The Chariot
7
Rules: Cancer
Exaltation: Jupiter
Planetary Association: Moon
Color: Orange-Yellow
As a Yes or No question: Yes
Upright: Control, Direction, Solo, Guide, Leader, Driver, Victory, Insight, Success, Perseverance, Balance, Winning, Fortitude, Gravity, Achievement, Goals Obtained, Success, Inner Duality, Between Two Worlds, Contradictions, Armor, Battles, Sun and Moon, Balance, Order, Determination
Reversed: Lack of Direction, Opposites, Moving Forward Without a Plan, Misguidance, Tunnel Vision, Off Balance, Lack of Willpower, Lack of Control, Poor Guidance, Bad Advice
The Chariot Symbolism
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 breastplate 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 rising 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 by planting the right seeds into our subconscious mind. This is when we have true mastery over the reins of the sphinxes.
The Chariot Upright Summary
The Chariot is all about control. Be aware of your emotions, and how you’re projecting them to the outside world. Rein those emotions in, before they get out of control (a clear indication of why the Chariot is connected to Cancers amirite?). 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. 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. Remember that we can only ever change yourself, not others, to get what we want in life. Lead yourself to victory- don’t rely on others to do it for you.
Past
The Chariot in the Past position represents a past victory or success that is currently carrying you. You have to look to new horizons while maintaining the current balance. You may have started a new job or graduated from a new class recently. The aim is to look at your achievement, learn from them, and think about where to go.
Present
The Chariot in the present position shows that you are about to, or are currently in the process of achieving something. You could be in the application process for a job you’ll eventually get, or learn a great deal from. The Prince has a Neutral look on his face. Though achieving, there is always a greater goal.
Future
The Chariot in the future position gives you something to look forward to. Are you just laying the groundwork for a new project? It is at its strongest when in the future position. Just be sure to be yourself. Working alone, in fact, might be good for you.
Reversed Summary
In reverse, the Chariot is all about losing control. 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 a super literal interpretation, losing control of the situation can represent a car crash. Unlikely, but not impossible- especially if going on a trip.
A Song for the Chariot
Cover Art provided from Weird Cat Tarot