The Chariot

Willpower, and the drive to move forward.

The picture

A young man in armour stands in a chariot under a canopy of stars. He wears a crown with a star on it and crescent moons on his shoulders, and he holds a wand in his right hand. He has no reins. Before the chariot sit two sphinxes, one black and one white. A winged disc is carved on the front of the chariot. Behind him lies a walled city with towers, and a river runs between the city and the chariot.

Upright

After the choice of the Lovers comes the Chariot: the decision is made, and now you go.

Look again at the charioteer. He has no reins. The two sphinxes, one black and one white, would pull in different directions if he let them, and he holds them together with nothing but his will. That is the teaching of this card. Success comes from focus, from knowing where you are going and keeping everything pointed that way.

Cancer rules the Chariot, which surprises people. Cancer is the crab, with a hard shell and a soft inside. The armour is his shell. Underneath is someone who cares very much about getting home. When the Chariot turns up, you have the strength to win this. Hold your line.

Reversed

Reversed, the Chariot is most often blocked. The will is there and the wheels are stuck, or the two sphinxes are pulling apart and you are going nowhere. It can also be too much: pushing so hard you run over people, control for the sake of it, winning at any cost.

To tell which, look at your progress and at the people around you. If you are going nowhere, the card is blocked, and it asks you to decide which way you are going and drop the other. If you are going fast and leaving damage behind you, ease off a little.

When it turns up

If both of your sphinxes pulled the same way, where would you be going?

If you would like the cards read against your own chart, my readings are here.

Related pages
The Number 7 · The Chariot as a Birth Card · The Twenty Two Paths