifically to one of the four elements(fire, water, air and earth), but only collectively to the four cardinal directions. This represents the notion that our ‘world’, our Dharma, our Fate & Destiny is emergent. That means it is not absolutely predetermined or absolutely predestined, but only relatively predetermined and predestined.
North is relative to current orientation and coordinates, not absolute.
The implication is that these four archetypes, as representations of the Logos, underscore the dynamic yet ordered nature of the cosmos. The Logos is also called The Law, or Torah represented by the symbol of the book.
They suggest that while the universe operates through immutable principles, such as the elements and cardinal forces, it does so in a way that allows for emergence and renewal. These forces are not rigid but relational, manifesting through the interplay of stability and change.
This relational quality implies that our experience of the cosmos—our Fate, Destiny, and Dharma—is both bounded by these archetypal forces and fluidly shaped by how they interact within us and around us. The presence of the four angelic figures at the fixed points reflects the inherent balance and wholeness of existence, where every individual life is a microcosm of the macrocosmic order, and every moment a confluence of the universal elements in their eternal dance of Being & Becoming, actualisation and integration.
THE THREE FATES / NORNS
Subtly depicted in the card are the Greek Fates, and the Norse Norns, the three sisters who even the gods are powerless against, who weave, apportion and cut the threads of Fate.
Anubis, the measurer, symbolizes the principle of discernment and balance within Dharma. He weighs the soul (the parcel of existence) , ensuring alignment with the cosmic order, and assessing how well one has harmonized their actions (Fate) with their potential (Destiny). His scales are the midpoint of integration, the moment of reckoning between what has been and what might yet unfold.
The Sphinx, enigmatic and eternal, governs the cutting of the thread. She is the threshold guardian, embodying the transformative power of destiny as the force that determines the critical transition from one state of being to the next. In her riddle lies the path of transcendence; in her scissor-like claws, the release from one cycle and the invitation to the next.
The Serpent, both the vine of Nous (mind consciousness) and the serpent of Kundalini (body consciousness), represents the thread itself—the continuum of consciousness that unites Fate and Destiny. This red thread of Fate, rooted in the South Node, anchors us in inherited karmic patterns and the wisdom of the past, while the golden thread of Destiny, extending toward the North Node, draws us toward our Calling (Telos). The serpent’s coiling motion mirrors the spiralling nature of growth, as each turn integrates past wisdom into future purpose, in an unfolding helical pattern. The Serpent, in its shadow expression, represents temptation, by which the fate and destiny of the soul can be determined.
THE WHEEL
The wheel motif is made of three concentric circles, the hub, the spokes and the rim. The spokes are two crosses, one, aimed at the four cardinal points of the compass, and the second offset by 45 degrees.
In the rim, the points of the regular cross are marked with four letters T-A-R-O. These four letters can be read from various points invoking the magic square.
Depending on whether the letters are read clockwise or anti-clockwise, spell TARO, TORA or a number of other permutations:
Taro means Divinatory Oracle: the intersection of Fortune and Logos
Orat is Latin for “speak”
Rota is Latin for “wheel”, as in the Wheel of
Ator is a variation of Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of joy, love and fertility, seen as the Cosmic Mother.
Tora is the Hebrew word (Torah) for Law or Logos.
The spokes of the regular cross are marked with 4 alchemical symbols for Salt, Mercury and Sulphur, and Water as the universal solvent and the depiction of Flow.
On the rim, the points of the second cross are marked with the four letters of the Tetragrammaton(יהוה)—the unspeakable name of God.
These four letters, represent, among other things, the four stages of the Manifestation process:
Emanation (Will/Conception)
Expansion (Forming, Imagination)
Conduit (Creation)
Embodiment (Manifestation)
Their depiction in the Wheel represents the cadence of the masculine and feminine interaction—Yin and Yang, Masculine and Feminine.
At the hub of the Wheel, the spokes converge into a unity, suggesting that the closer we approach the axle, the less differentiated our individual fates become. Here, we participate in a shared fate, and similarly, our destinies inevitably intersect. This hub is the axis mundi, the central anchor point of universal movement. While our outward journeys may diverge, our collective meaning aligns at key thresholds, bound by the universal laws of existence.
We inhabit the same ‘World’ and are woven on the same loom of fate, represented by the wedges of the Dharmachakra. The tensions and aspects of this loom are held by Torah/the Law (Logos) and the Tetragrammaton.
The outer rims of the Wheel delineate the cyclic paths we traverse as we pitch and roll through the ebb and flow of life’s seasons—retrograding, stationing, and turning direct, even our cycles of birth and death. This is the tension of opposites we call Duality—fundamental to all existence and emergence.
The Wheel can be thought of as a gyroscope: two wheels running perpendicular to each other: Logos and Cosmos. Together, these wheels interact in a mutually causal duality, generating the sin curve of life, and equally the electromagnetic pulse of life we call Vibration and Rhythm. This curve is the rhythm by which the moon waxes and wanes, seasons turn, and day and night endlessly give way to one another.
EMERGENT SYNOPSIS
The WHEEL of FORTUNE is an archetypal depiction of the rota of Dharma, the cyclical interplay between Fate and Destiny, which governs the dynamic unfolding of existence. As the heart of the divinatory oracle of Tarot, this card encapsulates our relationship with the forces that shape our lives—Fate, as the immutable cast of what is, and Destiny, as the emergent pull toward what could be.
The Wheel’s structure mirrors the Great Dance—the intricate and dynamic weaving of Logos and Cosmos, dualities that create the rhythm of life itself, and ourselves as the experiential heart of that.
At its hub lies unity, where individual fates converge into shared meaning, while the outer rim delineates the cyclic pathways of existence, governed by the laws of ebb and flow, beginnings and endings. It is a profound image of movement, balance, and the eternal cycles of Being & Becoming, offering insight into the ever-unfolding dynamics of life, where each moment is both the culmination of the past and the seed of the future.
SYMMETRY & SEQUENCE
Within the deck, there are symmetries and connections between the cards, defined by their appearance in sequence, their numerical allocation and/or thematically by the relationship of their symbols, archetypes and other essentialities.
The integral symmetry of this card comes to us in several ways.
In one sense The WHEEL of FORTUNE card stands opposite to THE WORLD(XXI), but visually echoes the 0 of THE FOOL(0), the unformed potential of the soul.
In this framing, THE WORLD can be taken to represent the Yin expression of the Divine Logos and the THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE card depicting the Yang aspect of the Axle and the Wheel, which all Life is subject to—The Dharma and Rota of Fate.
THE FOOL is the soul, pure possibility and unrealised potential. THE FOOL also represents Kairos and the Prodigal Son.
“A false sense of security turns out to be the only kind there is.”
—Michael Meade
Kairos is the personification of the eternal wellspring of opportunity and possibility that is always arriving and always unfolding. Kairos is regarded as the counterpoint to Kronos. Kronos represents the linear, hardened, cutting nature of time. Kairos represents the non-linear nature of potential, possibility and surprise, which if harnessed yields enormous opportunity that meticulous repetition alone does not.
In the image we see the youthful sprite tugging on the scales of Logos and balance—an ability that the spirit of opportunity has to influence remarkable outcomes. The prodigal son is the naive princeling dressed up as a would-be adventurer, with none of the wits or experience of a pilgrim, fated to squander their fortune and destined to return home to integrate the first powerful lesson, that there is no fulfilment without experience, and no experience without some regret—mistakes are how we learn.
ALCHEMY
Alchemy explores the transformative and mystical processes that turn the base into the sublime, symbolizing the journey from raw essence to spiritual enlightenment. In the context of Tarot, it offers a complimentary framework for interpreting the profound alchemical symbolism embedded within the cards, revealing deeper layers of meaning through the interplay of elemental and metaphysical transformations.
THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE
The symbols on the spokes of the regular cross of the Wheel of Fortune—Sulphur, Mercury, Salt, and Water—encode the foundational principles of alchemy. These symbols represent the primary components and processes of the alchemical Great Work, where transformation is pursued through the balance and integration of these elements.
Sulphur symbolizes the active, fiery principle—associated with spirit, vitality, and transformation. It is the driving force of change and the masculine aspect in alchemical traditions.
Mercury represents the passive, fluid principle—aligned with intuition, adaptability, and the feminine essence. It is the mediating agent that unites opposites and facilitates transmutation.
Salt stands for the material, the stabilizing principle—the body or foundation. It represents the physical vessel that grounds the spiritual and the volatile.
Water in the alchemical context is the universal solvent, a critical element in the alchemical process. Water dissolves boundaries and purifies, symbolizing the flow of potential and the dissolution necessary for transformation.
These four elements together embody the stages and interactions essential to the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone, the ultimate goal of alchemy. The Philosopher’s Stone symbolizes the perfection of matter and spirit—the culmination of transformation, where the base becomes the sublime and unity is achieved.
The placement of these symbols on the Wheel reflects their dynamic interplay within the cycles of life, the alchemical process, and the rhythm of existence itself. Each turn of the Wheel can be seen as an iteration of this eternal Great Work, inviting integration and renewal at every stage.
THE FOUR ELEMENTS
The 4 fixed figures (Bull, Lion, Eagle, and Man) correspond to the 4 elements (Earth, Fire, Water, and Air), which are essential to the alchemical process. Together, they point to the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone, the ultimate synthesis of these elements into unity, representing the ultimate spiritual telos of base matter.
KABBALAH & JUDAIC MYSTICISM
GEMATRIA & ALEF-BET
In the Kabbalistic tradition, each letter of the Hebrew Alef-bet is imbued with deep symbolic meaning, extending beyond its literal usage to encompass broader spiritual concepts.
The WHEEL of FORTUNE card traditionally aligns with the Hebrew letter Kaph (כ), the 11th letter, which corresponds to the number 20. Kaph symbolizes the palm of the hand, signifying a cup or bowl of receptivity, containment, and the ability to shape or direct energy. The open palm, as a vessel, represents potential and the capacity to influence and interact with the forces of life.
The value of Kaph as 20, but being the 11th letter of the Alef-bet, connects this card with JUDGEMENT(XX) and JUSTICE(XI).
The 10th letter itself is Yud(י) The letter of God. Emanation.
ALEPH TAV
The Wheel and the Crosses also symbolize Aleph (א) and Tav (ת), the first and last letters of the Hebrew Alef-Bet, equivalent to the Greek Alpha (Α) and Omega (Ω).
Aleph, the silent and ineffable beginning, represents the potential and emanation of divine will, the unmanifest source of all creation.
Tav, also represented by a cross (x), is the mark or seal, that represents completion, embodiment, and the culmination of cycles, as well as the covenant and ‘the sign that resounds eternally’.
Together, Aleph and Tav signify the entirety of existence, from inception to fulfilment, encompassing all stages of manifestation and the eternal cycles of Becoming. In this way, the Wheel of Fortune echoes the archetypal journey through the continuum of life, anchored in the unity of divine beginnings and the multiplicity of worldly endings.
TETRAGRAMMATON
The outer rim of the wheel bears the four letters of the Tetragrammaton (יהוה), the unspeakable name of God, signifying the unfolding process of divine manifestation:
Yod (י) – Emanation, the seed of creation (Will/Conception).
Heh (ה) – Expansion, the breath that gives form (Imagination/Forming).
Vav (ו) – Conduit, the channel of creation (Creation).
Heh (ה) – Embodiment, the realization in the material world (Manifestation).
SEPHIRA & THE KABBALISTIC TREE OF LIFE
Midway up the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, are Gevurah (Severity) and Chesed (Mercy).
These two form the pillars of Justice and Law, both severe and merciful. The branches leading to these stations are Kaf(כ) and Yud(י), and are part of the pillars.
These are the fundamental scales of balance in the Universe.
HERMETIC LAWS & CONCEPTS
Primarily depicted in The WHEEL of FORTUNE card are the Hermetic concepts of Logos (the Divine Order) and Nous (Divine Mind or Consciousness), which underpin the nature of existence and perception. These are expressed alongside key Hermetic Principles, including:
The Principle of Correspondence: “As above, so below; as below, so above.” The Wheel embodies the fundamental duality, a mirroring between the microcosm of individual existence and the macrocosm of universal order, emphasizing that the patterns of life reflect the greater rhythms of the cosmos.
The Principle of Polarity: The card reflects the dual nature of existence, the relativity inherent in the perpetual tension between the dualities of yin and yang, ascent and descent, gain and loss, stability and change—each existing as complementary opposites within a unified whole.
The Principle of Cause and Effect: Central to the turning wheel is the understanding that Fate arises from all prior causes, while Destiny unfolds as the chain of effects ‘yet to emerge’. Every motion of the wheel connects past actions with future potential in an unbroken cycle of causality.
ROTA
The concept of a rota—a wheel or cycle—features prominently in The WHEEL of FORTUNE card, reflecting the Hermetic understanding of existence as governed by recurrent patterns and universal laws. In Hermeticism, the rota symbolizes the eternal cycles of change, the turning of events, and the dynamic relationship between the immutable and the emergent.
Furthermore, the notion of a rota implies that fortunes that may seem unfair or arbitrary at a microcosmic scale are balanced precisely at the macrocosmic scale through the indelible principles of Law & Justice, Cause & Effect, referred to in Eastern tradition as Karma. Effects that appear random are, in truth, inextricably tied to their causes, reflecting the universe’s underlying precision and coherence.
We live in a creating universe. Reality is emergent and therefore not wholly predetermined, but is nevertheless predictable within the bounds of laws of physics and the laws governing probability and possibility. This dynamic tensegrity between freedom and order ensures that while outcomes are not rigidly fixed, they are shaped and bounded by universal principles. The rota thus symbolizes the mechanism by which the cosmos balances these forces, harmonizing randomness with inevitability and choice with consequence.
ASTROLOGY
The Hellenistic astrological insight cannot be divorced from the mythological context with which it shares archetypal relevance.
THE FIXED SIGNS
The 4 angelic beings at the corners of the card—Man, Eagle, Bull, and Lion—represent Aquarius, Scorpio, Taurus, and Leo respectively, the fixed signs for Air, Water, Earth and Fire respectively.
The Eagle represents Scorpio, the Water sign. The Eagle is one of Scorpio’s higher archetypal forms, symbolizing transformation, vision, and transcendence. Scorpio’s symbolic complexity is encapsulated in its representation by four animals: Scorpion, Snake, Eagle, and Phoenix, each reflecting a distinct relationship with transformation.
The Man represents Aquarius, the Air sign.
The Lion represents Leo, the Fire sign. The Lion symbolizes courage, strength and the radiant vitality of the Sun, which rules Leo.
The Bull represents Taurus, the Earth sign. The Bull embodies stability, persistence, sensuality, and the grounding force of the material and natural world.
These fixed signs correspond to the height of each season, representing the fullness and manifestation of the energies initiated by the cardinal signs. In turn these signs anchor the four cardinal directions of the Zodiac, marking points of stability and sustained energy within the cycles of transformation. Together they symbolize stability and the foundational principles of reality: thought, emotion, materiality, and spirit. They are the cornerstones upon which the soul’s journey is built, anchoring the cycle of transformation and renewal.
In the practice of Hellenistic Astrology, the 4 fixed signs demarcate key thresholds of the Sun’s—and thereby the Soul’s—journey of transmigration through the houses and signs of the Zodiac.
If THE WORLD is the telos of the Zodiac, The WHEEL of FORTUNE as the Logos of the Zodiac itself, the logia at the heart of astro-logia.
THE PART OF FORTUNE
In astrological terms, the WHEEL of FORTUNE card aligns with the concept of the Part of Fortune, also known as the Lot of Fortune in Hellenistic Astrology. The Part of Fortune is a calculated point in the natal chart derived from the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant, and it reflects the integration of these three key elements of self.
The ancient Greeks referred to the Lot of Fortune as Tyche (Τύχη)—both a term and a personification. Tyche was the goddess of fortune, chance, and fate, often associated with the unpredictable turns of life. The Lot of Fortune in Hellenistic Astrology was thought to reflect her influence over the aspects of life that appeared governed by luck, fortune, and circumstances beyond direct human control.
Statues of Tyche often depicted her holding a rudder (guiding the course of life) and standing on a wheel (symbolizing the ever-turning nature of fortune).
Additionally, the Lot of Fortune was sometimes connected to the Daimonion (spiritual guide or guardian spirit), suggesting that it reflected not only blind luck but also the guiding force of destiny that influenced one’s circumstances.
This position represents the point in the natal chart where one finds natural joy, prosperity, and alignment with life’s flow, and is a concept akin to Dharma. It signifies areas of life where fortune and well-being may manifest, provided the individual harmonizes with their inner and outer dynamics.
The Greeks saw the Lot of Fortune as a point where the interplay of the Sun (consciousness), Moon (emotions and the inner world), and Ascendant (identity) manifested materially. It was seen as the celestial marker of how one’s inherent potential aligned with external opportunities and challenges.
The Part of Fortune encapsulates the interplay of Fate, Destiny, and free will. It emphasizes the flow of cycles, the role of chance, and the harmonization of celestial forces in shaping the experience of life. The ever-turning wheel mirrors the dynamism of astrological charts, where opportunity and alignment with purpose converge.
Both the card and the Part of Fortune symbolize the interplay of forces cosmic and personal, fixed and emergent, emphasizing the importance of resonance with the rhythms of life.
MYTHOS & LOGOS
TYCHE & NEMESIS
The ancient Greeks referred to the Lot of Fortune as Tyche (Τύχη)—both a term and a personification. Tyche was the goddess of fortune, chance, and fate, often associated with the unpredictable turns of life. Her domain of influence was over the aspects of life that appeared governed by luck, fortune, and circumstances beyond direct human control. Tyche is often depicted as benevolent, though impartial or fickle.
Statues of Tyche depicted her holding a rudder (guiding the course of life) and standing on a wheel (symbolizing the ever-turning nature of fortune), or sometimes blindfolded and holding a cornucopia, the horn of plenty, implying the seeming indiscriminate or capricious nature of blind luck and fortune.
Tyche’s relationship with Nemesis, the goddess of retribution and balance, underscores the duality between luck and justice. While Tyche might bestow random fortune, Nemesis ensures that excessive good luck (hubris) does not go unchecked.
Nemesis is described as a daughter of Nyx, the primordial goddess of night, who herself represents deep, ancient powers of mystery and inevitability.
Tyche reflects the unpredictable and chaotic distribution of fortune, while Nemesis embodies the restoration of balance when excess or hubris disrupts cosmic order.
FORTUNA
Fortuna, the Roman goddess of fortune, luck, and fate, parallels the Greek goddess Tyche but carries unique cultural and symbolic associations within the Roman tradition. Fortuna represents the ever-changing nature of life, embodying both its blessings and uncertainties.
Fortuna embodies both Fortuna Bona (Good Fortune) and Fortuna Mala (Bad Fortune), reflecting her dual capacity to bestow blessings or misfortune. This duality underscores the Roman understanding of fate as an inescapable force that governs life’s vicissitudes.
Fortuna is sometimes considered a primordial force, reflecting the Roman view of fortune as an essential, universal force that governs all aspects of existence.
Fortuna is famously associated with the Wheel of Fortune, symbolizing the capricious and cyclical nature of luck and fate. The wheel’s turning signifies the rise and fall of individuals or empires, with no one immune to its motion.
Like her Greek counterpart Tyche, Fortuna is often depicted as blindfolded, representing her impartiality and the unpredictable nature of fortune. Similarly, she is frequently shown holding a cornucopia, symbolizing abundance, and a rudder, signifying her control over the course of life and events, steering them as she pleases.
Terms like “fortunate” and “fortune” directly stem from her, and her influence persists in the concept of luck, fate, and the turning of life’s proverbial wheel.
AEON & ANANKE - GNOSTIC & NEOPLATONIST MYTHOS
In Greek mythology, Aeon and Ananke are not typically presented in mainstream myths with a specific narrative story like those of Zeus or Athena. Instead, they represent more abstract, cosmological principles that are deeply embedded in Gnostic and Neoplatonist thought. They are often depicted more in philosophical and esoteric texts rather than in traditional mythological narratives, but nevertheless formed part of the Hellenistic Mythos.
Aeon (Cyclic Time) is a deity associated with time, the orb or circle encompassing the universe, and eternal life. Aeon is often depicted in art as a serpentine dragon (Ouroboros, Caput and Cauda Draconis) encircling the world, which symbolizes the grand cyclic nature of time akin to the Vedic yugas. Unlike Chronos, the personification of quantitative and chronological time, Aeon represents unbounded, cyclic time and is sometimes associated with eternity and the zodiac.
Ananke (Inevitability/Necessity) is the personification of inevitability, compulsion, and necessity. She is often depicted as holding the cosmos together, a force that even the gods cannot defy. Ananke is intertwined with the very fabric of existence and is sometimes considered a primordial deity who emerged at the dawn of creation, alongside Chronos or Aeon. In philosophical terms, she represents the binding force that predetermines the universe's structure and the fate of all things within it.
In philosophical terms, especially in Neoplatonism and Gnosticism, Aeon and Ananke are seen as fundamental forces. In Platonic philosophy, Ananke is considered alongside the Demiurge as a co-creator of the universe. The Demiurge shapes the cosmos through clinical (sterile) reason, while Ananke imposes a certain form of ‘character’, destiny or necessity upon it.
In Gnostic traditions, Aeon refers to the various emanations of the divine, with each Aeon representing a different aspect of the divine system, the progressive emanation and emergence of Creation.
The coupling of Aeon and Ananke in mythology and philosophy suggests a fundamental interplay between time and necessity—between the unfolding of cosmic events and the inevitability that governs them.
Their union is depicted in The WHEEL of FORTUNE card via the cosmic wheel.
This relationship is key in many cosmological narratives to explain the preordained nature of the cosmos.
This brings to mind the essence of THE WORLD(XXI) card: Emergence, Culmination and Renewal.
In later philosophical and Gnostic traditions, Aeon and Ananke are viewed as expressions of higher causal forces that transcend even the highest gods, embodying the ultimate realities of existence and the universe’s enduring principles.
INNER REFLECTION
The WHEEL of FORTUNE card calls us to consider the cosmic dance of inevitability and choice. Here we are reintroduced to our ancient and sacred relationship with oracles, embodying humanity’s timeless dialogue with the divine and the unseen.
Consider the many forces shaping our lives—those we inherit, those we resist, and those we create, those we ignore. This card reveals life, and the journey of the soul, as a dynamic interplay between the immovable foundation of Fate and the unfolding potential of Destiny and the power of intentionality and discernment that sets human beings up above all animals as having divine aspirations and the ability to pursue them.
The turning wheel suggests that our moments of ascent and descent are neither entirely nor final, but part of an intricate, universal cadence—a process.
We are being asked: How do we engage with the cycles that turn both within and around us? Are we passive passengers of fortune or active participants in shaping our path? What choices are we making today that will shape the fate our future selves and other souls will inherit?
The symbols etched into the wheel serve as reminders of the paradox of life’s fluidity and precision—encouraging acceptance of its unpredictability and inspiring intentionality in navigating its rhythms.
The WHEEL of FORTUNE is an archetype of our relationship with surrender and agency, balancing the humility to embrace life’s flux with the courage to act within its flow. It embodies the mystery of transformation: that in every turn lies both a resolution and a new beginning.
The title image depicts a motif of the Dharmachakra, reminiscent of the ship helm, the perennial symbols of both navigation and the rota of life, and the hub or axis on which that wheel turns, which is itself the eternal and indelible iron law of the cosmos. This imagery evokes the understanding that life is both a journey and a cycle, a series of navigational paths that are governed by universal laws and principles. Our relationship to this process, the turning of the wheel and the axis —by the hand of fate or by our own—defines our becoming, which determines ultimately our way home.
If you are interested in joining me for an integrated exploration of your own Archetypes, Symbolism, Mythos, Totems and Astrology via the Hermetic lens, and have an appetite for something deeper and more mature, schedule a call.
These explanations are very thorough. I have bookmarked some concepts for further exploration. I am currently working through God and the State by Michael Bakunin, who has a particular disdain for anything outside of the material, including the more metaphysical aspects of Greek philosophy and mythology, so this is quite a juxtaposition. This work of his I would say, is heavily focused on 'fate' as in the 'present', as much of his arguments are around Man taking hold of his own destiny as opposed to placing them in the hands of the divine (specifically, as he says, God). Along with a very passionate ripping of structures, systems, and institutions, as present in the material world.
Thank you for developing and sharing.
Additional note:
I must edit this text to include the obvious in hindsight references to Ezekiel’s Cherubim (the four angelic beings) and the divine Chariot, the Ophanim (wheels within wheels).
And then the chariot (Merkaba) reference thereby links WoF with THE CHARIOT, and deepens the connection of this card with Will.