Fortune does not so much change men, as it unmasks them.
Madame Necker, née Suzanne Churchod (1737-1794)
After suddenly showing up as the opening Card of the Week for 2026, the Tarot is loud and clear that this is a very important hinge moment. For not only is it our initial weekly card, but the cyclical, magical Wheel of Fortune is the card for the year 2026.
As you may know from my many articles and classes on the topic (or if you were once upon a time in my Birthday Club), the numerology of your birthday or of a particular year relates to the Tarot. Specifically, this number would align with a Major Arcana card (although it is true that the Pips corresponding to that number are also significant).
This year, 2026, is 2+0+2+6, which equals 10 – The Wheel of Fortune.
Many numerologists might continue to reduce that number to 1 and some Tarot readers also feel that this should be recognized as a Magician Year.
I disagree, though.
For decades, I have used the system that the late Angeles Arrien created. She in turn taught it to the renowned Tarot scholar, Mary K. Greer, and it has become the standard for many, if not most, experienced Tarot teachers and practitioners.
The rule, therefore, is that the first Major Arcana card encountered when reducing the year’s number defines the year. And as you are certainly aware, the Tarot differs from many other oracles and divinatory tools in that it is a system that honors its long lineage of methodology and guidelines.
Therefore, there will be no Magician years until the year 10,000 C.E.
However, as Mary herself has reminded me, the numerological relationship between the 10 and the 1 in the Majors is important, as is the other card that is tied to this numerical “constellation,” namely, the 19. Thus, The Magician and The Sun may also have a role to play. (Keep reading!).
Using this respected system, we can learn about some general traits and patterns that can be anticipated for a given year.
The Solitary Path Gives Way
The first thing we may notice this year is that it will bring a major shift from last year, which was more inner-directed, when a feeling of introspection, reflection, and even dissociation prevailed. Certainly, after the terrible results of the American election, there was a lot of retreat, soul-searching, and hindsight examination.
And even the first days of the new administration last January seemed to point to more isolationist policies, with the party in power having run on the promise of ending U.S. involvement in foreign affairs and so-called “nation building.” (All the while threatening to “annex” Canada and Greenland).
But only twenty-five or so hours into this new year (Eastern time), air strikes began in Venezuela, with the U.S. declaring it would be “running” the country for the indefinite future. Suddenly, U.S. policy looks radically different.
Meanwhile, America has been turning its back on alliances and agreements that have been in place since WW2, aligning instead with some of the most regressive, anti-democratic nations in the world. How this plays out, as the Wheel of Fortune turns, remains to be seen.
Turning Points
Which confirms that a Wheel Year is likely to be a time of surprises. Look for past patterns, friends, and even enemies suddenly switching roles or popping up in unexpected ways. While such turnabouts may trigger a wave of nostalgia for the “good old days,” there will also be an equal push for growth that reaches towards the future.
In fact, the hallmark of a Wheel year is that it is a major turning point.
Everything that was once hidden, or not spoken of, becomes much more visible, while also transforming before our eyes. What’s up takes a fall downward. Other forces are suddenly on the ascendant.
Pay Attention to the Patterns
The most recent Wheel year was 2017, at the start of which the Convicted Felon’s first term began. That certainly brought radical setbacks rippling across the globe and an attack on core values that I, for one, assumed were as solid as bedrock: the rule of law, government accountability, the very principles of our Constitution, and basic decency to other humans.
But it wasn’t only happening in the United States. We also saw a sharp turn to the right in Europe that made it clear the old paradigm was not going to go quietly.
As dramatic as 2017 was, the previous Wheel of Fortune year rivaled it, but in sharp contrast. It was in 2008, when the economy crashed and Barack Obama was elected. He ran on a ticket of “Hope” and spent two terms working to undo the damage from George W. Bush’s perfidious, disastrous war.
Curious about the previous Wheel of Fortune year before 2008? It was the year 1900! It was the only Wheel of Fortune year in the 20th century.
There were only two in the 1800s and three in the 1700s.
So yes, Wheel years are big ones, with profound change at the heart of them. They often come in clusters that wane, disappear for considerable periods, and then re-emerge again.
Our current cycle, after that long pause during the 1900s, is 2008, 2017, 2026, 2035, 2044, 2053, 2062, 2071, and 2080. Can you see the pattern?
Then, after 2080, there is a gap until 2107. I believe this prolonged 21st century cluster is a harbinger of the extremely rapid and revolutionary crossroads that lie ahead for the human race.
While Wheel Years herald enormous societal shifts that, at the time, may feel Tower-like, they aren’t. The Wheel’s motion is cyclical, not like The Tower’s one-way crash. The Wheel of Fortune offers a patterning we can trust.
Nevertheless, my advice is to buckle up. This year’s ride on the Wheel of Fortune may spin faster and less smoothly than we would like, with even the occasional rude reversal.
Equanimity and Poise
And yet, while things are in flux, there is opportunity.
First and foremost, when events threaten to overwhelm us, it is critical that we step back. Ground. Reconnect: to the natural world, to your own sovereignty, and to each other. Find the still center within you, where your heart and your quiet, sacred Self dwell. That soul-self understands and anticipates the turning of the Wheel. In this calm, eternal place of Now, you can recognize where you are in its great arc and plan accordingly.
Just like in a game, you might see wondrous good fortune about to turn up. But if you interfere before it’s your move, you may lose your desired prize or even be disqualified. So patience and clarity bring rewards.
Similarly, as a supportive Guardian card, the Wheel of Fortune has a way of unmasking, not only various individuals, but their motives and their very way of life. We are given this cosmic moment in which to see our turning world as it truly is, from the context of timeless cycles and the eternal order of change.
The old saying goes that the only constant is change, and the winds of fortune are likely to seem fickle this year. But by stepping back and looking at the big picture, you may be able to glimpse where the pattern is taking us. That’s why, during this flux, opportunities will open that we may not see again for a very long time.
After 2025’s gift of assessing and considering what lessons we might absorb from our experiences, events now speed up. For better or worse, Fate seems to be at work. Beware of those who are trying to cheat at the Goddess Fortuna’s endeavors, for they can bring calamity upon us all. Hubris and treachery will out eventually because, whether you call it karma or simply coincidence, the Wheel is always turning towards balance.
Don’t forget that it is blessed by its family members, The Sun and The Magician. Good things are very possible for those who learn to be patient and trust the turning of Time. Want more reassurance? Next year is a Justice year, bringing the gift of divine rectification.
Thus, it is vital to do all you can to ensure that you are the change you wish to see in the world.
We are now dwelling in one of the biggest, fastest moments of transformation ever experienced by the human race. How humanity might roll with it has presented an existential crisis the likes of which have not been seen in many centuries, if ever.
We can observe how this global transfiguration is stripping away the artifice of many, revealing the true character of the people around us: the selfless heroes, the dedicated faithful, the inspirational guides, the cruel, the ignorant, and the opportunists. We can clearly see the predators who feed on fear, shadow, and lies. But it is revealed, too, that there are angels in our midst.
I believe you may be one of them. For I know that most of you reading this have been among those who have been working, mediating, praying, and activating the transitioning of our human race from many millennia of colonialism, plunder, misogyny, and violence. This may well be our year of make it or break it.
It is no accident that we have incarnated into a period that has been dubbed The Great Turning. We surely know we are witness to the end of an Age, and now all caring, awakened people are called upon to labor together to bring forth the birth of a new aeon for our species. The stakes could not be higher.
For those attuned to the cycles of sacred time, including our friends the wise astrologers who have long been discussing the current alignment of the planets and stars, a door now opens.
Although it may entail a big gamble and upheaval, be prepared to act quickly while fortune smiles.
How Might This Year Affect You Personally?
This is a powerful year for relocating, changing jobs, or making other life-altering choices. And it is a particularly favorable occasion for educational pursuits, publishing, and other kinds of communication, as well as initiating new projects. In this, you can see the influence of The Magician and The Sun at work.
There may be a sense of Providence taking a hand and a sense of gravity, even destiny, regarding many of your endeavors.
Now is the time to set goals, make a plan to fulfill your most important Life Dreams and other long-range arrangements, and visualizing the big picture before becoming caught up in the day-to-day details. With the Lunar New Year and Imbolc just around the corner, the moment is ideal.
This is a year when you will be able to trust luck, with fortune smiling — IF — you honor the life lessons you have learned so far and are true to your highest nature.
There are some golden opportunities coming, although they may need a lot of energy. And once again, if things get too hectic, be sure to take care of yourself, protecting your boundaries and finding ways to reconnect with your quiet center. The edges of a wheel are far more dizzying than the center.
Ultimately, the Wheel of Fortune demands that we set aside pettiness of all sorts and see things in a more universal manner. The future may well depend upon our clarity, our good will, and especially our participation. Each small act adds up. As long as we are committed to integrity and honesty, and, most of all, to act for the highest good of all, luck may be with us.
And for everything else, the wisdom of the Wheel of Fortune teaches that “this, too, shall pass.”
A Seven Card Wheel of Fortune Spread for 2026
Want to take a deeper look at what you can expect personally this year? Going back to my earlier reference to the “Tarot Constellation,” as Mary K. Greer calls the numerological family of cards that the Wheel of Fortune is a part of, here is a spread you might wish to try. I shared my own reading from it back in 2017, but this year, I invite you to pull your own cards and see what happens.
If you wish to discuss your results in my Luminous Sparks, you would be most welcome (but please don’t email them to me). Blessings and Happy New Year.
In loving memory of Bobby Weir
October 16, 1947 – January 10, 2026
Flight of the seabirds
Scattered like lost words
Wheel to the storm and fly…
Comments on this entry are closed.
Thank you so much for your clarity and wisdom in this post! I especially liked “Each small act adds up. As long as we are committed to integrity and honestly, and, most of all, to act for the highest good of all, luck may be with us.”
After such a week when many of us are likely feeling rather helpless, your words are a wonderful reminder that we’re not as helpless as we feel.
Thank you again!
It has been brutal. But when we trust the bigger picture and pull together, change can be more aligned with The Good. And remember we really do have agency.
Hugs, Aimee.
Beth, Wheel of Fortune blessings to you and this collective! This will be an interesting year for me as I am in a “Wheel of Fortune” trifecta until September🛞 I definitely will be wearing my seatbelt 👍
Yikes! I hope that on the personal level, the Wheel is actually fun and full of happy surprises for you.
Many of my own Wheel years have been.
But yes, please fasten your seatbelt, stow your tray table, and secure your carry-on items. ✈️ 💚
So card 2 and 3 are the Magician and Sun respectively? Or two cards that give more information about them?
Life is a gamble. Spin the wheel!
Indeed it is. May Lady Fortuna smile upon us all.
I really liked what you had to say. It appears to be an interesting time coming up. I HAVE A CONFUSION… being new to you, I had to go back and find your 2017 (which I did) but there are no pictures. So I’m not understanding how to do the layout spread. Do I take the Wheel, Sun and Magician OUT of the deck lay them down and put another card on top? Or do I understand that those cards are represented at those points and leave them in the deck and shuffle…. which means I can end up with The Wheel being in the Sun spot. Fallow? I’d appreciate clarity. Thank you so much for all you do and write. 🙂
Want to make sure you see I tried to answer you, Cattarina. If you still have questions, let me know.
Going to try and answer both Rose and Cattarina in one go…
The spread is 7 cards, and should be laid out as depicted in the image at the bottom of this page. I simply refer back to the 2017 article as an attempt (evidently, not a very good one!) to give more context to each position, but it’s really up to you. 🙂
1 is the Center card: what will be the basic nature of this year’s Wheel influence for you?
2 on the bottom left, labeled The Magician: What gifts or challenges come from The Magician, or in a typically Magician-like manner?
3 on the bottom right, labeled The Sun: What gifts or challenges come from The Sun’s influence (all vis à vis The Wheel Year)?
4 at the 11 o’clock position of the spread: What influence/situation/energy/person is growing more important during this year for you?
5 at the noon position: What is peaking, at the height of its influence now for you? Especially after a climb to that zenith of importance?
6 at the 1 o’clock position: What has culminated and is now on its way out? It may still be important, but over the year, you will see it diminish.
7 at the 6 o’clock position: What is no longer in view, either having completed, or else still stirring below the surface. Perhaps it is something in the Underworld, that is awaiting new life.
Does this help? Let me know, and thanks for asking.
Thanks so much! That really helps
Oh, good! So glad to know it and thanks again, Rose!
Thank you for yet another insightful post, Beth. Thank you also for the detailed explanation of the spread in response to Rose’s and Cattarina’s questions – I had similar questions & appreciate the elaboration!
A scary but encouraging card. Scary, because of the human tendency to want things to either stay the same or to go back to the “good old days” (which may or may not have been as good as we perceive them through rose-colored glasses). The current situation in the US is untenable right now, but rather than return to life as it was prior to this administration, the Wheel is reminding us that we need to move forward. Encouraging, because we are reminded that this is the natural order of things, that nothing remains the same indefinitely.
Many of our institutions are far less independent of politics than we may have led ourselves to believe. The Justice Department is all about loyalty to the president rather than the law. ICE agents act violently and with disregard to warrants and rights to prompt legal representation. It’s ok to riot at the capital because a pardon will be forthcoming. The military carries out orders to kidnap political leaders of other countries without a ruling by Congress.
Change could come in various forms. One possible form of change would be for the next president and legislature to restructure many of our institutions to give less authority to one individual and give more influence to the legislature or other forms of oversight (which would require a president with enough integrity to say “we need to limit presidential power” not “there’s precedent so I can be a dictator too!”). Another possible form of change would be for us to evolve to a higher degree of federalism – and some states would fare better than others if that happened. Those are just examples; there are many other forms of change possible. My point is just that the US could potentially look very different a decade from now, one way or another. Dramatic changes always require a lot of growing pains, and the adjustment period can be very rough – but the Wheel reminds us that periods of dramatic change are both necessary and inevitable.
I think one very practical implication of the Wheel as the card of the year is that we all need to invest a great deal of effort into educating ourselves about candidates for legislature and ultimately the next presidential election to identify & support those who are committed to bringing about whatever type of change each of us believes to be for the best for all of us *in the long run*.
There is great wisdom in this, my Owl sister! Thank you for this careful analysis.
I believe you are absolutely correct that dramatic change is underway, and yes, for better or worse, ten years from now, our country is likely to look very, very different. Probably our world, as well.
I wish you could be on some kind of advisory committee for whoever we elect to clean up this mess. Or maybe the leader herself! Your vision is so clear and powerful and so much what we need.
Thank you!
So helpful. As always, thank you for your insights.
Thank you, dear Sarah. It is a joy to see you. Happy New Year.
The word I chose to work with this year? CLARITY!! I love it when that happens. I am intrigued by the reading, I will let you know if I decide to try it! xoxoxo
Oooo! I really like that one. Well done, April! May it be so!
Thank you Beth for this beautiful essay.
I pulled the tarot spread you offered. I was delighted to see the WORLD in the center. She/I am in the center, dancing with magic wands, grounding in the center of the wheel. Card 2, the Magician’s gift comes in the form of much appreciated STRENGTH. Card 3, the Sun’s offering, is 3 wands… the Lord of virtue encouraging patience and taking the long view. But the most curious bit is card 4, the DEVIL, card 5, 10 swords (ouch!), and card 6, the HIEROPHANT. Those 3 cards around the top all have a hand making a similar sign/blessing/benediction… how interesting.
May this year treat you kindly and all surprises be welcome ones. Love!
Wow. This is a fascinating reading. And what a powerful synchronicity that our card for this week is the Ten of Swords. Ouch is right, but also – a liberation that might be very important. Certainly an ending, falling between the Devil and the Hierophant!
I wish we could sit down together over a cup of tea and discuss. But I am grateful to you for sharing this. 🙏🏻
Anyone else reading this have any suggestions/insights to offer for Amie’s powerful reading?
Thank you as always, Beth. I found myself double taking at this one.
1: The Sun
2: 5 of Pentacles
3: 6 of Swords
4: Ace of Wands
5: Wheel of Fortune
6: The Magician
7: 4 of Pentacles
An interesting line up!
Wowie-zowie, Erinn! And look how interestingly it aligns with Amie’s reading, too. The Wheel in that zenith position makes it pretty loud and clear, doesn’t it?
I’d love to know your thoughts on how the 5 of Pentacles and the 6 of Swords apply as the gifts of Magician and Sun… do you know where they are showing up in your life? And what creative, potentially enriching collaboration is simmering below the surface?
May it all be a wonderful gift as you roll through this year’s changes…
Here is our spread for the Wheel of Fortune Year:
Wheel of Fortune: Knight of Wands
The Magician: Eight of Pentacles
The Sun: Page of Pentacles
Ascending: Death
The Zenith: Tower
Passing away, not yet gone: Nine of Pentacles
No longer visible: Nine of Cups
After studying this spread and analyzing each card, we came up with this:
Since we are more worried about the state of the country right now than we are about our own year ahead, we interpreted this from the country’s point of view.
If we maintain the energy, passion, focus and hard work of the resistance, the people in power will fall and we can envision and build something new. Something that benefits all, not just the wealthy, who’s influence will be on the wane.
Ivy I like your idea for the world! “If we maintain the energy, passion, focus and hard work of the resistance, the people in power will fall and we can envision and build something new. Something that benefits all, not just the wealthy, who’s influence will be on the wane.”
1. 10 of Cups
2. Ace of Cups
3. 4 of Cups
4. 6 of Swords
5. 10 of Wands
6. 3 of Wands
7. 7 of Wands
The Cups are welcome after this past year filled with illness, two surgeries, family issues, and spreading fascism. The 6 of Swords is worrisome, but to be expected, I suppose, with my slow health recovery and the general uncertainty in the world. I don’t know what to make of the Wands (that feel like Clubs right now–feeling so beaten down).
While contemplating this spread I was fidgeting with the deck, split it, and turned up the Wheel of Fortune!