The Wheel of Fortune represents the cycles of life, the seasons of the year.  It is the 10th Major Arcana card.  When it appears in a reading it often indicates a major change in circumstances brought about by outside influences.  This card suggests that an understanding of life's cycles and a willing to accept changes may be beneficial.  The Wheel of Fortune reinforces the idea that sometimes things happen as part of the natural cycle of life.  This card represents major changes in one's life, a life altering shift.  

"Positive:  Everything possible has been done, by you or by others, to set things in motion, so you need not push yourself any harder.  Simply relax and wait to see what the Universe sends in response.
Upright:  You've set events in motion in a concrete, observable way.  You have actually sent a letter, called someone, or made travel reservations.  You've done something in the real world, to get things started." - Gail Fairfield

Again a message of change and life cycles.  As Blood, Sweat and Tears once sang "What goes up, must come down.  Spinning wheel, spinning round."  Actually right now I'm not 100% sure whether I'm on an upswing or a downturn.  The Gaian Wheel shows the cycles of the Moon and the seasons.  On the Sacred Rose, a red jackal-headed figure seems to be spinning the wheel.  He looks like he's grinning at the changes he causes.  Perhaps he's more of a coyote/trickster than a jackal.  The changes he causes may ultimately prove to be for the best but change is often a scary prospect for all of us.

It's especially appropriate because this is an area I've always resisted.  Even when I enjoy the benefits, I really detest change.  Part of that is because I often feel that the changes are for the worse.  The changes in my neighborhood may have created a more tourist friendly environment but it destroyed heart of a true community.  Even looking at human "progress" it's easy to see the bad that came along with these changes.  Medical science has reached a point where physical life can be prolonged long after mental processes have ceased.  The increase in antibiotics has created a crop of new super-germs that are resistant to them.  Bio-engineered produce and the industrialization of  food production has resulted in mutated pests, ill animals and probably created some of the health challenges faced by many of us today.  I could go on endlessly but the point is that even seemingly positive change is often not without its dark side.  My challenge is that I often focus on the dark side.

On the other hand, I love cycles.  I love watching the seasons change every year.  I enjoy the different climates, different flora and fauna.  I love how the fragrance in the air changes according to the time of year.  I revel in the changing colors of the leaves and flowers that burst forth.  I realize that we cycle through changes.  In fact that is often how I deal with political and economic changes.  When the Republicans are in power, I take comfort in the fact that eventually that will change.  When the economy is booming, I try to save something in anticipation of rough times down the road.

Maybe that is what I ultimately need to focus on today.  Change is part of the cycle.  Things that I may not like right now will change.  The lesson I need to focus on right now is that I have to remember that there are cycles to everything, even my life.  And if part of the cycle is difficult or challenging, that's okay because it will soon change.