The Gothic Tarot by Vargo - X The Wheel Of Fortune

WolfyJames

The Gothic Tarot by Vargo - X The Weel Of Fortune

The Weel of Fortune is made of two red circles, with a celtic symbol in the center (that I don't recognize), and two golden dragons between the two circles. At each corner is a good guardian, golden as well.

If we compare many cards, including The World, we can see that the guardian here is a good one, similar to the God-like engraved at the top of the card of The World.

Dragons are considered being guardians of treasures, one of the treasure being immortality. At this card, we reach a completion, we gain a prize

The dragons may also represent the infernal forces and the constant fight between good and evil.
 

Umbrae

I hate this card…it doesn’t fit, the colours are wrong and don’t match the rest of the deck. It’s not a wheel – it’s a Mandela, and apparently cross-cultural at that.

And then…

I mentioned before about ‘wake-up’ cards. This is one. This is the telephone of the gods ringing in the background – this is the voice of the gods asking, “is anybody home?” This is Iggy Pop singing;

“Calling Sister Midnight
You've got me reaching for the moon
Calling Sister Midnight
You've got me playing the fool
Calling Sister Midnight”

This wheel, as a gold Mandala tells us that it is a closed system. There is no way out – doomed to repeat and repeat and repeat, unless we initiate change, break the interlinked wheels displayed in the hub…

“Calling Sister Midnight
You've got me reaching for the moon”

Excuse me…the metaphysical phone is ringing…
 

WolfyJames

Well, not knowing what mandala is, I checked in my dictionary and came up with a few stuff.

The circle had guardians, clearing them one after the other represent levels of spiritual progression, until we reach the center.

It also can be, with the magic of its symbols, the image and the driving force of spiritual ascension, from an interiorization of life and concentration of multiple on one; the me integrated in all, all integrated in me. The mandala is there to find integrity, if it is not there; and if it is there, to keep it.
 

silk_selen

I like that this card stands out as much as it does.

I don't really like the design of the card itself as much, but I do like that it stands out. I don't really know what all to say about it except that it doesn't look any better or worse anywhere on the wheel...
 

Annwyn

I love this card.

The Mandala has a celtic knot? in it's center. I see the 4 faces of each corner as the pagan god “green man”.

(AS Ive mentioned in the green man thread, this is what I believe him to be). But you may see him as something else. Either way he represents a “godly, spiritual figure”. The wheel of fortune represents the wheel of life. And the changes of that wheel, forever moving, forever changing.

I too confess not knowing much about Mandalas. Love to research. It is the Ancient Indian word (Sanskrit) a sacred circle. A symbolic representation of the universe. Used widely in meditations through visual forms to gain insight, knowledge and healing and much more. It forces you to focus on the center of the circle with can either be a deity or symbol. In this case it’s a symbol of a celtic knot?

Who is the pagan Green man?
A legendary pagan deity/God (Whether to the individual he is a real God, an archetype or superstition is irrelevant, as the symbolism remains.) who roams the woodlands of the British Isles and Europe. He usually is depicted as a man peering out of a mask of foliage, usually the sacred oak. He represents spirits of trees, plants and foliage. He was frequently depicted in medieval art, including church decorations. He represents life, renewal and rebirth. He is the Guardian of nature and represents mankind’s union with the natural world. He is the male counterpart of the nature aspect of the Goddess.
So these meanings are very relevant to the image of this card. Renewal and rebirth= the changes of the ever revolving wheel of life.

The depth of this card I feel is quite powerful, perhaps this tells us we need to be more aware of change, accepting of change? Perhaps something in the wheel of your life is going to change? Perhaps you need to take time out to meditate? Get out with nature? (Taking a very obvious and simplistic look at it.)
 

Alissa

One purpose of mandalas, as I have been taught, is to realize they are not circles... they're portholes. If you know how to enter the circle, through meditation, you can go through the mandala. The doorway is the centerpoint. You have to learn how to walk through the door, mentally, though.

As such, this would seem to indicate this card holds "a world of possibilities," if you know how to use it.

Also, I am always getting the same message whenever I see the Wheel... "Once events are set in motion, we are often powerless to effect the outcome." Spin the wheel, take a chance.

And no, the card does not match most of the other cards in this deck. I remember when I first got this deck, I laid out every single card on the floor (Go AWAY dogs~!) so I could look at every picture all at once. Right away, you can pick out which ones "don't fit," either due to color scheme, or by artistic style. In my own opinion, I don't think this particular card was done by Vargo at all. This is a Filipak card (see Madame Endora's mazillion circles and *then* try denying it). Hence the incongruity to the eye in style, although as a card within the totality of the deck, I'm ok with it as a reader.
 

mercenary30

Wheel of Fortune

In each of the four corners of this card is a golden face of the Green Man. Growth coming around his face curls around like a fleur-de-lis. Two blood red circles, one inside the other make up the rim of the wheel. The axle is represented by a golden Celtic knot. Within the wheel are two golden dragons. Each of them is head to tail with the other and they are grabbing a hold of the other’s tail with the right claw. Their heads are turned to see behind them.

To me at first glance this card looked very oriental, but upon close inspection, I find there no eastern influence within this card what so ever. It is very Celtic/Druidic in nature. The golden dragons very much remind me of stores of Arthur; they were the symbol he carried on his standard. The way the dragons have hold of each others tail and yet look back seems a very stylized version of the snake swallowing its tail, a symbol of eternity. Onward and onward the wheel spins ever going forward, for the good or ill of all. Is that the Green Man in each corner, or is that Merlin?
 

annik

The two dragons are holding the other one. So they turn around, in a continual circle. It's may be an analogy but there is the Ouroubos serpent that could had replace the two dragons (in my opignon) but whoever had done the card decided otherwise.

Something is missing in that card. It isn't eery as many other cards. Even if the card is well done artistically, I feel cold looking at it (even if the meaning is quite clear).
 

Deidrui

Wheel of Fortune

http://eyes.iris.ne.jp/majyutsudo/image/monolith/tarot/10-wheel.gif

I see what many of you do. However, the Celtic knot work represents to me togetherness, the inner world, the circle around that represents our realm that we are now on. As for the dragons they are the ying and yang always in motion. The gods that are in the four corners maybe are the ones that are watching and listening.

Dragons also mean justice in alot of cultures.
 

Emeraldgirl

I agree that this card doesn't appear to fit in with the rest of the deck. When I first saw it I thought it to be very priental but now I see it as more Celitic. It brings to mind old wall hangings and tapastries in Dracula's castle.