The Chariot tarot card from the Simply Tarot deck

The Chariot Tarot Card Meaning

The Driver
Determination • Control • Momentum

A difficult situation pulls you in different directions; your morality could even be in question. Make your decision and mean it. Take control of your emotions and channel them constructively. Commit to your decision fully and find the strength to deal with all the consequences of your choice, good or bad.

The Subject is being pulled in different directions and they are struggling to know what action to take. Things are happening quickly and it feels as if there really isn’t much time for the Subject to get a grip on what’s happening. Rather than desperately trying to play catch up with events, the Subject needs to take control, grab the reins and direct events firmly. If the Charioteer does not take action now, he’ll almost certainly end up in a collision!

The Subject needs to decide what action to take and channel their energies in to making things right again. The Subject is ill advised to act in an underhand or deceitful manner - no matter how complicated and confused boundaries have become. As always, they should act from a point of love and respect for everyone concerned to be sure that they did the right thing and made the right choice.

Love & Relationships

Emotional momentum is strong, but speed can easily outrun intimacy. One person may be so focused on reaching the next destination that they forget relationships require presence as much as progress. Control protects the heart until it begins isolating it.

Material Life

Progress demands discipline, especially when external pressure threatens to scatter focus in every direction at once. Someone is learning how to keep moving despite uncertainty, exhaustion or competing responsibilities pulling against them. Momentum becomes survival once stopping no longer feels possible.

Notes from the Artist

The Charioteer is driving the chariot down a narrow lane and he wants to reach his desired destination.

The horses are opposite colours, they appear to want to head in different direction. The Charioteer feels that he is in control and is steering the horses well. However, the horses are strong and picking up speed, if one succeeds in pulling The Chariot in the wrong direction the Charioteer will have lost control of his own journey and missed his true destination.

In a reading, this card would represent the need to adopt a strong stance to drive something forward, to keep strong and steady hands on the reins and manage opposition and potential problems, no matter what the difficulties. The Charioteer has to commit to the path he wants to go down.

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