The Chariot - Meaning of The Chariot Card in Tarot Cards

The title for The Chariot Tarot card is, ‘The Child of the Powers of the Waters, the Lord of the Triumph of Light’. The image that can be seen on the card is that of a young and holy king under the starry canopy. The Chariot Tarot card is a symbol of the spirit of man controlling the lower principles, soul and body, and thus passing triumphantly through the astral plane, rising above the clouds of illusion and penetrating to the higher spheres. The colours that can be related to this card are amber, silver grey, blue grey and deep blue violet. It is the sublimation of Psyche. Other things that can be related to The Chariot Tarot card are triumph, victory, health and success which may or may not be stable and enduring.

The Chariot Tarot card can be closely related with travel, change and movement. The Chariot is all about control just like the driver who is in charge of the horses pulling the chariot. The Chariot is about getting us to where we want to go, and in this context, it follows naturally from the choices made in the Lovers card. In order to travel at speed, we are generally sitting down or immobile in a protective chamber which moves faster than we can walk or run. This chamber protects us from the elements. A static chamber can be a room or house, where we feel safe and protected. When the Chariot goes wrong, there is an inability to take control of life, it leads us rather than the other way round. Travel plans go wrong. We can not go where we want to.

The appearance of The Chariot Tart card can be explained in the following words. An erect and princely figure carrying a drawn sword and corresponding, broadly speaking, to the traditional description which I have given in the first part. On the shoulders of the victorious hero are supposed to be the Urim and Thummim. He has led captivity captive, he is conquest on all planes, in the mind, in science, in progress, in certain trials of initiation.He is above all things triumph in the mind.

It is to be understood for this reason that the meaning of this card is concerned with a Mystery of Nature and not of the world of Grace, to which the charioteer could offer no answer. Secondly, the planes of his conquest are manifest or external and not within himself. The liberation which he effects may leave himself in the bondage of the logical understanding. The tests of initiation through which he has passed in triumph are to be understood physically or rationally and if he came to the pillars of that Temple between which the High Priestess is seated, he could not open the scroll called Tora, nor if she questioned him could he answer.

The Chariot Tarot card can be closely related with succour, providence, warm triumph, presumption, vengeance and trouble. The Chariot Tarot card is not hereditary royalty and not even priesthood. Sometimes, this card can also be related to riots, unrest, battle, fight, combat, arrogance, haughtiness, vanity, false glory, pomp, ostentation, daring, temerity, violence, disorder, anger, injury and abuse.