The Chariot — The Major Arcana
The word Arcana comes from the Latin word Arcanum, which represents a sacred secret or mystery that one must discover. The Chariot is related to the Major Arcana and signifies major life lessons you’ll learn on this path, that of mastering emotional control.
The secret paths of the Major Arcana represent the journey of the Fool, in which the Fool learns new lessons with every step of the way and overcomes obstacles and gains wisdom from lessons learned.
The Chariot — Emotional Endings and New Emotional Beginnings
The path of the Chariot represents the soldier who makes his rank and graduates from Boot Camp. The Charioteer leaves Boot Camp with the Eye of the Tiger, ready and prepared for anything that life throws at him.
“I am ruled by the Cancer zodiac sign. I look calm on the outside, but I am “exploding” on the inside! I am determined to overcome this feeling of doubt and fear, and I will focus only on winning control of my emotions and escaping from their control!”
“Everyone, at times, becomes a new recruit in need of mastering emotional control. Through battle, you prove your worthiness to reach the next rank, to leave Boot Camp behind, to exercise self-control when meeting your adversaries, and to prepare for anything that life throws at you!”
The Chariot’s Ruler — Cancer
The Chariot Card is related to the zodiac sign of Cancer and ruled by the Moon. The temperament of Cancer is a veritable kaleidoscope of emotions, as variable as the ocean’s tides. Cancers exude emotion, leading them at times to feel at a loss of control. They battle themselves to overcome their buried, internal fears and doubts.
The Cancer zodiac sign is known as a cardinal because those born under this sign, are leaders. They push forward, always wanting to be the initiators but need to feel safe in their element when in charge.
Cardinal signs such as Cancer are propelled by emotional forces that push them into new territory. They move cautiously, however, much like the crab. Cancer’s role is to explore the human emotions and their attendant experiences. The water sign is the most subtle of the cardinal signs, always expressing independence and ambition while shrouding thoughts in privacy.
But don’t be fooled into thinking that the water sign has an easy-going personality. On the contrary, their power resides in the secrets they protectively guard, which is why they are known as the crab. Cancers are moody but have the ability to accept, initiate, or even embrace change when they feel it is necessary. Their sympathy and compassion are unmatched by all other zodiac signs.
Greek Mythology
The Story About Crios, The Crab
The Cancer crab refers to the giant crab in Greek Mythology that Hercules stepped on and killed while fighting the many-headed Hydra Monster. The poor crab ranks among the most pathetic of creatures in all of mythology. The crab pinched Hercules’ toe, and the irritated hero’s response was simply to crush the crab like an ant, and that’s the end of that.
The Goddess Hera, Queen of the Olympians and wife of Zeus, had such pity for the crab that she put him in the sky to reward his bravery and dedication. The story of the crab ended sadly, but there is another side to this story that gives this poor crab a new look and a different interpretation.
Here, the crab was known as the protector of the sea nymphs and was made into the Cancer constellation, the connection of water and the tides of seas. The giant crab guarded the sea nymphs in Poseidon’s kingdom.
Poseidon, the son of Cronus and Rhea, became king of the sea and the islands because he defeated his father, Cronus. Poseidon symbolizes the sea, and it was said that when he was in a good mood, he created new lands in the water and calmed the seas. On the other hand, when he was angry, he wreaked havoc with earthquakes, shipwrecks, drowning and chaos.
Because the crab was enormous and strong, Poseidon blessed him with immortality. When the Typhon terrorized Poseidon and the other gods, Poseidon went into hiding and left Crios (the crab) in charge of protecting the sea nymphs, who were considered to be Poseidon’s daughters. Typhon was a giant sea monster feared by Poseidon and the sea gods because he had the strength to wield buildings as if they were bricks.
The crab took his role as protector very seriously, and wouldn’t let any of the sea nymphs outside of his reach, but after time the sea nymphs became restless and wanted to wander again into the open seas as they were convinced that the danger of the Typhon had passed.
The crab was so preoccupied with protecting his territory and the remaining sea nymphs that he was not able to chase after them, so he recruited the help of a giant squid, Vamari. Unfortunately, the crab was unaware of Vamari’s evil nature, which he might have guessed, had he known that the squid’s name relates him to the evil, blood-sucking vampire.
But the crab was desperate and, pressed for time and in great need of aid, he neglected to inform himself of the squid’s nature. Believing Vamari to be his savior and protector, he discovered the squid’s ill intentions all too late, and when the squid reached the sea nymphs, he devoured them.
When Vamari returned from his mission, he told the crab that he could not find any of the missing sea nymphs. The crab knew that he was lying and attacked him. This battle ended in the crab’s victory, but his crippling injuries left him forever changed.
Immortal, the crab was incapable of dying and faced an eternity of suffering. When Poseidon returned from hiding, he recognized the crab’s incredible bravery and chose to relieve him of his pain, but not his immortality, by placing him in the sky as the constellation Cancer.
Source: http://www.gods-and-monsters.com/mythology-of-cancer.html
I want to thank Mike for granting permission to use the story of the “Cancer Crab” in my book!
The Story Of The Chariot Tarot Card
The Chariot is enumerated seven in the Tarot deck and is symbolic of dramatic changes of growth, and obstacles to overcome to be in control of your emotions.
The yellow sky and the Charioteer’s golden hair represent optimism, and the day’s fine aspect shows no signs of a cloud or storm. The man standing inside his chariot wears atop his head the symbol of perfection — a crown of pointed stars.
The Charioteer is young and attractive, at his physical peak, wearing his finest attire and emanating a new energy. His Egyptian headdress resembles a cobra, suggesting his disposition to attack any obstacles that hinder him, and his black skirt reinforces the idea of his strength. The snake also represents the charioteer’s spine, for his nervous system is on the edge until he completes his mission. Despite a calm exterior, his volatile emotions war within him.
The wreath he wears represents attainment, victory, success, and acquired wisdom, and his breastplate indicates that he runs no risk of impalement by the keen blade of the enemy. He leaves behind his secure kingdom ensconced by stone walls and filled with stone buildings with red roof tops, denoting a rigid masculine security, and the chariot hurtling forward reflects his hasty personality.
A blue and white canopy of stars adorns the chariot, blue for his thoughts and white for his connection to spirituality and his beliefs in God. The four pillars connected to the chariot represent his balance and strategy, and they are of stone because he is rigid and set in his plans. He wears black armor detailed with Egyptian Hieroglyphics, a formal writing system used by the ancient Egyptians, and his white arm guards denote his well-grounded spiritual beliefs.
His yellow belt bears symbols representing his strength, while his shoulders are protected by two blue stone faces, one on each side, each cradled by a Crescent Moon. The color blue symbolizes his thoughts, and the Moon represents that he is carrying the weight of his thoughts on his shoulders. His determination to bring something to an end and begin anew is indicated in the form of these Waxing and Waning Crescent Moons.
The river symbolizes his thoughts, for its flow signals a strong sense of a certain direction. The chariot has crossed the river, indicating the start of the Charioteer’s new mission, and signifying that the Charioteer is young, full of energy, and prepared for each necessary step.
The War Between the Conscious and Unconscious
However, the Charioteer is paused in thought, and for this reason the chariot is still. The white and black sphinxes are pulling his chariot through a personal battle, and the sphinxes represent a metaphor for the conscious (what you know) and the unconscious (what you do not know). The white sphinx represents the conscious and staying in the present, to overcome a personal battle, and the black sphinx represents the unconscious, the chaos the Charioteer is going through, battling against a deep emotional conflict that must be overcome!
The sphinxes are not moving and they are idle. They do not appear to be in agreement about their destination since each is poised to head off in a different direction. The chariot is idle because the Charioteer is pulled in two different directions. His conscious and unconscious are at war, and only by courageously controlling this internal emotional conflict can he end his personal war and set his true emotional direction. The white and black sphinxes also symbolize the haste of the Charioteer’s thoughts and their masculine and feminine character which are at war with each other.
His blue staff with a yellow point signifies his thoughts, stability and direction and represents the number one and the inspiring new beginning. The square on his breastplate suggests the number four, the Emperor’s strength and ability to control his destiny. The stone hexahedron of his chariot stands for stability and is formed with six square faces, eight vertices, and twelve edges, representing truth, knowledge, perfection, completion, eternity, stability and being grounded to the earth.
The blue wings on the front of his chariot, with a yellow disk between each wing, represent the thoughts and inspiration that enable him to realize his new beginning. The green grass, trees, and seedlings represent the color of the element Earth, life, nature, abundance, and the growth of a new beginning.
The Waxing and Waning Crescent Moons also stand for such feminine qualities as emotions, feelings, intuition, and mystery. The Moon receives and reflects the light of the Sun, so it symbolizes receptivity and passivity, as well as reflection and emotional reaction.
But the Moon also has a dark side that remains hidden, so while it symbolizes intuition, and mystery, it also symbolizes imagination and hidden things. These qualities are all clues to the meanings of any card bearing a Moon or a Crescent Shape.
In this case, the Chariot card shows Crescent Moons on the Charioteer’s shoulders, so he may be experiencing an emotional battle he must overcome about a woman that he is going to see. Further, the Red Lingam & Yoni Symbol on the front of his chariot represents the sexual and spiritual union of a male and female, so it seems the Charioteer is charging after his Princess to rekindle something with a woman his heart yearns after.
My Interpretation Of The Chariot Tarot Card
The Chariot card shows a soldier dashing hurriedly into battle to win control over his emotions and to tame his wild instincts. Everyone, at times, becomes a new recruit in need of mastering emotional control. Through battle you prove your worthiness to reach the next rank, to leave “Boot Camp” behind, to exercise self-control when meeting your adversaries, to prepare for anything that life throws at you.
You learn that your emotions drive you and sometimes consume you, so you must not allow your emotions to turn into anger, grief, repeated self-pity, idleness, or fear. Boot Camp teaches you how to stand up for yourself and become a better soldier, to develop the Eye of the Tiger so necessary for walking with pride and foresight.
Most crucially, you must retain your motivation and refuse to be swayed by the specter of the past and of your mistakes. Instead, the past teaches you to stay calm and centered.
The Chariot is about winning and mastering your emotions — developing the positive side of yourself, being strong, self-controlled, able to balance conflicting emotions, and triumphant over obstacles. Mastery of your emotions through self-discipline, hard work, and control lends you peace and the elimination of all aggression from within.
When this card appears in a reading, it represents challenges that you must confront. Your courage is required for an existing struggle, an emotionally destructive relationship, perhaps, that you cannot end or surpass.
You must find the strength to repair the relationship or else end it entirely. Tell yourself that you will prevail by accepting the need for change, and taking the new steps necessary to find happiness and live your dream. When an issue resists resolution, no matter how difficult, you need to formulate a plan that will orient you correctly.
Upright Position: You’re in control of your inner emotions and your emotions do not control you. You graduated Boot Camp with honors: victory, confidence, and being self-disciplined.
Reverse Position: You’re at war with your inner emotions and they control you. You are emotional, obsessed, an over-achiever preoccupied with climbing the ladder of success. Your desire to obtain rapid results makes you a harsh taskmaster. You want to attain your goals or reach your destination soon, without delays or pauses.
During this time, your emotions are tightly strung and you may start acting chaotic, losing all sense of control or balance. Overwhelming ambition and high expectations do not always serve you best. He who takes on too heavy a burden runs the risk of losing all.
Timing is 1 – 30 days or related to the Phases of the Moon.
The timing of the Chariot is also related to the phases of the Moon and depend on whether you are inquiring about a new start, a testing point, wishes coming true or letting go.
For example, the Chariot card came out in the outcome card and I asked if I should let go of a situation. The phase of the Moon was in the last quarter waning Moon Phase, and the meaning of this Moon Phase is to let go.
New Moon or Solar Eclipse (not visible – making a wish and starting a new plan).
First Quarter Moon (growing in size – action oriented – pushing ahead to a testing point).
Full Moon or Lunar Eclipse (wishes come true – or the release of what is not working).
Third Quarter Moon (shrinking in size – strong beliefs with what you want – you will put these beliefs in action, or let go and release what binds you).
The Chariot card article is also located on Lotus Tarot (tarot card articles). You can also find me on Lotus Tarot if you are interested in a reading.
http://www.free-tarot-reading.net/live-readings/Safina/chat