Connecting our Dots - 2026 is "The Wheel of Fortune"

In terms of Tarot, collectively speaking; 2026 is a 10 year, (2+0+2+6=10) and the card that corresponds with 10 in Tarot’s Major Arcana is the essence and energy of “The Wheel of Fortune.”

There are a multitude of initiations and invitations synonymous with this archetype, but the overarching theme of the card is primarily one of choice and change.

In the Tarot journey (used as an archetypal mirror for the human journey) the Wheel of Fortune comes after the Hermit, which was the energy we were working with in 2025. In short, distinctly and significantly different.

Where the Hermit themes center around waiting, pausing, contemplating, facing inwards, seeking, questioning, distilling information, wisdom, the cave, the forest at night-time. In stark contrast, the Wheel of Fortune brings themes of motion, green lights, clarity, expansion, growth, fate, destiny, quests, awakenings, omens, big picture perspective and lots of action.

You might say that the inner preparatory work of the Hermit meets up with external realities of change.

In 2026 we are out of the cave, out of the forest, into the breaking light of a brand new year and for many of us, onto very different paths oriented by reimagined possibilities and awakenings that support a new way forward.

Even if everything looks the same, the same circumstances, people, places etc. the energy will feel markedly,

tangibly different. Wheel of Fortune is big picture perspective. It’s expansive, clarifying, breakthrough, break chains, liberating, think/live outside the box energy because its synonymous with change and action.

If we browse the aisles of history, wisdom teaching traditions, mythology etc. many regard the Wheel of Fortune as the great wheel of life, of karma, of reincarnation of rebirth. Around and around we go as the wheel turns, until we begin to see ourselves as something more than our egos, our roles and responsibilities, constantly awakening anew to our true self.

Some regard the wheel as a system of marking time, like the face of a clock, or months of the year, decades of a lifetime. Each spoke of the wheel representing new chapters, new versions, new seasons and experiences of our self as the outer events of the wheel of life turns.

Astrologers regard the wheel of the zodiac with its 12 signs and 12 houses, planets, aspects and transits (with so many symbols contained therein) as a person’s celestial road map for their lives. Our cosmology literally written in the stars! Similarly to the approach of Tarot, the natal chart is a representation of a person’s journey, each uniquely designed to navigate earthly themes of family, love, career, health, finances, personality etc.

In the legends of King Arthur, the King has a dream on the eve of his final battle, where a rich and powerful King is seated on top of a large wheel. In this dream, the goddess Fortuna (goddess of fortune, destiny and fate …The Wheel of Fortune) turns the symbol-laden wheel, and the King is toppled and falls to the earth. The King awakens to the message held within the vision, that no matter the riches, the power, the positions we accrue and acquire, our true fate always rests in the hand of God.

We can look at the bigger picture of this vision and see that the signs for this inevitability were there all along - all he needed to do was see further than an egoic hungering. In the same manner, we can live as though life is just happening to us, a series of random events, coincidences, patterns and routines. Or we can widen our lens, be curious about the “more” of ourselves and be brave enough to say “yes” to the things that feel like they have our name written upon them.

We can begin to see the mystery, the wonder, and the miracle of all of life and our place in amongst it all. The “why” of our experiences, the ripple effect of our choices, the experiences they invoke and the trajectories they set us on.

What we say “yes” and “no” to has consequences. This doesn’t mean we should regard ourselves as good or bad, right or wrong, winning or failing, but 2026 invites us to step back and see what kind of a picture our dots are forming. And if we don’t love what we see, can we reimagine a life that feels inspiring, fulfilling and true and choose it?

No matter the belief or mythos, when the Wheel of Fortune appears in a reading it bears the message of luck, unexpected blessings, destined opportunities, soul lessons, interconnectedness and growth through change.

The world is going to keep on doing what its’ going to do. People are going to keep on doing what people do. Ultimately, what we choose. How we show up, participate, contribute and what we act on is all the control and sway we have. But your agency, your gifts, your ideas, your visions, your voice, your heart, your art, your gold is everything. And the power of choice is your personal power that shapes your personal experiences and reality. And that ultimately ripples out into our world.

The biggest invitation of the Wheel of Fortune is exactly that. What is guaranteed is that the wheel will turn, life will change and something new will begin. The critical question is how will you respond and meet it?

Some Questions to Consider:

When outer change occurs, what inner change is possible within me?

What in my life is rising up or beginning?

What in my life is descending or completing?

What did I discover about myself and my life in 2025?

What Hermit gold am I taking into this new year?

What is at the Center of my wheel of life?

What feels worthy of my sacred “Yes”?

What if I trusted myself, believed in myself, backed myself, showed up as my true self?

What if it turns out better than I expected?

Some Tools for Your Journey:

Regularly take a step back from the blur of the day-to-day to see the bigger picture.

Partake in practices, dwell in places and hang with people that get you out of your ego and head and into your heart.

Pay attention to the signs and following them

Cultivate an intimacy with your inner intelligence and soul voice.

Spend time in the company of the soul of the world.

Learn how to be the observer and the participant (higher than mind + ego).

Be willing and curious and excited to understand your personal legend/truth and then follow it for the rest of your life.

See the invitation to do and be better through difficulty (mining the gold).

Remember that how you journey is as, if not more important than the destination.

Not taking it all too seriously and having fun – life is a sacred gift, treat it as such.

Love yourself no matter what.

Such a fascinating, deeply rich and expansive energy to contemplate. It took me years of working with the Tarot to peel back the layers of this card. Then I realized, the more layers I peeled back of myself, the closer I got to its essence. When I read the book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Cohelo, the teachings and wisdom of this card clicked beautifully into place. If you’ve yet to read this incredible tale, consider this your sign to do so. I re-read it every 3 years to remind me of the “bigger picture”, my personal legend, the language of the soul of the world and to center what gives my life truth and meaning.

2026 …may we meet it heart first and journey courageously, authentically and kindly.

With so much love,

Jo xx

p.s. Keep in mind that the invitations of the Wheel of Fortune are for each and every one of us. Similarly to astrology, or the cycles of the moon; the archetypes within Tarot offer an esoteric assist to the cosmic weather report, as it were. Whilst the WOF is our collective card, your personal card of the year is determined by adding together the numbers of your birth month, birth date and the year 2026. Then if need be, simplifying (the archetypes of the major arcana are numbered 1-21, so if personal number is greater than 21, you will need to further simply that number to fall within the 1-21 range).

Using my birthdate as an example - 03/26/2026 becomes 3+2+6+2+0+2+6 = 21. In Tarot, 21 corresponds to the “”World” card and simplified (2+1=3) becomes the “Empress”. Perfect invitations, teachers and companions for what’s on my radar for year.

If you’d like help in determining your personal 2026 archetype, please let me know. In my experience they’ve made for remarkable anchors and allies.