The Chariot

Life does not stand still. When the Seventh Arcana appears, everything changes by leaps and bounds. This card represents a massive leap forward, the overcoming of obstacles, and a confident breakthrough. Through it, one finds their second and third wind at any distance.

Under The Chariot, we can dare to do what we were afraid to even think about, making giant breakthroughs in both our work and personal lives. All enemies are defeated, all intentions are realized, and nothing stands in the way of success. If the querent is weighed down by a certain problem, The Chariot appearing in a spread indicates that the first step towards liberation and resolving this situation has already been taken. It can also indicate that something familiar and customary has been left behind; now, the person is filled with determination and courage, ready to enter a new stage of life and discover a new world. The one who draws The Chariot is usually overflowing with energy, enthusiasm, a drive for action, and a craving for something new. It greatly favors those who have taken on an unfamiliar task.

This is a card of strength, activity, and optimism. The person to whom The Chariot appears has often just made their choice (the previous Arcana) and is now focused on their goal. What they need most right now is self-discipline and confidence in their own intentions. This card says that there is no time left for waiting. The moment has come to solve problems, especially those that have been complicating life for a long time.

With this card, we come face to face with reality. It often appears to those who have long known exactly what needs to be done, but were frightened by the decisiveness of the required actions, as well as the definitiveness of the results to be achieved. And now—it is time to show ingenuity, composure, willpower, and to set out on one's "sacred crusade"! This is a card of great personal growth and blossoming, achievements, and progressive development. It says: you will emerge from your trials with honor, thanks, first and foremost, to your willpower.

Under The Chariot, quantity turns into quality. The Chariot signifies that we have a goal, and we are taking active steps to achieve it. The ethos of this card is moving forward, holding the reins tightly, and vigilantly ensuring that balance and control are not lost. The traditional meanings of this card are: war, battle, retribution, victory over an opponent or competitors, success, triumph, overcoming obstacles, and help in times of difficulty. Victory over the blows of fate, the ability to emerge victorious from a difficult situation. The success achieved under The Chariot is the result of conscious efforts, and not merely a confluence of circumstances.

The Chariot Arcana has long been considered a special sign of fate. It acquires particular importance when it appears in a spread regarding a seemingly hopeless matter. The Chariot symbolizes the transition from one state to another. If the preceding period of time forced one to "hit the brakes" or tread water, then the appearance of The Chariot is joyful news. It means that the stagnation is ending and life is being filled with new power, and these will not be fantasies and inspired impulses, but real, well-thought-out plans and energetic practical actions. This card may advise that an event will soon occur in one's life capable of elevating them to a new level of success.

The Chariot speaks of the beginning of an important stage in life and the perfection of one's own Self. You can take risks, embark on new endeavors, and set yourself up for a life of diverse adventures. Like the Seven of Wands, it speaks of actively overcoming obstacles.

As a forecast for the future, The Chariot usually indicates that events will develop and the set goal will be achieved. How and at what cost—the surrounding cards will reveal. Sometimes they also hint at what is hindering progress. It happens that a clearly expressed intention to rush toward chosen goals and manage one's life comes into conflict with a mass of opposing forces. The Chariot always speaks of the importance of making the right effort at the right moment in time. Actions must be calibrated, otherwise there is a great risk that the whole venture will turn into a failure. The Chariot is not an entirely harmless card; inherently, there is always a risk that it will lose balance and control, and then overturn. Therefore, it makes sense to pay the closest attention to the neighboring cards. But it has long been considered an indicator that a person is on the right path.

The energy of The Chariot is the energy of academic discipline, diligence, self-control, and willpower. This is a sort of "basic training"—a person learns new habits and life skills that make them stronger and teach them to correct their flaws. Some authors note that this is precisely a discipline imposed from the outside, like military training, but ultimately it teaches inner self-mastery.

The Chariot often appears to a person who considers a certain stage of their life to be passed and is ready to move on. This is the case when the past is left behind without regrets and without looking back. The Chariot means a significant dash forward. It shows that we have broken out of the circle of our former interests and set off on a new path. This is driven by a desire for freedom, ambition, a search for the lost, or simply a thirst for self-realization. Some modern tarot readers note that The Chariot is the only card in the Tarot deck that associates such a leap with a feeling of joy and self-confidence. In all other cases, saying goodbye to the old is associated with fear and a heavy heart. But here—courage, curiosity—a person rushes forward, seeking an application for their powers and not afraid to take risks.

The card symbolizes strength and dexterity (driving the Chariot), but also inexperience (journeying into unknown lands). Therefore, it should also be perceived as a warning—do not overestimate your strength, do not be too self-assured, and do not allow yourself to become "dizzy with success." It is best to realize in time just how much there is still left to learn.

A journey, a long trip, a change of familiar surroundings. Communication with someone located far away.

Surrounded by unfavorable Arcana, it can foreshadow quarrels, scandals, conflicts, or the presence of some opposing factors. The ancient meaning is war. Also—a thunderstorm (both literally and figuratively; an association of the image with the chariot of the prophet Elijah; in Russia, there was a saying that during a thunderstorm, "Elijah is riding across the sky").

Capable of moving mountains!

And if the doomed mountain does not come to Muhammad on its own, then he is already driving toward it. The Chariot often describes a person "riding the crest of a wave." Their plans have true scale and they are moving towards their goals, bravely overcoming obstacles. The non-literary slang "The dude is seriously bossing it" perfectly fits the Seventh Arcana. The Chariot can indicate a person who holds a fairly high post, is endowed with authority, and is able to control the situation. They are bold and lucky, and most importantly—ambitious.

The qualities of this card are courage, honesty, perseverance, concentration of mental forces, willpower, and self-control. Determination, self-confidence, and independence—this is the ethos of this card. The Charioteer moves unswervingly towards their goal (there are no doubts, as the choice was already made in the previous arcana). They are completely focused on achieving it and make every effort to do so without being distracted by extraneous things. The Chariot is a card of conscious intentions. What these consist of can be suggested by the surrounding cards. But in any case, it is an intention to "get moving," "move forward," and "take control of the matter." The Charioteer is collected and focused on what they are doing, not distracted by external interferences. Their armor protects them from the world. They sense acutely that any doubts, contradictions, and internal conflicts weaken their position, and therefore try not to allow this.

The Seventh Arcana emphasizes the need to consciously manage the situation, gathering one's strength to vigilantly and skillfully keep everything under control. The Chariot is not a card of rest and relaxation, this can be said with absolute certainty. Under it, a person strains themselves considerably, even up to heroic actions. Here, control over one's own life is not the kind seen in The Magician, who devises clever solutions, or The Emperor, who has established law and order. It is more akin to the control known to a Formula 1 race car driver—second-by-second and dynamic. With The Chariot, it happens that some force compels a person to leave what they have, to forget about their past—about their home, work, friends. Usually, they are overflowing with energy, and they seek a new arena to apply it, ready to discover a new world.

The Charioteer thinks clearly and does not surrender to the storms of the subconscious. They conquer with reason and deal perfectly well with temptations. They possess excellent emotional self-control, based not on repression (they understand perfectly well that The Chariot does not move on its own), but on the ability to wisely manage their thoughts and feelings, and the contradictory life forces, while moving forward along the path of development. They fully understand that spiritual development consists not in suppressing contradictory impulses, but in the ability to use their energy to move forward. The Charioteer is a warrior, but not a monk; their path is a path into the world, toward conquests. This is an adventurer, but more single-minded than the Knight of Wands, and less frivolous than The Fool.

A leap in development is also The Chariot. The person of The Chariot is often absorbed in self-improvement in one form or another. They might actively engage in sports, combine work with study, master yoga, and so on; the only question is what currently is most closely associated with this self-improvement for them. Unlike The Hermit, they are open and generally strive for those forms of self-realization that are socially significant. At worst, this person takes on too much. It is curious that a real person represented by The Chariot can closely resemble the character on the Arcana—young, fair-haired, and with a somewhat haughty expression on their face.

A stage of spiritual development, the task of which is to know oneself and learn to consciously and constantly manage the various forces of one's own psyche and chaotic contradictory impulses. To learn to draw strength from the opposites within oneself, force them to work together, master the synergy of the inner world, deny nothing within it, but put everything at the service of evolution. The animals symbolize different aspects of one's nature (for example, body and spirit), which may seem to pull in different directions, but in reality, given self-control, they ensure progress towards a single goal. Self-control means directing, not suppressing. These forces became acquainted in the previous stage (the Magnum Opus, the great work of the Sixth Arcana) and now they carry one to victory. They are reconciled to such an extent that the person can now advance with their help at an unprecedented speed. The posture of the Charioteer in the Arcana reflects a stable harmony between diametrically opposed forces. At this stage of inner peace and external achievements, the temptation to stop is great—it is hard to convince oneself that there is something more.

All serious interpretations emphasize the Charioteer's initiation into many mysteries and their magical abilities. This is the son of the queen of heaven, the god of spring, the one who came from heaven to act on earth, the divine hero-liberator.

He rules the sphinxes and grips the scepter of wisdom. The card depicts a person looking confidently forward (the Exalted One, racing in the chariot of Creation). The character in armor is not standing in the chariot, but rises from a cube (symbolizing ascension). On his head is the crown of Isis, and on his shoulders rest two crescent moons, the Urim and Thummim; the dark one on the left, the light one on the right. Furthermore, the eight-pointed star on the Charioteer's crown reflects the connection of the Mind with the eighth sephira (Hod). The light and dark sphinx, and the waxing and waning crescents clearly speak of the two sides of the soul—the light and the dark, and on the Arcana, this does not look like some kind of drama. Their alignment and will bring only balance in thoughts, goals, and actions, and forward movement along the path of growth.

The four pillars of The Chariot symbolize the four elements—fire, air, earth, and water, upon which the world rests and which he has learned to understand. Above his head is a starry canopy—the sky is open to him and speaks to him. The image of the canopy is reminiscent of the patronage of The High Priestess; in some decks, the Charioteer is a holy warrior, the Son of the Goddess, the one upon whom hopes for the salvation of humanity are pinned. This image traces back to the prince of the Grail in the European tradition or the "hidden imam" in mystical Islam. In itself, the Seventh Arcana in the Tarot is a symbol of the triumphant mind that has managed to solve the riddle of the Sphinx. Guggenheim, however, notes that this riddle concerns only the mysteries of nature, and not supernal grace. The Sphinx represents a secret and unknown force by which the Ruler moves continuously through the various parts of the Universe. The union of opposites in one person is what enables his independent existence, endowing him with an independent destiny, detached from the destinies of the world as a whole, finally separating his soul from the World Soul and God. Waite emphasizes that the Charioteer is driven by high goals. Kaplan writes: "This card depicts the material currents that carry a man to his destiny."

To win, one must show determination, extraordinary will, and strain all their abilities to control the situation. The main risk is failing to cope with one's impulses and succumbing to inner weakness. This card says that a person is given to curb opposing forces, and this skill must be used by subordinating them to reason and labor. He will achieve greatness by bringing feelings under control, learning to balance contradictions (for example, active work in the world and periods of productive solitude). Sufficient strictness towards oneself and good self-control ensures rapid progress, victorious advancement, and the achievement of the goal. This card symbolizes masculine power, physical strength, confidence, fearlessness, and victory won by willpower. The crowned conqueror, the warrior-mage, must seek the Divine will. His progress is achieved through unrelenting control and the absolute exertion of all forces to hold the reins. But he will conquer, achieve, and win; nothing will hold him back except internal problems, while external ones hold no fear for him. This is the logical continuation of The Lovers Arcana—the forces known and curbed carry him to victory, but he must continue to exert effort and manage them.

The Charioteer becomes a triumphant figure thanks to the right choice in the Sixth Arcana. Now before him lies the path of material success and the development of the soul. It is not difficult to guess the most important danger that lies in wait for him—it is pride, the temptation by his own victories and knowledge. Mystical experience can lead him to madness, to megalomania. The Chariot is a card of free will. It is a great, but also a health-hazardous gift. The path of life, as is known, abounds in sections that are both narrow and slippery. It costs nothing to "crash" into the lamppost of destiny with this very free will (which is why the combination of The Chariot and The Tower is considered one of the most unfavorable—it hints exactly at such an outcome of the affair). The Chariot brings a total dedication of energy and an understanding of one's mission, but it is still the beginning of a long journey, where a person is inclined to take on too much, not fully understanding what they are doing. Therefore, the Arcana is also associated with the fall from grace, with a high risk of "wiping out."

The movements of karma in which the soul participates lead to deaths, wars, and natural disasters. But the Creator forgives the soul, tearing itself apart in agony from the contradictions and sins in which it partakes involuntarily by incarnating in this world, and gives it shelter, urging it to understand that even on the battlefield the Charioteer not only kills, but also creates a new reality;—consequently, the soul must live—and fight. Therefore, the concept of realization is also associated with The Chariot Arcana. The more a person conforms to their predestination, the better they manage to manifest the freedom of their will.

This card reflects the zodiacal characteristic of the sign of Cancer, which hides the wealth of its inner world beneath the shell of Saturn, preserving it from external influences that introduce doubts into the soul regarding the correct choice of path. Cancer is a self-doubting sign, but astrology advises it to become a warrior, replacing passive Saturnian guarding with active defense of Mars: Cancer is the sign of the conception of Aries, which is ruled by Mars, therefore Capricorn, where Mars is in exaltation, is the best foundation for the Martian manifestation of its inner world and the hopes of its soul. On the Arcana, we see a mobile house-fortress (the chariot itself) and the armor of the charioteer. Cancer corresponds to the month of Tammuz—the time of the intensification of carnal desires. At the front, The Chariot is decorated with a very sexual ancient sign reflecting the union of the masculine and feminine principles. Above it, we see wings reminding us of the Angel of The Lovers Arcana—a call to direct this heat towards higher goals, to spiritualize it. In general, this symbol points to the nature of the force by which the Charioteer moves—spiritualized libido.

The Chariot is very important for understanding the Tarot. It is a card of the Soul, of God, of the Universe. Seven has always been a magical number. It is the number of rotating planets visible to the naked eye. Ancient peoples built their mythologies around these celestial gods. The description by epic poetry of the "awakening of the hero" perfectly suits the Seventh Arcana. On an external level, this card symbolizes hitherto hidden forces that help to find the path to the "true self" and one's destiny. The Charioteer represents self-discovery and the determination of one's path; it is the victory over one's stagnation; it is the willpower that has removed the chains and seals from the hero.

The Chariot correlates with the ideas of the Upanishads and the Jewish Merkavah. The Merkavah is the Chariot of God in Jewish Mysticism. It is largely based on the doctrine of Ezekiel's mystical vision. In it, God was carried in a chariot formed by the wings of four angels, each of whom had four faces—a man, an eagle, a lion, and an ox. Symbols reminiscent of various aspects of the Merkavah shine through the entire Tarot system. The black and white horses become the black and white tower, the four surrounding angels and wheels become the four elements, and so on. These things are universal and archetypal.

We are closest in time to the philosophy of Plato, who described the Chariot as a metaphor for the soul in three parts. The Black Horse, the White Horse, and the Charioteer-Driver, called Reason, who binds them together and governs them. The white horse is beautiful, thoroughbred, and cultured, always pulling upwards. The black horse, of bad breed, intemperate, and hard to control, always pulls downwards. The Charioteer must balance their energies within himself and direct them, with great effort, into the world of the Gods, where he can hopefully catch a glimpse of the absolute truth, if only for a single moment, before he loses control again—because the horses are so difficult to manage—and crashes back to earth. Few have ever achieved this, and, according to Plato, an old soul, with the sensitivity of a creator or a philosopher, is close to this level of self-knowledge and mastery. A glimpse of this original truth, even for a moment, is enough for initiation. And even if you crash later (and as a human, you will crash), you will still be changed forever.

Esoterically, The Chariot corresponds to rituals of initiation and dedication. This is the setting out of an errant knight on the quest for the Grail. In mythology, these are solar celestial beings—Apollo, Helios, and Zeus. It also represents all astral journeys that help to become a conduit for cosmic energy and lead to spiritual transformation. The Chariot is the royal path of the spirit.

The Chariot describes periods of vigorous practical activity and energetic advancement of affairs. It is a major advancement in business, the overcoming of obstacles, opposition, and stagnation. The Charioteer is decisive, ambitious, ready to take risks, take on new tasks, and move up the career ladder. Power and high position often pass under this card. It is entirely possible to occupy a leadership position under it.

The Chariot deals with the authoritative curbing of opposing forces, which can be a clear sign for the leader of an organization torn by contradictions, where the employees have "taken the bit between their teeth," so to speak. In reality, the Charioteer does not have much of a choice—either you hold the reins and hold on, or you fly out of this jalopy farther than you can see. Simple, right? The advice of The Chariot is also simple—hold on with all your might.

This is a card of victory in competition, the capture of new territories (markets), and the expansion of spheres of influence. Accumulated experience and previously taken actions allow one to pull ahead and bypass competitors. In an unfavorable card environment—the need to overcome opposition to your plans.

The Chariot loves "working in harness." Partnership, joint ventures—this is its element. It is not bad for an isolated leader either, but nevertheless hints that without "driving forces" The Chariot won't go far. With this card, one usually manages to harness a diverse team into a common yoke and achieve the synergy necessary for development and active operations.

Achievement, reward, recognition of merit. The main meaning of this Arcana is the overcoming of obstacles and the achievement of a goal thanks to one's own efforts and, to a lesser extent, the support of fate.

Seeking and finding one's place in the world. The Chariot is very good for learning (with it, great advancement occurs even through insurmountable material) and symbolizes the application of knowledge in practice. It brings deserved victories—these could be successful assessments, exams, winning a competition, and so forth.

There is an opinion that for a businessman, The Chariot indicates it is time to prepare for major changes in his business—such as a global drop in prices, the liquidation of major manufacturers, or a transition to completely new technologies.

Sometimes a change of job or starting to work "for oneself."

The presence of negative cards in the spread may hint at the danger of miscalculating one's strength.

A change of residence. In financial matters, an improvement in the material situation can occur after some time due to energetic actions. One of the ancient meanings is pride and luxury. Consequently—prestige and spending on it.

A very ambiguous card. The Charioteer himself is quite an individualist, and his path does not usually lead him into the depths of sensuality. Appearing to a single person, the Seventh Arcana may indicate that now is not the best time to form relationships; fate is waiting for something else—self-development, strengthening positions, expanding knowledge and spheres of influence, and generally solving life tasks of a different kind. This is advice to concentrate on your own path and mark some achievements upon it! This is a card of a strong personality, self-control, and managing one's life through willpower. The person of The Chariot has a goal, and they act in accordance with it, but whether this goal is related to relationships is another question entirely. Perhaps they are motivated by something else. The surrounding cards can provide a clue. Surrounded by appropriate cards, The Chariot can portend both a love affair (especially a road trip or holiday romance) and moving to a new apartment.

At the same time, in the spread of a person who is concerned about the problems of an already existing relationship, The Chariot may precisely speak about the couple. In this case, it emphasizes issues of power and control over life. In the presence of favorable cards, The Chariot helps smooth out contentious issues, get rid of contradictions in the couple, and, so to speak, give new acceleration to affairs and events. In a favorable environment, this can mean complete harmony and mutual understanding in the couple, honesty and sincerity, and an orientation towards mutual goals, but if things in the spread are not so rosy, then it can mean quarrels, conflicts, and attempts by each to "pull the blanket to their side."

One is reminded of the fable about the swan, the pike, and the crawfish. This is a mismatch of interests and concepts about what should be and how. Sometimes, a desire to leave can be seen through this Arcana. And here, in general, it should be noted that under The Chariot, one can break free from the bonds of the most hopeless and oppressive relationships. This card may say that the first steps in this direction have already been taken, and nothing will stop further ones. The Charioteer is ready to risk no less than The Fool, is as confident in his path as The Hermit, and his will is no weaker than that of The Emperor. One of the meanings of the card is leaving a situation, and this is not a cowardly flight, nor an attempt to hide from reality, but a veritable departure.

The desire to keep one's own (and sometimes other people's!) feelings and experiences in check, not letting them break free "into the wild." The Chariot accentuates moment-by-moment control of the situation, constant vigilance—the reins cannot be let go for even a second. Why, and what this means, other cards will tell. But in any case, you must agree, for a romantic relationship this is somehow too tense. Not relaxing, not forgetting oneself, and not surrendering to emotions... This may be related to the presence of a rival (male or female), problematic inclinations of the other half (for example, trying to quit drinking or something like that—you have to keep a sharp eye out!), or one's own inability to behave (under The Chariot, people often go on a first date with the object of their dreams, worrying about missing the chair, spilling something, blurting something out of place, or rushing sex... the reins are taut, and so are the nerves).

At the same time, the Charioteer is the embodiment of sexual power, and the energy of this card is felt by many as quite turbulent and vibrant. Under The Chariot, as they say, bridles tear (sometimes this occurrence is strictly physiological). There is a strong element of domination and control in it. The other party may wake up the next morning feeling "ridden" to the point of utter exhaustion, "rolled over" at full throttle, and generally having been "run over by a horse." The mitigation of the situation depends entirely on whether the Charioteer deigns to restrain himself. There are no guarantees here.

It remains to add that the Charioteer is strong, but not clingy, and if he finds it interesting—he will rumple every bed in the neighborhood, not lingering anywhere and behaving like a conqueror in an occupied city. Furthermore, this person is not particularly sensitive to resistance or refusal. Deep down, he believes that he can curb and tame anyone, and the line where rape begins is vague and indefinite in his perception. If there are cards nearby like The Tower, Knight of Swords, and The Devil, the issue of sexual safety may come to a head. Whatever the subject, a person described by such a combination of cards will "walk over corpses" and get their way at any cost. The Charioteer inherently possesses strong self-motivation and stubbornness. In love, he is inclined to conquer, regardless of the interest of the other party (as well as parents, wives, husbands, and children). He is a tank. A conflict of interests does not scare him; at the same time, he listens to no one and eliminates rivals. The Chariot marks the winning side in a love triangle.

In modern interpretations, the meaning of a martial triumph, which has long been attributed to The Chariot, practically drops out, but sometimes it makes itself known.

Modern tarot readers indicate that The Chariot can be an indicator of a virtual romance or a relationship between people living a great distance apart.

The Chariot is an indicator of robust health and vitality. It is equally good for body and spirit.

The appearance of The Chariot is good for a person who has decided to finally take up sports or drop a long-standing bad habit ("strike the inner enemy"). This card helps to practice a stricter lifestyle, diet, sports, and so on.

If it is a question of illness, The Chariot foretells recovery.

And only if it is absolutely necessary to interpret this card as the cause of an illness, then these could be stress-induced diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (The Chariot correlates with the sign of Cancer, which projects onto the stomach, among other things), for example, an ulcer associated with overstrain and overly active behavior. The Chariot is also associated with a wheelchair and everything that "helps" land one in it. The ancient meaning is battle wounds; the modern one is accidents, crashes, and injuries (especially those sustained in road accidents). Less commonly—heart attacks, strokes.

The Reversed Chariot can indicate a whole range of problems, from sports injuries to a loss of homeostasis in the body as a result of, for example, a virus with complications and incorrect treatment. This could also be "achievement depression" or postpartum depression.

There are cards that in a reversed position do not represent anything particularly dramatic. But the Reversed Chariot is a bad omen, and this has to be reckoned with. Its traditional meanings are defeat, overthrow, downfall, failure. At the very last moment, Fortune turns away and what was almost in your hands slips away. Plans crumble in the most sudden manner, and this is usually associated with an underestimation of the situation and an overestimation of one's own strength.

The conquering hero falls out of his triumphal chariot, having lost control, and the laurel wreath flies off his head. This can also be a dramatic loss of self-control in a tense situation. The Reversed Chariot indicates uncontrolled passions. The person described by this card often lacks what it takes to commit truly correct actions. Where they should slow down, they step on the gas and end up in a ditch. Where they should push harder, they hit the brakes and get bogged down in a swamp.

They always fall short of the summit and lose where, it would seem, it is practically impossible. This is a card of selfishness, intolerance, self-destruction, but most importantly—an inability to manage. What is called "the human factor"...

The Reversed Chariot reminds one of a person who closes their eyes in a moment of crisis on the road. And if they hadn't closed their eyes and had still tried to turn the steering wheel, even having spent a year's supply of adrenaline in half a second—they would have turned it.

The Reversed Chariot is a highly unfavorable sign for travel and trips. It can be said that this is the most serious warning on this subject that the Tarot can give. Trips get postponed—and this is far from the worst option. Breakdowns, accidents, flight delays, and extreme situations on the road.

The card can also speak of a lack of mental balance, insecurity, outside pressure, and the unfavorable influence of the people around you. It can also be interpreted as unnecessary bowing to obsolete traditions and excessive self-restriction; it can signal potentially imminent conflicts with the law or unexpected court cases. Sometimes it is a lack of control and a lack of action. The result—defeats, failures, and upheavals in life, disruptions in the organization of affairs.

Instability in life, an inability to face reality. In the reversed position, the card can mean that this is not yet a breakthrough; although the old period is ending, there is no need to rush events, it is better to wait.

Health problems.

At best, this is chasing two hares (the result of this chase is clear enough; the surrounding cards can clarify the details).

Quarrels, litigations, trials. Polemics, discussions. Riots, rebellion, mutiny. Usurpation of power. Under the Reversed Chariot, unpleasant phenomena such as hooliganism, banditry, and extortion occur.

In a personal sense, anger, revenge, unforgiven grievances, furious quarrels, and an unwillingness to reconcile can pass under the Reversed Chariot.

With The Magician – a strong combination, a triumph of will

With The High Priestess – a strong combination (The High Priestess is sometimes considered the mother of the Charioteer), a sign of unseen support

With Strength – it is believed that this position of cards indicates weak self-control, but one could perhaps argue with this.

With The Hanged Man – a person lets others go ahead of them; it is believed that the card weakens the influence of The Chariot. At the same time, this is the ability to listen to the voice of one's own destiny.

With The Tower – an extremely unfavorable combination, a high probability of a crash, accident, or catastrophic disruption of plans. Defeat, an experience bringing humiliation.

With The Moon – a certain mystery that is better left unpenetrated, or a question to which an answer should not be sought, because the changes it causes could be catastrophic. With the Reversed Chariot – conspiracies and intrigues aimed at seizing power.

With the Ace of Wands, Eight of Wands – a hasty decision.

With the Two of Wands – it is believed that these cards amplify each other. Gaining authority, superiority.

With the Five of Swords – the theme of revenge, victory over enemies, is strong.

With the Eight of Swords – embarrassment, self-doubt

With the Four of Pentacles – the importance of control over what is happening is amplified

With the Nine of Pentacles – discipline, self-control

All triumphant heroes. "Fortune favors the bold" (Virgil)

Alexander the Great

BELLUM SACRUM

Mystical creatures from the Apocalypse

The Chariot of Shiva, Ezekiel, and Elijah

Solar mythological characters—Helios's son Phaethon, Bellerophon, Icarus. Apollo, Helios, Horus.

"Destroying obstacles, you destroy all your enemies and all your desires will be realized if you approach the future with courage, armed with the consciousness of your right. And let reason command you, but do not seek to completely rid yourself of feelings and emotions: without them, your chariot may overturn" (Papus)