Rider Waite Card -The Wheel of Fortune

X - The Wheel of Fortune - Inevitable Change

The Wheel of Fortune was a favorite Renaissance motif that described changes of fortune, most particularly the fortune of courtiers who depended upon the patronage of the aristocracy for survival. The axiom of the wheel read: he who is up one day is apt to be down the next. Courtiers were very competitive. Today, the image endures as an icon for continuous change: the wheels of life are constantly turning, and change is constant.

In a reading, the wheel announces that changes of fortune are afoot. The changes are usually for the better, especially if there has been a string of bad luck in the past. Serendipity smiles here, and things go smoothly, bringing good timing, good luck, and overall improvement.

Reversed, the Wheel of Fortune says there is no choice but to wait for better times. The wish list may be long, but progress comes in fits and starts, demanding patience to wait until the timing is better for smooth sailing.