This card usually depicts a chariot (though in many modern style decks that is swapped out for a more current, fast-moving vehicle) coming at the viewer head-on. It is typically being pulled by two creatures (horses are the most common ones), with one black and one white steed. The driver usually appears quite determined, and often looks ready for battle.
There is nothing subtle about this card. Its energy screams go, go, go! Like the Fool, the figure in the Chariot is ready to set out towards new places, but the charioteer has a definite goal in mind and is relentless in its pursuit of it. Alexander Hamilton from the play Hamilton is a good example of the driven energy behind this card. When the Chariot appears in a reading, all signs are good to push forward—hard, if possible—towards your goals and aspirations. The road is clear, you just need the will to travel it.
The Chariot Upright Keywords: Speed, thrust, drive, victory, determination
Oh, the frustration of going nowhere fast! Whatever it was you thought was your ride to someplace better has stalled. The frustration the main characters feel in the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles where every new mode of transportation seems to be another opportunity for chaos to ensue sums up the mood of the Chariot reversed. When this card comes up in a reading, be on the lookout for obstacles that can slow you down. Also, check-in with yourself to see that the pressure of moving so fast isn’t getting to you. There is no point in pushing forward so hard that you are a wreck when you get to your destination.
The Chariot Reversed Keywords: Obstacles, delays, poor planning, loss of momentum, overwhelmed by pressure
