One relationship that makes shadow work so intuitively deep and almost synonymous with the Wheel of Fortune is how it deals with the symbolism of confrontation and integration of the hidden or suppressed aspects of ourselves. This is a card of life cycles, representing ebb and flow fortune, asking us to recognize patterns and possibly habits or lessons in karma that shape our journey.
A Wheel of Fortune card reminds us that life is indeed a cycle of ups and downs, its periods of success and failure, joy and pain are all transient. Such cycles may feel quite random, but often carry patterns of unresolved emotional or spiritual elements that run deeper beneath the surface.
That’s where shadow work comes in. Delving into the parts of ourselves we tend to avoid—whether that is past trauma, deep-seated fears, or bad habits—is a better way to understand the cycles that guide our lives. The Wheel further suggests lessons that we refuse to learn might keep repeating and manifesting as a cycle of misfortune or unlucky streaks until we finally acknowledge them.
More or less, the karmic lessons that follows this card are opportunities for growth. Shadow work pushes us to face and break free from repetitiveness that eventually hinders our personal development. Through introspection, we recognize why we continuously face the same struggles and learn to improve our response to life’s inevitable changes.
So, when the Wheel of Fortune shows up in a reading, it usually indicates a shift in circumstances about your life—a turning point, perhaps. Sometimes that shift demands that you wrestle with your shadow; embracing shadow work in these in-between moments may align you to the flow of the Wheel rather than strain against it.
Only understanding that there is a cycle of highs and lows in life will help you better navigate this endless chain of change, and only then can you learn all the karmic lessons required to become the best version of yourself.