The Chariot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 Oct 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

wolfen045	06 Oct 2003
Why is the charioteer part of the chariot? If you look closely at the card, you'll see that the chariot is a solid block and the man has no legs. He ends at the hips and is part of the chariot itself. Any opinions as to why this is so??? Blessings, wolfen

Nevada	06 Oct 2003
He has to make the Chariot an extension of himself, in order to see things through in the most thorough and efficient way possible. Quite literally, on a real Chariot, if one doesn't hang on one ends up on one's ass in the dust. This is about commitment to what you're doing, staying with it for the long haul, and believing that your life depends on doing it. You know that feeling you got, after you first learned to drive a car, when you gained some experience at driving and began to feel that the car was an extension of you, and your operation of it became second nature? Nevada

WalesWoman	19 Dec 2003
I drew this card this morning and didn't even notice that. What I did notice was he holds no reins, that he can't really control the sphinx unless they let him. Or it's about mental control rather than physical. I'm wondering what the white sphinx has between it's paws, it looks like a football or something.

ros	19 Dec 2003
"taking foundations outward" no reins , there's a bumpy ride till you get your ideas where they are going. determined will personal challenges balancing , trying to stay in control of ideas "becoming One with your calling" Just some ideas I have found. Hope they help.

tarobones	23 Dec 2003
Hello to the group. I am studying Rachel Pollacks 78 Degrees of Wisdom about the Rider-Waite tarot. Her comments about the Chariot notice the very same things : the charioteer merges into the chariot, and no reins. He drives the chariot by sheer force of will........yet the beasts would appear to want to go in opposite directions. There's lots of focus and control in the image! Rachel Pollack notes: "Observe the charioteer himself merging into his stone vehicle. The mind that subordinates all things to conscious will runs the risk of becoming rigid, cut off from the v ery forces it has learned to control." This "control" card has some risks and warnings built right into the image, it seems. ..........Peace and blessings to all!

lark	23 Dec 2003
This is what I thought about half of his body being a part of the chariot. If you are too controlled you only experience half a life. If half of your body is cement you can't experience walking or sitting, sex, or wearing a new pair of soft white socks or pulling on those comfy well worn jeans. And talk about constupation...well, lets not talk about it... If you are to controlled you sometimes miss opportunities in life because you can't be spontaneous. That guy can't stop and smell a rose along the way because he is a part of the chariot. He can enjoy the beauty of the sight of it. But not the smell or soft velvet feel of the petals. Or the sting of a thorn. He misses half the experience of a rose. So I think the symbol of the man merging into the Chariot is a warning about being to controlled. And about being to controlling. Look into why those horses might want to go in different directions...before you force them to conform to your control-ideas.

paradoxx	23 Dec 2003
Quote: Originally posted by WalesWoman I drew this card this morning and didn't even notice that. What I did notice was he holds no reins, that he can't really control the sphinx unless they let him. Or it's about mental control rather than physical. I'm wondering what the white sphinx has between it's paws, it looks like a football or something. mental control, very appropraite for the meaning of the card, but i bet this interpretation could be dependent on surrounding cards. two knights would counter that kind of control as the knights (and to a lesser degree the pages) are not ones to be controlled easily. the white sphinx has the end of its tail between its paws where as the black sphinx tail end is on the edge of the card. The cats are not symetrical. Now thats interesting symbolism.

Jewel-ry	24 Dec 2003
Maybe the cement block is a warning, not to be too rigid or set in your ways! J:)

paradoxx	25 Dec 2003
Quote: Originally posted by jewel-ry Maybe the cement block is a warning, not to be too rigid or set in your ways! J:) That is a very accurate statment given its Cancer symbolsim. That block looks heavy too, you think those two sphinxes can move it?

paradoxx	02 Jan 2004
If you look in the moons on his shoulders you can see a couple of faces. rather strange a maybe a little scary at times.

ros	02 Jan 2004
Just an idea. Mabee controlling outside things that are not controllable only with self discipline. For the man in the chariot he has to be in controll of himself to overcome his journey. So he is in controll inwardly but not of outward influences.(e.g. caffeine & nicotine).So you have to have self discipline to overcome the Negitivies in our lives. So our will may be 50 wanting and 50 saying no to our bad habits. Anything that overcomes us & gives us a challenge to break away. So he shows no legs because he is only in 50 percent of control of the challenge here. Hope someone understands my idea behind this.

ros	02 Jan 2004
Yes I'm on a roll. lol If the chariot is next to 9-10 of wands = overcoming our burdens or energy 9-10 of coin =overcoming battles of money or material things 9-10 of swords= overcoming our thoughts or others words 9-10 ofcups = overcoming our emotions or addictions that make us emotionally happy just for a length of time. Does anyone think this works. I just thought about it when I did my other post here.

paradoxx	13 Jan 2004
excellent addition to the thread Ros, what about threes if the chaiot is next to the 3 of wands, overcoming the limitations that come with authority 3 of cups, overcoming the problems that come with celebrations (drunkeness and abundance) 3 of pentacles, overcoming the limitations that come with the said structure of lifes obsticles 3 of swords, overcoming a betrayal or a situation that does not support the ultimate divine love. If the chariot is flanked by two cards, then each card can represent the sphinx that is respectivally on that side of the chariot. If the Chairiot is reversed, the weight of the cement block may be too much for the charioteer to handle.

TemperanceAngel	13 Jan 2004
I noticed when studying the Chariot last year, how much it was like the Magician: except that both arms are lowered and the wand has become a staff. It made me think that the Magician is focusing on manifesting and the Chariot has manifested, so what is the next step? It has come into consciousness, so maybe the Chariot is getting ready to move, but not yet ready. First Strentgh must be found and this will teach patience and wisdom, The Hermit, understanding ones path, as such, and maybe then the movement comes with the change of the WOF?? Oooopppsss, a lil' rant XTAX

Vincent	14 Jan 2004
*****

The The Chariot thread was originally posted on 06 Oct 2003 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.