The Archetype and The Tarot: The Saboteur and Wheel of Fortune

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The Saboteur Archetype

This is one of the archetypes (along with the Prostitute, the Child, and the Victim) that Caroline Myss calls a survival archetype. These are archetypes that we all relate with—and through—frequently. They are intimately tied up in our physical survival. Through them we deal with things like safety, integrity, independence and self-esteem.

At some level, we are all familiar with the idea of self-sabotage, those times when we (consciously or unconsciously) derail our own plans or stand in the way of our own best interests. It seems counterintuitive. Why would we do that to ourselves?

The Saboteur’s issues are related to an underlying fear of change. This is why self-sabotage so often comes in the form of repeating patterns and keeping ourselves stuck. Change can be scary. In many ways, the pattern of the Saboteur exists to protect us and is the perfect archetype for reminding us of the reason archetypes matter in the first place:

An archetype is a pattern that has power over us until we are conscious enough of it that we can reclaim our power of choice from it. This pattern of power will act for us until we see it for what it is and learn its language. It is then that we can come into a conscious relationship with it.

The light side of the Saboteur steps front and center and shouts, “Hey you! Nothing’s ever going to change if you do/feel/think that.” The Saboteur in the light empowers us to see our own patterns of self-sabotage so that we can make different choices. In fact, it is through the light side of the Saboteur that we can balance our fear of change with our power of choice.

The shadow Saboteur lives deep within us and whispers to our subconscious minds, telling us to make decisions that keep us in those familiar patterns, even if they’re not what’s ultimately best for us.

This week we’re being asked to bring our Saboteur into the light; to befriend this pattern and ask for its guidance as we learn to navigate between our fear of change and our desire for empowerment.

Some questions to consider this week:

• Do I let others make decisions for me?

• What am I willing to put up with so that I don’t have to experience change?

• Have I let creative opportunities pass me by?

• Have I experienced an idea that felt right at the soul level (if even for an instant), but then allowed thoughts about why it won’t work prevent me from taking action?

• Do I know the difference between self-care and self-sabotage?

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Wheel of Fortune

I could probably write an entire book about this card alone. There is a [fill in your preferred noun]load of symbolism on this card. In the center of the card, we have a wheel made of concentric circles with a snake going down one side, Anubis going up the other, and a sphinx sitting at the top. There are Hebrew letters (יהוה), Latin script letters (TARO) as well as alchemical symbols on the wheel. In the four corners of the card are a human, an eagle, a lion and a bull, which could represent the Christian tetramorph or the four fixed signs of the zodiac. In either case, to me, these four corners feel like anchors of stability while the wheel goes round and round.

Needless to say, there’s a lot going on in this card. But if I distill it down to its bare essence, I think it’s all about the cycles we experience; the ever-changing nature of life. There is an element of both fate and destiny here. While the turns of the wheel might be beyond our control, we can make certain choices to not merely be at the mercy of whatever comes next.

There is a quote often attributed to the Roman philosopher, Seneca, that fits this card wonderfully:

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

When the Wheel of Fortune comes up, I think we’re being called to do whatever is ours to do and then (here’s the important part) trust in Divine timing.

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How do these two work together?

This is a pairing that is almost shocking in its perfect alignment. In many ways, the Wheel of Fortune card is basically the tarot version of the Saboteur archetype.

When we allow the shadow Saboteur to run the show, their M.O. is to put the brakes on the wheel, which only means that cycle will need to begin all over again. But when we let the wheel turn, it can show us patterns within ourselves that we’d benefit from changing. It is then we can move through the cycles of our life to completion.

As always, let’s practice kindness with ourselves. This isn’t about pushing beyond our capacities, but about recognizing when our motivation is a fear of change. Know that you are not alone on this journey. I’m with you every step of the way. Let’s discuss how it goes in the comments below. ❤️

W&M A/T Mini Ritual Saboteur/Wheel Of Fortune

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