Key Meanings

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Willpower, determination, victory through effort, moving forward, self-discipline, ambition, control, overcoming obstacles, confidence, focused direction, triumph, inner strength

Reversed

Lack of direction, aggression, losing control, scattered energy, stalled progress, powerlessness, obsessive drive, defeat, recklessness, inner conflict, forced outcomes, burnout

General Interpretation

Upright

The Chariot is momentum in its purest form. She indicates that you are riding a wave of willpower and personal drive. You have opposing forces in your life but you are steering them all in the same direction. She signifies discipline and focus and has the grit to get up. The Chariot is often an indicator that someone has been struggling and is suddenly finding their feet. Victory is yours to lose but you will need to work for it. It's not luck that brings you to your goal, it's self-control and determination. The Chariot never sits back and waits for things to happen, she takes the bull by the horns.

Reversed

When reversed, The Chariot indicates loss of control or direction. That focused energy is dispersed. Maybe you are applying far too much force but in the wrong direction, or maybe you don't have any direction at all! It can signify mindlessly charging forward when a tactical retreat might be a better option. Aggression but without focus. It's also all about internal conflict. Two desires battling against each other rather than cooperating. The Chariot in a reversed position can also signify that sensation of spinning your wheels. You are putting the effort in but nothing is coming of it.

Love & Partnership

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For those in a relationship, The Chariot indicates that you will be actively striving to achieve goals as a couple. This is not the easy, comfortable love. It's a couple choosing to forge ahead together. It could be through a struggle or towards a destination or goal. There is a sense of the relationship or the two of you being 'in the flow' and on course. Arguments may arise but they are kept under control and not allowed to derail things.

For single people, The Chariot is a great omen as it carries the energy of knowing what you want and going after it with purpose. It can indicate that you are taking a much more proactive approach to finding love. This could be getting out there and meeting people or just being upfront and honest about the type of relationship you want. It's a card of confidence.

Reversed

In relationships, The Chariot reversed can indicate power struggles. One partner may be attempting to drive the relationship forward and the other partner is resisting. It can also signify both people going in opposite directions with no compromise. It can simply be a sign that there is a lack of communication and the relationship feels more like a battle of wills than a partnership.

If you are single, this reversal may indicate that you have been forcing connections that weren't meant to be. Pursuing someone who is unavailable. Overexerting yourself to get a relationship to work within a particular timeframe. Alternatively, it can indicate that you have ground to a complete halt in terms of your love life as you feel you have no direction or are beaten down by past experiences.

Social Relationships

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Within existing friendships and social circles, The Chariot can represent being the one who takes the wheel. Perhaps you are the one making the plans or keeping the group united, or maybe you are the one who jumps in and helps out a friend in need. It signifies strong, go-forward energy in your relationships. You would be feeling like a force of nature within your community or friend group, someone who others depend on because you follow through on your commitments.

In terms of new social connections, The Chariot indicates that you will be meeting new people with confidence and focus. New friendships may come through shared goals or group work. Think project teams, sports teams or any scenario where you would gel with a group of people through striving for something together. The friendships you make in this energy should be based on mutual respect.

Reversed

For current friendships, The Chariot reversed can signify conflict caused by ego or need for control. Perhaps someone in your friend group is acting in an overbearing manner or a friendship has turned into a competition. It can also be an indication of your social life feeling stale, as if no one is making an effort to maintain the friendships and the group is drifting apart.

With new social relationships, The Chariot reversed can indicate that you are coming on too strong or, at the other extreme, too closed off to let anyone in. Your first impressions may not be great! You may find yourself monopolising conversations or trying to force your own issues or opinions on group situations. It can represent being overly socially aggressive or completely closing yourself off socially, which can hinder you from forming new relationships.

Work & Career

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The Chariot in a career context is one of the best cards to get in terms of professional momentum. It epitomises ambition with a side of action. Promotions, checking off or completing projects, making career changes and having them land in a good place etc. The Chariot appears when all your hard work is paying off and you can see real progression. There is also a competitive element to it. Not in the sense of being ruthless or aggressive but in the sense of wanting to be the best in your game. You overcome obstacles in your work environment with persistence and cleverness, not just force.

Reversed

Reversed in a work reading, The Chariot can indicate that your career is stagnating or that you are suffering from burnout from driving too hard for too long. The ambition is still there but it's being channelled in the wrong way. You might find yourself chasing a promotion that isn't something you actually want or working hard but not actually having a plan of where you want to go. It can indicate arguments in the workplace over control or authority. It can also indicate feeling powerless in a work environment, being trapped in a career with no advancement opportunities and being pulled in too many directions.

Money & Finance

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Financially, The Chariot indicates that you are disciplined with your money and you will be charging towards your financial goals. This may be a financial period where you are progressing steadily by hard work rather than being given money on a plate. You may set yourself a savings goal and achieve it or decide to invest in something after researching it thoroughly. You are not spending money recklessly in this time.

Reversed

The Chariot reversed in a financial context can indicate that you are making financial decisions impulsively or that you are letting emotion rather than logic dictate your financial choices. You may be spending as quickly as you get money and may not be leaving yourself anything for the future as you don't have a plan in place. It can also signify financial losses resulting from being overly cocky or confident, such as borrowing excessive amounts or making risky investments with no contingency plan. Again, the underlying issue is a lack of financial control or trying to push your finances forward faster than they are able to go.

Spirituality

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Spiritually, The Chariot indicates that you are combining your will with your inner knowing. You are driving your spiritual path forward with intention. During this time, meditation, study and personal growth practices should all feel productive and meaningful. There is a nice connection of mind to spirit as someone is actively choosing to pursue their spiritual growth instead of waiting for it to land in their lap!

Reversed

Reversed, The Chariot in a spiritual sense can indicate an ego-driven approach to spirituality. Trying to "win" at personal development or forcing spiritual experiences instead of allowing them to happen. It can also signify that you are not connecting with your spirit, just trying to intellectualise practice. Spiritual burnout is a possibility too. Pushing too far to get to some point you've imagined instead of being in the present where you are.