For internet readings, questions such as "Am I pregnant?", "Should I take the job... yes/no?", "When will I meet my soul mate?"... such questions severely limits the guidance the tarot can potentially give and it doesn't leave the querent much room to contribute to positive changes in their lives.
Tarot , to me, can be used in many ways.. it really depends on the readers' methods of reading, abilities and the way the card is interpreted but equally as important is the readers' own understanding of the question the querent is asking.
leelee said:
How would you interperate the Chariot as "how does someone view me physically?"
Let's assume this is a hypothetical question whereby the reader is performing a routine self-practice reading.
While I do agree it infringes on someone else's privacy if the question is phrased in a manner that is meant to be intrusive, this question can also be viewed as a general opinion of how the querent is "perceived" by people in his/her environment. It can help the querent understand his/her contribution *especially if they are having difficulties with interpersonal issues. It really depends on how the reader understands the question asked by the querent as well.
(*especially meaning if the person is facing such challenges, not necessarily meaning that the querent is indeed facing such challenges)
If this is the case, then the Chariot firstly is a major, the concern is significant to the querent. The querent may wish to know that this card shows two things:
The querent *may* be viewed as strong-willed/willful?, assertive, is not afraid to face challenges and may have the tendency to come across as opinionated, agressive or insensitive, especially in disagreements. *May* because these are descriptions of the characteristics of The Charioteer and since there are many facets to the card, the querent will have to seek within themselves to explore the relevence of this energy in their character, their personality or their traits.
In which case, it would be helpful to the querent (to me at least) to be aware that our reaction either directly or indirectly influences how other people behave towards us.
The second, it may indicate the querent wishes to gain more control over the aspect of their lives that is being read; feels that things are getting out of control therefore, it may appear to others that this person is assertive, either reckless or in control of a situation... there are both light and shadow aspects to this card.
Areas that the querent may wish to explore would be asking himself/herself how this has effected his/her relationships in the past because The Charioteer is a helpful energy to have under certain circumstances as long as it is well under control but it may cause friction if the querent is unaware that his/her assertiveness may intimidate those around them.
Not meaning to sound sexist but a female with strong Charioteer influences may intimate a partner who is not quite as assertive as she is or vice versa. The possibilities are endless so it is up the the querent to identify what is relevent to him/her because it is quite redundant to list out the many thousands of ways this energy may effect others around him/her.
It does not mean, however, that this is the only facet to the querent, it just means that at the time this card was pulled, the energy resonates closely to the querent and how the querent was feeling about any given situation.. basically whatever the querent was focused on at the time.
I think John has a point in that it does takes a lot of cognitive processing to link the meanings of the card to the question asked; identify what is helpful for the querent to know and what is not; then putting the message across clearly in a manner that they are able to accept without offending them.
To a certain extent, the reader has to play the Charioteer and control the direction the reading is headed because I think people want to know everything that can help them solve a problem; sometimes they loose track of what they can be empowered to change such as personal attributes and what they cannot.
Sometimes, our concern about our physical appearance may indicate our own sense of insecurity as to whether others find us attractive, visually pleasing, etc...(Not necessarily so but its something the querent may wish to explore as well) and The Charioteer in this case may mean covering up our vulnerabilities with a stronger looking front.
I personally think an effective reading contains the combination of empathy, clear thinking, a decently strong understanding of the cards' meanings and most importantly, the reader's ability to receive the messages from the cards without personal biasness.
Ash