Animal Tarot Time: WHEEL OF FORTUNE

For this series, I am exploring the choices of animals made by various deck creators to correspond to traditional Tarot cards. My initial goal is to get through the Major Arcana using cards from seven different decks:

• Animal Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine (Hay House) 
• The Animal Totem Tarot by Leeza Robertson; illustrated by Eugene Smith (Llewellyn Publications) 
• The Animal Wisdom Tarot by Dawn Brunke; illustrated by Ola Liola (CICO Books) 
•  The Animal-Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews (Dragonhawk Publishing) 
• The Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Hunt (Llewellyn Worldwide)
• The Animism Tarot by Joanna Cheung (Self-Published) 
• Tarot of the Animal Lords with artwork by Angelo Giannini (Lo Scarabeo)

To read my previous posts in this series, enter “Animal Tarot Time” in the search field on the main page of the blog or scroll down and click on Animal Tarot Time under CATEGORIES.

Today I’m exploring the Wheel of Fortune (Key 10) in my animal-themed decks.

Animal Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine (Hay House)

THE WHEEL / REINDEER (Caribou)
(“Expect a sudden positive change in your life. 
You can now move forward and make great progress.”)

This interpretation of the Wheel of Fortune card focuses on opportunity and blessings, forward movement, and new directions. In an interesting “aside,” the booklet accompanying this deck describes the difference between reindeer and caribou, pointing out that caribou are found in the wild and are somewhat larger than reindeer, who tend to be domesticated and raised in herds. Caribou do cover large distances during migration, in a cyclical manner, which corresponds with the idea of the Wheel constantly turning around, going through stages or phases of our lives.

The Animal Totem Tarot by Leeza Robertson; illustrated by Eugene Smith (Llewellyn Publications)

 WHEEL OF FORTUNE /  LADY BUG

(How do you deal with change? 

Does planning for success seem foolish to you? 

What area of your life needs the most luck?)

 

The creator of this deck emphasizes that the Wheel “reminds us that nothing stays the same. . . Everything has a cycle to it and what comes around goes around, again and again, although it may not always come back the exact way you last saw it – and that is rather the point.” In keeping with the idea of “fortune,” we see a lady bug on the card. Lady bugs have long been associated with luck and good fortune.

The Animal Wisdom Tarot by Dawn Brunke; illustrated by Ola Liola (CICO Books)

SPIDER / Sacred Spinner 
(Fate, Karma, Luck, Cycles, Change)

 

In the Animal Wisdom Tarot, the Spider “anchors us in a net of timeless wisdom while revealing the many directions our journey may take.” At the same time, “we weave reality by our thoughts and actions.” Just as a spider sits patiently in the center of its web, we can sit still and centered, “watching life’s drama spin around us,” taking a long-range view and adopting an expanded perspective.

The Animal-Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews (Dragonhawk Publishing)

WHEEL OF FORTUNE / BEAR 
(Heeding Inner Voice and Cycles) 

Ted Andrews writes that “bears teach us to follow our inner voice and to follow a new and more natural rhythm.” Certainly the bear’s cyclical behavior of hibernating every year reinforces this idea. In keeping with the natural cycles of life, we need to move naturally through these cycles, from period of high activity to periods of low activity, through changes and familiar patterns or circumstances. Bears “teach us that a new cycle is at play within our life. For the greatest success, we must adapt to that new cycle. The wheels are turning anew for us. It is time to change our patterns.”

The Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Hunt (Llewellyn Worldwide)

THE WHEEL / All Animals: Universal
(cycle of change, the opportunity for growth due to change in fortune) 

In The Animals Divine Tarot, Lisa Hunt’s Wheel incorporates a large assortment of animals “rotating together in a confluence of elements (fire, air, water, earth). In addition, we see illuminated orbs representing the phases of the moon, reminding us that life is cyclical. It is important that we experience and understand the rhythm of life, as seen in nature and symbolized by all of the different animals in our world.

The Animism Tarot by Joanna Cheung (Self-Published)

WHEEL OF FORTUNE: The Orb Weaver Spider
(fate, wisdom, rebirth, balance, creativity, design) 

Joanna Cheung tells us: “This is the weaver of time and fate. Every thread has a destination. Every connection has a purpose. Every movement causes a ripple throughout. The weaver understands balance: threads that fall can rise up again, and though some may come undone, they can be rebuilt once more, better and stronger than ever before.”

Tarot of the Animal Lords with artwork by Angelo Giannini (Lo Scarabeo)

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE / Butterfly 
(the natural cycle of things, fortune, love, return of enemies) 

The artist offers a “wheel” reference by depicting the man-butterfly completing a circle formed by tree branches. The butterfly’s metamorphosis from stage to stage --  egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult butterfly – is appropriate for a card that represents cycles and changes. It is easy to imagine how we might see ourselves as being in one “stage” or another of the butterfly’s progress, on our way to an accomplishment or completion of an aspect of our life.

 

To summarize, we have

• Reindeer/Caribou - 1
• Lady Bug – 1
• Spider – 2
• Bear – 1
• All Animals – 1
• Butterfly - 1

The Spider probably resonates strongest with me for the Wheel of Fortune. A spider web often has a circular pattern to it, and I really like the idea of the spider remaining still, watching and waiting, and then making its move based on what is happening around it – as opposed to scurrying all over the web, frantically trying to control every detail of what’s happening. I often interpret the Wheel of Fortune in a reading as expressing the importance of remaining centered and stable in the midst of change as the wheel turns around and around, up and down.  What do you think?

 

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Animal Tarot Time: THE HERMIT

For this series, I am exploring the choices of animals made by various deck creators to correspond to traditional Tarot cards. My initial goal is to get through the Major Arcana using cards from seven different decks:

• Animal Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine (Hay House)
• The Animal Totem Tarot by Leeza Robertson; illustrated by Eugene Smith (Llewellyn Publications)
• The Animal Wisdom Tarot by Dawn Brunke; illustrated by Ola Liola (CICO Books)
• The Animal-Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews (Dragonhawk Publishing)
• The Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Hunt (Llewellyn Worldwide)
• The Animism Tarot by Joanna Cheung (Self-Published)
• Tarot of the Animal Lords with artwork by Angelo Giannini (Lo Scarabeo)

To read my previous posts in this series, enter “Animal Tarot Time” in the search field on the main page of the blog or scroll down and click on Animal Tarot Time under CATEGORIES.

Today I’m exploring THE HERMIT (Key 9) in my animal-themed decks.

 

Animal Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine (Hay House)

THE HERMIT / FIREFLY 

“Take time for contemplation – to retreat and go within. 
Be a beacon for others on their path to spiritual enlightenment.”

When we think of a hermit, we think of someone who hides somewhere and avoids contact with other people. In my experience, THE HERMIT card can represent a need to do exactly that, at least for a time. However, sometimes we forget that the image on the card (in traditional decks at least) depicts The Hermit holding a lantern up as if to illuminate the path. One standard interpretation of this card refers to being a guide who shows others the way. The creators of Animal Tarot Cards write, “And just as the seeker is never alone, our fireflies have gathered in great number in order to show you just how magical life can be!”

The Animal Totem Tarot by Leeza Robertson; illustrated by Eugene Smith (Llewellyn Publications)

THE HERMIT /  MANTIS

Do you like being alone? If no, why not? 

What does “standing in one’s own light” mean to you? 
Do you allow yourself the space and time you need to make decisions with certainty? 

In The Animal Totem Tarot, The Hermit (Mantis) stands in the light, holding the ultimate “lamp” – the sun -- between his antennae. This image doesn’t seem to allude to the need for isolation or solitude at all, rather focusing on shining a bright light. In the deck guidebook, however, the creator of this deck does emphasize that “it’s okay to have space between yourself and your current problem . . . as a way of allowing some time and space to help align yourself with the solution you need.” Having done that, we are then encouraged to emerge into the light or to actually provide the light that others may need to find their way.

The Animal Wisdom Tarot by Dawn Brunke; illustrated by Ola Liola (CICO Books)

THE HERMIT / OWL / Keeper of the Light
(Solitude, Introspection, Enlightenment, Wisdom)

It’s common knowledge that an owl’s night vision is quite good, which makes this mysterious creature a fine choice to guide us through the dark. I can also see the owl as representing solitude and contemplation as it sits quietly in a tree, hidden from view. The creator of The Animal Wisdom Tarot encourages us to “take time to refresh and renew your inner self, so you may return to the world enlightened, shining as a beacon for others.”

The Animal-Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews (Dragonhawk Publishing)

THE HERMIT / OWL 
(Silent Wisdom, Vision, and Guidance) 

Ted Andrews notes several things that the owl can represent for us:

* Owls fly silently, teaching us to trust our instincts and silent impressions.

* Owls are creatures of the night, perhaps symbolizing the darkness within, where great secrets and great treasures are hidden. We may choose to access these secrets and treasures through dreams.

* Owls have keen sight and hearing, encouraging us to pay attention to undercurrents and subtleties.

The Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Hunt (Llewellyn Worldwide)

THE HERMIT / Cernunnos: Celtic 
(time to reflect, contemplation, solitude) 

Rather than choosing a single animal for this card, Lisa Hunt chooses the Celtic god Cernunnos, who is shown accompanied by all kinds of forest animals. Each animal carries its own symbolism. “At this stage of the journey,” Hunt writes, “it is important to take the time to engage in quiet reflection.”

The Animism Tarot by Joanna Cheung (Self-Published)

THE HERMIT / THE RED PANDA
(peace, knowledge, contemplation, solitude, discovery, adaption)

A quick internet search reveals that red pandas are known to be “difficult to observe in the wild” and are solitary and territorial. People in central Bhutan consider red pandas to be reincarnations of Buddhist monks. The red panda’s qualifications to serve as The Hermit seem pretty solid, although we do not get the idea that this creature is going to “light the way” for anyone.

Tarot of the Animal Lords with artwork by Angelo Giannini (Lo Scarabeo)

THE HERMIT / BLACK BEAR
(wisdom, spiritual search, abandonment, solitude, hidden enemies) 

Although this deck is admittedly “quirky,” its portrayal of The Hermit is true to traditional Tarot, even though it depicts a black bear instead of a human being. The bear, clothed in hermit-style robes, holds a lantern aloft and gazes at the path ahead. I want to comment on one particular keyword provided by this deck: “abandonment.” At first, this seemed odd, but after just a little bit of thought, I can see that The Hermit may signal a need to “abandon” a busy, confusing life (or situation) for a time, and I can also see that to other people, it might seem that The Hermit is “abandoning” them by going into seclusion. Something to keep in mind when interpreting this card in a reading.

To summarize, we have

Firefly – 1
Mantis – 1
Owl – 2
Red Panda – 1
Cernunnos – 1
Black Bear – 1

Of these, I tend to favor the Owl as The Hermit. I like the idea of it being able to guide us in the darkness because of its superior senses and the fact that it does tend to be hidden from us much of the time. I do kind of like the idea of the Black Bear, given that bears hibernate in caves on a regular basis, although I can’t quite picture a bear guiding anyone. What do you think?