The Wheel of Fortune

The rocket of time pulls the wheel as it makes another round. The heavy wood crackles and pops as it continues to cycle, heavy with the weight of our fortunes.  We rest on its edge, as our hopes, fears, and dreams dance precariously around its perimeter.  With a sudden jerk of movement, we are pulled upwards.  Stretching, reaching, growing till we reach the top in a riotous conclusion of ecstatic joy and fortuitous fortune.  We stay but a moment.  The scent of time carries on the wind and the inevitable decline casts a shadow of impermanence on our face. 

And yes, our fears are answered with a large crack as the wheel starts and the movement continues. Down the wheel we go to crash in a crucible of tribulation.  The weight of the wheel carves a trench deep into the earth and our hopes, once so true and tangible, get ground beneath the wheel into a dust.  A ghost of our former joy escapes to carry in the wind.

All is not lost, however, for down in the darkness, our hope remains as a flicker of light.  The flame slowly grows until, with sigh of relief, we hear that great crack again and begin to be pulled upwards.  The despair is momentarily forgotten as we remember what we have ahead, what we have to look forward to.  So again we reach high, forever upwards.

And so it goes, a Sisyphean cycle of triumphant success and morose depths.  Yet we carry on knowing that even in those dark times, the wheel will turn and hope will eventually come within reach.

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This is the first in a poetry series I'm working on about the Major Arcana.  I would love to hear what you think, so feel free to leave a comment below.

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I finally took the plunge and purchased The Wild Unknown Tarot deck.  I have been seeing this deck everywhere on Pinterest, Instagram, and various blogs.  I’ve even seen photos of people that have gotten tattoos of the deck’s artwork. 

The artwork in this deck is in a few words rustic, minimalist, and profoundly beautiful.  The images seem to avoid many of the new-agey clichés that can often be found in tarot decks.  I find that this more minimalist and flat aesthetic has allowed this deck to appeal to a much wider audience.  It feels as if the creator of this deck, Kim Krans, designed it not for the Witchy or tarot community, but for a much wider audience. 

As a side note, recently I’ve been seeing more and more Pagan and Wiccan things being produced specifically designed for a more general audience.  Just the other day I saw the book “Wiccapedia” available at my local Urban Outfitters.  One must wonder if Paganism becoming more mainstream and acceptable, or goddess-forbid, if is it venturing into the dreaded “hipster” zone?  Regardless, the mainstream fascination and love for this deck is certainly justified. 

The artwork consists of mostly back and white ink illustrations punctuated by carefully thought-out splashes of color.  The quality of this desk is also superior as the cards are printed on thick durable cardstock.

In general, the artwork consists mostly of animals and geometric shapes.  One of my favorite aspects of this deck is that the court cards of the four suits also have specific animal correspondence (Snakes for wands, swans for Cups, owls for Swords, and deer for Pentacles).  Some of the animal symbolism showcased can be found in other decks, while other symbolism is unique to its creator.  This desk also does not shy away from darkness and several of the cards are certainly a bit spooky and morbid.  After all, the deck is called The Wild Unknown, and the idea of a wild unknown can certainly draw certain scary connotations.  For me personally, the artwork really resonated with me and made me excited about learning tarot and exploring this field further.  I would definitely recommend this deck for both tarot beginners and experts.