The Chariot Tarot Card Meaning

The Chariot tarot card symbolism

The Chariot is the seventh card of the Major Arcana. After the decision made in the Lovers, it is time to set out after that choice and make it real in the world. Seven is the number of the seven classical planets and the seven days of the week; it suggests an effort carried through to completion and the victory that follows.

In Pamela Colman Smith's drawing a young warrior in armor stands in a cube-shaped chariot of stone. An eight-pointed star shines on his crown, and two crescent moons with faces rest on his shoulders; Waite calls them the Urim and Thummim. A square is set on his breastplate and he holds a wand in his right hand. Above him hangs a canopy embroidered with stars, a vault of heaven over his head. A winged sun disk marks the front of the chariot. It is drawn not by horses but by two sphinxes, one black and one white, both lying down, their gazes drifting in different directions. The most striking detail: the warrior holds no reins. He steers these two opposing forces by will, not by straps. Behind him, across a river, stands a walled city, the safe ground he has left behind.

The Chariot upright meaning

The upright Chariot shows progress won through determination. It describes a mind locked on a goal that does not turn back at the first obstacle. This card praises action over waiting: sending the application, preparing for the exam, carrying an unfinished project all the way to the end.

Victory does not come by itself, though. You have to turn your conflicting desires, like the two sphinxes, in the same direction. Part of you may want to stay safe while another part wants to charge ahead; the Chariot shows the focus that can carry both. In competitive situations such as an exam, a contest or a negotiation, it can point to success. Concrete movement, such as travel, a relocation or a new vehicle, is also associated with this card.

The Chariot reversed meaning

The reversed Chariot describes willpower that has lost its direction. The sphinxes pull different ways and the chariot spins in place. Chasing too many goals at once, starting and abandoning, or forgetting why you set out in the first place are the themes here.

At the other extreme sits excessive control: forcing everything your way, running over the people around you as you advance, a battle driven by anger. Sometimes the reversed card shows an outside obstacle or delay slowing you down. In every case the remedy is similar: stop, redraw your route, then set out again.

The Chariot in love and relationships

In love the Chariot shows determination to move a relationship forward. Managing a long-distance relationship, overcoming an outside obstacle such as family objections together, or moving in under one roof can all be read here. If you are single, it can describe meeting someone while you are busy pursuing your own goals, on a course or a trip, for instance.

Reversed, a picture may emerge of two people pulling in different directions, or one partner trying to steer the relationship alone. Career ambition may be pushing the relationship into the background. Talking about where the two of you are headed, rather than who is winning, eases the bond.

The Chariot in work and money

In your career the Chariot points to a period when effort and focus pay off. Stepping forward for a promotion, delivering a demanding project on time, or claiming a place in a competitive market are its territory. It says disciplined work can bring concrete results, as long as you move forward without scattering yourself and with your priorities clear.

With money the card supports a goal-oriented approach: saving a set amount by a set date, or paying off a debt according to a plan. Reversed, be cautious about hasty decisions, risks taken out of a hunger to win, and investments spread across too many places at once.

The Chariot: astrology and element

In the Golden Dawn system the Chariot belongs to Cancer, the element of water and the Hebrew letter Cheth, meaning "fence" or "enclosure." That can seem surprising at first: how does an armored warrior fit homely, emotional Cancer? The answer is the shell. Cancer protects its soft interior with hard armor; the warrior's armor and the stone chariot are images of that same protective shell. Cheth's fence describes the protected space as well.

Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and the crescents on the warrior's shoulders show the link. Water describes the emotional motivation beneath willpower: people most often fight to protect their home and those they love. Those with Cancer or the fourth house emphasized in the birth chart may recognize this emotional resolve.

The Chariot: advice

• Write your goal in a single sentence and clear away tasks that do not serve it.
• Instead of suppressing conflicting desires, look for a way to turn them in one direction.
• Do not leave the people beside you behind; share your plan with them too.
• When you lose direction, do not be afraid to stop; redrawing the route is also progress.