Tarot on a Tangent - Moving At The Speed Of Love With The Chariot Podcast by Psychic Flora

The Chariot Meaning

The Chariot is card number 7 in the tarot’s Major Arcana. As a card of victory through action, The Chariot is associated with speed, agility, determination, and triumph. The Chariot reminds us that our innermost truths are also our most sustainable sources of fuel. We’ve all heard the term “at the speed of light” but what about “at the speed of love”? This is the guiding principle at work in the Chariot tarot. 

The Chariot: Astrological Correspondences 

The Chariot card corresponds with the zodiac sign Cancer. Cancer is the cardinal water sign who is ruled by the moon and governs the 4th House in astrology. This correspondence emphasizes themes of intuition, home, our inner world, and emotional connection. This astrological correspondence may challenge those early in their tarot study, as The Chariot is a card of victory through action. However, as we sit with the energies and motivating forces at play, we begin to understand the sign of Cancer’s role in the success of our charioteer. Cancer’s symbol is a crab. Crabs protect their soft inner nature with protective shells, metaphorically carrying “home” with them everywhere they go. Through strong roots to our intuitive and emotional homes, our hearts can signal to us what is worth moving toward.

The Chariot: Numerology

As Major Arcana #7 The Chariot governs each of the four 7 cards within the Minor arcana. In tarot numerology, think of the sevens as initiations. They represent choices that we are faced with before we are able to move forward. The Chariot as their ruling major reminds us to go inward, honor the full spectrum of your emotions and experiences, apply balanced hindsight when selecting how to move forward in alignment with your authentic self, and then move toward your decision at the speed of love.

The Chariot Imagery and Symbolism

In the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith depiction, we see an armed charioteer holding a staff and wearing a crown made from laurel branches and an eight-pointed star.  

The person’s armor is blue and yellow, featuring a square at the center of the breastplate and a crescent moon on each shoulder. The charioteer also stands beneath a blue textile canopy of stars in front of a bright yellow sky. These recurring themes of blue and yellow are symbolic of the combination of logic and emotion present in this card. Yellow represents the direction east and the element of air, corresponding to the realm of intellect, logic, and the mind. Blue represents the direction west and the element of water, corresponding to the unconscious realm, emotions, and intuition.  

The vehicle featured in The Chariot card carries a winged crest with the Hindu symbol of the Lingam-Yoni within it. The Lingam-Yoni is a religious symbol used to symbolize the union of the gods Shiva and Parvati in Hinduism, representing the integration of solar (or “masculine”) and lunar (or “feminine”) forces in creation. It is drawn by one black sphinx and one white sphinx, once again alluding to the solar and lunar energetic integration taking place within The Chariot card.  

We can also find corresponding symbols for major arcana cards 1-6, imagining our Charioteer as major arcana 0. Major arcana 0, or The Fool, is the spirit evolving throughout the Hero’s Journey that is the major arcana. 

The Chariot: Symbol Index for Major Arcana Cards 1-6 Inside of Major Arcana 7

• The Charioteer’s Staff: Major Arcana 1, The Magician
• Crescent Moon Shoulder Armor: Major Arcana 2, The High Priestess
• Canopy of Stars: Major Arcana 3, The Empress
• The Square on the Breastplate: Major Arcana 4, The Emperor
• The Chariot Itself: Major Arcana 5, The Hierophant
• The Black and White Sphinxes and Lingam-Yoni: Major Arcana 6, The Lover

Working With The Chariot Archetype

In addition to being an accessible divination tool, the tarot provides us with 78 energetic prompts to work with while on our spiritual journeys. Call on The Chariot when you feel a sense of momentum building in your instinctual realms. Allow your growing understanding of the symbols within The Chariot card to communicate through their correspondences and fortify your approach for moving forward. Meditating with The Chariot card before embarking on literal or metaphorical journeys can help us to manifest a swift and successful experience. The Chariot is also a potent journaling prompt when exploring potential paths forward.

Some examples of how to use The Chariot as a journaling prompt for self-reflection are listed below. 

• How do I integrate my cumulative experiences while moving toward my goals?
• How do I center the truths of my inner world while setting intentions in the outside world?
• If love could fill your metaphorical gas tank, what parts of your life would generate the most fuel? 
• How can you center the above-mentioned parts of life on your path forward to ensure sustainable conditions and a successful outcome?
• Do my acts of free will reflect my desired destiny? 
• How do I carry the sensation of home with me throughout my pursuits?
• Evaluate your inner and outer environments. Are they nice places to be? If one is particularly more hospitable than the other, consider how you may balance these facets of your life when setting intentions for moving forward.  

The Chariot Guided Meditation 

Now let’s take a deep dive into the meaning and symbolism of The Chariot in this guided meditation. In this meditation (found at the top of this article), you are the charioteer, on your journey through the Major Arcana. Allow yourself to move into a meditative state as we explore the power of The Chariot in your life.