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Unlock the Mysteries of the Chariot
The Chariot Tarot Card
Lord of Triumph of Light
Rules: Cancer
Exaltation: Jupiter
Planet: Moon
Hebrew Letter: Cheth
Color: Orange-Yellow
Musical Note: D-sharp or E-flat
Description and Symbolism
Esoteric Symbolism Embedded in the Chariot
The chariot driver looks like he is holding the reins of two sphinxes, but if we look closely, we can see that his sphinxes are not harnessed. The driver uses his mind and mental capacity to control the sphinxes. This reflects mastery over a situation and your own life.
His suit of armor reflects the crab. His breast plate looks like the breast of a crab and the shields on his arms look like shells. He has two crescent moons on his shoulders with blue faces carved into them, which makes us think of the man in the moon. There are stars all around him and they make up the crown that he wears. There are stars on his caravan’s roof. The stars connect him to extraterrestrials, intuition, and psychic ability. This is a wonderful placement for an astrologer or anyone interested in learning about astrology and the cycles of the moon. He also wears a laurel wreath, which symbolizes victory. He is a victorious man who is in control of his sphinxes, his emotions, his battles and his world.
On the front of his chariot is a spinning top that looks to be in perfect balance. Above the red top are blue wings with a circle in the middle of them. This symbolizes balance and mastery. If you are going to balance two opposing forces, such as the black and white sphinxes, you will need to be able to balance your mind, emotions and body. The sphinxes are also depicted with wings and when you have mastered this, you will become like the sphinxes, burning to ash and arising again as a new person.
He stands against a yellow background. Yellow symbolizing power and intellect. His stability and power create mastery over the physical domain.
The two sphinxes represent the duality of the charioteer. Just like this card rules the astrological sign of cancer, this charioteer has an inner duality that they need to conquer. Like a crab, this person can go from land to water easily. They are adaptable.
The sphinxes are colored opposite colors to represent we have different senses that we need our mind to control. Just like cancer rules the Chariot and our emotions can rule our conscious choices. But we can make a conscious choice to control our emotions through planting the right seeds into our subconscious mind. This is when we have true mastery over the reins of the sphinxes.
The sphinxes can also be thought of as the subconscious mind and the conscious mind. The driver is you, your personality, your spirit. The actual chariot is your body that you inhabit. When you combine the chariot (the vehicle) and the man, you have the Divine One Will or superconsciousness which works above and within both the subconscious and conscious mind.
The function of speech has been assigned to the Chariot. What you think and say have a great deal to do with how you control your own life. Once you master the proper words to use, you can have mastery over your own world. If you say, “I am powerful,” then, of course you are powerful, but if you use words such as “I am just a weak girl because of…blank (fill in all the victim roles that people play out)” then that is what you are and will become further.
What we are really left with is the physical manifestation of Key 6, the Lovers card. Something to meditate on, eh? 😉
Interpretation and Divination
The Essence of the Chariot
The Chariot asks you to be aware of your emotions and rein them in. Be in control of who you are and where you are going. Don’t let your emotions over take you. Use your fears and emotions constructively. Don’t let go of the horse’s reins. Use them to steer you in the right direction. Victory will be yours through discipline and confidence.
But you have to arm yourself before battle. Take control of the horses, control the chariot, suit yourself with armor and gather your weapons. Once you have everything in order do not waiver.
The man holds reins over two sphinxes, but he doesn’t look like he is physically controlling them. Where are the actual reins? This card is a lot about controlling a situation through your mind. Once you have control over your mind, you can have control over your emotions more easily.
The Chariot is in control and quite determined of their short-term goals. These short-term goals should be aligned with a longer strategy. If we line up all major arcana in rows of seven, the world is the last card. The World is the long-term goal. The power of the word is highlighted. Knowing when to speak and what words to use become easy. You may be in a position where you are hosting a party, cooking meals and nurturing children. The power of speech and the right words becomes paramount.
Chariot in Love Readings
Understanding the Chariot in Romance
The Chariot is not a great indicator for a new relationship. The person could be very focused on you, but not for the right reasons. (See interpretations for a reversed or ill-dignified Chariot in love).
In love, the Chariot indicates that they have their guard up. This is actually a very sensitive position because of the Cancerian nature of the card. They may have been extremely hurt in the past and are guarded when it comes to relationships and love. They will need tender, love and care before committing to a relationship.
If you are already in a relationship, it may not be going the way you want because your partner is focused on work or is traveling constantly.
The Chariot as Feelings
Emotional Insights of the Chariot
You may be feeling guarded, but in a good protective way. Sometimes it is natural part of life in order to focus. Typically, people want to know how a love interest feels about them. If the Chariot comes up as feelings for a love interest, you may not get anywhere with them because they are feeling guarded, protective and self-assured. They know what they want and it is extremely possible that they are not interested in you. If we look closely, we can see the breast plate of the Charioteer is protecting his heart. This is a key symbolism to the card. To ensure that he gets his mission completed, he does not have any time to feel anything romantic. In fact, he is probably feeling willful, self-assured and resolved.
The Chariot as an Archetype in the Tarot
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Chariot as Advice
The Chariot advises you to set goals and complete them. Even if you have a larger goal in mind, break down your goal into tiers or mini-goals. Don’t let anything get in your way when you are focusing on completing each goal.
Completion, goals setting and focus are key reminders when the Chariot comes up in the advice spot during a tarot reading.
If you must come into conflict with yourself, another person or another idea, remember that you cannot have peace without a war. Reconcile these differences to create equilibrium.
As advice the Chariot suggests that you listen to your own inner voice, which is the still voice of the One Universal Spirit, who guides us all. Do not stray from the path that was set out before you. Once you realize that there is only One Will, One Holy Spirit guiding you, then you can begin to work in harmony with all that is around you in the matrix of this world that was designed before you came into this body.
The Chariot in Career
The Chariot is a good career card. You are focused and driven to succeed. I can indicate a career in the military, especially if combined with the Emperor. Any career where you are reconciling differences or working on your own are also good. The chariot is supposed to represent our actual bodies. Hence, we are drivers in our own tabernacle (body). Any profession where you are in control, seeking mastery, or adaptation.
Since we are discussing the Chariot as a representation of our actual bodies, I want to point out that anything to do with the body is something the Chariot represents. It may not seem so at first glance, but nutritionist, chef, expo, and even a mother who loves cooking organic, fresh meals for her family. A farmer or anyone who runs a co-op that produces sustainable foods. The Chariot is a humanitarian type of individual, so whatever is good for the body and the Earth make good careers. A diplomat, peace corps, or working in a soup kitchen feeding the poor and hungry.
The Chariot in Health
Eating disorders are the main cause of the Chariot’s health issues. Weight fluctuations can be seen with the tendency to gain and lose weight rapidly. This is usually true in most people whose astrological sign governs Cancer. You can see that little bit of balance on the Chariot (the actual vehicle). The biggest issue in health is balancing their weight. Anything to do with the stomach or chest area. Ulcers can develop if one has the tendency to worry over every little detail. These health issues are easily solvable if a person can balance their mind and body. Meditation does wonders for people who take Tarot seriously.
Chariot Professions
Chauffeur. Driver. Warrior. Soldier. Airline Pilot. Aeronautical. Extraterrestrial. Policeman. Security. Health Inspector. Equestrian. Chemist. Mathematician. Cook. Nutritionist. Diplomat. Peace Corps. Humanitarian.
The Chariot Reversed
Often indicates that you lose control of a situation. For the very, very literal interpretation, it can indicate a car accident or misfortune with your car.
A person who is signaled by the reversed Chariot could be misguided and misdirected. They may have wishy-washy feelings and cannot make a firm commitment or decision. They end up collecting people and things because of their insecurities. These things become their protective shell to the real person inside of them. They deny their personality, so the things and people they collect become a representation of who they are.
In love, the reversed Chariot signals a warning sign to the querent. Obsessions general take place with the need to collect beautiful men or women. The love interest will be extremely possessive of their beau to the point of controlling their every move, who they can be friends with and what they can do with their money. They see nothing else but either money in the love interest or beauty. This placement can come up for a man who wants a trophy wife or girlfriend, but has little interest in her intellect, besides perhaps, her cooking abilities. This can also be the case for a wealthy woman, who wants a beautiful man in her life. Beware of ulterior motives in the person, for they keep a wall up that is not breachable until too late and your bank account is dry. Control, obsessions, possessiveness and essential a con-artist poising as someone who they are not.
When they don’t get their way, prepare for a sideways, passive aggressive attack. They may cut you off from sex, love, or food. They can be moody and have brooding behavior all to win back the favor of the spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend. I really want to stress and caution the reversed Chariot in a love reading. Even upright, it’s not exactly favorable, but reversed or ill-dignified it can signal an invasion, a con, a play, a ploy and extreme underhanded behavior.
Beware also of psychic prediction that will tell you what you want to hear. Tarot is a useful tool for those who use it wisely.
Sometimes a reversed reading will indicate a person who has tunnel vision and is so focused on their goals that they don’t see anything else around them.
The Chariot is also the placement for the astrological sign of Cancer. Cancerian’s rule the breasts/chest, stomach, and solar plexus. There could be a tendency to over eat if in a stressful position.
The Chariot Tarot Combinations
The Chariot and High Priestess
a. Controlling your secrets
b. Romance: She controls you by keeping you at a distance
The Chariot and Hanged Man
a. A person who has very little control over their life.
Chariot and Death
a. Could indicate a soldier who dies in battle
Chariot and Tower
a. Could indicate a fatal car accident.
The Chariot and Knight of Swords
a. It can indicate a soldier, war or someone who rushes towards battle.
Chariot and Two of Cups
a. Success in business and the signing of contracts.
Chariot and Seven of Cups
a. Focusing on all the tasks you need to get done
Chariot and Queen of Cups
a. A very sensitive and caring mother who is often torn between two children
b. Trying not to cry at a sad movie or other emotional event
Chariot and Five of Pentacles
a. Working with charity or poverty
b. Helping to eliminate poverty
Chariot and Seven of Pentacles
a. Tax attorney or auditor
b. Waiting in the car
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